Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Outsourcing 102 – Client relationships
The last couple of entries have been served a la outsourcing: light. all the fun and games of outsourcing and none of the serious issues.
the relationship between client and provider in outsourcing is more complex than in most other methods of service delivery.
the extra complexity results (among others) from the fact that outsourcing deals work both for the client and with the client, being both co-worker and customer at the same time. providing an excellent service is often reliant on the cooperation and performance of the client themselves. the truth is that no matter how much effort the client has to put in to the process before it is handed over to the outsourced part and no matter how mutually dependent both areas are, it is extremely difficult to create the perception of unity between client and the outsourced part. in the standard client to provider relationship there is no need to create this sense of unity.
there are a couple of important factors in establishing a good client-provider relationship.
1. drive - take the extra step - do NOT push back to enforce the procedures. procedures can be out-dated or certain situations may have changed. it takes for ever to change the procedures. use common sense to find work-arounds if the procedures are not working. you will not get punished for doing more work than necessary (perhaps make it clear that u are making an extra step and are willing to make it) if you are cooperative and the client knows this they will be much more willing themselves to cooperate and put in more effort to make your life easier. of course there are always assholes, but remember the client is not being an asshole, they just want to have the results they expected when they signed the deal. they want to exceed at what they do, and consequently expect us (the outsourced area) to exceed at what we do. however underpaid and over-worked we may be.
the deal where i work also gives assignments to an additional third party. and in some processes we are the link between to departments of the client. the problem is that sometimes these departments disagree with each other and we are in the middle. so no matter what we do we manage to piss somebody off. do not take resulting frustrations personally. indicate you are doing the best you can and understand their frustration.
2. communication- in any relationship, whether business or personal communication plays in the star cast. it demands to be mentioned in the credits before the title (just like angelina jolie or anthony hopkins and sadly also jim carrey).
in outsourcing, you represent the client. let them know what you are up to. after all, you are undertaking actions in their name. it's only fair they should know what they are.
although this step may be simple, it's easy to neglect the communication. often people wonder, "is it really necessary to inform them of this tiny detail?" to be honest. it is not. but the client will appreciate being kept up to speed and it will ease whatever doubts they have. and it is good for the client to be doubt free. and they will love you for it.
3. honesty - there may come a time when you are tempted to lie to your client. after all, how are they going to know. morality has nothing to do with being honest with the client. it is just good business. the benefits are as follows, if it is bad news, the client knows that you are aware of it and are taking steps to fix it. if you do not tell them and they discover whatever you lied about (and they will), if they do not realize you were lying (which would be very bad) then they will think you were ignorant of the situation (also very bad). remember ultimately to the external customer there is no difference between the outsourced part and the client. whatever you lie about will eventually become evident to the client. it would be best if it came from you.
another reason to be honest is because as stated earlier, ultimately, the client wants the outsourced area to do well. they may have suggestions and solutions to provide you. they may even take that extra step for you if they feel you deserve it.
remember to use common sense though. honesty should always be tempered with tact.
after writing this piece, i considered changing the title to Obvious 102, but from experience it is evident that these simple rules are not always considered. my former boss included, but we were able to mend what the boss relentlessly tried to destroy adhering to the tenets described above. besides, something must have happened to make him my former boss.
the relationship between client and provider in outsourcing is more complex than in most other methods of service delivery.
the extra complexity results (among others) from the fact that outsourcing deals work both for the client and with the client, being both co-worker and customer at the same time. providing an excellent service is often reliant on the cooperation and performance of the client themselves. the truth is that no matter how much effort the client has to put in to the process before it is handed over to the outsourced part and no matter how mutually dependent both areas are, it is extremely difficult to create the perception of unity between client and the outsourced part. in the standard client to provider relationship there is no need to create this sense of unity.
there are a couple of important factors in establishing a good client-provider relationship.
1. drive - take the extra step - do NOT push back to enforce the procedures. procedures can be out-dated or certain situations may have changed. it takes for ever to change the procedures. use common sense to find work-arounds if the procedures are not working. you will not get punished for doing more work than necessary (perhaps make it clear that u are making an extra step and are willing to make it) if you are cooperative and the client knows this they will be much more willing themselves to cooperate and put in more effort to make your life easier. of course there are always assholes, but remember the client is not being an asshole, they just want to have the results they expected when they signed the deal. they want to exceed at what they do, and consequently expect us (the outsourced area) to exceed at what we do. however underpaid and over-worked we may be.
the deal where i work also gives assignments to an additional third party. and in some processes we are the link between to departments of the client. the problem is that sometimes these departments disagree with each other and we are in the middle. so no matter what we do we manage to piss somebody off. do not take resulting frustrations personally. indicate you are doing the best you can and understand their frustration.
2. communication- in any relationship, whether business or personal communication plays in the star cast. it demands to be mentioned in the credits before the title (just like angelina jolie or anthony hopkins and sadly also jim carrey).
in outsourcing, you represent the client. let them know what you are up to. after all, you are undertaking actions in their name. it's only fair they should know what they are.
although this step may be simple, it's easy to neglect the communication. often people wonder, "is it really necessary to inform them of this tiny detail?" to be honest. it is not. but the client will appreciate being kept up to speed and it will ease whatever doubts they have. and it is good for the client to be doubt free. and they will love you for it.
3. honesty - there may come a time when you are tempted to lie to your client. after all, how are they going to know. morality has nothing to do with being honest with the client. it is just good business. the benefits are as follows, if it is bad news, the client knows that you are aware of it and are taking steps to fix it. if you do not tell them and they discover whatever you lied about (and they will), if they do not realize you were lying (which would be very bad) then they will think you were ignorant of the situation (also very bad). remember ultimately to the external customer there is no difference between the outsourced part and the client. whatever you lie about will eventually become evident to the client. it would be best if it came from you.
another reason to be honest is because as stated earlier, ultimately, the client wants the outsourced area to do well. they may have suggestions and solutions to provide you. they may even take that extra step for you if they feel you deserve it.
remember to use common sense though. honesty should always be tempered with tact.
after writing this piece, i considered changing the title to Obvious 102, but from experience it is evident that these simple rules are not always considered. my former boss included, but we were able to mend what the boss relentlessly tried to destroy adhering to the tenets described above. besides, something must have happened to make him my former boss.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
i’ve seen the light
i’ve built an altar of candles in my bathroom. in times of darkness, it is when we most need those rare candles to guide us. guide us to the toilet bowl.
a bulb in my apartment pathetically fizzled out and blew a fuse. as a result there is no light in the kitchen, or the toilet. we’ve remedied this with candles and don’t dare call the landlords, because our house is inescapably messy. and we have a deep rooted fear of landlords here in the czech republic after we were illegally evicted from our first apartment. the scars of this trauma still make us shit with candles and not only to disperse the smell.
perhaps we should call the landlords.
a bulb in my apartment pathetically fizzled out and blew a fuse. as a result there is no light in the kitchen, or the toilet. we’ve remedied this with candles and don’t dare call the landlords, because our house is inescapably messy. and we have a deep rooted fear of landlords here in the czech republic after we were illegally evicted from our first apartment. the scars of this trauma still make us shit with candles and not only to disperse the smell.
perhaps we should call the landlords.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Divoká Šárka - Communist Pleasure Paradise
it was a sunny late summer day when i went to divoka sarka. which apparently means wild sarka, a mythic female warrior, who threw herself off the cliffs.
i felt like val kilmer on the set of top secret.
what made this impression on me was primarily the reservoir named dzban. it is a concrete pleasure peark. it has a man-made lake with a concrete beach (concrete blocks made into smaller pieces). metal bars along the concrete bridges and concrete boardwalks are rusting away. on the side of the conrete lake are concrete diving platforms which are protected by fences and rusting barbed wire and an array of prickly plants growing from the cracks in the concrete. all with the paint that had been bleached in the sun for 20 years.
we had a drink at a restaurant with a view on the abandoned lake accentuated through the brown barbed wire. nevertheless a festive mood hung in the atmosphere. i could easily imagine families staying around the lake. planning their entire summer when they would get to sit along the lake at divoka sarka and have their children play outdoors have their teenagers look for romance on the concrete shores...
the lake which attracted so much of my attention and imagination lay surrounded by hills and mountains. To add to the already pastoral landscape the goats and sheep roams the grassy hills, albeit surrounded by a portable electrical fence. which may dissapoint some who cannot get close to the sheep it proved a great source of entertainment to myself as i watched numerous dogs and people jump up as they got electrecuted. i would have warned them, but well... i don't speak czech so... i'm not so cruel to be entertained by others people's suffering.
the view from the top of the mountains is nice. its a romantic place for lovers who like rolling around the fields and picking flowers. and for those of you who like sheep... well watch out for the electric fence.
i felt like val kilmer on the set of top secret.
what made this impression on me was primarily the reservoir named dzban. it is a concrete pleasure peark. it has a man-made lake with a concrete beach (concrete blocks made into smaller pieces). metal bars along the concrete bridges and concrete boardwalks are rusting away. on the side of the conrete lake are concrete diving platforms which are protected by fences and rusting barbed wire and an array of prickly plants growing from the cracks in the concrete. all with the paint that had been bleached in the sun for 20 years.
we had a drink at a restaurant with a view on the abandoned lake accentuated through the brown barbed wire. nevertheless a festive mood hung in the atmosphere. i could easily imagine families staying around the lake. planning their entire summer when they would get to sit along the lake at divoka sarka and have their children play outdoors have their teenagers look for romance on the concrete shores...
the lake which attracted so much of my attention and imagination lay surrounded by hills and mountains. To add to the already pastoral landscape the goats and sheep roams the grassy hills, albeit surrounded by a portable electrical fence. which may dissapoint some who cannot get close to the sheep it proved a great source of entertainment to myself as i watched numerous dogs and people jump up as they got electrecuted. i would have warned them, but well... i don't speak czech so... i'm not so cruel to be entertained by others people's suffering.
the view from the top of the mountains is nice. its a romantic place for lovers who like rolling around the fields and picking flowers. and for those of you who like sheep... well watch out for the electric fence.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Firing of Don Pepperoni
The firing of Don Pepperoni, like the autumn that arrived in Prague just a few weeks previous, came fast and cold. Don Pepperoni was for a short time the only non-Czech/Slovak team lead in our office. This made him unique amongst his peers. He was also hired externally meaning he had no background at all in his new occupation. Perhaps El Presidente had unrealistic expectations of him when he was hired, he was asked to take over a team that had just lost a large chunk of its people, while at the same time having to learn everything that he had to learn in a short period of time.
Most of the people that didn't work under him tended to have a good opinion of Don Pepperoni. He was easy to talk to, had a good sense of humor, he even spoke Dutch well enough that you could have a conversation with him.
In any case, last Friday, El Presidente asked him to come to the meeting room. From my cubicle I could see them get in together. There have been rumors about his future, or lack thereof, with our company, and it looked like his time with us would end right there.
The meeting didn't last long, just several minutes later they came out of the meeting room, and Don Pepperoni started cleaning out his desk. He was still in the probation period, so he had to leave immediately.
There's several theories floating around in the office about his dismissal. Some say it was because of the bad relationshps he had with the people in his team, they didn't like him, apparently, because he made them work harder. Others say it was because he and Mother Goose couldn't get along. Whatever the reason, Don Pepperoni has gone, and I wish him the best.
Most of the people that didn't work under him tended to have a good opinion of Don Pepperoni. He was easy to talk to, had a good sense of humor, he even spoke Dutch well enough that you could have a conversation with him.
In any case, last Friday, El Presidente asked him to come to the meeting room. From my cubicle I could see them get in together. There have been rumors about his future, or lack thereof, with our company, and it looked like his time with us would end right there.
The meeting didn't last long, just several minutes later they came out of the meeting room, and Don Pepperoni started cleaning out his desk. He was still in the probation period, so he had to leave immediately.
There's several theories floating around in the office about his dismissal. Some say it was because of the bad relationshps he had with the people in his team, they didn't like him, apparently, because he made them work harder. Others say it was because he and Mother Goose couldn't get along. Whatever the reason, Don Pepperoni has gone, and I wish him the best.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
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