This is my contribution to the team at Direct Channel Holdings.
Team, I try harder and harder each day to develop myself to be more effective at Direct Channel. This method below is something that I use to make me effective in dealing with the various departments that I interact with and the clients I engage with. The customers that we call every day and sign up are external customers and we are the suppliers. We internally at DCH are internal customers with internal service providers.
Like how our external customers have certain expectation from us when it comes to promptness, turnaround time, accuracy, medium in which we communicate, so to should we also operate within the walls of DCH when it comes to the various departments.
Below you will find a guide that can assist in us being effective, efficient and ultimately lead to a conducive harmonious environment.
What
Be clear about the task at hand or the task requested. There is nothing worse than delivering the wrong result or outcome. You run the risk of doing it again, being embarrassed by the requestor, losing money or time.
Know your JD and objectives of your position in the company. Whether you are a team leader or a QA consultant, make sure that you understand what that position was created for within the company.
Who
1. ‘Who’ has got to do with who can assist you to get the task done properly or timeously. This means using leverage or delegation. Don’t just pass something off to someone unless you are truly busy or need assistance for part of the task that you are not strong at.
2. This part of “who” has to do with who has requested it and whether you should apportion priority or not because of the person’s position The second part of ‘who’ is to understand who is requesting the task, feedback or response. It may be that the requestor is just a channel or medium for someone else. Ignoring the requestor or delivering sub-standard work may be an insult to the original requestor.
When
This has a lot to do with procrastination. Some people say ‘why do something today when it can be done tomorrow’. This has also to do with respecting a timeline that the other person has put in place. Note that the request may not attach any importance to you, but to the requestor it may be part of his JD, life or death or even part of the companies value statement when it comes to turnaround time.
Why wait for feedback to be sent on time. Perhaps you can do it earlier and telephonically.
If it is not able to be done within a certain time, send feedback of a timeline within which the requestor can expect it. I often find it effective when I receive the request and respond same time and say that I am on it. This makes the requestor aware that you have at least received the request.
If you have daily tasks, make sure that they are written down and have a tick box to show it is done.
How
This may have a lot to do with the resources you use to deliver the task, request or feedback. Do you use the PD, Direct Magic, report manager, someone’s expertise. It is of no use learning something when a task has to be performed which you should have been learning and preparing to use. Also, how do you deliver the feedback or response. What is the best way or medium. Should you send it on Excel, word, telephonically, e-mail, power point presentation.
Why
This has a lot to do with the impact of your non- delivery or late delivery. ‘Why’ should you deliver on time using the desired and most effective way and delivery. It may have financial impact, reputational impact, lost opportunity impact. Align your need to deliver with the business needs.