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Richard Skinner & Associates Honored for Design Excellence

Steve Waterhouse — Sat, 12 May 2012 23:30:35 +0000

Once again we get to brag about one of our clients. This time it is Richard Skinner & Associates, Architects, who are the recipient of an "Honor Award for Design" from The American Institute of Architects, Jacksonville Chapter. The award was for Refugio do Gatao and O Esconderijo. Follow the link to see this amazing home! Congratulations to Richard and his wonderful team who make dreams come alive for their clients.

Scientific Selling: Creating High Performance Sales Teams through Applied Psychology and Testing

Estherrosie — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:59:31 +0000

A recent press announcement addresses the release of the new book Scientific Selling, Creating High Performance Sales Teams through Applied Psychology and Testing, by Nancy Martini, President and CEO of PI Worldwide.

WELLESLEY, MA. April 10, 2012 — PI Worldwide, an international consulting firm specializing in leadership and sales development, today announced that its President and CEO, Nancy Martini, has released a new book entitled Scientific Selling, Creating High Performance Sales Teams through Applied Psychology and Testing. Leveraging her 30 years of sales strategy and performance management experience, Scientific Selling shows how statistically valid measurement can improve every element of the sales environment—from management to coaching and creating long-term sustainable sales results. The book is set to release on April 10, 2012 and will be available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and 800CEORead.com.

“New methodologies continue to affect every aspect of today’s business environment and nowhere are they used more than in the sales area,” said Martini. “Scientific Selling is an essential resource for companies and managers seeking to improve sales performance, through scientific testing and measurement, providing insight on the future of selling.”

Throughout the book, Martini offers more than a dozen specific stories demonstrating how scientific measurement improved overall sales performance through easily understood graphics, charts, and descriptions. She details how sales teams were measured and how those metrics changed as a result of better hiring practices and better targeted coaching and sales training. Through these detailed case studies, Scientific Selling illustrates the importance of measurement for steering the success of a company. Examples of case studies featured in the book include:

Descriptions on how the Clark-Mortenson Agency used scientifically proven data based assessment tools to provide individual sales professionals with a very specific overview to determine their current strengths and areas of growth.
Details on how Yankee Candle used scientific measurement to identify the right people to hire, and then used customer case studies and role-playing to focus on leveraging each individual’s natural behavior to sell. In turn, the brand helped sales revenue for trained individuals increase as much as 40 percent.
Specifics on how Meadowbrook Golf’s program “Managing for Individual Success” and how the company employed scientific testing and measurement to help its top managers understand what motivates their employees.

As president and CEO for PI Worldwide, Nancy is responsible for the growth and development of the PI Worldwide organization. Since 1955, PI Worldwide has helped companies leverage science to improve performance, productivity and profitability by utilizing the insight provided by their proprietary behavioral assessment tool, Predictive Index^®(PI^®) along with the company’s Selling Skills Assessment Tool™ (SSAT) and sales training program Customer-Focused Selling™ (CFS).

In addition to the release of Scientific Selling, Martini is the author of the best-selling business book Customer-Focused Selling, which was released in August of 2007 by the Adams Media Corporation. She has also been published and quoted in leading business magazines and outlets including Selling Power Magazine, Forbes.com, Chief Learning Officer, One to One Media and Talent Management.

To learn more, contact us at 904-269-2299 or info@predictiveresults.com

Little Caesars® Franchisee Reduced Turnover by 42%.

Steve Waterhouse — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:54:27 +0000

Little Caesar’s is the fastest-growing pizza chain in the world and the largest carry-out international chain with restaurants on five continents.

Vicki Marshall has been working in the Little Caesars restaurant franchise business for nearly 35 years, beginning her career as a crew member at the age of 16 and going on to open her first Little Caesars franchise restaurant at the age of 22. Today, she and her partner Mike Insco, Market Director for the Little Caesars franchise, operate 23 stores across Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio as VDM Management.

In an industry plagued by overwhelmingly high turnover rates, selecting, developing and retaining the right managers to run a quick service food business can be a difficult and expensive task. In fact, data from the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry shows that although hourly crew member employee turnover has decreased since 2009, competition for experienced managers continued to rise steadily through 2011. For Little Caesars multi-unit franchise owner Marshall, the process of staffing and retaining qualified General Managers (GM) to run each of her 23 locations had also become a costly and labor-intensive undertaking.

Download this free report now and learn how Vicki and her team beat the odds and won the battle over turnover costs.

Hiring mistakes are costly to business

Steve Waterhouse — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:38:51 +0000

From Jacksonville Business Journal by Steve Waterhouse, President of Predictive Results

Date: Friday, May 4, 2012, 6:00am EDT

The “Small businesses not hiring in 2012 as expected” story that ran on your website April 25 correctly stated that rising gas prices contributed to the slower than anticipated increases.

Yet the corresponding corrosion in profits is only one factor undermining small-business confidence. Companies are expanding slowly mainly to avoid costly hiring mistakes.

Almost 70 percent of 2,700 employers surveyed for CareerBuilder last fall reported that they were affected by a bad hire in 2011. Forty-one percent of those affected reported that the bad hire cost them more than $25,000 in lost productivity, additional hiring costs, deteriorated workforce morale, and poor client satisfaction. A quarter of the companies that made bad hires reported that the mistake cost them more than $50,000.

A business owner does not want to lay off workers under any circumstances and the prohibitive cost of making the wrong hire causes them additional trepidation. Knowing that they might never recoup their investment in an employee provides good reason for proceeding slowly.

Carefully evaluating workforce needs and thoroughly screening candidates helped employers decrease the 90-day turnover rate for new hires from 9.2 percent in 2007 to 5.6 percent in 2010, according to PwC Saratoga’s 2011/2012 US Human Capital Effectiveness Report. The first-year turnover rate dropped from 31.7 percent to 22.7 percent in the same period.

Maintaining or improving key performance indicators such as gross profit margin and revenue per employee is vital. At large corporations, revenue per full-time-equivalent employee decreased 11.2 percent to $344,432 in 2010, according to the most recent statistics from PwC Saratoga. Trends in revenue per employee vary by industry and small-business owners often are calculating and monitoring their companies’ performances as well.

Giving the potential impact on their bottom lines, small businesses must address strengths, opportunities, weaknesses or threats when adding positions. Adding a salesperson to bring in revenue impacts the business differently than expanding production or enhancing back-office efficiencies.

Once an owner has determined the position to add based upon his strategy, he is increasingly considering attitude and aptitudes required. Team chemistry and technical proficiency are equally important, particularly in attracting and retaining high performers.

Even if gas prices drop or the economic recovery accelerates, small businesses will keep looking for productive, long-term employees. Slow, and steady ahead.

Steve Waterhouse is President of Predictive Results, a Predictive Index® company, helping employers hirer smarter and manage more effectively. He can be reached at 904-269-2299 x102 or steve@predictiveresults.com

Wonderful video on the value of Introverts

Steve Waterhouse — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:25:24 +0000

In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated.

Watch now

Predictive Index helps leaders understand the differences and values of all behavioral styles. The result is a far more effective leadership group.

The 5 W’s (and H) of Leadership

Steve Waterhouse — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:55:15 +0000

by Todd Harris

Back in grade school you may have been taught to apply the “Five Ws and H” method when information-gathering. Back then, you were probably told that this formula of asking: Who, What, Where, When, Why (and sometimes How) when evaluating a situation is a good way to get the “full” story on something. In the professional world, researchers, journalists and police officers still use this rudimentary practice to make important determinations and predictions. With market research citing 80% of CEOs in North America have not identified a successor, perhaps it’s time executives go back to basics too and ask the following important questions:

Who should we consider in the talent pool?
What attributes do we need in our next generation of leaders?
Where do we find these leaders— are they “home-grown” or brought in from the outside?
When should we start planning for succession?
Why have we not established a plan previously (in essence, what have been our limitations and how do we overcome them now)?
How do we identify and assess these potential leaders? How are promising leaders developed, engaged and retained?

As business leaders address these questions and others to gain a comprehensive understanding of their current and future needs, it is imperative that all these “answers” are consistent with the company’s culture, values and overall business strategy. They should also be flexible, measurable and supported by a broad array of tools like behavioral assessments, and experiences such as mentoring, job rotations, special assignments, etc.).

Case Study: How Franchisees of Spherion Staffing, Little Caesars and Subway Are Using Behavioral Science to Select, Develop, and Retain Talent

Steve Waterhouse — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:28:46 +0000

Apr 05, 2012

In a recent guest blog post featured on Franchise Chatter, Dr. Todd Harris, PI Worldwide's Director of Science, discusses how franchisees can better select, develop and retain talent for continuous growth, success and optimal job fit.

You want your franchise to grow, and you want it to be successful. Placing the right person in the right job during the hiring process and throughout their career is vital to franchise success. It gives you a serious competitive advantage and ensures the long-term viability of your business. All franchisees can benefit from a better, more thorough screening process for all of their employees. So how do you match people to jobs effectively?

PI Worldwide, the Predictive Index (PI), and Performance Requirement Options (PRO)

Many franchisees are turning to PI Worldwide’s proven process for aligning the right people with the right jobs to reduce turnover and increase employee engagement. While traditional hiring methods like applications, resumes, and interviews allow franchise owners to get a sense of what a candidate can do on the job, adding the science-driven behavioral assessment, the Predictive Index^® (PI^®), allows franchisees to gain deeper insights into how the individual will perform on the job.

Typically, in less than 10 minutes, the Predictive Index survey gives franchise owners a comprehensive and scientific in-depth analysis of an individuals’ behavioral characteristics including communication style, work pace, attention to detail, and level of risk taking, all important indicators of success that impact workplace performance, satisfaction, and motivation.

To ensure a candidate possesses the necessary behaviors to be successful on the job, it is important to evaluate the job requirements. PI Worldwide offers the Performance Requirement Options™ (PRO) job assessment tool in conjunction with PI, allowing franchise employers to optimize any job description, regardless of industry or position, to reflect the behavioral requirements of the job. Creating such customized job profiles and comparing the information with a candidate’s PI helps make the hiring process far more efficient, informative, and predictable.

Spherion Staffing

The proof is in PI Worldwide’s many success stories. Jill Berg, owner of the Spherion Staffing franchise in North Dakota and West Central Minnesota, is just one. She took the behavioral assessment survey from PI Worldwide when she started her franchise in 1994.

It revealed that Berg’s greatest strengths were team building and a people-oriented sales style. She knew these were important skills, but Berg also realized she needed someone who was as adept at back-end operations. She explained, “I needed to find someone who could complement my behavioral skills so I could focus on working the business.”

Berg next turned to PI to help her hire someone who could fill that complementary role. She found that person in John Funk. His PI pattern indicated he would run the business agenda like it was his own, but would also be able to manage the day-to-day, leaving Berg to focus on sales and consultations. She hired him to serve as Account Manager and head of operations.

Sixteen years later, Funk is still playing an important role at Spherion and Berg’s sole proprietorship has grown to include 15 employees across three locations.

Little Caesars

While Berg utilized PI to build her business from the ground up, others have used the tool to make their existing structure more cost effective. Vicki Marshall and Mike Insco fall into this category. The partners operate 23 Little Caesars stores across Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. During a search for a General Manager, they would find that an applicant would interview well, but ultimately did not deliver the expected performance on the job.

As a result, they were losing up to $3,600 and six weeks of training time every time they experienced a general manager turnover. In addition to the costs, the partners found that losing a General Manager was negatively impacting the remaining crew members, both in terms of morale and productivity. It became clear to Marshall and Insco that something was missing in their selection process.

Turning to PI Worldwide, Marshall and Insco first used the PRO tool to evaluate the job responsibilities from a behavioral perspective. Establishing the behavioral profile for success in the General Manager position created an optimized and objective point of comparison with candidates’ PIs, allowing the partners to see the fits and the gaps between a candidate and the job.

“The Predictive Index has helped us get the right manager in the right seat on the bus, significantly reducing turnover and improving how we communicate and educate our staff,” said Marshall. With PI, Marshall and Insco have been able to improve retention rates beyond the GM to include all employee levels. This has had an additional benefit significantly eliminating the amount of paperwork that needed to be processed with the turnover of hourly waged workers.

Subway

Several Subway franchisees in Ohio also have used the Predictive Index to ensure new hires and existing employees are in the right jobs, resulting in a significant reduction in turnover, and nearly $15,000 in training cost savings.

Harold Jackson, franchise owner of seven Subway locations, started using PI first to improve his selection efforts and then began administering the survey to existing employees to better understand them and help them better understand themselves and each other. This approach helped him identify the source of employee conflicts or challenges to morale before it became a liability for his business.

Jackson notes one example involving an employee in a customer-facing role. Upon taking the PI, both the employee and Jackson realized he would be better suited for a behind-the-scenes role. Based on this knowledge, Jackson shifted his duties to reflect his natural behavior and as a result, the employee’s performance and job satisfaction
improved.

“Because we have the right people in the right roles, it is having a positive impact on customer service and customer return visits,” Jackson said. “The Predictive Index pays for itself.” Jackson reports that with this greater awareness created by the PI survey, there are fewer employee conflicts which have impacted morale, productivity, turnover, and even the delivery of customer service.

Little Caesars, Spherion, and Subway are just three examples of the way behavioral science through the Predictive Index has helped franchisees select, develop, and retain talent. Working with PI Worldwide’s expert consultants from all over the country and the world, franchise owners can improve the employment and development processes while boosting their bottom lines. Using PI Worldwide to find the right employee will result in stronger sales, increased productivity, and better unit economics. We believe we can do the same thing for your franchise.

To learn more, contact us at 904-269-2299 or info@predictiveresults.com

Wall Street Journal Radio Network Interview with Dr. Todd Harris

Steve Waterhouse — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:39:23 +0000

Feb 24, 2012

WSJ Radio Network News Anchor Gina Cervetti interviews Dr. Todd Harris about the fundamental shifts in the way we work and how this will continue to impact the employer-employee relationship. Dr. Harris is the Director of Research of PI Worldwide, the parent company of Predictive Results.

If you would like more information on this topic or would like a demonstration of the Predictive Index in your business, please contact us at 904-269-2299 or info@predictiveresults.com

Listen Here

PI Worldwide’s Proprietary Behavioral Research Enables Franchise Growth

Steve Waterhouse — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:27:22 +0000

A recent press release discusses the impact of the Predictive Index® System on strong job fit for area developers. Leading franchise brands like Massage Envy are continuing to turn to the power of behavioral insights to highlight prospective job performance fits and gaps as they pertain to brand expansion.

WELLESLEY, MA. March 26, 2012 — PI Worldwide’s Predictive Index® (PI®), a scientifically driven behavioral assessment tool, provides franchisors with unprecedented insight into a potential area developer’s job achievement and workplace personality at the beginning of the selection process. Supported by more than 55 years of scientifically-backed behavioral research, the information derived from the Predictive Index® system enables franchisors to highlight prospective job performance fits and gaps as they pertain to a brand’s expansion in a would-be area developer’s region.

As franchise systems continue their growth out of the current economic climate, choosing the right area development partner is critical to ensuring the long-term viability of a system. In fact, according to the International Franchise Association’s 2012 Franchise Business Economic Outlook study, the number of franchise establishments will increase by 1.9 percent in 2012 to 749,999 locations, which represents nearly 14,000 new businesses. Having the right area developers in place from the beginning will result in stronger franchise sales, increased productivity and better unit economics, all of which are critical to a brand’s overall success.

“The use of PI Worldwide’s Predictive Index has allowed our company to better understand the job requirements of an area developer in behavioral terms and how to match those desired behaviors with those of our candidates,” said Dave Crisalli, CEO of Massage Envy. “The tool has given us the ability to essentially prescreen prospects and select the best people to help grow our business.”

A PI survey only takes 10 minutes or less to complete, but yields a comprehensive and scientific in-depth analysis of intrinsic individual behavioral characteristics, influencers and drives that can impact workplace performance, satisfaction, and motivation, regardless of the job function.

Massage Envy, along with several other leading franchise brands, use both the Predictive Index tool and PI Worldwide’s job requirement assessment instrument, Performance Requirement Options™ (PRO), in the signing of area developers. PRO allows franchisors to build out job profiles ahead of actual employment to ensure efficiency throughout the hiring process.

Franchisors interested in learning more about how Predictive Results can assist in the hiring of area developer partners should visit http://predictiveresults.com/franchisees for more information.

Predictive Results Reaches New Level

Steve Waterhouse — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:12:04 +0000

Predictive Results, with offices in Florida and Georgia, was recognized today by PI Worldwide for sales of their Predictive Index® assessment. Predictive Results was tied for 5th in the category of 'Net New Clients, YTD". Predictive Results President Steve Waterhouse said, "I am thrilled with this ranking. As one of the newer licensees in the network it shows what a great team can do. I am especially proud of my team and thankful for our PI Worldwide partners because this category recognizes both new client acquisition and existing client renewal. It is only through service to our clients that we earn the right to grow."

If you would like to learn how we help our clients reduce turnover, increase leadership effectiveness and grow sales, contact us today at 1-800-57-LEARN or info@predictiveresults.com