Technical Problem Solver, Website Development, Technical Writing, Training, in complex, misunderstood or controversial fields (e.g. alternative energy, environment, alternative medicine, climate change, technical support).
Top Skills
- Communicating confusing or complex ideas clearly, even to emotionally invested clients.
- Clarifying customer needs and translating so technical people understand.
- Coordinating workable solutions from multiple areas of expertise to satisfy sales needs.
- Web Site and WordPress development, HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL, security.
Web Site and Database Development
- Web site and Kindle development, http://www.glerner.com and http://lcblog.lernerconsult.com/, Mountain Valley Center.
- HTML, PHP, CSS3, MySQL, WordPress, WordPress Multi-Site, Apache, IIS.
- Installed WordPress Multi-Site on Apache and IIS servers. Migrated blogs into Multi-Site with all blog-, plugin-, widget-, page-, user-, and comment-settings intact (there is no plugin that does this). Developed WordPress themes and plugins.
- Converted large web sites from complex nested-table-based design to easy-to-maintain flexible CSS design for all browsers. Trained small business owners easy way to update their web site.
- Managed multiple web sites and blogs. Resolved server issues, site errors. Installed site security.
- Automated collecting information from multiple web sites (web scraping), to MySQL or WordPress. Projects include: all County Assessor and Treasurer information for tax lien investors; real estate information for investors.
- Database systems: Designed and wrote (or installed and customized), cleaned and transfered data, documented, trained users. Designed management reports. Industries include: technical support, fund raising, event registration, public housing.
Technical Sales
- Trained people in effective sales process, improving performance of new and experienced sales people. Clients feel listened to, while frequently slashing time to close sale.
- Developed new line of business, including marketing strategy and email campaign, increasing estimated annual sales more than 75% with doubled profit margins.
- Managed client accounts, had pre-sales and sales conversations, determined client requirements and technical needs, wrote proposals, fulfilled orders. Won contracts, better matching one client's needs than 60 competitors.
- Redesigned quoting and account management systems so existing people could handle three times as many quotes and fulfill 50% more sales.
- Sold software/books to novices and highly technical customers, matching their knowledge level and learning style.
Communication and Writing
- A Nuclear Reactor That Consumes Nuclear Waste? No Loss of Coolant Accidents?; industry leaders using for communicating to business leaders and US Congress.
- Transcribed & edited business coaching program, produced training materials: business growth, leadership, effective meetings, marketing and sales, cultural change, conflict resolution.
- Running an Excellent Help Desk: Technical Problem Solvers Improving Business
- Edited manual for 4-month training program for producing transformational workshop, used by ~50 groups nation-wide.
Business Leadership, Strategy, Process Improvement
- Designed processes, decreasing training time from 3-4 months down to 2 days on key steps for fulfilling customer orders. Eliminated bottleneck to increasing customer base, while saving company minimum $500,000/year in payroll expenses.
- Advised President on strategy and negotiations that prevented lawsuit; decrease in productivity and sales would have ruined the company.
- Developed procedures (Raiser's Edge) so clear that temporary staff could process donations accurately. Freed staff to fund-raise. Reduced contact management/cleanup expense.
- Redesigned training and processes for audio production, eliminating operation mistakes so events sounded great. Managed teams for workshop production.
Technical Support Improvement
- Developed reporting system showing management which client service issues to focus on, and service improvements. Used in renegotiating multi-million dollar contract.
- Trained technical people in communicating so clients knew what was done and were satisfied issues were resolved. So good with clients frustrated with ongoing problems, coworkers would pass them to me.
- Designed business processes that reduced costs of client service issues.
- Implemented database to manage customer service issues. Maintained knowledge base of best support practices and technical solutions.
Work History
Lerner Consulting: President, 2000 - Present
Video Communications, Inc.: Vice President of Network Sales, 2006 – 2008
Donation Processing Procedures: San Francisco Food Bank, other non-profits: 2002 – 2005
NorthPoint Communications: Process Engineer Consultant, 1999
Electronic Data Systems/Blue Shield of CA: Technical Support Consultant, 1997 – 1999
PMI Mortgage Insurance, Technical Support Improvement, Database Implementation, 1996 – 1997
Software
Web site design: HTML5, CSS3, PHP5, MySQL, TortoiseSVN, JavaScript. WordPress Multi-Site installation (Apache or IIS), theme and plugin design. Photoshop to HTML/CSS. SEO, keyword research. phpList, AWeber. Technical support, CRM, Raiser's Edge, Crystal Reports. Web data extraction (iMacros or PHP). Audio editing and transcription.
Training
California Leadership Center: 2008 – 2010
- Bryan Franklin Coaching Program: 2009 Business coaching, sales processes, strategy, leadership, collaboration, effective meetings.
- Sales Training: 2009 Sales to value markets. Training sales departments.
Peak Potentials: 2008, 2009 Produce long-term income in any economy.
Trump Institute: 2008 Real estate investing, transaction engineering.
Jay Abraham Master Mind Marketing Mentorship: 2007 Business innovation and marketing.
Landmark Education: 2001 – 2006 Managing teams. Leading effective presentations.
Polycom: 2007 Certified in Network Sales and Video Conferencing Sales.