===================================================
20 Questions to ask about success stories - getting the
process
right
===================================================
Cambashi e-Xpertise September 2004: Hot Topic Questionnaire
One mark for yes, nothing for no!
|
No
|
Item
|
Yes/No
|
|
1
|
Producing customer reference stories is a specific task that appears in at least one manager's personal objectives. | |
|
2
|
The appointed person or manager has direct, or effective, control over the necessary resources. | |
|
3
|
Resources are in place to research, write copy and produce finished collateral. | |
|
4
|
The level of resources is deemed adequate for the targeted level of activity and is "ring fenced" to ensure that resources are only used for this purpose. | |
|
5
|
Formal objectives and numerical targets are defined. Mechanisms for regularly measuring performance are in place. | |
|
6
|
A documented process is in place so that members of staff who might be in a position to identify a potential reference story would know what to do, or would at least know where to look for this information. | |
|
7
|
The process does not depend only on the sales person to initiate potential reference stories. | |
|
8
|
The responsible sales person or account manager does not have the sole authority to halt progress on a reference story - or power of veto. | |
|
9
|
The process includes an independent mechanism to automatically contact every customer, following a sale or services engagement, to ascertain their willingness to act as a reference account, and as a safety net to ensure complete customer satisfaction with the products or services supplied. | |
|
10
|
A documented process is in place for recording all potential reference stories and their current status. | |
|
11
|
Review of the "story funnel" is a fixed item on at least one regular management team meeting agenda, ideally monthly but quarterly as a minimum. | |
|
12
|
The editorial team meets regularly to review
and prioritise the stories in story funnel, in line with current marketing
initiatives. |
|
|
13
|
The approval process is documented. Specific approval steps are either assigned globally to named members of staff or assigned on a per story basis. Members of the editorial/approval team understand this process | |
|
14
|
The approval process contains specific performance targets - e.g. turn documents around in 2 working days | |
|
15
|
Every member of sales team who identifies a potential reference story understands that they can nominate a customer as a reference story and knows how to initiate the process. | |
|
16
|
Other members of the customer facing teams who identify a potential reference story understand that they can nominate a customer as a reference story and knows how to initiate the process. | |
|
17
|
The style guide, template or other formal tools that define the copy writing style and creative treatment in line with company current practice is documented and the appropriate copy writing and graphic design teams are fully briefed and kept up to date. | |
|
18
|
The copy writers have been appraised of the company's current strategy and key messaging themes. | |
|
19
|
A formal process is in place to keep this team up to date with changes to strategy and key messaging themes. | |
|
20
|
The copy writers have been approved, individually if necessary, to have the appropriate skills and sensitivities to talk to your customers directly, or a mechanism is in place to facilitate the interview under supervision or in a controlled environment. |
Link to article: Big brother!
For more information on Cambashi Services please go to http://www.cambashi.com/services/index.htm