Aug 23, 2007

Outreach Program

New Business Buzzword Alert: "Reached out" as in "I reached out to the client and they said they'd get back to us tomorrow."

First time I heard this I figured that there was some sort of problem, hence the account person was "reaching out" to the client. But no, it seems it's now business speak for "called" and/or "emailed."

You know, for the sort of people who have "action items" and "deliverables."
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 23, 2007 at 3:50 PM

    I reached out once. Nobody got back to me.

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  2. AnonymousAugust 23, 2007 at 6:36 PM

    i blame david caruso. his character on NYPD Blue was CONSTANTLY "reaching out" to people. he may well have invented the term. 1992-ish.

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  3. RFBAugust 24, 2007 at 12:41 PM

    The same people love to say "If you have some bandwidth maybe you can help me with this job."

    You mean TIME?

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  4. AnonymousAugust 27, 2007 at 4:25 PM

    Actually, most AEs reach back for the client, if you know what I mean.

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  5. AnonymousAugust 27, 2007 at 9:37 PM

    Well now I do use the word "deliverables" and I say "action points" a lot because I actually organize points which I take action on so that I can get results.

    And I often give my client as many action points as I do myself. They rather like it (except for when I get on them for not doing them).

    Otherwise I'd fall into the category of consultants who are all talk no action...and then what would be the point?

    I guess I'm on the bad list now ;-).

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  6. Alan WolkAugust 28, 2007 at 4:44 PM

    So long as you don't slip up and start talking about "reaching out" to the client after a few days to ensure they've performed due diligence on their action points, we'll probably let you slide, CK ;)

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  7. AnonymousAugust 28, 2007 at 5:32 PM

    Oh no, I just make sure they get their action points done. But I'm telling ya, 8 years out on my own, action points work--at least the way I devise 'em (cuz everyone gets 'em and knows exactly what they are and when they're due). Otherwise the clients will say I fell through when they were the owner of that point. And then I just politely show them the grid and how they fell through.

    I only bring this up because I have so many clients smile when I say "Your action points are..." because they say people usually don't give them.

    Which always perplexes me and then I just explain that I'll give them enough to make up for the past ;-).

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