Memo 37 – Clients will have the option of choosing their preferred detailer

Clients can nominate their preference. But why?

This is a proposal for a change in the process at Tek1.

I propose from now on a client to be able to nominate their detailer, if they have a preference. (FYI – this is now happening anyway, whether you like it or not).

Benefits?

• Building brands: It incentivises detailers to promote their own brand, in order to get clients in the door. If a client specifies Freddie, then if possible the client will get Freddie.
• Pricing and Bonus Benefits: What if many clients demand Freddie – but Freddie is busy? Freddie can his price: he raises his bonuses so that the market clears. Freddie will be very happy.

Clients may want to choose, and pay for the privilege. Detailers get better bonuses. And detailers will want to win clients. If it doesn’t work there is no loss. This is a stable system because everyone wins. There are no losers.

Background Context:

Clients are like common village bicycles – Not Any More

• We don’t want to share clients among too many detailers. If you win a client, then you will be much more likely to get jobs from that client.
• When a new job comes in – detailers will not be incentivised to lobby me in order to win that job. You can lobby and convince the client directly with high quality work, and with technical posts demonstrating your ability.
• We want to change the attitude that clients can be shared. We want detailers to take ownership of a particular client. Because I strongly believe that you will take better care of your own property (i.e. your client), than someone else’s property or client.
• But if the property is common: then why should a detailer care about a particular client? What is he to gain and lose? If he is sloppy, or drags his feet – then a detailer might think: ‘no problem, another client will come. And I will get that client’. If you are sloppy with your current clients, how can you be trusted with new ones?
• Perhaps a detailer might think that clients are like a bus or train service – another bus will come, even if he misses this one. And that he doesn’t have to do any work in order to get a client in the door?
• This is a dangerous assumption. What if no busses come? What if this was there is ONLY ONE BUS, i.e. one plane ticket out there? Then you can be damned sure that he will be running to catch that plane.

If a client is unsatisfied with a detailer, what is the outcome?

• The client dismisses Tek1 entirely. The client does not say: “ok, this particular detailer was dragging his feet. But let me continue with Tek1 under a different detailer”. No. The client says instead: “I’m firing Tek1”.

Tek1 Branding and Detailer Branding:

• There are two brands are play now: the firm’s branding, the detailer’s branding. We want to bring a detailer’s brand and reputation to light. Now he has a sense of ownership over his own product / destiny. And he will fight hard to develop it and protect it. And when an individual fights hard for his brand, then both the detailer and the firm benefit.
• Take for example a similar problem in the “fight business”. In the boxing world: nobody would dare pre-purchase a ticket for a boxing match, without knowing in advance who the card is. But under the UFC promotion, they are happy to take that risk, because they trust the UFC brand will put on a good card, with a good show, regardless of who is fighting. It is the same with Tek1. When a client walks into the door, he wants a good quality product, regardless of who is on the card. But if the client can go one step further – if the client can choose the card, then that changes the game. This allows the client to customise exactly what he wants to see, and whom he wants on his projects. Imagine if consumers can choose who they want to see fighting: “Connor vs ABC”. That changes the game, and it changes the incentive structure.
• It unlocks additional value that was not originally there. Detailers are now incentivised to compete with external detailers on the promotional level. If they want to win lucrative bonuses, and have a bigger stable of clients knocking on their door: then they are much more incentivised to promote their name and brand through any means at their disposal:
  • TikTok or
  • Blog Posts or
  • Any number of means which I need not specify up front.
  • Anything which would bring clients to Tek1’s door, and then to their door. The important part is that Tek1 need not specify HOW to promote, and need not manage the quality per se. The detailer’s initiative will drive positive outcomes.

How does the client choose a detailer?

• If a client has to choose a detailer, how will he do so?
  • By past performance.
  • By reviewing promotional material – material which demonstrates a detailer’s expertise. Detailers will be incentivised to promote here. Detailers who don’t promote – then they will likely not win any more clients. And if you don’t get clients, then you’ll be sitting idle. And I don’t think you want that outcome.

What if the client does not know whom to choose?

• That’s fine. We will choose for him.