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Creating sustainable competitive advantage; in a modern context
We are in the middle of one of the worst modern recessions in living memory and most companies are trying to focus, not just on how to survive, but on how to grow their businesses in the long term. Many companies have suffered from the effects of reduced turnover, increased costs and ever greater competition. It would be easy to be full of doom and gloom and to focus purely on survival but that would be to miss a great opportunity – how to prepare for the end of the recession and what comes next. Not all companies are doing badly! Some of those who were focused and well run have survived and come through the initial crisis relatively unscathed e.g. HSBC and Santander. Do you understand what resources you have and how they can be used to gain future competitive advantage? Can you inspire your stakeholders with your strategic messages?

Your One Sustainable Competitive Advantage
In today’s volatile environment, team is the one sustainable competitive advantage you have! It's not ever changing and fleeting technology, it's not time sensitive trade secrets, and it's not the newest product. Team is the key to sustained growth and competitiveness.
You can't afford to let the knowledge leak out!
The sales rep with superior knowledge is a formidable competitor. That's why you have a Sales Excellence Council in place. (Right?) And that group is charged with identifying the best and newest sales best practices and tools. (Right?)

For Poor Results, Work Like Crazy
Here’s a really unintelligent idea: Work like crazy without a break for thirty to forty years so you can do . . . nothing for the next thirty to forty years. An effective time manager knows the importance of grouping similar activities together in one block of time—but this tip should be applied to days or weeks, not to forty-year spans. This article will discuss whole-life symmetry and why it's better than working like crazy and more effective than "work-life balance".

Play the Full Table
During uncertain times (like today!) most leaders and business owners play it safe. This means that if you want to distinguish yourself during tough times, the bar is pretty low. Now is the time to play the full table! Don't restrict your strategies to the sure shots. While your competitors are playing it safe, try new shots, explore the edges of the table.

Hiring Good Salespeople
Customers and markets have changed, competition has intensified and products rapidly become commoditised. Consequently salespeople who are no more effective than a product catalogue will be replaced by a new breed of professionals who have a new focus: Demand creation, philosophical alignement, in-depth understanding of their customers' businesses, positioning, executive credibility and the delivery of value. Consequently sales forces and their HR departments will have to use "best of breed" tools and processes for consistently recruiting genuine sales talent.
Is Your Sales Force a Dinosaur
As Rick Canada of Motorola puts it - “The traditional sales force is a dinosaur – a remnant of past success.” “Irresistible new forces are reshaping the world of selling. Sales functions everywhere are in the early stages of radical and profound changes comparable to those that began in manufacturing 20 years ago… But one change outweighs all the others. The meaning of selling itself is shifting. The very purpose of sales is being rapidly redefined.” - Prominent sales authority and author Neil Rackham

Recruiting Sales Talent Major HR Challenge
Worldwide companies are dreadfully inept at consistently hiring the right kind of sales talent for the right jobs. There's a higher level of failure and personnel churn in sales than in any other business function. Research indicates that hiring accuracy runs anywhere between 35% and 55%, depending on the sales role. Jobs such as outbound telesales and commission only life assurance sales are particularly problematic. Using the best possible tools greater than 90% hiring accuracy is quite achievable.

The Quickie Internal Customer Experience Diagnosis
Have any questions about the customer experience that your company delivers? Conduct a quick internal diagnostic. How does your company treat salespeople? The answer will be revealing.
When to Develop Custom Software or Websites: Hire's Innovation test
How do you decide when to develop a custom software and when to buy software? Like everything else in business, it's all about being unique... One question and a bit of thinking time is all you need...
People Concern Developing a HR Competitive Advantage
Do we really walk the talk when we constantly emphasize the importance of human resources quality to the enhancement of organizational performance and the development of a competitive advantage based on People concern?

Other sustainable competitive advantage Related Articles

Competitive Advantage
Customers buy from you because of a distinct advantage you bring to the table over your competition. It is important that you identify this advantage and build on it to grow your business. What do you do better than your competitors or peers? What is your unique selling proposition that will bring customers to you? If you can properly identify and develop your competitive advantage, you are almost assured sales and marketing success. Let's take a closer look at the fundamentals of competitive advantage.
Creating a Better Place to Work
In our evolving global economy, we tend to look to capital and technology for competitive advantage. Effective organizations are also critical to global success. The realization has led us to various approaches for redesigning our operations. However, in the processes of "restructuring" and "downsizing" - tactics that provide our companies with leaner structures and flatterer hierarchies - we often tend to overlook the fact that our people are the most important source of competitive advantage.
Your One Sustainable Competitive Advantage
In today’s volatile environment, team is the one sustainable competitive advantage you have! It's not ever changing and fleeting technology, it's not time sensitive trade secrets, and it's not the newest product. Team is the key to sustained growth and competitiveness.
4 Random Ideas To Green Up Your Small Business
To be competitive in todays business world, think about incorporating sustainable practices and ideas in your overall strategies to stand out and remain competitive. This article presents 4 Random Ideas to Green Up Your Small Business.
Competitive Advantage vs. Your Business Model
Competitive advantage is not the same as a business model. Harvard Professor Michael Porter proposed the theory of competitive advantage in 1990. His competitive advantage theory suggests that businesses should pursue policies that create high-quality goods to sell at the highest possible prices. Competitive advantage happens when companies acquire or develop an attribute or combination of attributes that allow it to outperform its competitors. These attributes might include access to natural resources, such as high grade ore or inexpensive power, or access to highly trained and skilled personnel human resources. Other advantages could include better use of technology, etc.

When is the Right Time to Rebrand?
Rebranding is much like the caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly evolution. After time in a cocoon your business has matured, your competitive advantage is becoming apparent, you know who your favourite clients are – the ones you want more of. Once you’ve been in business long enough and have some experience under your belt, you can seriously tackle your competitive advantage. From these experiences, processes and case studies you can draw a true differentiator. How you do what you say makes you different, often becomes what makes you different. If you figure this out, it should become the basis of all your messaging and marketing tools.
Sustainability Driven Innovation
Sustainable innovations are creating new business models, opening up new markets and providing competitive advantages. Sustainable innovation is also improving profitability. Companies around the world are demonstrating how innovative sustainable practices are bettering their bottom line. A focus on sustainability is enabling organisations to innovate, differentiate themselves and succeed. Although sustainable practices were once dismissed for being too costly, increasing numbers of companies are coming to the realization that sustainable innovations are a gateway to growth. Visionary business leaders who anticipate the winds of change and creatively develop sustainable products and processes will thrive in the rapidly changing economic landscape.
4 Strategies To Turn Your Brand Into Your Competitive Edge
In today's economy everything speaks. Everything you do, what way you look, the words you choose, your tone of voice; all of this tells the world who you are, what you are about and and what value you add. The image your portray on line, in person and on the phone can either give you a competitive advantage or hurt your chances for success. Follow these 4 must know strategies to ensure you turn your brand into your competitive advantage.
What Is Strategic Business Planning?
Strategy can be seen as an on going positioning process for an organization and strategic planning can be seen as a separate activity reviewed at periodic well defined intervals. Strategy involves achieving a competitive advantage for an organization in meeting the needs of customers and fulfilling the expectations of stakeholders. Planning helps to make sure that the efforts of an organization are deliberately co-ordinates and that managers and staff are not heading in different directions. Also provides competitive advantage and improve performance.

Ten Tips to Build a Culture of Trust
Companies that foster a culture of transparency and trust clearly have a competitive advantage for sustainable success.
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