Word on the Street by Kevin Carty
Ever Wonder What a Classic Project Manager Does?
I’m traveling for business this week. During several of my meetings, I discovered that not everyone knows what a Classic Project Manager does. That surprised me because our Project Managers are critical to how your quotes, your orders, and even your basic product questions are handled. They are your “eyes” and “ears” at Classic Exhibits. They are your advocate, not only in Customer Service but also when your order goes to our Production Manager and our Production team.
So . . . what does a PM do? In short – a lot! There’s a reason why PM’s at Classic seem to know the details of every display system and the nuances of your quote or order.
A Classic PM is the voice of Classic everyday. They are the ones you rely on for quotes, answers to questions, and guidance on prospective projects.
But their talents, and work, really kick in once you place an order.
We, as a company, have long believed that the key to making every project successful is to empower PM’s to handle every aspect of an order. We put the order into one person’s capable hands and let them take care of it. But by doing so, it means that a Classic PM has to have a very unique skill set.
- They have to be detail-oriented to keep everything moving and accurate
- They have to be CAD-savvy, meaning, yes they are, in fact, the ones who draw your booth and do all your detail drawings as well as guide the setup drawings
- They have to be pleasant and helpful because they are interacting with you everyday by phone, by email, and on occasion, face-to-face when you visit our facility.
To be truly effective, they have to be an accountant, a salesperson, a detailer, and on many days, a magician.
It’s NOT an easy job or workday. And just when you think their job is done, they have the added responsibility of personally inspecting and signing off on every order in our Production Setup Area. No job gets packed until the PM has approved it.
We are fortunate that Classic Exhibits has an excellent team of Project Managers. Are they perfect? No. But, given the complexity and diversity of orders passing through Classic, our PM’s are remarkable. And, if you’ve spent any time working with our PM’s, you know they care – about your order, about your customer, about Classic, and about one another.
Have a safe and restful weekend.
Be Well!
–Kevin Carty
http://twitter.com/kevin_carty
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-carty/3/800/32a
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Tags: Classic Exhibits, Customer Service, Distributors, Project Managers
So true, Kevin; thank you.
You described the galaxy of skills and attributes required of a Classic Project Manager quite well. Speaking as a former Classic PM, I can say that even though it’s a very demanding position, it is also keenly rewarding.
There is nothing quite like seeing and guiding a unique and complex project from the initial conversation with the distributor through design iterations, drafting, detailing, quoting, manufacturing, setup and shipping. Making an initial rough sketch turn into a physical object of beauty (we hope!) and meeting and/or exceeding the client’s needs will put a smile on your face every time.
I can’t remember how many times I returned home at night to say, “Honey, you’ll never guess what we built today… let me tell you about it.”
Erik Frost
Principal
Goro Design Group (Gorodesign)