Matt Friesen

Before you accuse me of being Captain Obvious, hear me out. I’m not talking about the kind of commitment typically associated with relationships: “The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons“. Dont’ get me wrong, that’s equally as important, but I want to talk about the other kind of commitment.


Have you ever watched an athlete complete something unbelievable? Perhaps you’ve seen Tony Hawk complete the first 900. Or perhaps you’ve seen Levi LaVallee and his double backflip on a SNOWMOBILE. That’s right, a snowmobile. That’s crazy. That takes commitment.


That’s the type of commitment I believe is fundamental to success. That place where you completely throw yourself at the goal. The place where fear doesn’t exist and where there is no hesitation.


The next time you make a goal, do yourself a favour and commit.

In less than a month Thirdi turns 3. In a way, that means as a businessman I’m also turning 3.


Over the years clients have come and gone. Some have returned and others have not, but it was always the clients decision. As I look back it becomes obvious I wasn’t running a business, my clients were running the business.


To be fair, I never really set out to build a webapps and ecommerce service company. Thanks to a few timely connections and a solid foundation of proven work, I was able to transform my freelance efforts into a tangible (I use the word loosely) business. Even as the company grew, I ran things completely adhoc. As clients signed on, I would add bodies and services. After two and a half years, I had a smorgasbord of services and talent with a lack of direction. Not exactly a recipe for success.

This fall I decided to stop letting my clients run the business and steer the ship myself. With a simple concise message and a unified goal, the team has been focused on building a marketing plan and refreshing the website (Look for this early January, 2010). I tasked myself with sourcing and aligning the business we take on with our long term goal.


The scariest move was firing our oldest client. This client had helped define us since the beginning, but no longer fit with our long term goals. Rather than looking at it as lost revenue, I focus on how it frees up resources for the better of the company. Long term this will be better for both companies.


In the end, it’s simply a sign of both myself and my company growing up.

It’s amazing how quickly bad customer service can create a lasting impression.


Take for instance my recent experience with LUXE Destination Weddings. What should have been fun and engaging, became stressful thanks to a myriad of mistakes including a lack of communication, over-billing and a complete disconnect on vision.


Like every story, there are two sides. To be fair, the owner even stepped in twice to get things back in line, but if your company is service based and the delivery is weak – it’s a recipe for disaster.


My own service based company isn’t perfect, but we word hard to maintain quality customer service. Delivering eCommerce software and marketing solutions under tight deadlines combined with high expectations is tough even in the best of times. Here are a few keys to providing a good client experience:


Communication
It’s important to keep the lines of communication open. I recommend a guaranteed response time of less than 12 hours for non-emergency situations, and real-time access to support staff 24/7 for emergencies. Email and the office phone number are the norm, but providing a cell number shows you understand the value of communication. Most clients won’t abuse this sort of privilege.


Transparency
When providing a service, it’s important the buyer can see things progress. Everyone wants an immediate ROI, but most understand results take time. A bird’s eye view is a great way to alleviate stress. Any combination of time tracking reports, weekly status reports and periodic demos go a long way in building the confidence of your client.


Accountability
In the end, it’s important to stand behind your service. Whether the results are good or bad, it’s your responsibility as the provider to own them. In my experience, an unhappy customer will respect your honesty, and likely give you a second chance. If you’re lucky enough to get that second opportunity, don’t blow it….you probably won’t get a third.

1. Understand your clients need

2. Create an outline

3. Use your team of experts to provide content

4. Keep the information short and concise

5. Know your strengths and weaknesses

6. Engage and interact with the potential buyer

7. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know yet”

8. Be confident in yourself

Every relationship has a varying degree of value, but how often do you recognize the value of peripheral relationships? That friend of a friend, who you’ve only met once, could be the decision maker at a potential client.


It’s amazing how social media has addressed this in simple ways. You can harness the power of your relationships using Twitter, Facebook, Linked In & others.





As a business, these relationships and tools have never been more important. So much so, an entire industry has been built around these concepts. There are many resources available to do it on your own, but a professional Internet Marketing company can harness the power in ways an army of one can’t.

Running a software, marketing and eCommerce company is an incredibly fulfilling task. I find few things in life as rewarding as watching the team around me fire on all cylinders.  The buzz of developers battling complex problems, the screams of delight as designers tweak a pesky pixel, or the magical moment in marketing when a SERP report shows that last strategy paid off.


It’s also incredibly challenging, and as a first time entrepreneur, each day brings new problems to solve. Since the beginning, I’ve relied on the people around me to help solve these problems and maintain the right course. Two and a half years in and I’m ready to bring in the big guns.


So I’m using my network, both new and established, to help build a think tank. Over the coming weeks I will individually meet with a select group of mentors and invite them to join the Thirdi Advisory Board. Together these high profile Vancouver businessmen will be my personal advisers and help keep Thirdi growing and moving in the right direction.


I can’t wait to tap into this incredible resource.