What are Web Services?

What are web services?

Getting a bunch of computers to talk to each other used to be tougher than finding parking at a shopping mall the weekend before Christmas.

.NET web services fixes that. A distinctive arrangement of technologies, the .NET platform makes dispersed computing language autonomous, platform independent, and device independent. Considering that applications built and run on the .NET platform are available any time, any place, and on any device, that’s a pretty big deal. To keep it simple - .NET equals total connectivity. Web services can be used to include all kinds of remarkable functionalities in a new program without having to start from scratch, without needing to know anything about the business, or even the intricacy of the Web service he or she is using.

A web service is a remote procedure available to clients which allows different applications from different sources to communicate with each other without time-consuming custom coding. Web services are not tied to any one operating system or programming language, because all of the communication is in XML. Sometimes referred to as “application services,” web services share business logic, data and processes through a programmatic interface across a network. The applications interface, not the users.

SEKO's Web Services support applications and solutions designed for the smallest requests as well as the largest ones. Software developers who use SEKO's Web Services can:
• Take advantage of the resources that SEKO Worldwide provides to help software developers design and build world-class applications
• Submit Quote Requests for SEKO Rates
• Create Shipments from previous submitted quotes
• Create North American Shipments using SEKO's Shipment Factory platform
• Track Shipments via SEKO's Tracking Service

All details of the web service are hidden from the user, and the service is both hardware and software independent. This encourages software developers to build applications consisting of small, individual services, which can then be used alone or in groups to perform even more complex tasks.

Before you create your web service, you should define what it will do. This allows you to properly construct the interface that other applications must adhere to if they want to communicate with your web service. SEKO-IT will work directly with you and your IT team to establish and define these parameters, so as to ensure a shorter implementation time and seamless integration to your pre-existing systems.

Whether you require a web based inventory management solution to watch over your stock globally, a transportation management system to control your domestic distribution costs and automate your dispatches, a fully integrated ecommerce website or an online solution to manage your offshore vendors or real-time GPS tracking of a sensitive shipment, SEKO can provide everything through a single login to the MySEKO portal.

Honing in on Customer Pain Points

Regardless of the industry, every customer is going to have one or more frustrations related to their business, their website or their current software offerings. As sales people, our success is directly related to our ability to read between the lines and recognize immediate requests of our clients – even if they aren’t outwardly informing us of these pain points.

It’s amazing how, in such a short time, technological offerings have been propelled to the forefront of most shipping negotiations. The fact of the matter is, many business owners in the industry right now have been reliant on dated systems and regulatory operations that are no longer monitoring the key performance indicators necessary in establishing themselves as a leader in their individual industries. Bottom line: many business owners are actually intimidated by technology.

This is where you can SHINE on a sales call. When approaching a customer for the first time, we typically are prepared with a bullet-by-bullet synopsis of exactly what we want to cover in the discussion: who SEKO is, what we do, what sets the SEKO business model apart from our competitors, etc. At times, our enthusiasm in getting our own point across causes us to miss out on subtle nods to what the client’s particular problem is. By learning to recognize pain points in basic, introductory conversation, you will automatically set yourself apart from any other sales person knocking on their door.

Learn to recognize pain points by asking probing questions and allowing the customer to explain, in full detail, exactly what the issues they are facing are. Chances are, they may mention an issue you were not aware they were having that you have a solution for. Example questions could be as follows:

• What are your current goals and visions for where you’d like your company to be in the near future?
• What sectors of your business are you targeting to grow your business?
• How are you currently operating your warehouse? How do you track inventory?
• How do you decide which carriers to use? Do you have any control over how your carriers are being selected?
• For those with existing websites- what off-the-wall ideas do they have to improve their current site?

The goal isn’t necessarily to apply their wishes verbatim (in a perfect world, we would), but to get an idea of where to focus your inventiveness. By creating an open forum to toss around innovative ideas for their next solution purchase, you are accomplishing two things: first, by highlighting what they'd like to see in an ideal world, they are simultaneously stressing the things that they are currently struggling with. Second, through the simple act of sitting back and listening, you are letting them know that you are there as a business PARTNER; not to talk AT them, but to listen TO them and go to bat FOR them. Bottom line: keep bolstering the idea that you recognize what they really need and can communicate it better than they can. This minor accomplishment could be the key determining factor in whether or not you get your foot in the door for meeting number two.

Technology (and the way we understand its application to the logistics industry) will always be a selling point in our industry. The more we can educate our clients, interpret computer/Internet jargon into basic, commonplace speech for them, and empower them to learn more about the benefits of utilizing SEKO Software Solutions versus our competitors, the more you will be appreciated as an unparalleled business companion to their organization.

In an ideal world, we would be able to make any and every request from our customers a reality – but this is the real world. If the day comes when a client is seemingly making irrational demands or are vexing you with their interminable requests or apprehensions, remember: YOU are the expert. You were hired to solve problems, not serve as a punching bag for the supercilious notions of the forever unsatisfied. LISTEN to what the client needs and respond accordingly.

What if you don’t have any idea what the correct rebuttal should be? In this case, I’ve found that an honest, “I’m not 100% on the answer to that would be. The last thing I want to offer you is an unsure response – let me touch base with [insert superior here] and I will follow up with an e-mail when I get back to my office. Perhaps we can discuss over lunch next week if you’d like.” Customers will always respect you being thorough and attentive to their individual needs, as opposed to you pretending to be an IT guru – also, you’ve just opened the avenue for an extended conversation over lunch.

In summation, you can't go wrong with listening to your customer. Through the unpretentious act of being sympathetic to their problems, they will inevitably feel more comfortable opening up about the challenges they face in their day-to-day operations. You’ll be surprised at where your conversation steers – at times, you may not even end up discussing the topic which you had intended to. My point is, what does it matter, if at the end of the day, it’s new business?

All the best,

Ashley E. Sweeney
IT Sales Specialist
SEKO Logistics - Corporate IT
1100 Arlington Heights Road, Ste 600
Itasca, IL 60143
Tel: 630.919.4963
Fax: 630.919.4920
ashley.sweeney@sekologistics.com
SEKO Logistics - Intelligence Delivered

Selling SEKO Software Solutions - What can I do to learn more?

Hello everyone!

My name is Ashley Sweeney and I am the IT Sales Support Specialist at SEKO Corporate – IT. As most of you know, this blog was once being written by our CIO, Tom Madzy. Beginning today, I will be taking over that responsibility – so please let me welcome you to the new SEKO Solution Sales blog!

As a leading Third Party Logistics organization, SEKO has realized the need for further merit highlighting the technological advancement of our software systems. The world is a rapidly changing entity, wherein businesses must adapt and modify both their industry practices and the allocation of their investments. This is where SEKO-IT comes into play. We have created an entirely customizable framework from which your customers have the freedom and flexibility to tailor the site to their exact specifications. Our team will work directly with your customers and their IT team to establish the parameters of their site, from how they’d like to physically view the information, all the way to the detailed, customizable reporting we can create for them.

SEKO’s internal IT Department is the largest department at SEKO Corporate, based in Itasca, IL. It is a 35 person team, comprised of a Management Team, a Programming Team, a Product Management Team and a Support/Infrastructure team. Our customer applications are all written in-house at our corporate facility, and are based on the specific needs and requirements of each, individual customer. We exclusively use Microsoft Development languages and products and our database for applications is Microsoft SQL. We have developed all of our products and any projects based on the specific requirements of our individual customers.

Your customers will be assigned a Product Manager to help with the implementation of any software, assist with any modifications or customization you would like to see, and aid in the training of your personnel to ensure a seamless start-up. As it is a home-grown, proprietary system, we take pride in offering our customers a framework, from which they have the freedom to completely design their own rules, design and parameters for the website. Prior to implementation, we will sit down with your technical team to define exactly what your specific needs are. From there, we will create a Scope of Work agreement that will be signed by both parties.

I’m happy to announce that as of right now, SEKO has 45 customized software solutions out in the global market. This figure is entirely based on the hard-work and due diligence of our global sales team, and I love the passion that has been displayed in the education and selling of these solutions for your customers.

We’ve got several opportunities for each and every one of you to learn about these customizable applications. For the past eight months, we have been conducting weekly webinars (every Monday at 11:00 a.m. CST) on each of our individual solutions including MySEKO, Warehouse Management, Transportation Management and Supplier (PO Management) systems. Feel free utilize this opportunity as a learning experience, or even invite customers who may be interested to listen in on the demonstration. Registration is available at www.sekologistics.com underneath the menu item “Our Solutions”  Solution Demo. After registering, you will receive an e-mail with all of the dial-in information and have the option to store the meeting to your Outlook.

Additionally, we have begun to hold public case study conversations regarding the most influential sales within our organization to date. Already we have discussed April Vigilante’s impressive Supplier (PO) Management sale to Fishman and Tobin, and we will be covering five more distinct sales in the coming weeks. The idea behind these calls is to generate an open forum for sales people, wherein they can hear first-hand the sales process, hardships and inevitable sale of a solution. We’ve envisioned an open setting for each of you to ask questions to the sales person, offer advice to them if, perhaps, you would have done things differently, etc. Already, I have received calls from those who have listened in to the conversation, stating that after the call they rang a client to discuss our software solutions and have, as a result, landed new meetings. They last a short 30 minutes and will be held on either Mondays or Fridays.

These sales are not easy. I’ve heard over the course of this year that many people often become disheartened, as this sales process typically takes longer than the three month cycle you’re used to. My message to you is this: Don’t be. Don’t be disheartened if, perhaps, you don’t know how to respond to a potential client’s question on a sales call (that’s what I’m here for). Don’t be worried about the flexibility of the site and what it offers – we will worry about that for you. Most importantly, don’t think that because you get told “No” three times in a row, that’s the end of the road. Businesses (and the way we run them) are always changing and adapting – inevitably, these types of solutions will define who customers purchase their shipping from. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we get a leg up on the competition.

I urge each of you to utilize the resources at your disposal and learn the solutions. Even if it’s just a run-down of what we offer, any ability to demonstrate on a sales call that SEKO offers highly customizable logistics solutions could be the difference between an actual sale and “just a meeting.”

As Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Within the logistics industry, my friends – change has arrived. We’d do well to concede to it.

Cheers,

IT Sales Specialist
SEKO Logistics – Corporate IT
1100 Arlington Heights Road, Suite 600
Itasca, IL 60143
Tel: 630.919.4963
Cell: 773.729.7826
Fax: 630.919.4920
Ashley.sweeney@sekologistics.com
SEKO Logistics- Intelligence Delivered.

Why can't you close that deal?

We are beyond the halfway point of our Sales Incentive Program and it seems that the closing of these solution sells has come to a screeching halt. As I continue to talk to reps and SP’s, it sounds like they often get about 80% of the way and then the opportunity seems to fall off the wagon. This is the point that we need to start asking ourselves some questions.

I would like to introduce some tips from our sales training guru Rhonda Moon. She’s got a couple suggestions to help you get a little closer to getting that signature.

1. Make sure that the person you are talking to is the decision maker for this purchase. Many times we are talking to the individuals where we have an existing relationship, like a traffic manager. If they aren’t the ultimate decision maker on a strategic purchase like a technology solution, our contact strategy must change. You have to make sure you are working with the ultimate decision maker.

2. Have you defined and quantified the SEKO solutions for the customer? Strategic selling has little to do with selling a product or service because customers do not buy products or services. Customers buy what your products and services create, known as benefits or solutions.

3. Have you thought about the follow-up steps after the close? Displaying your plan to measure and monitor post-sale performance is a powerful assumptive close that demonstrates your ability as a consultant versus a seller. It will also reduce the client’s fear of change.

4. When closing your sale, consider offering alternatives. People like to have choices. You can use this to your advantage by saying, "Which of these choices would you like — A or B?" With this close, you are likely to make a sale of one kind or another. Even if you are selling a single solution, you can still offer choices.

5. One final technique is the authorization close. When you have finished your solutions sales presentation, ask if the customer has any additional questions. If he has none, make a check mark on the initial SOW, where the client needs to sign. Pass the document over to him and say something like, "If you will just authorize this, we can get started right away." The word "authorize" is less threatening than the word sign, so customers are more likely to sign when asked.

If you are prepared, closing a sale can be a natural part of your conversation with customers. Work to refine it so that it grows easily out of your discussion. Forge a relationship with your clients. Believe in what you are selling, and implement some of these techniques. Then watch your sales grow!

Thank you, Rhonda for that valuable insight. You should be considering these points very seriously when you are moving towards closing that deal. If you ever need assistance feel free to reach out to myself or Rhonda. We are happy to help you.

Thanks and good luck,

Tom Madzy

Why is branding important anyway?

It’s obvious we need to try to promote solution sales, and the value prop gives us a good explanation of how they all fit together, but why did I waste three blogs on making sure you understand this exact specific message?

It all boils down to messaging, and the strength behind that message is only as powerful as its consistency throughout. Why is a consistent message important? I've asked Tiffany Holm, our corporate brand specialist to guest blog and explain to us why branding is important.

“SEKO’s brand is what people think about us, and it's shaped by every single interaction we have with our market, especially when it comes to our value proposition and message. It's so important to ensure that every message with our company is consistent, so we present a clear sense of what we're all about. This entire concept has been motivated by a study from the 1950’s on cognitive dissonance by Leon Festinger. His studies show that consistency holds a certain power to persuade human behavior as a motivator. So business communicators have utilized this research and used consistency to drive awareness and generate sales.

Further, a study done by Jeff Swystun, Director of Global Communications, DDB Worldwide isolated the five best practices of great brands:

1. Continual delivery of brand promise

2. Possession of superior products, services and technologies

3. Clear ownership of a distinct position

4. Commitment to “internal” branding for employee engagement

5. Culture of improvement and innovation

Basically, the more consistent we are throughout, the more familiar people will become with us. And guess what, they now become more comfortable with you and they begin to like you, and trust you a lot quicker.

Your message has to be the same everywhere. It's about transparency. You need to be talking from the same point of view anywhere you are, and that’s what we need to strive for together.”

Thanks Tiffany. This is why staying connected brand wise truly brings strength to our SEKO message. Consider that when we are creating presentations and customer messages.

We look forward to having other guest bloggers write for us in the near future. If you would like to be a guest blogger, or would like to hear from one of your peers, let us know!

Thanks,and good luck.

Tom Madzy

Value Proposition: Part III

The next level specifically addresses the most common questions heard on every sales call; "what do I get, how much does it cost, and what is it going to do for me?"

This is the COST value behind the SEKO value proposition. How do we help our customers improve their bottom line?

Encourage your customer to explore and consider all of SEKO's soutions to move their processes up levels in the chain performance. Supply chain performance is broken down into six levels. As companies work their way up to the sixth level, their supply chain process will run much smoother and their total supply chain cost will minimize.

Six Levels of Supply Chain Performance

6. Velocity

5. Synthesis

4. Collaboration

3. Visibility

2. Link excellence

1. Business as usual

Partnering with SEKO takes customers up the ladder of supply chain efficiencies through their welth of experience and knowledge and their technology platforms. SEKO's internal IT department has a group solely dedicated toward developing new enhancements that allow for customization. SEKO consistently provides quick turn around on IT enhancements that mitigate customer internal investments.

SEKO takes pride in being categorized as a 3rd Party Logistics provider with the capability of developing a solution to fit the precise needs of our customers while most importantly saving them money. Through the intelligence of our IT solutions SEKO has the ability to tie in all of the intricacies of a supply chain and channel the decision making process and visibility into one host system, creating a model that provides:

• Software performance improvement
• Outsourced transportation management
• Improved measurement capabilities and results
• Process improvements
• Carrier negotiations
• Shipment consolidation
• Supply chain optimization

All facets positively impact the customers' bottom line. The stronger the partnership with SEKO, the more we optimize their efficiencies, and the more it increases their profitability.

Graphic slides have been created for each value proposition level and they can all be found in the Global Overview PowerPoint presentation located in the documents tab in SEKOVision. Please contact Tiffany Holm if you need assistance.

Thanks,

Tom

SEKO Value Proposition: Part II

This blog is describing the secondary level overview of the SEKO value proposition. This is taking our offerings to a more granular approach elaborating on the three degrees of expertise that we focus on here at SEKO; outsourced expertise, exceptional service, and customized technology.

“SEKO is first and foremost a transportation company. We have the expertise and experienced professionals to help you make the right transportation decisions, every time. Everything we do and processes we have built comes from a transportation expertise.

Outsourced Expertise

This expertise makes us the right fit for an outsourced solution. And we’re nimble. The network structure of our business allows our team to service your business needs in the most efficient way. And our services can be customized to your business needs. Let SEKO be your transportation team, we’re really good at it.

Exceptional Service

When you outsource to SEKO, you will receive all the benefits of a service-oriented entrepreneurial company. Our logistics experts go out of their way to ensure you receive the best possible service from our network of approved carrier partners. Whether you use SEKO to move your freight or another carrier, the SEKO team will help you make the best decision possible.

Customizable Technology

SEKO is a transportation company first and foremost, and to augment our executable capabilities we have developed a robust supply chain technology. We’ll talk about it in detail in just a minute, but I’d like to touch on the main components briefly.

The technology is capable of managing the entire supply chain, from sourcing your raw materials around the globe, to managing inbound PO’s, maintaining warehouse inventory, to multi-modal tracking globally and even integrating with your website for easy e-commerce solutions.

All this is augmented by a robust reporting suite giving you access to all your supplier, transportation, and warehouse data in one easy to use web-based dashboard.“

Graphic slides have been created for each value proposition level and they can all be found in the Global Overview PowerPoint presentation located in the documents tab in SEKOVision. Please contact Tiffany Holm if you need assistance.

Thanks,

Tom