I am glad to be back. It has been a crazy year, and here in the South we are going on our second week of triple digits, crazy heat. In spite of all that, it has been a great year.
With everyone, including I, wondering how the economy was going to pan out, our organization has been smart, planned well and taken service to a new level. Taking care of our customers and educating them helps them see better value and promotes growth in all of us.
That was the major focus this year for me: education. Not only educating my client but also educating myself. I spend a lot of time thinking I know it all. And while there are a few things I don’t know, the one major focus is that I have to stay ahead of this technology curve we are on. Everyone in our industry has been hurt or suffered for the economic times we are in. We all have had to diversify ourselves and find new ways to earn a living. I used some of the down times to educate myself as well as teach others some of the best practices we at CEDIA promote and attain to. That has truly been rewarding.
I have been all over the country teaching, speaking and educating other dealers on how they too can survive and progress even in these down times. I tell you what — teaching instead of being taught actually causes me to learn so much more. I have learned new ways to manage time, to allocate product and, more importantly, how we as ESCs can service and take care of our client. Everyone is being creative, and those who truly plan for success can succeed. These dealers are learning and helping me learn how we can offer value and take care of our clients even more. It has been phenomenal to work with other professionals in our industry who really get it.
I guess if there is one main thing I can stress to you, it would be to truly learn everything you can — not only about the product you represent, but also your client and how running a smarter business earns trust and respect from them. When you constantly renew your way of thinking and learn a better way or process, you promote the growth this industry so desperately needs. You also help your client restore faith and trust in all of us. Turning the heads of our client and restoring that faith causes everyone to win.
