Your organization cannot run without them. Vendors and suppliers, whether couriers, banks, professional services or suppliers of raw materials, make up a complex network that helps you get the job done. These are people and organizations you pay and rely on, but far too often I hear people describe the relationship with disdain. Whether the feeling is that they cost too much, are unreliable or are apathetic, the all too unfortunate consensus is that they’re a necessary evil. The best that can be done is to endure, yell when you have to and always be on the lookout for a better option. If this is where you are, whether with one or many of your vendors or suppliers, the real problem is not them. I suggest it’s you. More precisely, it’s your selection criteria and process for the partners you chose. Consider your hiring process for a moment. What if…

Over the past two decades, the internet has dramatically lowered the barrier to entry for new companies. In recent years, a weak economy has forced many into the world of entrepreneurship and freelance. The rate of competition is increasing while the previously explosive increase in productivity, quality and efficiency is waning. While this seismic shift is taking place, we still have companies retaining and devising strategies to minimize customer interaction like we hit the pause button in the 90’s and nothing has changed. They view interaction with customers as an annoyance or a cost to minimize. Look no further than your inbox and all those noreply@ email address. Or consider a recent call you made navigating ten auto attendant layers while desperately hitting zero just to get a real person on the line. You can’t get service but you can wear out your keypad and finger tips. These techniques are…