Anne Tobin, TobinConnex
Anne Tobin’s company Tobin Connex” provides HR services to 20 smaller companies in the Boston area. At any given time she has up to a dozen people deployed to working with customers. Most of her people have many years experience working in HR and provide the full slate of HR services such as hiring, firing, benefits management, policies, and writing employee manuals on an “ as needed” basis.
RELIES ON HUMAN COMMUNICATION VS. TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP HER TEAM IN STEP
Her company is totally virtual, but unlike everyone else I’ve spoken with for this article, Anne uses very little technology to manage her business. Though customers situations are dynamic, her business has no information-sharing vehicle, nor does she tie into her customer’s intranets because that would be a very big time & resource challenge. Her firm does not even have a Web site, though creating one is in her 2010 plan. “My business is all about relationships and proving your value. I need to make sure I have up to date information on my clients so I can do the HR work they require. Managing a virtual team requires a lot of follow up on my part… I regularly attend customer staff meetings … I am able to keep a lot of balls in the air.”
“My team is autonomous – we do not need to share information throughout the day, though we talk often, and when we do we focus on how to get things done. “ Every Friday she and her staff hold a huddle meeting.
The model works – since the days she opened her doors and even in the current economic downturn, Anne’s business continues to thrive.
WHEN HIRING, SHE SEEKS CERTAIN PERSONALITY TRAITS
When hiring new consultants Anne seeks seasoned people who communicate clearly and are “politely assertive”, else they will get lost in the dust of fast-moving startups. They must be able to quickly morph into a customer’s culture, while standing firm with CEOS who want to bend rules that conflict with ethics and law. “You have to be strong enough to win them over and push back – to tell them “You can’t do that!!” Anne has been interviewing people for many years and relies upon straight forward skills assessment and “gut instinct” to effectively determine whether a person will work out. Employees and customers all come to her through referrals, so she never has to dip into the unknown.
Everyone must do excellent work and continually prove their value. If she feels a new hire has good potential she gives them time to absorb her firm’s cultural values. “Some get it quicker – you have to be nimble and get the job done while not being overly methodical”. Trying to be perfect is impractical & time consuming, which is not a good thing when you bill clients by the hour.
Debbie Falck, Design Presence
Debbie Falck is a visual designer whose focus is user interface design of business applications and complex websites. While she is a solo consultant through her business Design Presence, she often forms ad hoc teams with interaction designers, marketing professionals and engineers. There is always a risk that things will get lost in translation when working virtually with people who are unfamiliar with her expertise.
DESIGN WORKSHOPS HELP CLIENTS UNDERSTAND PROCESS AND DELIVERABLES
When appropriate; she and her team may schedule a kickoff meeting where they walk through a design exercise with the clients. The meeting gives everyone a chance to get to know each other, as well as “group therapy” where clients can share their frustrations and vision for their product’s functionality, appearance and usability.
This initial session can take up to a day. Her team walks the client through some the steps they will be following throughout the project: developing personas and scenarios, generating user interface ideas and discussing branding requirements and look and feel. People break into smaller groups to address specific tasks, then reconvene and debrief. This process educates the client on the design process and gives them time to “put on the table things they’ve been thinking, but never expressed.” She and her team walk away from the workshop with stronger relationships and a deeper understanding of the client’s product and needs. The client has an understanding of what to expect, how the design process works, and where they need to collaborate.
MEET IN PERSON AT KEY POINTS IN A PROJECT
When it is possible, Debbie likes to be physically present at key points in the project, such as major design reviews. “The worst thing is to be talking about visual issues remotely and have no idea what they are viewing on their end, for example color shifts or distortions caused by browser issues.” Furthermore, you don’t have the chance to pick up on non-verbal communication on the other end; their facial expressions, who looks discouraged, who is making eye contact. “Sometimes it’s unavoidable. I have clients whom I’ve never met and it’s been fine. But they often have a sophisticated sense of visual design and the entire design process. They also shield me from the internal politics of the project.”
CHOOSE TEAM MATES CAREFULLY
She is careful in choosing team mates and relies on recommendations from people she knows who have worked with them. Debbie meets with the prospective teammate in person where they discuss their individual approaches to their work and the things they value. When dealing with someone new, it is a good idea to work together on a smaller project. Investing time and effort into building solid relationships with virtual team mates pays off. “You have to go in with people who can present themselves as a cohesive unit to the client. Trust is a major component of what makes the relationship succeed or fail.“
Susan Saurage-Altenloh, Saurage Research
Susan Saurage-Altenloh is a marketing research strategist and president of Saurage Research, a completely virtual company she runs from her home office in Houston. Susan’s firm has 5 full-time employees, all of whom work from remote offices. She staffs her project with people from a network of market researchers with specialized skills in the industries her firm covers: advertising, healthcare, B2B, and energy. “Everyone is virtual today….but it works… you can get a better mix of talent and the client expects it. I dip into our network of 18 people with specific talents on whom I can rely – qual, quant, Web evaluation, segmentation strategist – and people who have these skills plus know my industries. I want to draw on the right people when I need them, but I do not need them 40 hours a week.”
BEING VIRTUAL IS NEVER AN ISSUE WITH CLIENTS
Saurage Research has been virtual for seven of its 22 year history. She’s lost only one opportunity because the customer – a chain of 54 Mexican restaurants – was uncomfortable hiring a firm with no physical office. Clients almost never ask whether the people she brings in are permanent employees. She builds credibility for her virtual team by highlighting their relevant expertise, how long they have known each other, and the projects on which they’ve worked together. However, in most cases, clients never ask.
Many projects involve her firm, the client, and an ad agency. Susan puts as much energy into developing a good working relationship with the ad agency as she does with the client. At the beginning of a project she will call the agency to discuss their expectations and needs. “I extend communication with them above the norm…. the agency will be there every day for the client. We are needed sporadically. We do not want to change their loving relationship with the client.” This pays off, as many agencies she works with later become clients or key referral sources.
SIMPLE AND FREE TECHNOLOGY HELPS HER TEAMS STAY ORGANIZED
Susan makes sure to include both parties on status updates. She relies on e-mail, the phone, and WebEx to keep things coordinated. “Simple is better.” Susan uses “Tom’s Planner” (http://tomsplanner.com/), a free scheduling tool, to synchronize her firm’s work with client and agency projects. Over time, her clients’ expectations have moved toward virtual collaboration, so most interaction occurs remotely. “When we present results, I fly in and out so I can present them in person. Otherwise, there is little need to meet in person…. I have held WebEx meetings with clients who are five miles away from my office and they are fine with it.”
THE CAMARADERIE IS WONDERFUL
Another wonderful benefit of being part of a virtual network is the security of having great backup people in an emergency or when you are on vacation. She also cherishes the camaraderie: “It’s wonderful to have human beings to talk with and share ideas… I do a lot of online work and it gets lonely! QRCA has been wonderful in helping me collaborate with great people.”
