Your Customer Knows More than Your Sales Rep

10/28/19 • 33 min

Each month, Tony Uphoff, visionary CEO of Thomasnet.com, joins Cloud Wars Live for a recurring segment. “Uphoff on Industry” will explore the innovations, upheavals, and breakthroughs reshaping the the world of manufacturing and industrial markets. Join Tony and me as we discuss disruptive new trends in the digital-industrial world. These include how we design, source and manufacture products. And also the new ways in which industrial companies are getting up to speed on marketing, sales and customer experience.

Episode 7

In this episode, Tony and I discuss the passing of Mark Hurd, co-CEO of Oracle. He says he could be tough, but Tony had huge admiration for his business acumen.

He goes on to say that there’s really cool technology around what’s called “smart warehousing,” where they’re combining man and machine to automate and improve efficiencies.

Tony was invited to give a keynote address at the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA), and he spoke about data and research. When he got off the stage, somebody used the expression, “You punched us right in the face with the reality of where our buyer’s going – even if we didn’t want to hear it.”

Tony was also on Fox Business News, and talked about the state of U.S. manufacturing. Prior to his appearance, the stock market tanked by 500 points. He says it was a fascinating time to go on the show, since the markets were reacting to the ISM survey of manufacturers.

Tony says that your prospective customer knows more about your products, your offering, your competitors, and the marketplace than your best sales rep could ever know.

Tony has a new podcast called “Thomas Industry Update.” Their first guest is Anne Evans, director at the Department of Commerce, who is helping U.S. companies understand the complexities of exporting. It’s available on all platforms: www.thomasnet.com/update.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode 7

In this episode, Tony and I discuss the passing of Mark Hurd, co-CEO of Oracle. He says he could be tough, but Tony had huge admiration for his business acumen.

He goes on to say that there’s really cool technology around what’s called “smart warehousing,” where they’re combining man and machine to automate and improve efficiencies.

Tony says that your prospective customer knows more about your products, your offering, your competitors, and the marketplace than your best sales rep could ever know.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Previous Episode

Think of Yourself as the Chief Process Person

“Sadin on Digital” episodes explore the fast-changing and high-stakes world of digital business. Wayne Sadin and I focus in particular on what CEOs and boards must do to lead their companies successfully into the Digital Age. Today, we dive deeper into a topic we’ve touched on a couple times before: “technical debt.” Through some evocative metaphors, Wayne explains why it matters—and how to avoid it building up.

Episode 9

In this episode, Wayne and I talk about the CIO. He says the CEO gets the CIO they settled for. If the CIO can’t hit your strategic agenda, and help you become a partner, and move the business forward, you’re setting your sights to low. Don’t settle, he says, for a mediocre CIO.

He says the CIO needs to get on the truck if you deliver things. Get in the warehouse if you store things. Get on the factory floor if you make things. Go on a sales call and see what happens when your salespeople get tossed out on their ear.

He then goes on to say that most executives work in vertical silos – as in, I’m in charge of department A or B or C. But he says the CIOs who are effective get out of that way of thinking, and start thinking of themselves as the Chief Process Person.

He tells the story of how he asked a CIO, “What do you think is your biggest accomplishment.” And the CIO said, “Oh, it’s really simple. My IT budget was 0.91% of sales, and I was able to keep it to 0.88% of sales.” Wayne says that’s just nuts – what if they had given him 0.03% of sales to focus on top line innovation, or process improvement, or customer satisfaction?

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.