After much anticipation and a great deal of work, we are now getting ready to open our second phase of Davinci Sandy! Sandy, our newest center, is already filling up with some exciting and diverse clients, and we are looking forward to being able to double our offering there.
The Sandy center, originally opened in December of 2009, was scheduled to be built in two phases. The North wing came first, with 35 offices, two conference rooms, a kitchen, and a business support center with high speed printing, copying, and scanning capabilities. Now nearing its capacity after only four months of operation, Davinci Sandy is preparing to open an additional 30 offices of varying sizes, almost doubling its ability to serve clients.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Saying goodbye to an icon
Locally owned and open since World War II, Salt Lake's Emigration Market has announced that it will close its doors for good on April 3rd.
JT Martin, whose family has owned the grocery store for more than a decade, cited the recession, combined with increased competition from chain grocery stores, as the reason for the decline in sales in recent years. The harder he tried to improve the business, he said, the worse things seemed to become.
Emigration Market was an iconic Salt Lake business. Having grown up in the Sugarhouse area, my family shopped there consistently, and it is surreal to see it go. Offering customer perks such as monthly tabs, Emigration was reminiscent of an older and more personal style of business.
As Bob Dylan said, times they are a-changin'.
Check out the full Salt Lake Tribune article here:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14741182?source
JT Martin, whose family has owned the grocery store for more than a decade, cited the recession, combined with increased competition from chain grocery stores, as the reason for the decline in sales in recent years. The harder he tried to improve the business, he said, the worse things seemed to become.
Emigration Market was an iconic Salt Lake business. Having grown up in the Sugarhouse area, my family shopped there consistently, and it is surreal to see it go. Offering customer perks such as monthly tabs, Emigration was reminiscent of an older and more personal style of business.
As Bob Dylan said, times they are a-changin'.
Check out the full Salt Lake Tribune article here:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14741182?source
Monday, March 22, 2010
Shared Office Space and the "Start-Up"
Starting a small business is a bold and exciting move, but can also be expensive and risky. The process certainly isn't simple, and often involves a lot of headache. Yet if successful, the entrepreneur has unlimited potential and flexibility.
For those of us in the shared office space market, start-ups hold a special place in our hearts. We get to witness again and again the early struggles and successes of a brand new business venture. While some do not succeed, many make the cut and go on to achieve great things. In our industry, we see small business success stories everyday, and these wins are part of what we enjoy about our work. This is because we are confident that, by providing a shared office space solution, we have played a role in this achievement.
What is shared office space? Generally referred to as executive office suites or office business
centers (OBC's), shared office spaces provide turn-key solutions to businesses large and small. Their locations may vary by size, breadth of services, and building class, and generally offer receptionist services, conference room space, access to business support services, etc. as part of an all-inclusive or low-cost package.
So what can this model do for start-up businesses? For start-ups, shared office spaces take the headache out of starting a business. Rather than starting a fully-functional office from scratch, which can be prohibitively expensive (imagine hiring your own secretary, setting up a network and phone connection, leasing copying and posting equipment, buying office furniture, etc., when you haven't even generated a profit yet!), new businesses can step into an all-in-one business community and start working the day they sign the lease. Plus, flexible lease terms mean that business owners are able to use the service only as long as they need it.
Furthermore, start-ups who are not quite ready for a full-time office can choose to "go virtual", meaning that they have the benefits of receptionist services, a corporate mailing address, and access by the hour or day to a class-A office, but without the price of physical space. Virtual packages are much less expensive and allow for an easy transition to a full-time office when the time is right.
For those of us in the shared office space market, start-ups hold a special place in our hearts. We get to witness again and again the early struggles and successes of a brand new business venture. While some do not succeed, many make the cut and go on to achieve great things. In our industry, we see small business success stories everyday, and these wins are part of what we enjoy about our work. This is because we are confident that, by providing a shared office space solution, we have played a role in this achievement.
What is shared office space? Generally referred to as executive office suites or office business
centers (OBC's), shared office spaces provide turn-key solutions to businesses large and small. Their locations may vary by size, breadth of services, and building class, and generally offer receptionist services, conference room space, access to business support services, etc. as part of an all-inclusive or low-cost package.
So what can this model do for start-up businesses? For start-ups, shared office spaces take the headache out of starting a business. Rather than starting a fully-functional office from scratch, which can be prohibitively expensive (imagine hiring your own secretary, setting up a network and phone connection, leasing copying and posting equipment, buying office furniture, etc., when you haven't even generated a profit yet!), new businesses can step into an all-in-one business community and start working the day they sign the lease. Plus, flexible lease terms mean that business owners are able to use the service only as long as they need it.
Furthermore, start-ups who are not quite ready for a full-time office can choose to "go virtual", meaning that they have the benefits of receptionist services, a corporate mailing address, and access by the hour or day to a class-A office, but without the price of physical space. Virtual packages are much less expensive and allow for an easy transition to a full-time office when the time is right.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Success through Positive Affirmation
We are constantly meeting and interacting with people in the workplace. We interact with our employees, our employers, our customers, our vendors, and everybody in between, and naturally form opinions and impressions of these people based on a variety of factors. It is not surprise that such biases shape our everyday interactions with them and mold our expectations of their performance.
But Steve Roesler of The Steve Roesler Group, in his blog All Things Workplace (http://www.allthingsworkplace.com/), believes that our expectations influence our peers' performance as well. According to Roesler, we tend to see people in two different lights: "The Halo Effect" occurs when we allow one good trait in a person to paint our entire impression of them in a positive shade, dulling our perception of their potential downfalls and flaws. Conversely, "The Horn Effect" describes our tendency to allow one or two flaws or negative traits to influence our whole perception of a person negatively. If they are lacking in one key trait, they are assumed to be lacking in many others as well. For example, an employee who is constantly overdue on a specific project (perhaps due to unreasonable deadlines or work load) is assumed to be lazy, uncommitted, or unintelligent.
These expectations can actually influence the way that people work. If we are constantly expecting negative performance, it is likely that we will keep getting negative performance. Our expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies.
What a great message for business people! It is so easy to be unsatisified with the people we work with each day. I appreciate Mr. Roesler's message that we have the power to influence the world around us and shape people to give us the best or the worst of themselves. Our peers follow our lead, looking to us to encourage and affirm them. How many of us have had somebody in our lives who saw us as the best we could be, and for whom we rose to the occasion every time to meet their image of us? I would bet we all have.
Here at Davinci, our top goal has always been to affirm those we work with, because their success is our success. We are in the business of nurting businesses, of assisting them to reach their fullest potential. We move the road blocks out of the way because we know that every single company and individual we work with has so much potential, and are pleased to make their road to success that much easier. It is not just about the services, it is our atmosphere of positive affirmation and success that sets us apart. We are passionate about being a positive force, in one way or another, in our clients lives.
But Steve Roesler of The Steve Roesler Group, in his blog All Things Workplace (http://www.allthingsworkplace.com/), believes that our expectations influence our peers' performance as well. According to Roesler, we tend to see people in two different lights: "The Halo Effect" occurs when we allow one good trait in a person to paint our entire impression of them in a positive shade, dulling our perception of their potential downfalls and flaws. Conversely, "The Horn Effect" describes our tendency to allow one or two flaws or negative traits to influence our whole perception of a person negatively. If they are lacking in one key trait, they are assumed to be lacking in many others as well. For example, an employee who is constantly overdue on a specific project (perhaps due to unreasonable deadlines or work load) is assumed to be lazy, uncommitted, or unintelligent.
These expectations can actually influence the way that people work. If we are constantly expecting negative performance, it is likely that we will keep getting negative performance. Our expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies.
What a great message for business people! It is so easy to be unsatisified with the people we work with each day. I appreciate Mr. Roesler's message that we have the power to influence the world around us and shape people to give us the best or the worst of themselves. Our peers follow our lead, looking to us to encourage and affirm them. How many of us have had somebody in our lives who saw us as the best we could be, and for whom we rose to the occasion every time to meet their image of us? I would bet we all have.
Here at Davinci, our top goal has always been to affirm those we work with, because their success is our success. We are in the business of nurting businesses, of assisting them to reach their fullest potential. We move the road blocks out of the way because we know that every single company and individual we work with has so much potential, and are pleased to make their road to success that much easier. It is not just about the services, it is our atmosphere of positive affirmation and success that sets us apart. We are passionate about being a positive force, in one way or another, in our clients lives.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Sales Statistics
Some really interesting sales statistics, really drives home the importance of effective follow up!
-48% of all sales people never follow up with a prospect
-25% of all sales people make a second contact and stop
-12% of all sales people only make three contacts and stop
-Only 10% of all sales people make more than three contacts
-2% of sales are made on the first contact
-3% of sales are made on the second contact
-5% of sales are made on the third contact
-10% of sales are made on the fourth contact
-80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact
Wow! These are some very eye-opening figures. My impression is that each contact would have to be unique and substantial. 5-12 sales calls will probably start to push a prospect's buttons, but if each follow up is unique it could actually assist in building a relationship with potential clients. Imagine that the first follow up is a thank you note, the second a call with a special offer, the third an email inviting the prospect to an event, the fourth a small gift or card sent in the mail, etc. These are small, unobtrusive steps that keep you at the forefront of a prospect's mind without being annoying or "salesy". Very interesting :)!
-48% of all sales people never follow up with a prospect
-25% of all sales people make a second contact and stop
-12% of all sales people only make three contacts and stop
-Only 10% of all sales people make more than three contacts
-2% of sales are made on the first contact
-3% of sales are made on the second contact
-5% of sales are made on the third contact
-10% of sales are made on the fourth contact
-80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact
Wow! These are some very eye-opening figures. My impression is that each contact would have to be unique and substantial. 5-12 sales calls will probably start to push a prospect's buttons, but if each follow up is unique it could actually assist in building a relationship with potential clients. Imagine that the first follow up is a thank you note, the second a call with a special offer, the third an email inviting the prospect to an event, the fourth a small gift or card sent in the mail, etc. These are small, unobtrusive steps that keep you at the forefront of a prospect's mind without being annoying or "salesy". Very interesting :)!
Monday, March 8, 2010
On Details
In hard economic times, when businesses are struggling to stay afloat and people are less and less willing to spend money, cutbacks in a business are inevitable. We, like many other businesses, have had to do some serious belt tightening and do our best to work more efficiently.
But one thing that we have learned is that, when it comes to presentation, details are still everything. While it has been tempting to cut out many of the "extras" that we provide clients, such as complimentary fresh fruit, included furniture, fresh flowers in our lobby, and monthly massages, we have learned that sometimes the best and most profitible decision in tighter times is to avoid minimalism.
Think about it. Every day, our clients and prospects (and everybody's clients and prospects for that matter) hear news of rising unemployment rates, failing businesses, and deep cuts in expenditures. Vacant store fronts and office buildings are everywhere, and they are increasingly "nickled and dimed" for services that used to be free (think checked baggage on major airlines!).
How refreshing it would be, then, to step out of that world and into a business where details are not ignored. Here at Davinci, we have made every effort to not only retain the perks and services we have always offered, but also to do more than ever at an all inclusive price. In an industry notorious for hidden costs and fees, we are striving more than ever to offer a turn-key, all-in-one product.
But one thing that we have learned is that, when it comes to presentation, details are still everything. While it has been tempting to cut out many of the "extras" that we provide clients, such as complimentary fresh fruit, included furniture, fresh flowers in our lobby, and monthly massages, we have learned that sometimes the best and most profitible decision in tighter times is to avoid minimalism.
Think about it. Every day, our clients and prospects (and everybody's clients and prospects for that matter) hear news of rising unemployment rates, failing businesses, and deep cuts in expenditures. Vacant store fronts and office buildings are everywhere, and they are increasingly "nickled and dimed" for services that used to be free (think checked baggage on major airlines!).
How refreshing it would be, then, to step out of that world and into a business where details are not ignored. Here at Davinci, we have made every effort to not only retain the perks and services we have always offered, but also to do more than ever at an all inclusive price. In an industry notorious for hidden costs and fees, we are striving more than ever to offer a turn-key, all-in-one product.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Davinci Sandy is Green Certified!
Davinci's new Sandy location has just been licensed Green Certified by Blue Iguana, a California-based Green Business Consulting Company!
This is an important step for Davinci and for green business in Utah. With 16 companies already occupying the 3-month-old center, and capacity set to exceed 60 by next month, it means that 16 companies have effectively also gone green, and anybody who occupies the center in the future will also be doing their part to work sustainably.
Blue Iguana, who provided the certification, works to help businesses create a "greener" model. Named after the Blue Iguana, one of the most endangered species in the world, the company uses a software-based survey to rank businesses on a number of criteria, including building construction, infrastructure, materials, and daily business practices. Davinci received a score of over 90%!
We're excited to be joining the ranks of green companies! Davinci has always been cutting edge, visible in our technology and in our innovative business model itself, and we are happy to be leading the way on this front.
This is an important step for Davinci and for green business in Utah. With 16 companies already occupying the 3-month-old center, and capacity set to exceed 60 by next month, it means that 16 companies have effectively also gone green, and anybody who occupies the center in the future will also be doing their part to work sustainably.
Blue Iguana, who provided the certification, works to help businesses create a "greener" model. Named after the Blue Iguana, one of the most endangered species in the world, the company uses a software-based survey to rank businesses on a number of criteria, including building construction, infrastructure, materials, and daily business practices. Davinci received a score of over 90%!
We're excited to be joining the ranks of green companies! Davinci has always been cutting edge, visible in our technology and in our innovative business model itself, and we are happy to be leading the way on this front.
Asking Strong Sales Questions
Anyone who has ever been in sales knows that there is no one way sell, that there are as many sales styles as there are sales people. To find and define one's sales style is an introspective, reflective, and sometimes even painful process.
One element that I have found especially helpful as I grow into my own role as a sales person is asking the right questions. Jeffrey Gitomer, in his acclaimed The Little Red Book of Selling, strongly recommends that sales people make a list of 20 unbeatable questions and have them memorized. I think this is a great idea but put off actually writing the list until yesterday, after I had a fantastic conversation with one of our clients. An experienced sales trainer with 10 years under his belt, he declared that sales is nothing more than a process of knowing one's product, getting to know the prospect's needs (through questions!), and matching the two to make a sale.
With this in mind I now give you my 20 unbeatable sales questions for selling suites, virtual offices, and meeting rooms. Yours, of course, will be different depending on your product, but the idea is the same:
1. What has prompted you to seek office space at this time?
2. What prompted your interest in space with Davinci Suites?
3. What do you know about the executive suite concept?
4. What was your previous office arrangement?
5. What did you like about your previous arrangement? What would you have improved?
6. If this is your first office, what do you picture as your ideal space?
7. Where do you see your business (or this branch of your business) in 6 months? 12 months?
8. What is your budget?
9. What other things have you budgeted for outside of the office itself?
10. What is your time frame to make a decision?
11. How many people are you hoping to accommodate?
12. What can you tell me about the other people involved in the process?
13. How do you plan to use this office?
14. What preparations do you need to make to move in? (talking to partners, ending a previous
lease, getting startup capital, etc.)
15. Where else have you looked?
16. Where else do you plan to look?
17. What did you like about the other options you have looked at? What could be improved?
18. If you are planning to look elsewhere, what would be your primary consideration in
comparing what you have already seen?
19. What concerns do you have? What are your biggest hurdles?
20. What are your obstacles to signing today?
These, of course, must be asked at the right time in the conversation, customized to the prospect's needs, and not given in rapid succession. Still, having a list provides an excellent template for a confident sale.
One element that I have found especially helpful as I grow into my own role as a sales person is asking the right questions. Jeffrey Gitomer, in his acclaimed The Little Red Book of Selling, strongly recommends that sales people make a list of 20 unbeatable questions and have them memorized. I think this is a great idea but put off actually writing the list until yesterday, after I had a fantastic conversation with one of our clients. An experienced sales trainer with 10 years under his belt, he declared that sales is nothing more than a process of knowing one's product, getting to know the prospect's needs (through questions!), and matching the two to make a sale.
With this in mind I now give you my 20 unbeatable sales questions for selling suites, virtual offices, and meeting rooms. Yours, of course, will be different depending on your product, but the idea is the same:
1. What has prompted you to seek office space at this time?
2. What prompted your interest in space with Davinci Suites?
3. What do you know about the executive suite concept?
4. What was your previous office arrangement?
5. What did you like about your previous arrangement? What would you have improved?
6. If this is your first office, what do you picture as your ideal space?
7. Where do you see your business (or this branch of your business) in 6 months? 12 months?
8. What is your budget?
9. What other things have you budgeted for outside of the office itself?
10. What is your time frame to make a decision?
11. How many people are you hoping to accommodate?
12. What can you tell me about the other people involved in the process?
13. How do you plan to use this office?
14. What preparations do you need to make to move in? (talking to partners, ending a previous
lease, getting startup capital, etc.)
15. Where else have you looked?
16. Where else do you plan to look?
17. What did you like about the other options you have looked at? What could be improved?
18. If you are planning to look elsewhere, what would be your primary consideration in
comparing what you have already seen?
19. What concerns do you have? What are your biggest hurdles?
20. What are your obstacles to signing today?
These, of course, must be asked at the right time in the conversation, customized to the prospect's needs, and not given in rapid succession. Still, having a list provides an excellent template for a confident sale.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Thoughts on company culture
In this, the first post of the Davinci Suites blog, I would like to echo a blog entry that resonated with me recently. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, in his post on the Zappos blog last January entitled "Your Culture is Your Brand" (www.blogs.zappos.com/blogs/ceo-and-coo-blog), points out the challenges of building a brand in the 21st century. Building a brand was different 50 years ago, when a group of people could sit down in a room and choose how they were going to design the company's image, then spend a great deal of money to do so.
Today, branding is much more democratic. If somebody has a bad experience at a company, they can blog about it or post a negative comment on a miriad of websites. The good news is that the reverse is also true. If somebody has a positive experience, the world can know in minutes.
The problem is that there is no way to cover every base where your branding will be affected. For example, if somebody were to meet an employee of ABC company in a bar and that employee were acting inappropriately, they have hurt ABC company's image.
Therefore, advertising can only get you so far. Hsieh points out that, although the airline and US auto industries pay enormous sums of money in advertising each year, many people when asked will have a negative opinion of these industries
So if advertising can't cover all of a company's bases, how can businesses effectively build a brand?
The answer is company culture.
When I read this blog post by Hsieh, I couldn't help but think of Davinci. Like any company in 2009, we encountered new challenges that tested our metal and forced us to rethink our model. As a small business support services company, in a market where small businesses were suffering the most, we realized that we couldn't afford not to think of our image in every detail. Like most small businesses in a slow economy, we had to get smart or die.
Culture was at the forefront of our minds. It wasn't enough anymore to offer a great product. We had to think not only in terms of "what do we sell?", but also in terms of "who are we?"
More than ever, it has been critical for us to be represented by smart, capable staff. We must all be on the same page when it comes to our vision, values, and goals, and act as a unified force to create an ideal environment where small business can thrive.
Our culture is what make Divinci unique. We strive to offer a full experience by blending professionalism with personalism, and hire and train intelligent and unique staff to live by this vision.
Our professionalism shows in the way we dress, answer the phone, conduct ourselves, and much more. When we are working on a project we finish it promptly and with our best effort. When we are asked a question or request we do everything to ensure it is handled with care. Every detail is covered, and every extra mile is traveled. These are basic requirements for success as a Davinci employee, and are carried out by every one of us.
But more unique is our personalism. It is important for us to get to know each client individually. Part of the joy of working here is meeting so many different people and learning about where they come from, their personal outlook, and how we can positively contribute to them. While it is certainly not required of clients to become friends with the staff, many clients have in fact developed an excellent sense of community in our centers.
We are always open to improving our culture and the brand that it undeniably creates. I related to Mr. Hsieh's post very much, and am looking forward to brainstorming how we can effectively apply some of his ideas. I especially liked that Hsieh worked with his staff to come up with a mutually agreed-upon list of 10 company values that they can live every day! This seems like a very effective concept!
On this note, in an effort to constantly improve ourselves, we will draft such a list in our next staff meeting and use it as a guide. I will post the complete list and discuss our conversation at the meeting next week.
Today, branding is much more democratic. If somebody has a bad experience at a company, they can blog about it or post a negative comment on a miriad of websites. The good news is that the reverse is also true. If somebody has a positive experience, the world can know in minutes.
The problem is that there is no way to cover every base where your branding will be affected. For example, if somebody were to meet an employee of ABC company in a bar and that employee were acting inappropriately, they have hurt ABC company's image.
Therefore, advertising can only get you so far. Hsieh points out that, although the airline and US auto industries pay enormous sums of money in advertising each year, many people when asked will have a negative opinion of these industries
So if advertising can't cover all of a company's bases, how can businesses effectively build a brand?
The answer is company culture.
When I read this blog post by Hsieh, I couldn't help but think of Davinci. Like any company in 2009, we encountered new challenges that tested our metal and forced us to rethink our model. As a small business support services company, in a market where small businesses were suffering the most, we realized that we couldn't afford not to think of our image in every detail. Like most small businesses in a slow economy, we had to get smart or die.
Culture was at the forefront of our minds. It wasn't enough anymore to offer a great product. We had to think not only in terms of "what do we sell?", but also in terms of "who are we?"
More than ever, it has been critical for us to be represented by smart, capable staff. We must all be on the same page when it comes to our vision, values, and goals, and act as a unified force to create an ideal environment where small business can thrive.
Our culture is what make Divinci unique. We strive to offer a full experience by blending professionalism with personalism, and hire and train intelligent and unique staff to live by this vision.
Our professionalism shows in the way we dress, answer the phone, conduct ourselves, and much more. When we are working on a project we finish it promptly and with our best effort. When we are asked a question or request we do everything to ensure it is handled with care. Every detail is covered, and every extra mile is traveled. These are basic requirements for success as a Davinci employee, and are carried out by every one of us.
But more unique is our personalism. It is important for us to get to know each client individually. Part of the joy of working here is meeting so many different people and learning about where they come from, their personal outlook, and how we can positively contribute to them. While it is certainly not required of clients to become friends with the staff, many clients have in fact developed an excellent sense of community in our centers.
We are always open to improving our culture and the brand that it undeniably creates. I related to Mr. Hsieh's post very much, and am looking forward to brainstorming how we can effectively apply some of his ideas. I especially liked that Hsieh worked with his staff to come up with a mutually agreed-upon list of 10 company values that they can live every day! This seems like a very effective concept!
On this note, in an effort to constantly improve ourselves, we will draft such a list in our next staff meeting and use it as a guide. I will post the complete list and discuss our conversation at the meeting next week.
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