Beautiful Vision (Van Morrison) . . . By Director Wayne Hall
March 1, 2010
Sometime during the past few decades, the notion of having a “vision’ - be it for your business, department or special project - has taken a back seat. I’m not sure when it happened*… all I know is that when I get along to the (very) few business seminars that I manage to make time for - the ones that explain how simple it is to run your business - it’s a term that is always left out of the presentation. All the practical, down to earth terms are there...one should have a plan, or a strategy, and of course one must be ready to manage change...but it would seem that the idea of having a vision is, well, passé.
(*I suspect that during the 90’s we went though a sustained “practical” period where those people who used the term “vision” in business were labeled as “dreamers” - or at the least people not sufficiently connected to the present to be taken seriously. Paradoxically, the one profession many of us aspire to - that of “sporting great” - is one in which the term “visualise” gets rolled out again and again. It seems that it’s ok to visualise a task (bowling, jumping running, kicking) but anything more complicated is off limits).
Yet the most impressive people I meet continue to be those who are capable of articulating a vision. Whatever it is these people have set out to do - build a business, develop a property, start a festival - it is apparent that they are talking to a mental image projected to a time where each and every component they feel is essential to their project has successfully come together .
It strikes me as very powerful place to be...full of passion, drive and long term commitment. It’s also a positive place to be around, because a well grounded person with the capacity to visualise an outcome doesn’t just ooze confidence, they attract like minded people. A self fulfilling prophecy...
I think it doesn’t hurt for us all to be working on our “visions”. Certainly here at SBA Music, among a number of other challenges being put to staff and management this year is one that asks: “What is your vision for your area?”
Likewise, our partners (and potential partners) will be gently asked the same thing.
Will it mean we will end up with lots of bizarre, conflicting ideas...and set up expectations that cannot be satisfied?
I don’t think so. Not as long as we provide everyone with a context - specifically, that their “vision” must be grounded in imagining the customer being better off...
And let’s face it...if we don’t have the capacity or aptitude to manage conflict or issues arising from this type of challenge (that of improving ourselves and our customer’s experience), then we simply are not serious about the future of our business...
+++++++
Speaking of customers, a recent article* referencing research in the U.S. delivered some great (though fairly predictable) findings. Two which stood out for me were:
(i) a disgruntled customer tells, on average, twenty five people of the problems they have experienced with their service, while a satisfied customer tells four...
(ii) most firms have developed a sanitised customer relations “avoidance” culture which becomes incapable of understanding an issue (or put more simply, as soon as a customer goes into “complaint” mode, the business goes into “lip-service” mode). The classic example provided in the article is that of a person writing a “spoof” letter to a bottled water company complaining of finding a shark in their bottled water, which on being released, chases them.
The responding letter advises (you guessed it) “Thank you for your recent letter regarding a faulty bottle of mineral water that contained a foreign matter (full sized shark) etc etc…” and finishes with “We appreciate your concern and the inconvenience such an incidence has caused you…”
Pure fantasy envelops rational process...Makes managing the potential “dreamer” issues associated with “visionary thinking” seem very down to earth indeed...
*Page 22 Sunday Telegraph Magazine February 28, 2010
Wayne Hall
Director
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- "Having been a SBA customer since the first Radioactivity, Commercial Cutz & BPM, I have been extremely happy with the service provided. Keep up the great work. I, like the rest of your customers, greatly appreciate all the effort everybody at SBA puts into producing these quality products." - Serge - DJ:Plus! Entertainment
- "We approached SBA Music with very specific brief. We knew we wanted an unusual mix of music genres and throughout the day we wanted moods and tempos to change. SBA Music was effective in dissecting our brief, seeking to understand our business and translating it to the quirky audio atmosphere we now have, that reflects our brand and delights our customers."
- Melanie Schwarz, TS 14+ - "SBA is a fantastic avenue for exposure of your artists, not only does it get your song added to many playlists but they also have the facility to get your video played and they are a very professional outfit. "
- Russell Thomas, Kaos Management - "SBA's highly organised programming team is always on top of the game when it comes to supporting local indie artists, giving them the attention and exposure they deserve. It's refreshing to see a company that REALLY does make music their business. "
- Tim West, The Right Profile - "Music is a critical component of store atmosphere and plays a significant role in the purchase decision-making process. "
– Michael Morrison, Monash University - "One of the best things about working with SBA is the roll out system we have in place… all we have to do is notify them of a new site, and they take care of the rest. It's too easy. "
- Carlos Antonius, Nando's Australia Marketing Director - "SBA are not just our music supplier. Their capacity to work with us to deliver an in-store music strategy that went above and beyond our initial requirements means we now view them as an integral part of our team."
- Paul Montalto, National Communications & Promotions Manager, Target - "Our no. 1 priority was to implement a music strategy that reinforced our brand and created an atmosphere that was distinct to Gloria Jeans. SBA's on-going commitment to this process has been outstanding. In addition, they've worked with us on a number of initiatives that have continued to add value & develop our brand. "
- Elizabeth West, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Group Marketing Manager - "SBA are always in there working as a partner to assist us. They understand the market and like to get our take on things, which is important. "
- Dennis McGrath, Amarda Operations - "We've been subscribing to SBA Music for years. The monthly chart program is always spot on and the theme programs include all the timeless, must-have tracks that punters want to hear... The programs end up paying for themselves. "
- Erwin Boot, Automatic Music - "SBA's CD's takes the guess work out of song selection… if it's on their CD's it will pack the dance floor. "
- DJ Guru - "For us, SBA are a one stop shop. The music solution we've put in place has addressed all our needs as bar and restaurant operators. We have the right music playing at the right time, at the right levels… in all key areas of our venues. It fills the gap and provides the right atmosphere for our venues. "
- Jeremy Milner, Bavarian Bier Cafes - "We choose SBA for its diversity and up to the minute track listings" - Rock-On Mobile DJ Services
- “SBA’s Launching Pad Initiative is a fantastic way to bring new bands to a new audience…don’t get left behind.”
- Tim West, The Right Profile - "SBA are always prompt and always have the music I need"
- DJ Bodz - "SBA has taken the pain out of running an effective and reliable source of music for our stores. Their flexibility and knowledge help us create the right atmosphere for our customers every time."
- Robert Marsden, IT Manager – Zarraffa’s Coffee - "The team at SBA are not just passionate about music – they are also passionate about offering ideas for improving and building business. It’s apparent that we are more than a client to them - we’re a partner."
- Brian Freeman, General Manager - Torch Media - "SBA’s support for our business goes much further then the supply of music programs. In addition to working with us to ensure our player is secure, they provided invaluable feedback about our product’s features, the market and licensing considerations… and continue to do so."
- Ray Miller - RDR Juke Boxes