Sales Thoughts and Ideas from Casey Kraus: TempWorks' Revenue Generating Machine

Onboarding... The Paperless Way

2011-08-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

Our CEO, Gregg Dourgarian, just posted a new blog post regarding employee onboarding. You can check it out at:

http://blog.tempworks.com/company-news/how-to-really-piss-off-applicants/

After reading the post I thought back to all the times I applied for a job prior to coming to TempWorks. Whether it was for my first high school job, or the first application I filled out after I received my undergrad degree, one thing always was the same. You would fill out an application online. However, when you were called in for an interview, you would be asked to complete that same application on a piece of paper.

On top of the long exaggerated processes companies go through during the onboarding process as discussed by Gregg, they also waste a large amount of time going through tasks that are not necessary if the correct solutions were in place.

Currently TempWorks offers DocCenter. This is a great tool that allows an employee to fill out an online application and all onboarding documents (I-9s, W-4s, Employee handbooks, authorization for a drug screen, etc.) and signed off on electronically. All of the information goes in the same place and there is no additional paper application or any other paper document that is necessary. You can even get rid of the clip boards that hold the paper application in the office.

Recently, we talked with one of our customers that pointed out the limitation of our DocCenter product... It is only effective for employees that come into the office to sign off on the documents. Employees that live away from a branch location would still be required to print, sign, and mail the forms back to the company. Some federal forms would require an additional trip to the notary.

We are currently work with this customers on a partnership to build the next generation of DocCenter that will allow up to completely handle all prospective employees near and far to close the loop on the onboarding difficulties and provide a seamless solution for anyone in any industry.

Finding the best talent is already a difficult task. You don't want that talent to be lost by antiquated or cumbersome onboarding processes.

We should be able to provide some screenshots and more information in the upcoming months. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 651.452.0366

The Often Overlooked Functionality

2011-07-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

In a recent manager's meeting here at TempWorks, we discussed what should be key pieces of development in the upcoming months. One item that was a good topic of conversation was a dashboard feature.

Often our sales reps here at TempWorks hear a phrase that is similar to, "If you had a dashboard, it would be a fully functional CRM (customer relationship management)... like Salesforce". This always causes me to crack a smile because the further the conversation goes on, the more apparent it is that the prospect has a firm grasp on the idea that a dashboard is simply a way to present data that is contained in the database itself.

TempWorks does have a 'fully functional' CRM and does track the same information as a Salesforce CRM does. We simply don't display the information the same way, i.e. through a dashboard. We use reports that can display the same way, but allows you to select your criteria when generating the report.

This brings up the second type of prospect/client. We have some companies that partner with TempWorks, but still purchase a second CRM for 'increased functionality'.

Why would a company want to increase the cost of their software expenses, and have two separate systems that don't talk to each other? It's because of the often overlooked functionality and the trend that Salesforce.com created.

However, let's look at Salesforce.com (ticker: CRM). They are the leader in the CRM software as they can work with any industry and were one of the first people to really market cloud computing as one of the top benefits of their company. Salesforce.com is not a bad company as their revenues are growing around 30% or more a year, but their stock shows different signs and investors are not impressed with the increase revenue.

During the recession, CRM rose 130% in 2009 and 79% in 2010. So far in 2011, they less than 7%. The reason here is that Salesforce.com is not profitable. They just released a statement saying that they were just even last quarter and that they expect to lose money the rest of the year.

Salesforce.com created a product that wasn't an innovation in functionality, but rather an exploitation in delivery of their product. The trend was picked up by companies big and small.

TempWorks has had a CRM within its application for the past decade. It is integrated with our product, it doesn't cost extra, and it contains the same information as your Salesforce.com product. If the data is displayed the same, ask us and we can give you what you want. Everything is connected all in one place, and you don't have to incur more cost than you need to purchasing a stand alone CRM.

If you're still concerned about your sales team and the ability to track their activity and using a new application.... Contact our sales team and ask to see TwMobile. It's the most user friendly piece of functionality a sales rep can use. The best part of it is that it is all done through a smart phone. 651.452.0366 or sales@tempworks.com .

Okay, so I admit it...

2011-07-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was speaking with our CEO, Gregg Dourgarian, and we were talking about different marketing channels. It reminded me that it has been more that 5 months since my last blog post. So... I admit it. I'm not the best at updating my readers as to what is going within TempWorks and more specifically about the sales here.

To give me credit, somewhat, it has been a busy couple of months. Myself, our President, and our sales team have been running around the country for the better part of 2011. I personally traveled every other week from January 4th- May 15th. Besides having one of the best 1st quarters in company history (TempWorks is on track, once again to beat last year's record for number of client we partner with in a calendar year), the other positive of this is receiving all of the feedback from our customers.

One of the things we put into place is re-creating the position of "Account Executive". This position will help us ensure that we are in more constant contact with our current clients, as well as provide a dedicated project manager to all new implementation, upgrade, and customization request. This will help the sales rep and the implementation department to ensure we are providing the best in class service for everyone and every request.

Our development team is working on some exciting new feature for Enterprise and some exciting new web modules as well. We are currently working on our latest release for 'Web Center 6' are planning a great new unveiling at Staffing World 2011 in New Orleans in October.

In terms of some sales thoughts and idea; Gregg, David, and myself discussed over lunch how to expand our products and services. We certainly have some great idea to help TempWorks be innovating in the immediate months and years, but I wanted to try and get feedback from you readers as to what we can incorporate into our services and product offering that you would like to see. Any thoughts?

Feel free to reply to this post, otherwise you can contact me at casey@tempworks.com!

On the Road Again...

2011-01-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

The end of January follows the sales team continuing our efforts to personally meet with all of our clients and prospects.

President of TempWorks, David Dourgarian, and myself traveled all of last week. We started off in Miami, drove to Tampa, flew to NYC, and finally back home. We didn't put 1200+ miles on the rental car like I did with Jose earlier in the month, but the air miles more than made up for it. We had a great mix of meetings with both clients and prospects. Unfortunately we had the luck of hitting the tornadoes in Miami and the 16+ inches of snow in NYC during the trip.

We had an interesting meeting with a prospect in Florida that is looking to use our "Day Pay Facility". We haven't really coined a name for this module quite yet, but it is shaping up to be able to boost our market share of the day pay firms. If you want to take a look at it you can feel free to contact me or anyone in sales at TempWorks.

Speaking of contacting us... TempWorks launched our new website last week. We had Paul Phipps working hard to drive more traffic to our website and put out more creative information. I have to say it look pretty good! Feel free to check it out at the same sight. www.tempworks.com

As for the next couple of weeks, I have the distinct pleasure of being the best man in a wedding next week so it won't yield too much activity from my end. The reason I mention this is that David Dourgarian is getting married! Lucky for us Minnesotans it is a destination wedding. Please join me in wishing him an early congratulations.

Towards the middle of February I am looking to make some visits to Texas. If you want to discuss our products/services, schedule a time to meet, or just shoot the breeze; contact me at casey@tempworks.com or 651.287.8377.

Coming to a town near you...

2011-01-17T11:57:00.001-08:00

As we turn the corner and get into the full swing of the new calendar year there are some changes that will be happening within the sales team at TempWorks.

Statistically, quarter 1 is slowest period of time for staffing software sales throughout the year. 2010 was a successful year with 70 new customers coming on board. Although we hope we continue to see high volumes of prospects and customers, we're gearing up to make improvements and changes during the 1st quarter of 2011.

Last week started the sales initiative to have sales get more involved with customer service. If you read our CEO's blog, http://staffingtalk.com, you will understand that customer service starts with our upper management and continues through the entire organization.

Myself and one of our sales reps, Jose Maldonado, took a trip out to MD, VA, PA, and NJ last week. We visited 2 propsects and 12 current customers. We put over 1,200 miles on the rental car. We heard praises and we fielded questions. We discussed Enterprise with customers on older versions. We discussed wish lists with customers looking to help us add new functionality to our application. Most importantly we were able to see clients who, in some cases, haven't had a TempWorks employee onsite in over 2 years!

Next week I will be traveling to Florida and New York to continue to meet with our current customers.

Over the next few months there will be a sales rep in your area. If you are a current customer, please expect a call for someone to come and spend some time on site. If you are a prospect, let us know if you would be interested in a visit while we service the area.

Stay posted for further updates from the sales team as we look forward to a great year at TempWorks and for the industry as a whole!

Like a well oiled machine; all divisions at TempWorks are firing on all cylinders!

2010-11-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season approaches we can look back and discuss what TempWorks is thankful for this year. As the economy shows signs of pulling out of the recessions; we have done a lot of work to ensure the continued success of TempWorks and the employees who work here.

TempWorks has already broke the records of last year and the year previous in terms of number of new deals. Currently we are on pace to hit 70 new deals this year! Software sales are at a three year high while payroll processing and payroll funding sales keep expanding to new horizons.

Meanwhile, our developers are hard at work continuing to enhance the TempWorks Enterprise application. They continue to improve processes and functionality within the software, while still maintaining focus on developed updates and additions for new versions.

In terms of making improvements on the sales side, we are making a strong effort to further enhance the payroll funding division of TempWorks. We have introduced new people to the operations to help make on boarding new customers a simple and effortless process. Whether you're a start up firm, or simply an organization in need of our services; it has never been easier to work with TempWorks!

This Thanksgiving all the employees at TempWorks deserve the days off and the time away from the office... even though you will most likely be able to spot a few employees sticking around this weekend!

On behalf of the sales team, we would like to thank all employees for helping to further enhance the TempWorks brand and for all the support the give the sales staff!

It's Trade Show Season!

2010-10-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

October is always a busy month. Dealing with the start of football season, cleaning up the yard before winter, and trying to squeeze in that last round of golf before the first snow fall are always towards the top of my list.

At TempWorks, October means trade shows and the busiest time of the year for the sales team. This year is no different. We have had one of the most productive 3rd quarters in the past couple of years. It seems as if the confidence has grown in the staffing industry and software project are back on the forefront for 2011. Now is the time that deals start coming together for an anticipated January 1 start date on TempWorks.

This week, however, the sales team and many of the TempWorks managers are heading down to Las Vegas for ASA Staffing World 2010. There is quite the buzz going around regarding the show, and after personally viewing the attendee list, it appears that many staffing and recruiting firms will be joining us out in the desert.

For those that will make the trek out to Vegas, please keep an eye out for TempWorks. We have some exciting promotions at the booth this year. We are giving away a couple of Apple iPads for a few lucky prospects, as well as showing off the latest version of TempWorks Enterprise. The focus for the show for the sales team is to highlight our payroll processing division and how we can reduce administrative overhead and have an instant positive affect on the bottom line.

If you would like to meet up, please feel free to stop by the booth or email me at casey@tempworks.com

You can also follow our CEO, Gregg Dourgarian, and others on twitter under the hash #SW2010. @greggdourgarian will be an active participant in the discussions for TempWorks.

On more thing folks, ASA workshops will be discussing ways to improve the staffing industry as a whole and TempWorks will be offering solutions that can contribute to those efforts... In regards to events that take place at the show, What happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas! Feel free to contact me if you are unable to attend as well.

Update From the Sales Staff!

2010-08-09T13:33:00.001-07:00

A new post is long over due for the TempWorks sales team. Fortunately, the lack of updates are due to the sales team keeping busy! Things are really starting to cook both at TempWorks and in Minnesota. The dog days of summer are finally here, but the air conditioning of the office are helping to keep us cool.

Over the past couple of weeks we have seen an explosion in new customers. We have signed on new payroll processing, funding, and software clients. Right now we are giving the implementation department a run for their money!

Fortunately we have a great manager in charge of implementation services. We recently named Jathan Moline as the new head of the department. He is ensuring that all the new customers are getting up an running, as well as current customers are getting some much desired upgrades.

We recently released the latest version of Enterprise. We are currently running version 15r1. Of course, we kept all the great TempWorks functionality; but added some new improvements. Some new changes include a new navigation, improved personal user customization, an improved dashboard, and Call-em-All and Trak-1 integrations!

Despite the overall economy and the recession, TempWorks hasn't slowed down on our pace of adding at least one new customer every week! Payroll processing and payroll funding are starting to become larger parts of our total revenue. There has been a great reception from the industry regarding these divisions and they are expanding rapidly. Software deals are starting to pick up and bigger budgeted projects are starting to resurface. In speaking with many of you in the staffing industry, it seems as if things are starting to improve in almost all areas of the country. Hopefully the trend continues and profits can continue to rise.

As we get into trade show season, feel free to check in with the sales team on our participation for events you're attending. It's a great way for us to connect with you personally and discuss what we can do to help improve your bottom line and make your business more efficient. ASA is going to be a big event for TempWorks this year. We will have our booth down in Vegas and will be looking to showcase our newest version and our product lines.

With questions or comments, please feel free to reach me at casey@tempworks.com or 651.287.8377.

What's new at TempWorks in 2010??

2010-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

Recently our EVP, Mark Baratto, was working with me to develop an intro letter that we can distribute to those hard to contact prospects. I thought I should update my blog to notify others of the direction TempWorks sales is going in 2010.

This year, the sales department at TempWorks is trying to get away from your average run of the mill software sales. You can get that from any one of our competitors, and yet at the end of the day you still end up paying large out of pocket expenses to run your staffing firm.

Over the course of the past 2 or 3 years, TempWorks has been able to evolve into a full service provider to the staffing industry. Do we still provide staffing software? Yes, of course we do, but we have expanded to offer so much more.

Instead of costing you money to switch solutions and giving you basic functionality you see elsewhere in the industry, we are able to provide the extra value and tools to help cut costs, reduce spending, and have a positive effect on your bottom line.

I would love to share the details about what we can do and how we can add value to your organization.

I no longer consider myself a "Sales Manager" for TempWorks, but I consider myself as a staffing consultant. My job is to no longer provide you with the technology and functionality to help you realize your fullest potential, but it is to combine that with an analysis of your business to introduce additional service lines that will enable you to immediately see cost savings and prove that a vendor in the staffing arena can have an instant positive influence on your bottom line.

Questioning the truth to the claims? Check out these press releases to see the savings our customers are realizing:

http://www.tempworks.com/media/26938/action%20staffing%20and%20tempworks%20venture_updated.pdf

http://www.tempworks.com/press-releases/staffing-firms-win-big-by-paying-faster.aspx

http://www.tempworks.com/press-releases/going-green-.aspx

For more information, please call or email me at:
651.287.8377 or casey@tempworks.com

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2009-12-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. I want to apologize for my lack of blogging in recent months. I am a recent newlywed and with the honeymoon and wedding, coupled with the increase in new customers for the new year, my blogging has taken a back seat.

Please feel free to follow me on Twitter. You can find me at http://twitter.com/caseykraus where I send small notes and updates daily.

Just and update from our sales department, all of our Sales Managers, our Executive Vice President, and President have been heavily involved in sales this fall. We have brought on many clients both large and small to round out the year. Despite talks of recession in the country, TempWorks had a very successful year and has a great outlook for 2010.

There are many things that contributed to the successful year. Our developers have worked hard to ensure that Enterprise is on the leading edge of technology and pushed the limits of staffing software. Our implementation had completed many successful implementations and ensure customer satisfaction for all of our new partners. We have introduced payroll processing and payroll funding to make TempWorks a more complete package for prospects. The list really goes on and on.

One thing to keep in mind is that TempWorks always has and will always be a service company first. To end the latest installment on my blog I want to leave you with a letter I recently received from a new client:

"I have contacted several companies to find the best software that fit our needs. Your account executive went over in detail how your system worked and the benefits that your system had that would fit our company's needs, he was excellent and gave me the best presentation of all the companies that I had contacted. I would also like to personally thanks Todd Glander for his patience in explaining the TempWorks program to our office staff. He was superb and made it all the difference in getting our staff started in a positive way."

If you feel we can help you and your organization in anyway, we are always available. You can reach me personally at 651.452.0366 or on my email: casey@tempworks.com

A new member to the TempWorks family of bloggers!

2009-09-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

Fellow colleague and co-worker here at TempWorks, Jack Terrana, has recently joined a few other employees in blogging.

Jack Terrana is another member of the sales team and VP of Sales for TempWorks Venture. Please check out his blog as it pertains to payroll funding. He has many years experience helping companies of all shapes and sizes to realize potential and gain strategic accounts.

His blog can be found at: http://tempworksjack.blogspot.com/

The latest from TempWorks

2009-09-22T07:21:00.001-07:00

Laura Baratto, our Director of Marketing, recently put together the September newsletter. It created some buzz with the people that recieved it via email.

If you didn't get a copy, or if you're interested in what's happening, check it out!

http://www.tempworks.com/media/105414/revised%20sept%20newsletter.pdf

Any questions? Feel free to call me directly, 651.287.8377.

Underestimating the follow up call!

2009-09-18T13:04:00.001-07:00

Let me start off by saying that selling is a great job, a good skill, and one of the oldest professions that will stand the test of time.

With that being said, sometimes it's not all roses. This recession, I'm sure, has taken its toll on the sales community. When nobody is spending money, nobody is selling. When nobody is selling, the salesmen is the one to blame!

Luckily here at TempWorks we have positioned ourself in a way that we have a steady stream of new clients and client upgrades, but I know many other companies can't share the same story.

Here's a tip: Don't underestimate the power of a follow up call!

There are two things that a follow up call can do for you:

1) Provide you with the almighty referral, the foot in the door to some new business. (refer to a previous post on referrals)

2) Ensure that prospects keep you and your offerings fresh in their mind.

Having already discussed referrals in recent months, let's focus on the second reason for a follow up call. As a sales rep you understand that cold calling is tedious and, in most cases, not to fruitful. If you can get a decision maker on the phone during an attempt or two on cold calling, you are in a great place for the follow up call.

Most sales reps, and I probably more than most, have heard time and time again from prospects; that there is no budget for software, now is not an opportune time, we have an excellent solution, etc. and the list goes on and on.

There are close personal friends of mine that like to think that following up on those calls is even a bigger waste of time then the first cold call you made.... That's where the mistake is made.

There may be a day when their current software is no longer supported, they have the budget for software, or it is a great time to buy; but they just can't remember the name of the sales rep that tried to sell them previously.

A simple call stating, "Is there there anything I can do for you at this time," goes further than you think.

Stay positive and upbeat each and every call. At some point with someone you will be able to turn them from the general information gathering stage, to a sales presentation stage, and the over all goal of the sales rep... the sales negociation and closing stage.

Try it and let me know. TempWorks has earned many contracts from a simple follow up call at an opportune time, or a call back as your name was fresh on their mind.

Expanding our online presence! Check us out on Twitter

2009-09-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for the latest and greatest on TempWorks, or even just to hear random thoughts and opinions from our staff we can be found anywhere!

Be sure to check us out on Facebook, and Twitter. You can follow me by searching my name "CaseyKraus" in the name search and other TempWorks tweeters and employess by seaching "TempWorks"

Two posts in one day... I must have found something exciting!!

2009-09-17T11:04:00.001-07:00

Exciting to few, but hopefully interesting to most...

I was crusing around a blog I read occasionally and found a post I really enjoyed. The post was about sales presentation and how the misconception of sales reps are to spend to much time focusing on information that is not pertainent to the sale.

At TempWorks we can certainly relate. I have heard horror stories about software vendors and their long winded presentations where the sales rep spent half the time discussing thier history and accolades they have achieved. What should be taking place is to demonstrate the value of how they will save time and money, or streamline processes. Let's face facts folks, the majority of staffing software on the market has a resume parser, there is no need to spend 30 minutes demonstrating that functionality.

If you have ever caught yourself in one of those presentations, I'd love to hear about it. Also, if your in the market for some new solutions, let me spend some time with actually showing you the benefits we can offer and how you can add a few dollars to your pocket. I can be reached directly at 651.287.8377.

If you are interested in checking out the blog post I am referencing, please visit: http://www.salesbloggers.com/2009/07/give-em%e2%80%99-the-%e2%80%9cgoodies%e2%80%9d-in-your-presentation/

A big high five to the implementation team at TempWorks

2009-09-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with a customer who had nothing but rave reviews about the VMS application.... That's right. TempWorks has its own VMS module available. It links into your application and allows vendors to work with you in an easy and efficient manner.

Congrats on another successful implementation TempWorks Implementation Department!

If you would like to learn more about how you might be able to streamline your efforts with your vendors check out http://www.tempworks.com/products/software/vendor-management-system-VMS.aspx

The end of summer and the beginning of the fall trade show season!

2009-09-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to a nice brisk 60 degrees here in Minnesota. The day before Labor Day weekend seemed to come faster than normal this summer. As we end the month of August and begin the start of September there is some good news to report here at TempWorks.

This week the sales department at TempWorks was able to close 4 different contract this week. We created these new partnerships in various placed around the country which makes me believe that everyone is, at least hoping, if not experiencing some brighter days then what the recession brought the past year or so.

We are excited to welcome the newest members of the TempWorks family and look forward to growing with them. We have recieved new partners both through our enterprise software, as well as payroll processing agreements. We were able to create value and go above and beyond their expectations and I would be happy to see if we could do the same for you.

The next few months will be busy for not only the sales team, but the entire company. We will have various attendents at numerous industry events and trades shows this falls, so please keep an eye out for us or even call me to arrange at time for us to talk.

We look forward to helping more and more companies realize what they could accomplish with an experience industry partner like TempWorks in the upcoming weeks and months.

As always for questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at 651.287.8377.

Creating value and watching it in action!

2009-07-29T10:07:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot of buzz around the country regarding the current state of the economy. One of the most common trends to keep a business ahead of the curve is the idea creating value and capturing value to make a more deliverable product to the end consumer.

TempWorks is certainly ahead of the curve in those regards. The value created and captured by TempWorks, as of late, is due largely in part to the addition of new products and services. On top of providing the premier staffing/recruiting software on the market, we have expanded our expertise and our services to include payroll funding and payroll processing.

Not only has this allowed TempWorks to expand the amount of functionality we can deliver, but we are also the only provider in the staffing industry to provide a complete all in one package.

If you're simply looking for ways to reduce some costs and eliminate some administrative overhead, or if you are thinking about the future and how you can secure the resources necessary to build your business; give us a call and allow us to help you out. We take the hassle out of dealing with multiple vendors and give you everything you need with one simple phone call.

Ask any of our satisfied customers utilizing these services and they will agree that nothing is easier and more beneficial for your organization than working with TempWorks and allowing us to be your one stop shop.

As always, feel free to call me directly at 651.287.8377 with any questions you may have about getting started with TempWorks.

Busy days at TempWorks!

2009-07-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post. I apologize to those who are looking for the latest and greatest from the sales department here.

After having a great month in June, July has been the month to refill the sales pipeline. Looking forward to August we have many projects starting right off the bat with a good outlook on the remainder of the month.

As always, we are constantly reinvesting in our products and services and continue to expand our offerings at a rapid pace. Browse through our website at www.tempworks.com to see what maybe have changed since the last time you stopped by.

After talking to various prospects and clients around the country, the economy is still on the minds of staffing professionals. The reports are strong that things are starting to stabilize and if it is true; it should make for quite the exciting third and fourth quarter here at TempWorks.

If you are looking for staffing solutions to put you ahead of the competition and pick up some market share when the economy make the charge upwards, give us a call and see what we can do for you.

Call our office and ask for me. I would be happy to see if your needs match our services. 651.452.0366.

Sales Update

2009-05-21T12:01:00.001-07:00

Hello blog followers. It has been a while since my last post, but there are some new and exciting things to report.

Last week I was able to take a nice trip out to the East coast to visit some prospects and current customers. The weather was fantastic and the meetings were even better. There is some optimism from the companies I met with and it seems as if the staffing industry is starting to rise once again. This is further reinforced by the amount of leads that are coming into TempWorks. It is certainly keeping the sales force on their toes!

In terms of new business, TempWorks brought in a large number of deals in the past two weeks. There has been a a variety of funding, payroll processing, and software only deals that have come in from all regions of the country.

We are quite excited to form these new partnerships, and we are always looking for more! If you or anyone you know could benefit from our products and services let me know. I can always be reach at my direct line, 651.287.8377.

This was another quick note, but please watch for an in depth discussion on the previous weeks events and our outlook for the next few months shortly.

Heading to the East coast!

2009-05-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

Next week, May 11th-14th, I will be traveling on the East coast. If you are follower of this blog and are interest in a potential meeting with myself, please feel free to contact me. My main areas of travel will be in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, The Philadelphia area, and making my way over to Pittsburgh.

This blog has stated the immediate cost savings services we offer, and I would be happy to discuss way to eliminate administrative overhead and save money immediately with some of our new service lines. Let's not forget that the TempWorks Software package is provided with our payroll funding and payroll processing division at a significant discount.

If the current state of the economy is making you weary, give me a call. We can get the best piece of staffing software on the market, as well as help you eliminate some fixed costs that could be better allocated elsewhere in your organization.

My direct line is 651.287.8377, if you catch this post after the 8th of May, please reach me on my cell phone at 651.216.9124! I certainly look forward to speaking with you and exploring ideas that will help your business reach new levels.

On the road again...

2009-04-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

Last week Gregg Dourgarian, CEO of TempWorks, headed on the road for a sales trip across the midwest. He drove all the way from our corporate office outside of Minneapolis, MN to New York City. There were plenty of stops made to current clients and prospective clients.

With the recession now more real then ever, Gregg found a surprising amount of interest in our ability to process payroll and reduce the amount of administrative overhead. The amount of time, energy, and resources to keep back office functions completely in house are now being realized by many as an expensive process that is not necessary.

If you are reading this and would like a visit from us next time we are in the area, certainly feel free to contact us and let us know. Also, if you are intrigued by this short blurb and think that you are spending too much on back office activites; I would be happy to go further in depth as to what we can do for you.

TempWorks Pushes the Envelope on One-Stop Shopping

2009-04-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

I would like to start with a quote from Steve Forbes, "The real source of wealth and capital in this new era is not material things; it's the human mind, the human spirit, the human imagination, and our faith in the future."

With the change in seasons, come some changes with the TempWorks sales team. In recent years TempWorks has worked to develop our products and services to provide a one-stop shop for current and prospective clients.

David Dourgarian, our President, has developed TempWorks Venture into an integral part of our service line. TempWorks Venture not only allows clients to receive necessary payroll funding, but also provides payroll processing and software all with one vendor. There has been a tremendous response from the staffing industry in regards to this new idea. Over the past year we have been able to add significant accounts that are looking to reduce the number of vendors and eliminate administrative overhead.

Just recently TempWorks welcomed Jack Terrana to the sales team. Jack is a seasoned salesmen and has been involved with payroll funding acquisitions for a number of years. Jack's experience and knowledge of the industry and the benefits that the Venture program can offer will certainly help not only TempWorks expand, but also help clients expand to reach new heights.

In addition to TempWorks Venture, our payroll processing division is in full swing. This program is for clients that are looking to reduce the amount of administrative overhead and the cost associated with paying multiple vendors. If a company is paying for both software through a specific vendor and payroll service through a firm like ADP or Paychex; TempWorks can significantly reduce the costs associated with multiple vendor and provide the entire package at a much lower cost.

With everyone down and out dealing with the economy, TempWorks has been able to surge ahead due to the innovation and advancement they have made with their products and services. In a time like this where your bottom line is more important that ever, its nice to know that there is a vendor out there looking out for your best interest. If you have the need to reduce the amount of vendors you write checks to, if you are looking to reduce the amount of administrative overhead, or if you are simply looking to save some money; give your industry friends at TempWorks a call and allow us to see if we would be a good fit.

I would like to end with a quote from Steve Jobs, "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."

TempWorks' Sales Presence in Staffing Associations

2009-03-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

The snow is melting in Minneapolis and the temperature is heating up. The same can be said about the interest from prospects in the different services and products that TempWorks can provide.

Despite recent trends in the economy, TempWorks certainly isn't short of business opportunities thus far in '09. After a a surge the past few weeks in the stock market and a good report from housing and banking it seems as if things may be turning around.

The sales force at TempWorks has been extremely busy and there have been numerous calls and demonstrations scheduled for new products to bring new prospective customers to the next level. All of our divisions are running on all cylinders as there is an equal distribution in people looking for software, payroll processing, and payroll funding.

The past few weeks the sales force at TempWorks has been busy with various different activities related to the staffing industry. A few weeks ago TempWorks had three people attend the SI Review's Executive Forum. Despite the low number of projected attendees, there was quite the turn out down in Miami. A common theme this year is to reduce the amount of expense on trade shows and conferences. A report on Las Vegas stated that they are around record lows for conferences this year.

Two members from the sales force also attended a local event here in Minnesota. I was personally in attendance for a presentation put on by the MNRSA (Minnesota Recruiting and Staffing Association). There they had Terry Petra, a well known and successful staffing leader in Minnesota, discuss "Strategies and Techniques for Prospering in 2009"

I enjoyed the presentation because he highlighted some of the things I mentioned in previous posts. Terry spent ample time discussing the need to connect and establish good relationships with your clients and work toward helping them expand your business. He also spent a great deal of time discussing strategies for sales reps and recruiters in order to gain more prospects and business. He mentioned the important rule of not relying on emails when trying to connect to a customer contact, and the importance of knowing who you are calling in order to make a more educated phone call. Those are all relatively simple concepts, but are seldom thought about and discussed.

My favorite part about the presentation was the idea that I try to push forward that Terry seemed to agree with... There ARE opportunities out there. One example Terry used is a large company in the Twin Cities went on a 'hiring freeze' yet still have job postings on their website. There ARE opportunities out there, from a sales perspective you need to be able to bring and deliver the added value in order to capture those opportunities and prosper in these times.

Are you paying attention to the needs and wants of your customers?

2009-03-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

Where are your current leads coming from? What is your close percentage? Are you even generating leads with the current state of the economy? If you aren't finding new companies and new sales then maybe you should look to your current clients for help.

We all know that the almighty referral is a powerful tool for any company. A referral is even more important to sales reps. A referral is one of the best tools a sales rep can use to generate new business. If you can get a name from a current clients that means you are doing your job as a company. A referral is a pat on the back from your customer base letting you know that you are either providing the excellent quality of service you promised, or your product has met and exceeded expectations.

In today's economic conditions those referrals could lead to a great piece of new business for your firm, it could help you reach your quota, and it could lead to even more referrals. You hear on the news everyday that the economy is terrible, that the markets are at the lowest point in x number of years, and that unemployment is on the rise. In times like these, one of the most important assests to an organization is its customer base. If you have satisfied customers you can get two things; one is the continuous revenue due to loyalty and the relationship you built, and the other is referrals to potential customers who are new to your business.

In order to generate that continuous revenue and referrals you have to look at how you are treating your clients and that you are addressing their needs. Do you make calls to your contacts asking if they need anything else, or if they are being taken care of? How are your relationships with your contacts? Do they know you and feel comfortable speaking with you? Pay attention to the needs and wants of your customers. Try and deliver the best that you can and the better off you will be. Create a "wow" effect with your personality. Help your prospects and customers feel comfortable with you and feel as if they are making the right decision.

By adding that "wow" factor into your sales efforts you will enhance customer satisfaction, generate more sales and this leads to increased profits. The "wow" factor will create more orders from your current customer base and they will talk up your products/services to people that are interested. Following through on your word and your promises is crucial in developing a good relationship with your customers. If they have trust in you and what was discussed in the sales process, they will have enough trust in your company to recommend you to other people.

As you read this you may think to yourself that this is obvious and is well known. Customer service is a preconceived notion in doing business... How you set yourself apart is by providing GREAT customer service. If you can figure out how to deliver a memorable sales experience, then you are one step closer to creating a stream of referrals to keep pushing your products/services.

Important!!: All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.

How are your sales doing in 2009?

2009-03-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

So far in 2009 it seems like you can't turn the corner without hearing the word recession. Perhaps your sales aren't quite as high as you would like them to be, or close to where they were this time last year? I can assure you that you're not the only one. However, it is very important to understand that opportunities are still abound even in an economic downturn.

Today as I am typing the Dow dropped another 300 points to below 7,000, but as you hear from every financial analyst, it is important not to panic. I was out running errands this weekend and couldn't believe the amount of people spending money. As a drove past a shopping mall I was surprised to see a packed parking lot at huge retaliers like Macy's, Best Buy, and Target. I even had to wait for a table trying to get a quick lunch. The reason I bring this up is the idea that the economy is indicating that times are tough, but there is always someone out there needing/wanting/willing to spend money.

At TempWorks it's no different. From a sales perspective we have had a very steady increase in the number of prospects over January and February. Our payroll processing, payroll funding, and software divisions are all staying busy. The trend as of late seems to be smaller firms are out there spending money. Whether they are looking to improve their interal processes via software, or looking to outsource their payroll to eliminate administrative overhead; we haven't been short on prospects so far in 2009. We have had some of our larger prospects put the project on hold due to the economic uncertainty, but for the most part conversations keep continuing.

I am not saying that everyone else is experiencing smooth sailing with thier organizations, but if you focus on the right items you can keep gaining sales in tough times. Certainly for TempWorks our success has stemmed from creating extra value to our customers and prospects. We continue to develop and expand on all of our product lines to demonstrate the value and need our services will bring. Although our clients are spending money with us, we are able to effectively show them the return on investment they should see. I am hearing many people worrying about the next sale they will get or how they really need that big sale. This is the incorrect mindset.

If your sales are lagging focus on how your customer will be able to improve their business with your product, not how you will be able to improve your business with the sale. Whether you sell staffing software or sell ballpoint pens your product has value, help your customers realize what that is and how they will benefit from it and you will be better off. What are you doing to create value? What can your customer expect in return if they decide to do business with you? Don't panic. Don't worry about your next big sale. You already know your job is to contribute to the economic growth of your organization, but in order to make sales you need to know how your products and services will contribute to the growth of your customers organization.

Any thoughts or comments on this issue? I would love to hear some feedback.

Welcome to my blog!

2009-03-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

Thank you for being one of the first people to stop by and hear my thoughts. With my first post I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself and explain why I am starting this blog.

My name is Casey Kraus and I am a Regional Sales Manager for TempWorks Software. TempWorks Software is a company that provides various solutions and products for companies mainly in the staffing industry. We provide a wide variety of products from applicant tracking, contact management, and payroll software to online applications and online timekeeping. On top of that we provide additional services like payroll processing and payroll funding. If you are unfamiliar with TempWorks Software please visit our website at http://www.tempworks.com/

The reason for this blog is to post my thoughts and ideas from a sales perspective as it directly relates to the staffing industry and TempWorks. Through my travels and conversations with various people in the staffing industry I have been able to not only see how vendors in the staffing industry adapt and change to the needs and wants of staffing and recruiting firms, but also how different elements affect the operations of the firms we are trying to service.

I hope I can provide some insight and some ideas on what is going on within the staffing industry, within TempWorks, vendor relations throughout the industry, and how they all relate to each other.