Transcript ow the Best Professional Services Firms Create Lasting

How to Lock-in
Your Clients
Ross Dawson
CEO, Advanced Human Technologies
Author, Living Networks and
Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships
PRIA – Sydney – 16 September 2005
Where business is going...
The weightless economy
10
2.5
9
8
2
7
6
1.5
GDP
US$tn 5
Weight
4
billion
1 tons
3
2
0.5
1
0
Source: US DoC;
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
0
1980
1990
2000
Knowledge depreciates!
We’ve come a long way
Work processes span organisations
Work processes span organisations
“Finite players play within boundaries;
infinite players play with boundaries”
- James Carse
Blurring the boundaries with your client
How do your clients treat you?
Leading your clients
Information and knowledge
Types of services
• Black-box: client receives an outcome, but is left none
the wiser: readily commoditised and little scope for client
interaction
• Knowledge-based: client and professional
collaborate, integrate their specialist knowledge, develop
mutual knowledge: far greater value, and drives
interaction and a strong relationship
Innovation in client relationships
Creating happy accidents
It’s a small world...
High school dating
The pervasive power law
Moving to the centre of the network
Spanning boundaries
Client relationships are networks
Cultural propagation
Media visionary
Coping with the onslaught
Finding the best
Mapping the blogosphere
New
media
Topic
specialists
Pundits
Personal
The variety of media
Online media
New York Times
Classmates.com
MySpace
Washington Post
Match.com
Slate
Gawker Media
Facebook
Craigslist
SMH
Boing Boing
The Age
Gawker
Gizmodo
Blog Herald
0
5
10
15
Monthly Unique Visitors in Millions
20
How to lock-in your clients
Are you an energiser?
Online resources
Free chapters, downloads and commentary at:
www.rossdawsonblog.com
“Dawson has pulled off the nigh-impossible: improved on what was
already a terrific book. Even more than before, this is essential
reading for professional service firms.”
- David Maister, author, Managing the Professional Service Firm
“For many professional firms, there is no bigger challenge than
deepening their relationships with key clients. In this arena, Ross
Dawson is a master and his book, for those prepared to study and
change, can provide off-the-shelf competitive advantage.”
- Prof. Richard Susskind OBE, author, The Future of Law
“Ross Dawson was the first among the world’s business thought
leaders to pursue the intersection of knowledge and client
relationships in professional services. No matter what your
business… you’ll find this book useful.”
- Thomas Davenport, Professor and Director of Resarch, Babson
College, and author of What’s the Big Idea?
Lead your clients into the future!
Rapid breeding
Mirroring your client