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Le déménageur averti, décembre 2010
Conférence annuelle 2010 de l’ACD
Notre 15e conférence annuelle a été jugée comme ayant été la meilleure à date. Nos conférenciers ont dans l’ensemble reçu une cote très élevée et certains ont obtenu la meilleure qui soit.
Roy Osing a exposé aux membres ses concepts stratégiques et sa technique de l’emploi du mot « unique ». Il a fait l’objet d’un article dans le Financial Post ce 29 novembre dernier. Nous avons joint une copie de cet article à ce bulletin (en anglais).
Les présentations faites à la conférence sont affichées sur notre site web ainsi que des photos prises au souper annuel de la remise des prix.
Assemblée générale annuelle
Les rapports présentés à l’assemblée générale annuelle indiquent que l’ACD excelle dans toutes ses initiatives. Nous tenons à souligner entre autres la mise en place du système de comités il y a un an. Il fonctionne bien et nous sommes toujours à la recherche de quelques volontaires pour participer aux comités existants et à d’autres que nous entendons créer.
Permis des déménageurs de la ville de Toronto
À la suite d’incidents qui ont conduit à l’arrêt du propriétaire de Desi Mover au début de 2010, le Service policier de Toronto a recommandé que la ville exige que les déménageurs détiennent un permis pour exploiter un commerce à Toronto. Le Conseil d’administration de l’ACD, conjointement avec ses membres de camions-remorques, a mis au point quelques recommandations jugées essentielles d’incorporer aux exigences pour détenir un permis. L’ACD recommande ce qu’on pourrait qualifier de compétences minimales pour travailler comme déménageur.
FMCSA réglemente les courtiers en déménagement de biens mobiliers à compter du 28 janvier 2011
Nous pensons que les changements apportés aux É.U., pourraient vous intéresser et affecter votre exploitation. À la requête de la AMSA, la FMCSA a ratifié son règlement afin d’exiger que les courtiers qui arrangent le transport de biens mobiliers d’un état à l’autre ou à l’étranger se conforment à certaines exigences sur la protection des consommateurs. Vous pouvez lire ce nouveau règlement (pdf en anglais.
Nouveaux membres
Nous tenons à accueillir les nouveaux membres suivants au sein de l’ACD. Veuillez visiter notre liste des membres en ligne pour connaître leurs coordonnés et les services qu’ils offrent.
- Advantage Relocation Systems Ltd., Dawson Creek, C.-B
- Advantage Relocation Systems Ltd., Grande Prairie, AB
- All Matt Moving & Storage Inc., Farnham Est, QC
- Harvey Moving Systems Inc., St. Catharines, ON
- Midas Transport, St-Laurent, QC
Perspectives d’emploi et vente/achat d’équipement
Veuillez vérifier les perspectives d’emploi et offres d’achat/vente (pdf) de véhicules, d’équipement nouveau ou usagé sur notre site web.
Fermeture durant les fêtes
Le bureau de l’ACD sera fermé durant les fêtes (mais offrira un service d’accès limité à la boîte vocale) à compter du vendredi 24 décembre à 12 : 00 jusqu’au lundi 3 janvier 2011 à 9 : 00 h.
Financial Post
What's the most important word in business?
Rick Spence, Financial Post, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010
Some would say "sales," some might say "profit." Others would say "customers," and I might agree with them, if I hadn't met Vancouver consultant Roy Osing.
He has convinced me the most important word in your business is "only," because if you're not using it every day, you're missing a golden opportunity to rise above the competition.
Osing, who spent a career in marketing and business development with Telus, is author of Be Different or Be Dead, so you know differentiation is a big deal for him. His formula for the "only" statement is the simplest branding principle I've ever run across.
It's easy to understand. When you introduce yourself or explain your business to a prospect, you say, "We are the only business in Calgary that specializes in rebuilding tractor motors." Or, to push it further, "we are the only business in Canada that uses a patented algorithm to convert analog medical files into digital documents."
You get the drift. You figure out what makes you unique, then plug the heck out of it. In doing so, you accomplish three things: You directly and simply explain what your company does; you position it in the best light vs. your competitors; and you create an impression of market leadership and confidence that will probably linger longer in your prospect's mind than the details of what you do.
I've heard lots of prescription for writing elevator pitches and mission statements, but Osing's formula strikes me as one of the best. Instead of talking about low prices, great selection and friendly customer service, all common commodities in the business world, you are forced to think about what you do that's actually different from the rest of your market.
What if you can't find an "only" statement that sets your business apart? That's where this concept really kicks in. It compels you to face the fact you're running a commodity business. Maybe that's good enough, if you're the only plumber for 50 km.
Most businesses, though, face too much competition. They need to offer prospects a compelling reason to do business with them and they need to get better at communicating that reason.
So the true power of the "only" statement could lie in its ability to get you to articulate a reason for customers to call.
"After hours of gruelling only work," writes Osing, you may have to concede your business is basically the same as every other. But you'll now have the impetus to do something special. "If so, develop the competencies to move into the 'Be Different' space, and communicate it clearly to the market."
In a half-day workshop for executives and entrepreneurs this month in Toronto, I got to see Osing propound his "be different" principles. It's all about creating a business, he says, that is not just distinct, remarkable and authentic, but indispensable, unforgettable and "gaspworthy."
That last adjective doesn't pass the spell-check on my computer, but it's a stretch goal many companies should aim for. Why not try to elicit a gasp from people, rather than the usual shrug?
When Four Seasons brags about the doorman who grabbed a cab and followed a hotel guest to the airport to return his forgotten briefcase, that's gaspworthy. It creates an indelible picture in the prospect's mind of the level of service to which that company aspires.
(A few weeks ago I found an attache case under the table at the end of a conference in a Toronto hotel, and handed it in to the clerk at the front desk. Her frown signalled she didn't see this as an unforgettable customer-service opportunity.)
Whether you're offering unique product quality, price or service, says Osing, successful differentiation involves giving customers outstanding value. "If you can't deliver value that is relevant (something people really care about) and unique (something only you can provide) you are in serious trouble," he says.
"It sounds mushy, but it's not," Osing adds. When you create your "only" statement, you are making a commitment to provide consistent, unique value. That requires, flawless execution. Everyone in your business must understand how they add value for customers, and deliver it every day.
But "only" is a moving target. Your competition is always changing; market needs evolve. In the end, a commitment to "only" requires your business to become expert at meeting changing needs. "Adjust your strategy as you go," Osing says. "Get good at anticipating customer needs, but get great at reacting to new opportunities."
Sounds easy, but Osing admits most companies won't do it, preferring to drone along in the same undifferentiated way. But if that hands you another "only" advantage, so much the better.
Rick Spence is a writer, consultant and speaker specializing in entrepreneurship. His column appears weekly in the Financial Post. He can be reached at rick@rickspence.ca.