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."

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I reached out once. Nobody got back to me.

Anonymous said...

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

RFB said...

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

You mean TIME?

Anonymous said...

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

Unknown said...

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 ;-).

Alan Wolk said...

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 ;)

Unknown said...

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 ;-).