After three months at StarrData, I decided that now was a good time to step back and reflect upon what I’d witnessed and experienced with the company.
As a newcomer, it’s immediately apparent that the team at StarrData is incredibly hardworking and dedicated – and, to add to that, they have an exceptional set of tools and technology at their disposal.
Honestly, though, that doesn’t pin down exactly what’s happening here. There’s a unique feel to operations that’s more than just the combination of excellent team members and cutting-edge tech.
Conversations for Action
As any director or manager will know, the best team in the world won’t perform well if collaboration and communication aren’t exactly right. At StarrData, the oil on an exceptional machine is something we refer to as ‘Conversations for Action’ – an innovative and forward-thinking system of language, created by Dr. Fernando Flores, that takes workplace emotions out of our processes. By doing so, it makes accountability and commitment a fundamental part of everyone’s day.
So, what makes ‘Conversations for Action’ different to the million other buzz phrases that bounce off meeting room walls across America?
For me, this framework for language and action workflow is so impactful because it doesn’t add-to or dress-up communication; it strips-back and simplifies.
Straightforward Communication
We can probably all think about a time when we’ve sat in front of an email for much longer than we should, agonizing over exactly how it needs to be phrased to balance the right level of manners, urgency, authority, friendship – and a dozen other factors that need to be carefully considered. When language is simple, all that hidden communication is taken away. With Conversations for Action, we understand one another; we understand the format and the purpose of the language, and we understand the requests, offers, and declarations that come out of conversations.
This might sound cold and functional – although, in reality, it’s anything but.
Instead, the way the team communicates makes everything crystal clear. There’s no confusion around levels of urgency, and no need for second-guessing motivations or subtext – just an efficient and effective way of collaborating. When we interact, we do so knowing that there’s transparency and honesty underpinning everything we do.
Working Alongside Clients
Clarity between team members is obviously a good thing – but what’s the impact on operations? What’s the real result for the hundreds of companies that we help to leverage the power of Salesforce?
From my point of view – it’s all about following through on commitments.
Whoever you are, you’ll probably run into a lack of following thru with commitments on a daily basis – it’s that painful and frustrating gap between what people say they’re going to do, and what they actually do.
How many times have you been impressed by a salesperson’s claims – only to find out the service falls short? How often have you found yourself giving a company a much tighter timescale than should be necessary – simply because you don’t trust in their ability to return what you need on the date they promised?
As a client, these are the things that add time, thought, stress, and unnecessary complexity to your day.
At StarrData, using Conversations for Action removes these factors – both internally and externally; in the interactions and relationships, we have with the businesses we support. We deliver – and that’s not a hopeful sales pitch; it’s a verifiable fact with evidence that runs through every process, email, conversation, and meeting that’s happening within our business right now.
As Operations Director, this is an incredible feeling – and it adds a level of confidence to my discussions that few other business operators can boast. When you know your teams are communicating clearly and effectively, and working with processes that are driven by clear commitments, there’s no need to scratch your head and wonder how we’ll deliver what we’ve promised. Instead, you can wholeheartedly trust that what you’re saying will become a reality.
Clear Commitments Creates Great Service
Of course, this is great at removing my headaches – but what about StarrData’s clients?
As a service provider, our precise and uncomplicated way of working also benefits the companies we’re partnered with. I know our teams deliver – and in turn, our clients understand that deadlines are met, services are in place, and the applications that underpin their sales and service processes are always there – fine-tuned and working exactly as required.
The result?
We keep our promises, which means clients can keep theirs. In a world of over-promising and under-delivering, getting the job done becomes an enormous strategic advantage that few companies can genuinely offer.
When industry-leading knowledge and reliability are so rarely combined, the task of marketing the business becomes less daunting too. At StarrData, customer loyalty isn’t based on inertia – it’s based on a desire to stay with an organization that is instrumental in providing a solid operational foundation for other businesses.
It’s this kind of foundation that other businesses look upon with envy too. You know when you’re dealing with a company that’s got its processes perfectly dialed-in, and that means customer referrals are also an organic part of the process.
In these first few months, it’s become apparent to me exactly how StarrData has been able to consistently execute complex projects on time and within budget while keeping such a loyal customer base. The real beauty of operations at StarrData isn’t just about this snapshot – it’s about knowing Conversations for Action gives us a framework that allows us to consistently offer this outstanding level of service to our clients, no matter how the marketplace changes.