Archive for category The Board Room

Guaranteed! But at what cost…

Sep 6

Posted by Steve Gray in Planning, Risk Management, The Customer Service Dept | No Comments

It’s standard practice to have a guarantee for many products and services. For some in business it’s the thing which sets them apart from their competition, for others it’s a legal compliance issue which they prefer wasn’t there.

What does it cost your business and how should you handle it?

Being a service nut I like the way it can make your business stand out from the crowd, compliance or not… so handling guarantees becomes a major issue you solidly stand behind, giving every customer ‘peace of mind’ in knowing you will be there with them if ANY issue arises.

Over the period of a year or three it can be easy to look at the cost of supplying services to fulfill your guarantee obligations to keep your ‘customers happy and fulfill your legal obligations. In the intervening ‘learning phase’ it may be a case of guessing how much guarantees might cost. Here are a few points you might consider in the process.

Is there a consistent percentage of sales which you can attribute to guarantees?
What is the time taken by staff in providing guarantees?
What is the cost of providing the staff to do these tasks?
Is this time significant enough to impact on other aspects of your business… e.g. making profits from std sales.
How much will the cost eat into your profit margin?
What will you need to add to your operating costs to take into account this ‘cost of doing business’?
How will the cost variation affect your average dollar sale and will that still make your business competitive?

I’m sure there will be other questions to ask in the process as you explore guarantees and their impacts further. The main thing is to be very mindful that guarantees have a cost, learn to live with that and allow for it in your forward planning.

Making your staff pay…

Aug 25

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | 2 Comments

What your employees earn for the organisation needs to be more than what you pay them, but how much? There are costs to cover having employees, so it makes sense to earn more than just what they cost the organisation.

In some organisations they seem to have no idea how much value their people add to the organisation, so lets have a think about the issue.

Let’s look at a range of costs and how it all adds up (their wages while they are on holidays and wages for a person who may replace them, as well as superannuation, insurance etc).

How much?

If we work on a figure of $800 per week that’s nearly $42,000 pa. Here are the ‘hidden costs’.

- 4 weeks wages for a fill in employee while the other is on holidays $6,400

- 1 week personal leave $800

- Superannuation @ 9% pa $3,700

- Workers compensation Insurance $300

- Payroll tax @ 5% $2,100

- Training and development or uniforms and ‘tools’ $2,500

- Incentives and bonuses $1,500

- Accumulated P/A savings to cover 10 yr long service leave $960

- Accumulated P/A savings to cover the other worker on 10 yr leave $960

TOTAL: $19,220

That’s just under half of the annual wage so they need to be earning the organisation a total of AT LEAST $61,200 to pay their way and cover their costs.

Let’s break it down further, on average it’s suggested out of a whole year people only work 220 days so that makes it $324 per day or $40.45 per hour. If you take into account ‘slack or down time’ (it’s raining, they are waiting for supplies, not feeling too well, angry at the boss for spending time reading business articles.) then that figure could readily go up.

For some of our readers they will know this hourly figure intimately and they will have their employees earning solidly above the basic level so they know they can cover longer term costs and thrive readily.

The thing is though, now you have some starting points to work with how will you change things in your business to make sure your business covers its costs, makes a profit and you come out smiling with lower stress levels?

Your culture is showing… so who looks after it?

Jul 15

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Human Resource Management, People!, Planning, Risk Management | 4 Comments

In your business, the culture is determined by a number of things, but getting it to develop and not go sour is vital… So who looks after it?

If you are a small business then you’re the person handing it (along with everything else) but if you have a HR person then they should be poised to provide services in this area.

Often people see the HR function as, recruit – select – payroll – rostering – ohs – industrial relations. Clearly however there is more and loosely put it’s about staff well being – Training and development, induction programs, skills updates, policies and procedures, performance management and lastly our topic, working the culture – In short the internal relationships and the things that make them go well.

So the HR team looks after the culture… (ask about that next time you interview a person for a role in HR and see their response…) But what is ‘it’ that they have to tweak to make it work?

Basically it’s about behaviour adjustment, (to match to the organisations culture) but before that happens the HR team need to figure out if anything needs to be adjusted (an ecology check), assessing the current situation and looking for ‘gaps’ or areas of ‘risk’ which are or could become an issue, they need to understand and figure out ways to develop internal relationships so they can know the who, how, why, what and where of what needs adjusting.

Then they need to plan ways to tweak the culture so it’s healthier and can stay that way. If you look at organizational culture in this way, your team should be able to develop a sure fire development plan which is based not just on developing role based skills and abilities but enhancing the philosophical, intellectual and emotional intelligence of the team too. E.g. a leader may need to have more ‘people’ skills to be more effective in their role, so a program which allows better ‘reading’ of people and explore what makes them tick, might be useful, yet not something which may be directly business related when you look for courses or workshops to develop these skills.

If the first step is an assessment of the team culture, the second step is developing a program which explores and develops all relevant aspects of the analysis.

Perhaps the program is a series of information sheets – a revamp of the organization’s value statement – a new section in the induction program – and or new Key Performance Indicators – or a more personal development based approach to training and development. Let’s not forget it may also be an adjustment to the physical aspects of the business, colours, furnishings and the like can have a huge bearing on how staff perceive a business and therefore relate and respond to the environment.

Whatever approach you take to the notion of developing your business culture, you should give it due concern, the positive flow on effects can make a big difference to the way things happen in your business.

Remember this little statement… (thanks Tom P)

Excellence, always! If not Excellence, what? If not Excellence now, when?

Business culture – Some more points

Jul 14

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, Leadership, People! | 3 Comments

Your team fits to the culture of the organisation, some because they have to (mortgages and other commitments), some because they want to (they love the job no matter what their commitments are).

Your aim as a business person should be to make the workplace culture brilliant so the team WANT to be there and readily go the extra mile because it’s the right thing to do, not because things are a have to…

It’s a lot about creating an environment where people get things to feel right, where they get a ‘sense’ that things are good. Let’s start with that.

Your team has a sense of…

Belonging – In the work you do and the team you are part of, if you belong you will feel a greater sense of esteem, people like to be with people they like and if they readily fit because they were chosen not just for their skills and abilities but also for their team fit then all the better.
Connectedness – To the people they work with, to the culture of the organisation, to the customers and the overall service and product the organisation provides. It can also take in the broader community with support for groups who do broader works in the community to assist others (Good corporate citizenship).
Achievement – A sense of achievement can be a great boost to all. In your organisation what gets measured and how do the staff know ‘where they are at’ in the scheme of things, are they meeting quotas? Are they being valued for input? Do they feel like they are part of a team who wants to achieve more… All of these are vital and it’s up to you to see that the team can have a sense of achievement. Stuck for ways to measure this? Just ask the team you will soon get a bunch of ideas for things to measure.
Contribution and value adding – Do you or your organisation value the contributions of your team? Do the team readily put ideas forward for your consideration? What do you have in place to get the ideas going in your workplace… a suggestion box might seem like a great start but really you might have to ‘kick start’ a few idea development sessions to brainstorm options… but don’t let it stop there!
Purpose – What is the purpose of your organisation? Those mission and vision statements along with value statements and the like can be a great bonus to people fitting to the purpose of your organisation – It’s probably a great interview question to ask “What do you know about our organisational purpose?”
Being valued by others – Do others value the people in the team, their contribution, their personality fit, their communication style? If not why not and what can be done to alter that?
Organisational integrity – The structural integrity of the organisation is a big factor to people feeling secure and stable in the business. If the business is stable then the team will feel it too and before you know it they will ‘go deeper’ and look at other internal organisational issues (often subconsciously) from the processes to cause things to flow in the organisation to the robustness of systems and hierarchies and connections. It’s a big area to explore… Just like you should not build a business on a poor physical foundation so to the psychological and philosophical foundations they have to work with.
Leadership – No lead, no direction, from the people to the plans and strategies they have in place to achieve more and create even greater security for all in the team.
Safety – Last but certainly not least. If the above points add to a sense of safety that’s great, but the physical side of safety is VITAL and will assist the above points to come together, esp these days with a greater focus on softer issues, such as workplace bullying and its prevention.
Security – The organisation provides a profitable income for itself and the team are aware they are part of a sustainable and solid organisation which is able to ‘improvise, adapt and overcome’ various challenges it may face along the way. Physical security is clearly an issue as well so the team can feel comfortable in the knowledge harm is either eliminated or minimised.

Did you think that business culture was not important? Hope fully now you realise how it’s EVERYTHING in your organisation, without it you may as well throw money out the window, it’s quicker than watching a business fail a long slow death simply because your team had a sense of things not going quite how they should…

Tags: business, business culture, business success, communication, culture, HR, hr leadership, lateral thinking, Leadership, People!, Risk Management, training, your business culture

Your business culture needs work

Jun 5

Posted by Steve Gray in Growth, Human Resource Management, Innovation and Creativity, Leadership, People!, Planning, Risk Management | 3 Comments

When you want a new staff member to ‘fit in’ you generally go for a good culture fit when you interview them. Usually this means the recruits actions and thoughts fit well with the rest of the team and the way they do things, their patterns of behaviour. It makes sense to do that, however what if you want things to change in your organisation… perhaps more growth, explore new markets, push some boundaries. Then things might be different.

Consider the role of a senior member of staff, perhaps a person in a strategic planning or Human Resource Development role. Your aim may well be to push some boundaries and open the playing field up to new ideas and options. In that case you may want a person with a different approach or cultural fit to the rest. This then raises questions about the type of cultural differences and skill sets you might want to have with this type of recruit.

How will you decide what culture and skill sets you require? That depends on the role and how much of a ‘shift’ you want to create in the system. Clearly if you go for a person who is totally different in their interests, values and beliefs to the rest of the team, you may end up with a situation where the gap between your current culture and your ‘imposed’ one is too great to sustain for any length of time. I liken it to a bridge trying to span a distance which is too great for the structure to hold for long, eventually it fails.

Your new cultural direction should consider the following points.

The change should be different enough from the existing situation but still maintain structural integrity.
Creative approaches or not? – if the existing culture requires stimulus to get it moving then a more creative skill set can do just that.
If the growth pattern of the enterprise is stagnant then a more profit driven or sales oriented person can add value.
Managing the change might need extra effort on the part of the HR dept, supervisors and team leaders to oversee the new direction.
Is this culture re-shuffle a part of an ongoing strategic plan? – If so it will probably fit with a core value of innovation. With that underpinning the new approach, the team should see the benefits this will bring for the longer term.
Although a different cultural fit might be the main aim it doesn’t mean the core organisational values need to be ignored, in fact they are probably going to be strengthened by this new approach as terms such as respect – innovation and service get a bigger airing and may be explored at a deeper level.

Like anything changes to a business need to take into consideration various factors before being implemented but the above cultural development points might be a good starting point to consider.

Are details killing your business?

Jun 3

Posted by Steve Gray in Planning, Risk Management | No Comments

The devils in the details as they say; all it takes is one detail messed up and things can go astray.

On too many occasions I have seen things get badly messed up and staff in an organisation go into a flat spin trying to overcome a difficulty because a detail or two was missed.

Here are some quick examples.

Someone goes on long service leave and the flow through of paperwork stopped, this meant a build up of invoices not sent out, so a whole quarter of income was delayed.
Or how about a person who has a few days off due to illness and no one was able to take over that person’s role without some serious investigation of their scant notes.
A ‘proof sheet’ at a printer’s was not signed off by the client and their $20, 000 print project had a serious error, the client blamed the printer and the proof sheet oversight cost them dearly.

It comes down to how people set up and run their systems to ensure things can carry on despite breaks in the usual routine, or a back up failsafe device (like a person to double check an important document).

Are there holes in your system and what’s keeping it propped up? Perhaps it’s time to review and tweak the systems you have in place to ensure things can flow more effectively.

Tags: business details

Inspire the Team

May 27

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, Innovation and Creativity, Leadership, People! | 1 Comment

Are you inspiring your people?

Are they waiting for you to inspire them? Did you aim to inspire before they even started with your company…

Imagine a new employee getting a letter and a gift before starting with a new company… This way you can set up a positive position with that person before they start. The gift? A simple congratulations gift, flowers, a congratulation helium balloon etc, delivered to their home.

Then when they start, how will you wow them then… A great office environment, a well set up workspace, a warm welcome, allocating their start day in 12 months time as an anniversary “day off” for them (then every year after that)

What about existing workers, how do you inspire them so they feel truly valued? Random morning teas, small gift vouchers to mark great project milestones and completions.

Think about other ways you can do things to keep them interested, motivated and productive. The worker retention and greater morale these few activities can create is generally very profitable and well worth the investment of time and effort. Of course you need to make sure this kind of activity can be kept up – if your organisation is big enough to have a HR Dept, put them in charge of it. Either way inspiring your team should be a task which you make a top priority in good times and bad.

How happy are your employees?

May 23

Posted by Steve Gray in Growth, Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | 2 Comments

How happy are your employees?

They turn up, they do the tasks, but how happy are they? Some of you are now asking “why should I care?” as long as they turn up and do the tasks…

Well a happy team will generally do things more effectively and with greater interest. If they are more at ease then they will probably be more alert and less stressed. Now does it make sense… So what can you do to assist them to be happier?

Survey them – Every few months or so develop a simple survey to measure how they are going in the happiness stakes at work – and loosely at home, you don’t need to pry too deeply but imagine if things are down at home, then it can impact the work situation, what will you ask them? well try doing an internet search for staff surveys and make a list of questions from there.

Do a Maslow – Dr Maslow came up with a list of needs people have in a range of situations, but the workplace is a great place to use it. Do a search on his list and then use it as a guide to measure with – It can be a very useful way to set up an induction program, or anytime a person moves to a new position or division and things change. It can give you a view into what sorts of things should be in place for this person to perform well. According to Maslow you should be aiming to get your people to a ‘self actualised’ position, this way they are in the best position to add great value to your organisation.

Is your workplace a brilliant place to be? – Take a look, is it a great place or a dump or somewhere in-between? Now figure out what can be done and when. It’s a great way to start forward strategic planning. When profit gets to x level you can update a few things, and continue on from there bit by bit until you get the organisation up to a great standard. As a one off big spend it might cost a lot, but in stages it can be a lot easier to handle. It could be developed by adding a question or two in the initial survey.

Keep on tweaking the list! – Use this list as a guide to improving your business and keep on tweaking it see if over time the results are showing up.

Snowed under…

May 16

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, Planning, Risk Management | 1 Comment

In business, when you get snowed under, that’s when the cracks start to show in your systems. It can be easy to remember a few dates, times and the details of what needs to be done, then when one too many things get stacked on top, the details fade, followed by any loyalty you may have earned with customers. This is one of the many reasons businesses go through up and down cylces of ‘boom and bust’.

So how do you create a system which is bullet proof and others can follow it if you are not able to carry on with the task. A system which helps you keep your sanity and your customers loyalty as well. Try these.

Regularly test the system with your customers – if the cracks are going to appear they will probably show up when you least expect it when the customers want you the most.
Keep others in the loop when you update to the system – It’s great to have a good system but if others on your team don’t know about the changes, how can they use it to their advantage? And did you work with them to tweak it?
Think about what cracks first – Is it you who does not handle the pressure, or others? Is it the system? (old technology may not handle what you want it to). Is it the way you record information to keep the system up to date? (Paper based first – computer updates later – or directly into the system? Either way you need to be able to identify what the challenge is and then explore ways to adjust it to suit.
Are things in a logical sequence or all over the place? – following steps is just that a logical one after the other process, sure there may be a side track here and there, but in the main it’s only a short side step. Put things in order to keep the process flowing as best you can.
Take action – all of the above are action steps but when will you do them, can they be implemented slowly or do they all need to be done at the same time? Make sure you set time to make the system work more effectively for you it may require some time sacrifice up front but the saving further on will be well worth it.
Fire, aim, ready! – Yes it’s out of order, but often business is like that, we have to react to things which are thrown at us at a moments notice so we may not have the ability to get ready, then aim… Sometimes the process can work out well with this approach as you can set a process in action, and tweak things to get the aim right as they progress.

Go on, try these out and see what happens. You might just keep your sanity in place a bit longer and build that all important customer loyalty while you are at it. Oh and don’t forget the sense of accomplishment you will feel when you have knocked things into place and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Here’s to employee success…

May 15

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Risk Management | No Comments

You hire people to be part of your team, what do you expect from them, how will they ‘put in’ and why will they excel? Three great questions to explore.

Firstly you select a new staff member, all the basic boxes are ticked for skills and ability, and hopefully you have interviewed enough and asked enough questions to figure out if there is a ‘cultural fit’ to your team.

On starting out the new recruit will have some basic needs, and you will have the intrepid task of setting some guidelines and expectations. Somewhere in here is a happy medium perhaps where both feel comfortable.

If things work out and they are happy, you should also be happy with their performance and expectations should rise along with productivity over time.

It’s tough all round when a new person starts with an organisation, so much to learn, names and things to remember new tasks to learn. In all it’s a bit daunting for both young and old alike.

But how about excelling? What will cause them to take off in the role and give their all to put in a top effort for the organisation, to earn trust and develop a solid niche as a valued team member?

Simply put, it’s lots of things and here are just a few.

When they feel at ease – About the job, the organisation, the tasks they have to do regularly and the support they have in the team. If any of these are lacking the ill at ease feeling can translate to mistakes, undue stress and annoyance. all of these can lead to a poor output. It can also come down to bad or ineffective training.
When the systems are good – If they feel the system is difficult or is in a mess then they can feel like they can follow a routine. This is important in the starting phase of any job, an example would be if the team has a range of different ways of doing things, it can get confusing and daunting to remember which one to use.
When the culture is suitable – Like it or not your organisation will have a culture of its own. A culture is simply a pattern of behaviours generally applied to the interaction and communication between the staff, and staff to customers. Often it’s about subtleties and many minor things which can make your team different to others in a similar organisation.
When they get the tools needed to do the job well – Wrong tools, slow tools, bad tools all round! From an outdated computer to a badly presented company vehicle, or an office environment which is poorly fitted out and seems cheap. all of these and more can add up and the new recruit might not want to blame their tools but have little choice at times.

All of these (and more) are factors which can prevent or slow the new recruit down in being able to excel in their role. So how to fix these and get off to a great stunning start?

Get set up for the new recruit early – Have a chat with your team about the environment they will work in, is it good, great, exceptional, if not why not and what can be done to make it right? What about the ‘tools’ they will use, are they in great condition and up to the task.
Get the training right – People learn in different ways at differing speeds so be flexible in your approach to the new recruit and give them the best start you can. Make sure you have back up information after the training they can refer to and not just a buddy (it may take them a while to connect with the buddy). Does the training cover the key performance points the recruit will have to meet at the end of the probation period (better to not have BAD surprises at the end of the period!)
Start them off easily – Ease them into a role, perhaps they start late in the first week, or come in late for the first few days and leave early create a low stress environment. Or perhaps have them work with a buddy to watch how they do things a few times during the first week or two to pick up on key points and details.
Be open to mistakes and learning opportunities – This goes with the training aspect but can happen in other areas too. Let them know you really mean it’s OK to make mistakes, cover ups and longer term challenges can show up if they hide mistakes and don’t learn.
Review how things are going – Have a list of things you can chat to them about and tick them off as you go. Make sure they really do get the OHS side of things and that they are settling in to who’s who in the zoo! Remember you thought they might be a good cultural fit, but are they really?
ASK! – What can you do to make their working time and environment better, and listen carefully. You might not be able to supply some of the things straight away but over time they might be doable. And ask about any other things which could be a negative impact on them, other people’s habits, attitudes and methods. Then while you are at it, ask “How’s my leadership style? to hard, too soft…” but avoid pushing it like you are fishing for compliments!
Provide opportunities – flexible time arrangements, a few hours worked extra here can translate to a few hours off somewhere else (Not always possible but it can be a great thing if it’s not abused.) Be on the lookout for things which could be a great opportunity for the employee, more training, articles from journals and magazines which are useful to them. There are many more options, but these are just a few starters.

If your organisation really values it’s number one assets (people) you will ensure that from day one these points are in place to give your team the edge. If they feel valued then your organisation will reap the reward of increased morale and a improved profitability over time.

New Leadership Book – Leadership Excellence

May 3

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Human Resource Management, Leadership, People! | 2 Comments

Released recently on Amazon here’s an e book with a leadership twist, it’s a how to manual so you can develop the skills of an excellent leader.

Ok I wrote it, so lets get that out of the way… (awkward moment) but hey If I don’t tell people how will they know? Here’s the link

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XTTUMS

Or for those without a kIndle to view it on, you can also get it here in a variety of formats to suit your needs from Smashwords, great for ipad and iphone users.

I hope you enjoy it…

Tags: business, business mechanics, business success, communication, hr leadership, Leadership, leadership excellence, People!, recruitment, steve gray, success, training

Your business organisation…

Jan 31

Posted by Steve Gray in People!, Planning | No Comments

So are you really organised? Let’s get serious, on the desk in front of you is there, papers, notepads, tape, pencils pens, cards, a charger or two, various notes, empty packets of “stuff”… and is this ALL OVER the place?

Generally I figure the answer is yes.

Next step, if that’s the desk, how is the bookkeeping? The payroll, and accounts in general…

So how is this really effecting your business? In the day to day things you do each and every day you are probably not that effected by it, you have a reasonable idea where to find the “usual” things and heaven help anyone who gets in a cleans up! (even if it is you.)

The challenge comes when people add more things to your stack of things to do, then a client walks in with an unusual request, then a supplier dumps a new catalogue in your lap and before long you are in a spin wondering what to do next.

You reach for the to do list… nope not where you thought it was, oh well you create a new one (only to find the old one sometime later and wonder where the new one is!

Sounds familiar? Yep I’m with you on this one it seems okay until a few things build up out of the norm, but what to do about it.

Discipline!

Get yourself into a position where you can create some time, (2 hours perhaps) make it early in the day (before business starts) or after hours, perhaps on a weekend (yes I know that’s family time so have the family help you if you are that way inclined.)

Take all of the mess off your desk and sort it only once the desk has been cleared and cleaned down. Sort the computer cables somehow and put only the things you really need to have in front of you on the desk to make things run smoothly.

Now take a look at ways to keep things organised so you can get on with the tasks which really need to be handled well.

Tags: discipline, organisation, Planning, to do lists

Three Persuasive Business Points

Jan 29

Posted by Steve Gray in Leadership, Planning, Starting out in business | 2 Comments

Here are three points I think you will find make a persuasive business argument, take one of these factors out and you will be out of business fast. Let me know what you think in the comments…

1. Have something to sell.

2. Sell it.

3. Make a profit.

To do so you need to market the offerings, have a process to sell with, manage the money.

To do that you need to have a handle on the HR, finances, marketing, overheads and it then starts to get more in depth from there. However you probably should be thinking in the terms of the basic 3 things to do, then see what’s happening from there.

May I suggest, you make a BIG poster or three with those key points on it.

Then consider breaking things down from there, so at any given moment you can know how each area is going, which one to tweak next and set a plan for the next one.

On your breakdown you will probably have a list of finer points relating to each area, then you can ask yourself, “which smaller area works well and which needs adjusting?”

Lets face it, business is not easy, in fact very challenging at times! But if these simple steps can make it easier for you then that’s got to be a good thing.

Oh wait I forgot! there’s a fourth point, oh silly me… Notice how you are looking at the business as the owner (from the perspective I have written it), note also how you are looking at the business, as a whole. Therefore you are taking a leaders view, a coaches view if you like.

Therefore you can be the coach and suggest strategies, work with your people to develop tactics, involve them in the game, many of them will know their parts in the process and know you have a chance to direct things that bit further. Go on be the leader, check out the strategies and concepts you need to put in place, then bring it all together like a great symphony, all orchestrated and conducted by you the business leader.

Tags: business, business mechanics, business success, hr leadership, Planning, Risk Management

What do You Need to be Doing in your Business?

Jan 28

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Growth, People!, Planning, Risk Management | No Comments

What do you need to be doing in your business? It’s still early enough in the year to be thinking about planning and implementing.

I often think about what I would WANT to be doing in my business, yet the need to’s cut through the wants and nag me to pieces… Often it’s the wants which cause us to go off on inappropriate tangents.

Should you be…

Getting more new prospects.
Streamlining systems.
Finding ways to make things more profitable.
Developing cash-flow projections.
Looking after existing customers better.
Checking OHS issues and risks factors.
Implementing a staff happiness program.
Developing a marketing plan.
Implementing the marketing plan with your friendly branding expert.
Tweaking your business plan.
Developing your customer service strategies.

You know there are a whole lot more options you need to be doing, so what stops you?

Hate to do things which are forced on you?
Figure it will go away somehow?
You want to hire some one someday who can look after these things for you.
Don’t know where to start because the list becomes overwhelming?
You refuse to delegate?
You like to chat to suppliers rather than face the reality your business might slowly be going down the “gurgler”?

Looking for excuses will not help, you should take control and get the team together and make a list of what needs to be done and hand over as much of it as possible, then get on with doing your part of it.

In the end your business is just that your business, so it requires you to take on the responsibility which comes with the territory.

Tags: business, business mechanics, business success, communication, have fun in business, hr leadership, improve customer service, Planning, starting your marketing campaign, workplace safety

Marketing Interview

Jan 26

Posted by Steve Gray in People!, Planning, The Marketing Dept | 4 Comments

Alan Miller, a freelance Journalist from Sydney interviewed me recently about Marketing, Enjoy!

Steve Gray has been in business for 30 years one way or another and has published hundreds of articles on business topics, from Leadership – Innovation – Communication to Marketing and Management issues. His hard won marketing experience means he is able to assist organisations to effectively get their name and message to their customers.

A.M: Steve you have done lots of things in business, you are a Trainer, a writer on a range of business issues, a business mentor and a speaker on Leadership, Innovation and Communication issues, how did you come to get so involved in business?

Steve: I’m an artist by qualification, and over the years I have been introduced to business, from printing T’shirts in the beginning to design and photography (all fairly art related) then over time I grew my knowledge base and things spiraled from there.

A.M. I was surprised to learn you know a lot about marketing, which is the focus of the interview today… Is there a reason for that?

Steve: Like all businesses there is a need to get your product or service noticed, I placed adverts for my own business like most people and failed at it. I soon learnt a great headline helps, then you go from there, I read more, asked more questions, used my design and art training to explore more options and innovate a little. The more I explored the more I learnt. I note now there are always things to learn and check out like social networking and the culture developing around that to make it work, it’s quite fascinating.

A.M: Steve, what are some of the basic mistakes people make with marketing their business?

Steve: Having an aim (more new customers, more repeat business, raising brand awareness) and of course a plan of action which leads into an investment of time and effort rather than a liability. With no aim the shotgun goes off and hits very little you want it to hit.

A.M: Do you find many organisations have no marketing budget planned?

Steve: Often! This can be due to having no plan, no idea about what they need to do and what it might cost, Yet it can be so simple to develop.

A.M: What are some of the great things which have wowed you in regards to marketing and great brand placement?

Steve: We are seeing more integrated approaches emerge, people want to stand out from their competition, so a directory advert for example is only one approach, a newspaper advert is another… It’s when people start to realise they need to be more targeted and put a range of things together. E.g. a direct mail piece to prospects, followed up with a phone call and a chat to see if there is a fit to their needs from your business (esp in B2B sales) then there is social media and websites where people can let a lot of people know about their expertise and keep their info and details in front of more of the right people, that’s becoming more powerful.

A.M: Is bundling of a range of marketing devices a way to go?

Steve: Clearly the one shot advert approach is a loser these days. You should realise prospects need to see your details more than once to be remembered, so the exposure side of things is a big issue. Therefore an advert with a call to action, perhaps a branded product as a reward for taking action can sit on their desk for ages, and that’s good! So take it a step further and have the info you want to tell people about readily available to them, a business card is one way, but there are more options to keep your name in front of them. From articles and information on the web to branded products people use everyday.

A.M: Should people link their promotion to their website or social media? And how would they do that?

Steve: Of course they should, I see it like a ring of connections where people can get in at most points and be guided to learn more about the business as they go. Perhaps via an active Face book page, or a group in Linked in (for business) this can lead to articles on their website, which can then get them more info via an email campaign. It doesn’t need to be difficult either! The more people get to see your business name in front of them the better. Couple the strong image retention provided with great service and you will be on a winner.

A.M: Do many of your clients have a marketing plan and should they?

Steve: Few do, and yes they should, at least a one page plan and a calendar of when they want to do things, then stick to it. Tweak it when things don’t work and know what does work.

A.M: How will social Media impact on marketing, in comparison to say branded items?

Steve: A branded item with a message can let people know you have a social media presence, so use it to do that (that gives it an aim then…) from there it’s up to you how you use the social media to blow your own horn and let your target audience know more about things which can be of value to them.

A.M: Do businesses need to be creative geniuses to make their marketing work or look snappy?

Steve: It’s great if they are, but not essential, pay someone else to be the creative one. However make sure it leads to a good aim or end product, like getting you more business, retaining customers. It’s great to have a creative approach and be noticed, but if all you get is a 2 minute wow factor then where’s the value in that? If on the other hand the creative approach meant you were handing out branded devices with your business details on them then your name is in front of more people for longer, that’s got to be good! Chat to your friendly branding expert for ways to get the message right and connect it with other things you are doing in your business.

A.M: Not everyone needs a marketing company to do their marketing for them, most can’t afford that, how would you help these kinds of organisations?

Steve: I suggest they create a plan of action knowing what the outcome is they want, then build on that plan and take action to get the results. Consistency is important. There are other branding experts who are not part of a big marketing company who can be of assistance, have a chat to them for friendly advice.

A.M.: A plan is one thing, implementing it is another…

Steve: Sure it is, if you want to get new prospects to look at what you offer, then you need to consider a way to do that, for instance in a business to business environment things can be different so the approach can be perhaps more targeted, therefore how you implement the plan is vital. You might start with a list of ideal customers or industries then figure out ways to get your name in their hands, your ongoing aim would then be how you keep it there. Your plan therefore should focus on ways to get your name in front of them and then what you can do from there.

A.M: There are many ways a business can market themselves, what works?

Steve: There are lots of things which work… Junk mail can work well, adverts in newspapers can too, and the same with branded products. It comes down to your target and the best way to get to the target. e.g. if I want to target accountants and I send out brochures to every household in town I have wasted a lot on the ones who are not accountants. Think about how your target wants to be presented to, then do that.

A.M: You mention branded products, many people would look at branded products as great giveaways at a trade show or convention, how can they be used by the average business to market themselves?

Steve: It depends on the aim, if they want to reward existing customers and say thanks, they can hand out simple things to remind them about the company, pens, calendars, imprinted note pads, things which would be useful for the end user and keep the business details in front of them. They can be also used as a device to get the attention of a new prospect, most people love gifts and they need not cost a fortune.

A.M: How should organisations go about choosing from the vast array of options available to them for marketing?

Steve: Chat with your friendly branding expert and explore what the businesses aims are, then look openly at ways they might be able to provide direction for the organisations aims and objectives. It might mean they have to create some great graphics to launch a message, brand some products and develop a way to get them in from of the right people. The big thing is being able to make the right connections at the right time so your marketing becomes the all important investment it needs to be, and not just another business expense.

Tags: branding expert, business, business mechanics, business success, communication, critical marketing, promotional marketing, small business marketing strategies, starting in marketing, starting your marketing campaign

5 Reasons to purchase a comprehensive car insurance policy

Jan 7

Posted by Guest Poster in Planning, Risk Management, Starting out in business, The Board Room, The Operations Dept | 3 Comments

It can be a confusing and daunting task to select the right car insurance policy for your personal or business vehicle, however this article will outline the top 5 reasons why you should invest in a comprehensive car insurance policy.

Reason #1: Insurance providers who offer comprehensive car insurance policies often include Roadside Assist as part of the insurance policy. Roadside assistance is an often overlooked feature of insurance policies as many customers do not see the value of this benefit as they have not previously had the misfortune of finding themselves stranded after their vehicle has stopped running. The quality and coverage area of the roadside assistance included in the insurance policy will vary from provider to provider, so it is vital to check that you are covered in areas which you frequently travel, and if there are any additional costs incurred under certain circumstances – such as if a tow or on-site repairs are required.

Reason #2: Another unique feature of comprehensive car insurance policies are the inclusion of a loan car for when your car has been stolen or taken in for repairs. Having access to a loan car from your insurance provider is a valuable addition to your policy as it minimises the impact of car trouble to your lifestyle and work commitments, allowing you to continue on with your planned activities without disruption or the inconvenience of arranging alternative transport.

Reason #3: Car contents cover is a new benefit included in more modern comprehensive car insurance policies. This benefit allows you to claim for personal belongings lost when you car has been stolen, or damaged in a car accident. No longer will you also need to replace your iPod and other valuables that were inside your car when it was stolen.

Reason #4: Caravans and Trailers are additionally covered under many comprehensive car insurance policies. These are especially valuable when undertaking long family vacations or business trips where you are also taking along your caravan or trailer filled with your valuable possessions.

Reason #5: A hidden and expensive extra cost of budget insurance policies is the lack of cover for lost or stolen car keys. A re-keying or re-coding of your car keys can cost as much as $250 as keys often have electronic signatures which need to be replicated by an authorised dealer. Comprehensive car insurance policies will often allow you to include key replacements in your monthly policy, therefore in the event of lost keys you won’t be required to pay an excess fee.

When considering the added value that comprehensive car insurance includes, depending on how you use your personal or business vehicle, it may be the smart and economic decision to invest in comprehensive cover. Always be sure to thoroughly read the product disclosure statement (PDS) provides by your provider, and ask your insurance agency to clarify any points that you are unsure about.

Allianz operates throughout Australia and New Zealand and through its subsidiaries offers a range of insurance and risk management products and services. The company provides some form of insurance cover for more than half of Australia’s top 50 BRW-listing companies, and employs approximately 3,300 staff. An avid supporter of environmental friendly initiatives, Allianz has a target to reduce emissions by 20% by 2012 and Is a member of the Australian Government’s Greenhouse Challenge Plus program.

Tags: business, business success, Planning, Risk Management

Choosing the right franchise for you

Jan 7

Posted by Guest Poster in Finance, Franchisees, Franchising, Growth, Planning, Risk Management, Starting out in business, The Board Room, The Operations Dept | No Comments

Franchise opportunities abound, but choosing the right franchise requires careful thought and considered research.

Combing through franchise businesses for sale notices should be less daunting if you implement a well thought-out research strategy. Using online research, industry publications, news clippings and other methods is a great starting point.

When identifying franchise opportunities, consider what will complement your lifestyle, business goals and your skill set. Some aspects to consider are outlined below.

Brand strength? Behind every successful business is a strong brand, bolstered by an enviable reputation. Read widely about how the franchise brand is perceived by the industry, customers and business partners. Part of what you’re buying is the company’s brand equity. What do you estimate the brand’s equity to be?

Finding out about financial health How open and transparent is the organisation about its financial health? A company’s balance sheet can provide valuable insights about how well placed the franchise business is to harness future growth.

Expenses today and in the future Before you buy a franchise, you’ll need to know what set-up costs are involved. There could also be ongoing costs, such as marketing or advertising levies.

Strategic marketing, PR and advertising expertise? Dig deeper into the company’s marketing strategy. What level of investment and support is offered nationally and locally? What marketing and branding expertise does the company offer? How well resourced is the organisation to fund public relations programs?

Systems for success? Systems are essential ingredients in any successful franchise network. How efficient are the franchise’s systems and processes – do they help or hinder your ability to operate the business?

Investigate the level of support on the ground Do they have a dedicated operational and field support team to assist you? Investigate the ratio of franchisees to field support infrastructure.

Consider the commercial environment Determine the competitive dynamics that are likely to impact the brand. Do they have a well-defined understanding of their competitors, future opportunities, trends and issues?

Create a shortlist of franchise business opportunities? Once you’ve created your wish list, shortlist your most suitable franchise opportunities. Map out what works for you and what doesn’t, including the business must-haves e.g. IT and marketing support, costs (one-off and ongoing) and other forms of critical infrastructure.

Talk to franchise owners at the coalface Franchise owners are valuable resources. They can often provide you with the ‘inside story’ about a potential franchise business opportunity.

Lesley D’Arcy – As a franchise recruitment manager at Mortgage Choice, Lesley D’Arcy is responsible for recruiting franchisees to greenfield (new) opportunities as well as selling established franchise businesses. Her career in franchise recruitment spans over 15 years where she has worked with many major franchise brands. Lesley has a wealth of experience in recruitment of franchisees and builds on this experience by unearthing and developing the latest and most innovative ways to help franchisors build their networks. This experience has given her the skills to become an expert in the field of franchise recruitment, excelling in lead generation, screening, qualifying and selling to prospective franchisees.

Tags: business, business success, business women, Planning, Risk Management, small business marketing

Staff Development More than Just Incentives

Dec 21

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | No Comments

Many organisations do their best to encourage staff to be all they can be and develop them to be all they can be, well they hope that’s the case, yet despite all their best efforts things can go astray. Staff may develop skills, but their ability to stay motivated or develop a better attitude towards the job may fade fast. Lets take a look and try to figure out some of the issues which might cause these important things to fade…

Poor procedures and policies – We create a system of policies and procedures which might be too complex when they don’t have to be, or not enough of them, suddenly “holes” appear and things “fall through”. An employee may well find this frustrating and all the incentives and development can come undone fast.
Knowledge development – Great to provide incentives to staff, but without giving them the right knowledge to be able to tackle tasks effectively you might be setting them up to fail, or at worst struggle. People often look for the path of least resistance and end up finding that path elsewhere. if you train people make sure it fits for their tasks and needs.
Incentives – What if you created the wrong incentives… What if your people don’t like the goals set at some deep level… What if your planning looks great for you, but not for the organisation and the staff know it… What if the incentives put in place are too short term to hold the employees interest… All useful questions, now you need to figure out what to alter to make things work.
Lousy tools – Here’s the task now go and do it, “But where are the right tools to do it?” your team just might give up before things have started, a bad sign. Do anything to make sure they get the right tools and training to make the task happen effectively.

Often staff are disinterested because WE set them up to fail, although we had the best intensions at the time. WE need to ensure things are in alignment, the goals, the processes and procedures, the policies, the skills development the incentives and tools so the staff can be all they can be with ease.

Lets reward the right behaviours with the right set of devices so the team wants to remain with the organisation in a way which keeps the ball rolling for all concerned, after all happy staff are often far more productive staff.

Trade leaks, the last place to end up?

Dec 17

Posted by Steve Gray in People!, Risk Management | 2 Comments

This site is proving popular in the media at the moment and probably the last place to end up, however if what I am hearing is correct the site is not moderated, nor are the claims verified at this point, so if your business has upset someone, then watch out!

If it is so easy to post to the site, then a savvy marketer could use it to advantage, especially if the media are causing people to check it out. (As seen on Sunrise Ch 7 Australia).

It works on a similar premise to wikileaks, with some insider information being leaked so we can have an inside out view of the world of business… worth a look, especially if your business is dodgy and is likely to have “secrets” revealed which you don’t want shared to the wider public.

A look at some of the comments to the posts as of today and you will clearly see the moderation is non existent…

Nice try guys, it seems it needs some work, but if they did this as a marketing ploy to get things rollilng, well they certainly got attention!

What’s next, the fourth instalment

Dec 6

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | No Comments

In this final part of the new recruit guidelines I wanted to focus on the probation period guidelines. it’s a very important part of the whole process but one which is often dismally left out of the process. Here is what I said in the initial article in this series.

Probation period guidelines – Start and in three months we will assess how you have gone. Assess what and how? Is anyone in your organisation clearly responsible for figuring out what and how to assess, are they qualified to do so to some regulatory standard?

Many organisations have a three month probation period while others have six months and others none at all. If you want to build in cooling off period where either party can part ways, it is wise to ensure you and they fully understand the process and the criteria they will be assessed on.

These days there are plenty of people with workplace assessment qualifications who should be able to map out the criteria for measurement and the ways to assess the recruit against those criteria.

Depending on the role will depend on the specifics of operational effectiveness they will have to attain, the skills they will have to demonstrate and the level of cultural fit they will attain.

At a minimum level the OHS standards will be addressed and I would like to think a solid appreciation of the values and beliefs of the organisation as well as practical job skills and abilities would be very wise.

The aim being to ensure the person being assessed has clear criteria to work to, as well as a full appreciation of how they will be assessed and the evidence or types of evidence which will be sued to do all this.

May I suggest a clearly set out set of criteria in a bunch of areas, OHS, job skills, Cultural fit, Communication skills, Technical skills (IT etc). and then build the assessable parts within each section. Perhaps they will have to show an understanding of the terminology or intention of the parts of each section as well as demonstrate with clear evidence they have achieved that level of skill.

Whatever the end product make sure it is clear to all parties and people assessing the person have the ability to do it based on great evidence and clear guidelines for all.

Now you have a new recruit with correct training, who has met the criteria for assessment, feels welcome in the organisation and is settling in to the role with ease and a degree of comfort. You on the other hand have the peace of mind in knowing you did all you could to make the process as easy as possible to ensure the new recruit is a brilliant fit and are assured of their ongoing success… Let’s hope so!

Tags: business, business mechanics, business success, business women, communication, creativity, employee recruitment, hr leadership, innovation, lateral thinking, Leadership, People!, Planning, Risk Management, training, workplace safety

What’s next, the third instalment

Dec 5

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | 1 Comment

Last time we looked at the training area in the new recruits process, now lets check out the expectations put on them, and how to deal with that, in the initial article I said…

High Expectations – The HR dept say this person is a great fit for the organisation on SO MANY levels, yet no one in the dept they are going into knows anything about them except some here-say rumor… Truth is the person is a bit average in the start up phase and people in the dept are “non plussed” with the new recruit, some people just need time to shine and figure out where everything is and how things happen. How were the skills the person had in a previous position “Mapped” across to this new role. What if they had used a much older piece of software in the past and the version or type you have is VERY different to what they are used to…

Your new recruit starts and the place is a buzz with excitement, people want to meet them, people want to avoid them, people need to help them or not. It’s all about people and the fit to the organisation, yet on so many levels there are issues with how things come together and the expectations some in the team may have about the new recruit.

In the initial phase the new person might struggle to get up to speed, despite reassurances from many in the organisation, yet the person may well be highly trained and have a resume bristling with qualifications. In the initial phase then it should be vital to ensure they have the support they need without prejudice or hassle, this way they can grow into the role at their pace. For some that will be fast and for others painfully slow perhaps, you role is to make sure it happens in the best way possible.

Others in your team will need to know about the new person and why they were chosen so they can make fair assessments and not base a person on day one performance and here-say from others in the team, rumours are rarely objective.

You will have talked to the team about how they have certain skills and how these can be traced across or mapped, to suit their new role. You will assure them this person meets a range of positive criteria and proved at interview they should be well and truly capable of fitting in, and doing an effective job in the new role.

You will also outline any training or other support they need to allow them to make the best of the probation period and explore the role and the organisation fully.

Now every one knows about the new recruit a welcome party will ensure they are able to fit in and be supported in positive and solid ways by all the team.

In our next part in this series lets look at the guidelines for their probation period and ensuring they are clearly assessed to meet the criteria.

Tags: Burning Business Bridges, business, business mechanics, business success, communication, creativity, employee recruitment, hr leadership, innovation, lateral thinking, Leadership, People!, Planning, Risk Management, training, workplace safety

What’s next, the second instalment

Dec 4

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | No Comments

This is the second part of the four part series on dealing with new recruits, this time we focus on training. Here’s what I said in the initial article.

Lousy training – Tough, though I know your training people are possibly doing what they can, given tough challenges or are just not that suited to training new employees, they might have a stronger focus on I.T. or a some Leadership program, they can be spread thin. After all did anyone tell the Training area to prepare something for the new recruit?

When it comes to training some are of the opinion “If you picked a new recruit, pick one already trained…” nice thought but there are things your organisation will do differently to others so they might need to know how your team look after OHS issues, and about the versions of software you use. as well as looking at the values and beliefs in the organisation.

I can only hope your organisation has a great training program in place for all sorts of things and not a lousy one as I hinted at in the opening section. So that being the case your training team will have this area all handled for you when you let them know the new recruit is about to start.

The training team won’t tell you “Oh the OHS (or other) training doesn’t run for another 3 weeks.” They will have a positive stop gap measure like an online training option, or at the very least a handout on OHS expectations and guidelines to give the recruit early in the process (before they start perhaps.)
The training team will have put together something for the new recruit on the values and beliefs of the organisation, knowing full well the value of a great cultural fit and how this can happen using foundation organisational philosophies.
The training team will have mapped out a schedule of what training is happening and what the recruit needs to do to ensure their training needs are met and especially in the area of the induction program and it’s time frame. They will be well and truly focussed on the recruits success in the organisation and not just for the recruitment phase either.

The new recruit, even by this early stage, will be suitably impressed with how things are going, they feel included and are valued in the organisation and are trained to succeed.

In the next phase your Leadership and communication skills come to the fore as you make sure all the team know about the recruit and a bit about how they will fit in. Join me then as weexplore the expectations of the new recruit.

Tags: business, business mechanics, business success, business women, creativity, employee recruitment, hr leadership, innovation, lateral thinking, Leadership, People!, Planning, recruitment, Risk Management, training, women in business, workplace safety

What next, the first instalment

Dec 3

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning | No Comments

Following on from my previous article outlining four areas to work on when employing a new recruit. Today lets focus on the Induction Program.

Previously I said…

Induction program – How do people learn about the nitty gritty’s in your organisation, the policies, procedures, OHS, who’s who and what about the culture of the organisation? Has anyone looked at the existing “program.” for a while? Is it relevant, suitable, useful…

So the recruit has been offered a position, you set the start date, it’s 3 – 4 weeks away due to their other commitments, all is well. You set the wheels in motion to get things sorted, a spot in an office, supervisor is informed, HR are organising their part and so on… but when was the last time it was looked at and how effective is all that? and why does it have to take so long to seemingly get them started?

Here are some thoughts on what might be a more ideal way to go.

Send them info on the organisation the minute they say yes – Things like an operations manual, who they will be working with and the structure of that area – an outline of how the probation period will be assessed – an outline of the OHS guidelines for the organisation – a company video – a signup form for HR legal requirements like superannuation etc.
Their workspace – Is it suitable, is it sorted, do they have all they need to do the job, does it meet OHS standards.
Their supervisor – Who is it and what do they need to know about the new recruit, will they need some training or coaching on how to work with a new team member?
The HR teams role – What do HR do to make the recruit fit in? Do they control all of these points? Do they look after all the details or… Find out sooner rather than later.
Team mates – They will probably know within an instant of a new person being recruited, such is the power of the grapevine. But what do they really know about the person, how will they respond, how do they act, what part do they play in welcoming the new person. the list could go on.
Buddy system – Some like a buddy system approach others don’t, but if the new recruit has a buddy make sure the buddy knows the expectations and is allocated time to assist the recruit with all that’s necessary.

There, now you have wrestled a few things into place you induction program is starting to take shape. Here’s hoping the new person loves the approach the organisation is taking and wants to stay and be a vital part of your team.

Next time lets go a step further in the process so the recruits journey is a smooth one.

Tags: business, business success, creativity, employee recruitment, HR, hr leadership, innovation, Leadership, People!, Planning, Risk Management, steve gray, training, workplace safety

Congratulations on the job, what next…

Dec 2

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People!, Planning, Risk Management | 4 Comments

You have selected an employee for a new position in your organisation. Congratulations! All good yeah.. now sit back and watch as it all turns to mud…

Sorry I think in that last line I was being a little bit cynical… Clearly things won’t turn to mud in all organisations, but in quite a few I think it will and here’s why.

- Poor induction program.

- Lousy training.

- High expectations.

- Tricky probation period guidelines.

Yet these things can clearly be overcome. Firstly however you have to objectively measure the four things which could fail.

Induction program – How do people learn about the nitty gritty’s in your organisation, the policies, procedures, OHS, who’s who and what about the culture of the organisation? Has anyone looked at the existing “program.” for a while? Is it relevant, suitable, useful…
Lousy training – Tough, though I know your training people are possibly doing what they can, given tough challenges or are just not that suited to training new employees, they might have a stronger focus on I.T. or a some Leadership program, they can be spread thin. After all did anyone tell the Training area to prepare something for the new recruit?
High Expectations – The HR dept say this person is a great fit for the organisation on SO MANY levels, yet no one in the dept they are going into knows anything about them except some here-say rumor… Truth is the person is a bit average in the start up phase and people in the dept are “non plussed” with the new recruit, some people just need time to shine and figure out where everything is and how things happen. How were the skills the person had in a previous position “Mapped” across to this new role. What if they had used a much older piece of software in the past and the version or type you have is VERY different to what they are used to…
Probation period guidelines – Start and in three months we will assess how you have gone. Assess what and how? Is anyone in your organisation clearly responsible for figuring out what and how to assess, are they qualified to do so to some regulatory standard?

All of these aspects can be challenging to negotiate, and like many people in businesses, they realise they need the new staff member too late and before long everyone is too busy to address any of the above.

Time to take stock and get ready for the new recruit. Now I have created a bunch of points to ponder, in the next few articles lets take each one and develop it further.

Tags: business, business grump, business mechanics, business success, creativity, employee recruitment, hr leadership, innovation, lateral thinking, Leadership, People!, Planning, Risk Management, training, workplace safety

Business and the view from there.

Nov 28

Posted by Steve Gray in Planning, The Operations Dept | No Comments

I probably should have called this “I can’t see the wood for trees” it’s that kind of quote/cliche I was thinking of when I put the wheels in motion for this article.

Reflecting (as one does from time to time) on the way things have happened for me in a number of positions of employ, one in particular comes to mind, let me explain.

Untitled © Peter Biram 2009

In the interview the view seemed clear, my mind has mapped out a course of action right from the get go… But when I get into the role, things somehow magically alter, the view has changed, the map becomes useless and things do not appear as they once were.

What happened? Sometimes I am not so sure, but in reflection from a role about six years back I can see what happened there. The role looked straight forward but on the inside the complexity was a bit much, information overload took place and detail-itis kicked in, people were throwing in all sorts of information into a vacuous space (the memory space allocated for my brain to handle this role.) and it was fast getting cluttered with “STUFF!”

My view on reflection was I could have done better by getting a better map or at least orienting the map to face the right way when I got into the role, and sorting out the basics in a better way to begin with.

The role was in a training organisation and as a 12 month contract my job was to set up new programs and look after a small handful of courses already running. It seemed simple enough but the points outlined above gave it an air of despair.

For each course currently running I should have had an outline of what subjects were being presented, what ones had already been covered, and what was coming up, followed by what I was going to do to make the upcoming parts easy for the Trainers, fail on all counts.

I wanted to go in and check out what the trainers were doing, how they presented, were they engaging, were they providing a rich and interesting environment for the participants and were the participants happy, fail on all counts…

I conjured up a range of new course ideas and ways the organisation would be able to make money out of professional development programs for businesses… A few great ideas were beginning to take shape when a new manager was appointed in a higher role and the eye cast on my plans sent a shiver, there was no money going to be allocated to some of the new programs I had in mind “These plans are all very well Steve, but we don’t have the money or resources to run them.” that was it, despite my evidence to the opposite.

My map turned to mud, my strengths to weaknesses and before long the whole thing became a sham. I had no idea of the view and what it should be like anymore and was somehow glad when the contract came to an end… The tables had turned and what I was hired for became a farce. Funny though just after I left the new Manager was sidelined and things went into some sort of a rejigging spin with the aim of getting the organisation back onto a level keel.

Twelve months wasted? Not really there were a number of small wins and “pats on the back” but the big thing is learning from it all. The aim being not to make the same mistakes. I can blame the organisation for being unclear, I can blame the manager for poor insight and limited vision, but in the end the real results came down to me.

Looking forward was part of the role, looking back was important too, but the here and now of the existing course operation probably may have yielded greater results in the long term. In reality who knows if it would have or not… I can only believe in myself it would have made a difference.

May I suggest you take a look at what’s happening in your business or department now and explore the map in detail and see if all parties on the “Island” are able to read the map and know what to do if they get lost. Otherwise the map may well be useless.

The Rule of Three.

Oct 8

Posted by Bren Ryan in The Board Room | 1 Comment

You can have Quality, Service, or the Cheapest Price – pick two, because you can’t have all three.

I can’t even remember where or when I saw / heard this rule (it isn’t my original, but I can’t remember the source – sorry source), but when I heard it….a light bulb moment, a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious – I remember the source for BFO, Casey Gollan – thanks Case)

I use it every day, when I buy, and when I sell.

When buying, the application is pretty simple – If the price is low, low, low, what’s the catch? If you get three quotes, and one estimate seems to be way below the market value, you can usually bet that either quality or service has been compromised. Now that is not to say that a compromise in quality or service is always a bad thing, just a compromise.

For example, buying on eBAy. I love eBay, I have bought & sold some great stuff really cheap – but, there was always a compromise. To buy or sell at a low price, there has to be a compromise on either service or quality. I just bought a nice coffee machine on ebay. Brand new, an unwanted gift. I saved about 35% off retail- great price. The machine is brand new, under warranty, known brand – great quality. Therefore, the compromise is the service – I had to wait for it to be sent, no instant gratification. I take a small risk that the goods will not be as described. I have less rights as a consumer because it was bought at auction. So, the service has been compromised – not bad service, just different. Different enough that I have to decide if it is worth paying more for the better service, or accept the compromise for a better price.

A selling example could be when I sell caps. If a client wants 150 caps in under 2 weeks, with an average size logo we can easily turn that around for about $7-8. Great quality, Fast service, and a market value price. If the client wants to get them cheaper for whatever reason, then of course there are things that can be done, but they involve a compromise of some sort. We could choose a cheaper hat – a compromise in quality. We could print instead of embroider – again quality (it wont last as long) – so a cheaper hat or different decoration doesn’t mean bad quality, just different.

We could also compromise the service. If we made the caps to order in the Chinese factory instead of using stock already in Australia, we can reduce the cost of the same hat to about $4-6 – great price. Great quality – it’s the same hat, from the same factory, no compromise. Lesser service – delivery will take 12 weeks, rather than 1-2 weeks (literally a slow boat from China!) So, not bad service, just different.

How can we apply this to our businesses?

Do you have any competition?

Do you ever have to competitively estimate?

Are you in a price driven industry?

Are you in a commodities industry?

If you answered yes to any of those questions (and I think most of us would at some stage) then you must use the rule of three to define your USP.

We need to analyse our own business, and our competitors business to see how the rule of three applies, and how we can use it to our advantage.

For example, if your competitor has a consistently cheaper price than you, what are they compromising on? Do they offer a slower service? A different brand? A lesser warranty or guarantee? A lesser after sales service? A different production method? Somewhere, the compromise will be there (it’s a rule). Once you know what that is, you can then rationally explain to prospects exactly what the difference in features (quality, service) is, and why paying a little bit more could be justified. Now, some people will always go for the cheapest price. And some will be willing to wait for delivery, take a generic brand, live without the extended warranty, give up the free after sales service – that’s ok, let’s face it, you probably couldn’t keep up if you won every single order, right?

It could be the other way. You could be the one whose competitive advantage is a cheaper price. You still need to know what that compromise in quality or service is so that when a prospect brings it up, you can rationally explain why the compromise doesn’t matter – you don’t need the extended warranty because they never break down – the generic brand is made in the same factory as the branded one – you deliver slower, but you deliver right on time (when you said you would). Now some people will always steer away from the cheaper version just because they can (Ferrari would never sell any cars if price was always the major factor, right?) – that’s ok, you probably couldn’t keep up if you won every single order, right?

So, according to the rule of three, where is the compromise in your business, and your competitors? More importantly, how can you use those differences between your competition and yourself to your advantage?

Business Basics

Oct 8

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Finance, Growth, Planning, Risk Management, Starting out in business, The Operations Dept | 4 Comments

I love chatting about business, and love to see people put an idea or three into action and get results, but unfortunately far too many people go to get started and so blindly follow the idea their heart runs off with the head and they fail. I don’t want them to fail but they do, the business owner does not want it to fail but it does… Fail, fail , fail… its not a good look!

Therefore, any chance I get I like to mention the basics of business in the hope to make a difference, I like to harp on about the basics and let people know…

Idea – Research – Action – Spend $$ – Make $$ – Have some left over – Invest – Repeat. (or close to that.)

Still people get it wrong, some end up with an image like this…

Idea – Action – Spend $$ – Make SOME $$ – Spend more $$ – End up broke. (Or some similar pattern to that.)

What’s the point of having a great idea and seeing it crash and burn? None, it hurts and can easily hurt others, so stop doing it. The challenge is however people don’t see the “crash and burn phase” they see a rose coloured world of $$ and happy customers.

Consider this, you want to learn to fly, you have the idea, you have the cash to buy a plane, you know full well you can’t fly the sucker until you have been trained and pass the test.

So why the heck do people jump into business (of any size) without the right training… Because they can, and you know what, you can sign up to get business registration on line, get a bank account and so forth and be in business in no time flat. Problem is no training, probably some skills, possibly and few helping hands to get started. and the rest seems to be “fly by the seat of your pants” and hope for the best.

Do some basic research BEFORE getting started and make sure you KNOW what you are in for PLEASE. too many failures in business seems such a waste of resources folks.

Tags: business success, Planning, Risk Management, starting in marketing

Articles to Whet Your Appetite!

Sep 13

Posted by Steve Gray in The Board Room | 3 Comments

In a rush?, want to find great articles fast, here are a few popular ones which seem to hit the right note with readers, I hope you find them useful too!

Does your business have a heart problem? Bren Ryan writes from solid experience in business, this article explores the blockages you might face with a great metaphor, the heart.

Training to Win… Five rock solid points on how to train people to win the game, the business game of course. In simple points to get you thinking and hopefully acting to improve your business.

Top Tips for Probation Periods at Work Nnew staff? Get them off to a flying start with this gem, and I bet you never thought of some of these points, or if you did you didn’t implement them.

Successful Communication – 4 Key Categories Jenny Stilwell is professional with an eye for what works, in this case great communication, you know it’s an issue in most businesses (in fact in life!) so use these points to get your business in to gear.

What are your people doing, working… or? People are great aren’t they, but hey what are they doing? Not sure then perhaps this article will give you a few clues to find out…

The eco friendly recruiter A simple way to streamline your recruitment practices and make a stand for the environment at the same time.

Feedback and Communication More communication strategies, I know you just can’t get enough of them.

Bitter, grumpy annoyed… get over it! People in business can get this way, and I think it’s a timely reminder…

Workplace Bullying Policy What’s that… you don’t have one… oops! Here’s an outline of how to get one fast.

Creating Your Own Marketing Action Plan Emma Rhoades explores a great way to get on top of your marketing plans.

Tags: innovation.leadership, management, managing, recruitment, training

Does your business have a heart problem?

Sep 10

Posted by Bren Ryan in Excellence!, Planning, Risk Management, Starting out in business, The Board Room, The Customer Service Dept, The Operations Dept | 2 Comments

I live and work in Geelong. I have for 15 years or so. In that time, we have pretty much been in drought conditions, and under water restrictions.

This year, month, week, that’s pretty much changed. The word is, we are fast moving towards breaking the drought. With just “average” rainfall mind you. Fantastic! However, it’s caused a bit of chaos this week. You see, Geelong is a city divided by the Moorabool River. It runs roughly West to East, and dissects the North from South.

Of course, there are multiple points at which to cross the river, but one (apparently) vital one. It’s called the Breakwater Rd & Breakwater bridge. As the name suggests, it’s a breakwater, and it floods every time the Moorabool River reaches a certain level. It a pressure release valve so that the river doesn’t flood as badly as it might.

It’s a two way, one lane intersection. It’s tiny. It’s insignificant. It doesn’t appear to be that busy in the scheme of things. I take it everyday in my 5 minute trip to the office.

When it floods, it throws the City of Geelong into Traffic chaos! This week has seen a lot of Geelong employees late for work. My daily 5 minute drive has turned into 45-60 minutes!

My City has a heart problem. Like our Hearts, the city depends on all it’s arteries to follow un-hindered – block one, and you have a heart problem.

It made me think about my business (while i was stuck in traffic ) Sometimes, we have arterial blockages in our businesses. It might be that the phone messages stall at reception and don’t quickly get sent to the sales guy, it might be the order release message from the accounts dept stalls and doesn’t get communicated to the despatch area, so an order sits on the back dock two days longer than it should.

An arterial blockage in our business is simply a part of the system that gets blocked up, slows the rest down, and sometimes even stops the system dead – grid lock!

The first step to clearing such a blockage is to identify it. Sit back, take a breath, and objectively look at your business and how an order goes through your system, even place an anonymous order and see how your system looks to an outsider. Once identified, you can take steps to alleviate the pressure and work out ways to prevent future issues.

In my business for example, the artwork process can be one of those areas that can bog down and block the system. It might be the client is slow to send us appropriate files, or our email breaks down, or a contract artist does not do the job fast enough – there are any number of ways that part of my business can (and has) block and stop orders from proceeding. I don’t like it, but knowing it is an area for a higher potential for screw ups, I pay more attention to it to avoid said screw ups.

Another area with potential for blockages is delivery. I rely on third parties often for delivery. I have clients all around Australia and even a few Internationals. Therefore, I am often reliant on third parties like manufacturers and couriers. If the guy on the back dock at the pens factory is having a bad day, my urgent delivery might not go out, just as the courier driver might have a flat tyre or only pick up 2 of 3 boxes. Even a foggy night made us miss one deadline when the plane holding one box was grounded.

I can’t completely avoid potential blockages, but if i know exactly what they are, I can put safe guards and pressure valves in place to reduce the risk.

So, does your business have a heart problem? It’s one of those questions just like your own health – it might not be comfortable to self analyse if you are at risk, but well worth the effort.

Tags: business, innovation, lateral thinking, Planning, Risk Management, risk reduction

Who’s in… Who’s out? Your business politics.

Sep 10

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People! | 1 Comment

In your business you will have politics (if you don’t like politics get out of business…) it’s all about who jostles for what position, who has power, who wants what and does what.

Politics is great, as long as it has positive aims and ideas (Check out your mission vision and values, it should reflect these.) Where it goes wrong is when people get a little off centre and the positive aims and ideals get shoved off the agenda (not officially, nor formally) but the various thoughts, discussions and notions taking place have “Hidden agendas” happening.

In the end the negativity connected with this level of “philosophical thought process” ends up down the drain. People get hurt, egos get fractured, casualties can be seen from the front to the back door in a “trail of blood” (more in theory than in reality).

I figure the aim of a leader, manager supervisory type is to curtail the pain before it begins. Let’s take a look at some of the issues you might explore:

Is there an “Inner Sanctum”? - This is a group on the “inside” outsiders can not penetrate, even though your values and ideals purport to provide a “fair go” for all. The upshot might be great ideas are not getting past the barrier created by this, your loss… Take a look and see if there is any, then plot to break it down.
How transparent is the organisation? – From providing financials showing the state of play in the org, through to clear systems aiming to support your team (rather than your team feeling unsure about a system and how it works). Making things more transparent shows you are willing to chat about things and let the team know they are a part of the “organism” you have created.
What communication does not take place? – Things not discussed are things missed which perhaps should have been chatted about. Ask what are the things the staff chat about… Now take a look at what’s not being said. e.g. if they talk a lot about their favourite team sport but not about the how well the manager is doing, then in the background they could be stabbing them in the back.
How are they chatting? - These days email, SMS and the like means the backchat can be happening but you don’t know about it. I know “no news is good news”, and “You never hear good things about yourself” while these are interesting clichés, they are not always true and do you want to live your life by clichés?. Oh and avoid trying to cut out texting at work and private emails, they will do it anyway after hours or at lunch on their smart-phones. The aim, to allow them to do it with the aim of it being constructive.
How are they anyway? – The people on the “outer” that is, one or two casual chats will be met with a degree of scepticism “what do they want?” rather than an open conversation where they tell all. Your aim is to have all of your team “Onside” so it’s up to you to build an open and trusting relationship so they can feel comfortable sharing with you in a way which means you will not “rat” on them or use it against them. Keep your chats light and breezy, show you care and remember details (names, places and the like as reference points) and chat about them not so much about you! (that’s a gem!)

In time you can build an organisation which can stand on it’s own feet, knowing the right people are supporting everyone to be their best. Not a team of “Cronies” who aim to create more “Jobs for the boys” and exclude information and ideas. It will take work, it will take a critical eye, it will take you out of your comfort zone, hopefully the end product will be great for all concerned.

Tags: business, business mechanics, business women, have fun in business, hr leadership, People!, politics, small business marketing

How To Make Employees More Productive

Aug 27

Posted by Michael Crooks in Human Resource Management, Leadership, Planning, The Board Room, The Sales Dept | 2 Comments

Most companies are extremely aware of their external markets such as clients, customers, distributor networks and even vendors. But many fail to realize that employees make up an internal market. There are plenty of organizations that bend over backwards to get feedback and input from customers and clients. Far fewer work as hard to get feedback and input from employees. I sincerely believe that any organization that doesn’t view its employees as an internal market is shortsighted. And if you think the majority of your employees are happy campers – I’ve got news for you.

In a report released January 5, 2010 by The Conference Board based on a survey of 5000 U.S. households, only 45 percent of those surveyed said they are satisfied with their jobs. 55 percent are not satisfied with their jobs! According to Lynn Franco, director of the Consumer Research Center of The Conference Board, “The downward trend in job satisfaction could spell trouble for the overall engagement of U.S. employees and ultimately employee productivity.”

What the report doesn’t tell us is WHY 55 percent of employees are dissatisfied. And while specific reasons for dissatisfaction vary by company, job and employee, I believe it can pretty much be summed up as a disconnect between those in the ivory tower and those in the trenches.

One of the best books I ever read on management and problem-solving is an 80 page book called, “I Know It When I See It” by John Guaspari. In the book, the Boss demoralized his employees by telling them that the key to increasing the quality of their product is to, “Try Harder! Do Better!” It had the same effect as unfunded government mandates – no one was given the information, tools or ability to accomplish the edict. What followed was employee frustration, job dissatisfaction and further loss of market share.

If your company is large enough, consider an undercover operation to include the top echelon. In disguise either shop your company or get a job with your company. See first-hand what affect your policies and directives are having on those who must deliver your product or service. In smaller companies, I encourage bosses and managers to get out of the back room. Run the cash register. Load some trucks. Ride and work the route. Stock some shelves.

The easiest dollar made is from a happy, repeat customer. But that’s a lot harder to achieve when employees’ are hampered by decisions based solely on numbers made by people sitting behind desks who are out of touch with reality.

Tags: employee happiness, employee satisfaction, Michael Crooks

More Training to Win – Creating levels

Aug 27

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, Planning | No Comments

When a person starts in your business they start at some level, the bottom, the top or somewhere in between.

Generally it will be at some lower level and will hopefully want to “climb the ladder of success” you provide. For some this will mean a ladder governed by rising pay increments, for others it will be the attainment of various levels of skill achievement perhaps leading to a new title (from assistant to manager etc.)

My suggestion is you figure out a pathway for your staff no matter where they come into the business, so they can clearly follow the path and attain the sense of achievement which goes with it.

There are various examples throughout history of how organisations have used this to their advantage, the main one is the military, where you work up from a “private” to Corporal, Sargeant, and so on. Along the way you have to “prove yourself” to be worthy of the role and the new responsibilities that may bring.

Because of the history of this sort of hierarchy, many people are ingrained to this way of working, so in business we can use this to our advantage.

For some businesses a formal approach is taken, and for others a more casual approach can make the approach far more fun and engaging for that type of employee and business. lets take an example of a business which does a lot of business to business sales.

Because the business is sales focussed the team has to either be supporting the sales team or be part of the sales team. therefore they might create a structure like this.

Support Crew – Starting role in the business – probably in admin there can be a range of levels in this category to take in stores and warehousing.
Sales Support Agent – These people work with the sales team as the sales support team, making the calls, tracking client contacts etc.
Sales Agent – The new sales person starts here, the apprentice if you like to the sales executive.
Sales Executive – The actual sales person, experience and able to lead the sales agents.
Sales Coach – You could call this a sales manager role.

As you can see the aim is to provide a start and end point, in time the end point might alter depending on what the organisation is able to offer and how it develops.

By creating these sorts of levels in your business you can now develop the sorts of specific tasks you want people at each level to do.

Blitz your business now…

Aug 6

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Growth, Planning | 1 Comment

If you are like many people in business you are probably flat out keeping your business ticking over and doing your best to get and keep, ahead in tough times. you have all the usual things you do to keep things going and if you have a profit happening then you are doing some things right.

However it is also easy to miss out on getting things right in your business and in fact it can be VERY difficult to get ALL things right. Perhaps this “Blitz” idea might make a difference to how you go about things.

Businesses often have “blind spots”, in retail circles it’s often called “Store blindness”. It’s where particular parts of the business are not up to scratch and often go unnoticed, it might be one area of a display which has become tardy but is not noticed so we form a blind spot to it. My answer, “blitz your business”.

How? Simple, in retail for instance, draw a rough plan of your store, and have a blitz attack on sorting things out in that section, check cleanliness, stock levels, layout, lighting, signage etc… Then to other business aspects, marketing, operational systems, and management to name a few. Go through all of these one at a time and sort them out bit by bit.

Perhaps set up a blitz team to work on each part of the business so the organisation can see the fruits of it, knowing it has taken solid action to get those results. Start now with a simple checklist of areas to focus on. Oh and remember to mix up the areas you focus on with your team so they avoid getting into a rut and follow a boring routine.

Tags: creativity

Top Tips for Probation Periods at Work

Aug 6

Posted by Steve Gray in Human Resource Management, People! | 5 Comments

Many organisations offer a probation period for new staff and it seems 3 months is often the norm, so what might some of the challenges be, and how would you overcome them? I hope to answer these questions for you, BEFORE you get into a potential minefield with an employee or potential new recruit.

Know…

What you want them to do… It’s one thing to get a new person and say “probation period”, and watch them “try to do their best”, but what do you expect them to know and be able to do in that time? Make a great list of the tasks, values and beliefs they should know as starting points of creating a solid plan of action for training the employee. Ask other in your organisation to have input so it can be a great outline using collective intelligence, not just your ideas.
When you want them to do it by...Then make a loose plan of action showing start and end dates for the probation period. When they start let them know the dates and diarise these for your reference.
What level or standard you require… It’s okay to say the person has learnt something and they are competent, but for a long term employee you probably want more than just the ability to do a task, but you probably want them to be able to do it to a set level consistently, therefore you are now looking for proficiency rather than just the basic ability to do something. Sure measure the fact they have been shown “how to do a task” and they can do it, but go the step further and have them record how often they have done something. At the end of the probation period you should be able to see key areas done x number of times and then you can ask about standards of performance.
They have a reliable Buddy... This is a person they can relate to and a go to for information, in fact it might be a few people they can call on for info. Train the buddy in how to listen, ask questions, and assess performance against set criteria. Make sure they don’t judge the person because they ask too many “dumb questions”.
You have a clear disputes process... It’s one thing to have a plan of action, dates for things to happen by, but what if there is a dispute? please have a clear process to handle this with, otherwise you may find a minor step into a minefield has instantly become a hop skip and a jump into one!
There should be no time extensions… Okay if they have to be away (due to a death in the family or some such event…) the end date might alter, but the time frame should remain solid, three months is three months. If you believe they are not able to come up to the set standard set for the tasks set, then a clear line needs to be drawn about the minimum level they need to attain in that time frame. It can get frustrating for the employee to hear “We are extending the probation period.” at the end of the time it’s the end, wither in or out, if it’s not clear it’s the employers fault, not the employee.
To get results YOU have to take action… You have to set the dates, create the checklist, do the research, train the person… Not them, so set great guidelines and then you can expect great results to follow.

I hope all these points are of value and give you great starting points to work from. Let us know int he comments how you go!

Tags: business, business success, HR, hr leadership, Leadership, People!, Risk Management, training

The Harassment Issue

Aug 4

Posted by Steve Gray in People!, Risk Management | 1 Comment

In light of recent events with the David Jones case in Australia where a worker is claiming a multi million dollar compensation payout, it’s clear employers need to be aware and take positive action to ensure ANY harassment DOES NOT takes place in the workplace.

At the time of writing the case has not been settled, however employers need to be aware an employee can chase a multi million dollar payout figure and although it may not have to pay, the employer will probably have a wide range of stress at the thought of it happening.

Make things easy for your organisation and at least have an outline of what harassment is and look for ways to proactively create an environment where harassment is minimised with the aim of eradicating it.

Active employers will certainly be able to set up a basic awareness of the issues and ways to tackle it which may include training. Do the right thing and show total respect for all the team in your care, by taking action now.

Great profits…

Jul 31

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Leadership, Planning | No Comments

‘

“Great profits come from great products and services…”

Seems like a simple enough statement, but what makes a great company??

Simple…

Great people.

Therefore great people make great companies, so it stands to reason if great companies recognise this they will do their utmost to make sure they make greater people out of the ones they already have.

It also stands to reason a great company will be passionate about people because of this knowledge and provide a “loving environment.”

“What’s a loving environment…?” Lets brainstorm for a minute. (Go ahead I’ll wait…) Enough of the waiting here’s a list to contemplate.

Elegant systems people love to use.
Great training which works with the team to provide relevant skills and information for each level they are at.
Great support, especially if you want your people to succeed to the max.
Elegant communication, your people talk, and not just about the weekend sport or other activities, they talk work and they do so with great interest.
The chance to put in, to give, to be an active part of the organisation. Why because they like to achieve, they want to achieve they CRAVE achievement. Why? because it gives them a greater sense of purpose.
Great service. Your people go all out to be exceptional, and new recruits get to model the exceptional behaviour of your best people, if they don’t do it or get it they are out and you search for better people.
Great examples. Your best people are champions and the rest of the team aspire to be like them, yeah? Of course, if not…. keep training them.

To do all this takes time and expertise, you have to make sure you get the expertise and share it. You know what, I don’t care if you have to do courses after hours, work on your systems on weekends, tweak policies or procedures at 2am, do it.

Do it because you have to make sure your business is the best and will stand the test of time and tough business environments (like a recession and or depression.)

Do it because to live in utopia we need utopian thinking and we need it to start somewhere. If you are not thinking utopia, what are you thinking? Mediocre? or something less than great… why?

Okay it requires effort, but if you already have a team put up this list (add to it if you want) and have them provide ways to get the list into action. Then act on the information as soon as possible.

Now look for the gaps, gaps in the attitudes, gaps in the systems, gaps in the budgets, profits, processes, service provision… Then fill the gaps fast, before long your company will be exceptional and not just great.

7 Mistakes new businesses make with IT

Jul 23

Posted by Bren Ryan in Excellence!, IT Dept, Planning, Risk Management, Starting out in business, The Operations Dept | 1 Comment

Any new business likes to get off to a fast cheap start, but it important to keep an eye on the prize and be wary of cutting too many corners that will end up costing time, money and possibly loss of data and even your businesses ability to adapt to a changing business landscape.

So here are the top seven IT mistakes I have seen new businesses make:

POP email

POP email accounts are those email accounts that you get when you sign up with an ISP. Often you get a few free email accounts that you can associate with your company domain. The problem with POP accounts is that they don’t get backed up and leave you with a false sense of security. Ultimately much of your businesses value lies in the contacts that you have, as much as the conversations you’ve had. POP accounts only store the conversations, and in many cases even those are cleared from the server by your email application. So now all of your data is sitting on the one vulnerable hard disk in your computer and unless you know what you are doing, this does not get backed up.

Shop around. For less than $US15 per month you can get a hosted 5GB Exchange mailbox that stores all contacts, calendar and email. It gets backed up each night and it can be made to synchronise contacts and appointments as well as email with your mobile PDA. If you have multiple employees you can share contacts and calendars and email. This can takes office productivity to a whole new level. Outside the office, on the work site, having access to your email, contacts and calendar is fast becoming as important and as expected these days as having a mobile phone was five years ago. From the work site you can place a booking with a client into the Calendar on your PDA and within minutes staff back in your office can see that booking by looking into your calendar on the server. And Vice-Versa, how good is that. No more checking with the office then calling the client back to confirm, not to mention the to and fro reduced if the booking did not suit.

Of course if you lose or break the mobile phone al of the contacts and appointments that are synchronised to the server are not lost. Just get a new phone and set up again and all the contacts and appointments will be synchronised back onto the phone.

OK, setting this up may require some help from an IT consultant but when you factor in the productivity gains and the reduced risk of data loss in the event of failure the gains are worth it for most businesses.

2. Peer to Peer networking

There is a plethora of fantastic cheap devices on the market these days that let you store copious amounts of data on a networked hard disk. If you like you can also share the hard disk of your own computer so that your co-workers can store all of the data in a single location.

But please don’t forget that you need to back that data up and, just as importantly, you need to be able to restore from that backup should the data be accidentally overwritten, corrupted or you just have a good old fashioned disk crash. Most IT professionals don’t like keeping all of the eggs in one basket. So we devise ways of making systems redundant. A ‘real’ server solution will have redundant hard disks, so that should one fail, your data does not go with it, resulting in days of downtime while the system is pieced together from that backup that you regularly do.

Too many small businesses still store scary amounts of critical data on a single hard disk inside a regular workstation (usually the oldest one in the office).

3. Free software

Free software sounds great. And it can be. I am not against it in itself, but with most software it is not the license that will end up costing you the most money, that will actually be a small part of the cost. You need to consider the longer term costs of implementation and running your systems utilising that software. For a small basic single user application that may be fine. But for something that will be implemented across your business to become what we call ‘mission-critical’ you need to consider the longer term implications. How easily can I get outside help to support this system should those who know it move on (key-man risk)? Can I recruit people who know how to use this system, or will I need to train them up? Will updates for the software be available when I come to upgrade the platform on which it runs?

These are some of the questions you need to ask before taking on what may appear to be a cheap solution.

4. Mates Rates advice

It is hard to pass up free advice. However free advice rarely translates into good support. At least not the kind of support you can depend on from a strategic point of view. Your mates may be available after hours and on weekends but if they are holding down a full time job they may not be as accessible as you need them to be. There are also often strategic and technical differences between how IT is setup and run in a small business environment compared to that of larger organisations. There are specific product bundles available from vendors such as Microsoft, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Symantec and many others that facilitate excellent solutions for small business when implemented correctly. However while these bundles may appear to be a collection of products that many IT experts may be familiar with, they often include some additional bells and whistles that allow you to get real leverage with your IT investment. I have seen many implementations Microsoft’s Small Business Server where a so-called expert was unfamiliar with the use of Remote Web Workplace and so had not known to implement this for the business. Yet Remote Web Workplace is one of the core offerings of small business server and one that many administrators of large organisations would give their eye-teeth for. It allows small business workers to connect to any workstation within the office and run all of their applications from a remote location.

So how could this have been over-looked? Remote Web Workplace is not a feature available on ‘big’ business systems, so if your friends work in big business, they may not know about it, or many other things.

Another important function I have seen ‘knowledgeable’ mates overlook is the ability of Microsoft’s Small Business Server to enable BlackBerry type functionality with regular iPhone, Nokia and Windows PDAs. Perhaps the mate thought they would need to buy a BlackBerry server to do all of this, perhaps because the company they work for has one.

5 . Backup-backup-backup and offsite-backups. Then test them.

It makes me cringe to see what some people consider a backup plan.

Too often I have heard people telling a reporter that loosing the house to a fire was bad enough but loosing the family albums and memories was devastating. The rate of business failure after a major IT disaster from which there was no backup is very high. I have seen figures like 80% in the two years following the disaster thrown around.

So I guess lesson one is make a backup of all of the family photos and take them to a location away from the home. And then repeat this regularly. And check that you can access the copies that you have made. Lesson two is to do the same for your business.

6. In-house software / DIY Systems

All too often I see people who believe that their systems and their way of doing things is so special that they must create their own software just to manage this. Accountants probably bare the brunt of this when the new business owner fronts up to them with a box full of receipts and an excel spreadsheet full of fancy macros that nobody except the business owner knows how to use. Or the very very special Access database for managing stock levels and generating very very special reports.

All businesses want to feel that they are unique. But encoding that uniqueness into a software application that can only be modified by one select person can turn out to be a serious strategic mistake when you try to sell the business or when that ‘key-man’ risk is realised because the person who knows the system can no longer maintain it.

Ask yourself how your business will make money. If developing this special piece of software and selling it is not on the list then don’t go there.

7. Lock in.

No deal in IT is so good that you should sign up for more than two years. The market and your business moves too fast for that. What is a great deal today can be serious drain on cash flow in as little as six months from now. So whether it be a mobile phone plan, an internet connection, a PABX system, a server hosting plan or an IT support plan, two years is just too long a commitment to make. If we think a deal is good today, you can be assured that a better deal is just around the corner and if you’ve locked in for a long time you will be regretting the lock in for at least half of that time.

And it is not just the money. Once you’ve locked into a plan you’re often locked into a technology. Then along comes the next best thing and your business is now not as dynamic as you thought it was.

Svend Petersen is the Managing Director of Excelan.

Excelan provides a personalised level of IT support and strategic consulting for small to medium sized organisations in and around the Sydney CBD.

Tags: business, business success, IT, IT Tools, lateral thinking, Risk Management, training

Successful Communication – 4 Key Categories

Jul 19

Posted by Jenny Stilwell in Human Resource Management, People!, Personal Development | 3 Comments

There are four key categories to remember when thinking about whether you are maximising your communication with your target market. Within these categories there are many variations on how a message can be conveyed, or a channel for dialogue opened. However, if you keep in mind the 4 groups, you will always maximise your opportunities for communicating your message.

1. Develop the Information/Message

If you have information you would like to convey to your customers and clients, in how many fundamental ways could this be presented?

Newsletters
PowerPoint presentations
Emails
Web site
Music or message on hold
Company profile documents
Products & services lists
Product specifications
Company stationery
Brochures
Direct mail pieces
Copies of press coverage/press releases
Articles
Invitations
Speeches

Presentation of your message is critical. Please keep some of these considerations in mind:

Always think in terms of your customers’ perspectives. What is interesting and useful to them? Be genuine. If you say you’re going to do something, then do it. If you’re not genuine it will be apparent.
Focus on consistency of presentation, of message, of image, of how you are being perceived by your customer.
Know who your customers are. Don’t use humour which would only appeal to a small group of people, don’t risk using any message which may offend, and always be mindful of different religious and cultural perspectives when appealing to a broader segment of the local or international market.

2. Open the Communication Channel: Events and Networking

This category of communication is ‘up close and personal’ between you and the customer or potential client. The message may be specific, or non-specific relationship building communication. Some options within this category are:

Client lunches
Launch events
Entertainment events
Industry events (exhibitions, conferences etc.)
Association or Institute gatherings
Organised sporting competitions between companies

Again, remember that your clients and customers are typically not all men, or all women, they are not all the same age, they do not all have the same interests, they may not all have families, and their idea of a great time may not be the same as yours.

The point is, learn about your customers as much as you can, so they join in these events willingly and enthusiastically, so everybody gains something from it. Finally, events and networking are about communication, but what will be remembered is what is different, amusing, and interesting. Add value and your message will be remembered.

3. Involvement from your Clients and Customers

Events and networking functions involve your customers at some emotional level and build the relationship you have with them. However, communication that elicits involvement and follow-through communication from your customers is different, in that there is some notion of commitment to do business with you.

Specific tools to communicate with involvement from customers and clients are:

Surveys and questionnaires
New product/service test programs
Writing up testimonials from your customers
Case studies on your customers’ businesses and their relationships with you and your business
Ask customers for feedback on new developments, such as your web site for example.

Inherent in this type of activity is ongoing involvement and relationships. This is the primary objective of successful communication.

4. Follow Through Communication

One-off communication is not enough. One-off communication does not build relationships. A message can be conveyed by communicating it only once, but will it be remembered? How many times have you seen yet another ad on television and not known who the advertiser was because it didn’t register? The message needs to be clear, repeated, and followed up. Ideally it should also be humorous, of interest or value, and have some differentiating factor.

Don’t stop communicating:

thank your clients
send notes of congratulations when appropriate
send information in which they may be interested
send them leads
follow up on your survey
follow up on the new product or service launch
send them a copy of your first newsletter, brochure, etc.
proactively call them once in a while to touch base and ask how they are, and how business is

The cycle must continue in order to be successful. “The little differences make all the difference”.

Tags: business, communication

My Favourite Web tools Pt 2 – Goodsync

Jul 19

Posted by Bren Ryan in Excellence!, Innovation and Creativity, IT Dept, Planning, Risk Management, The Operations Dept | 1 Comment

Last week I told you about Roboform, the stress saving password encryption and saving program. This week i’m looking at Goodsync, Roboform’s first cousin.

As the name would suggest, Goodsync is a syncronisation program. It will syncronise Folders & files on a PC, Network, and the internet.

I use it on a daily basis to back up my most critical files. Everyday, I copy my accounting back up, my CRM data, my clients art files, copies of my quotes and invoices, our procedures manual, my Roboform data, and my quoting program data – a lot right? It is a lot, and frankly, if I was simply making a back up or copying all those files every day, it would take all day!

I also make multiple copies – I have the original files on my mail PC, I have a back copy on a “storage PC” on the work network, and I make a copy to my laptop (so that I have a mobile copy of the file in case of something like a fire at work). That’s how I use it, you could just as easily use a portable hard drive.

The beauty of Goodsync is; it only copies over files that have changed. This means it doesn’t get bogged down copying files that are already there in the back up destination, a big time saver.

First, Goodsync analyses the source files compared to the destination files, after the initial analysis, this takes only a few seconds.

Then Goodsync creates a list for you to check. There are default settings like always forcing the sync one way, or force the newest revision of the file to override the direction of the sync. You can either manually make the decision, or let Goodsync decide for you based on your preferences.

At the click of a button, it copies the right files to the right place super fast – the only limitation of speed is the speed of your connection. My hard wired network syncs faster than it does to my laptop through the wireless router for example. Still, it only take 3-5 minutes per day to back up all my critical files to two different locations.

Goodsync is super easy to use, A few minutes to set up the initial settings, and then once that is done the daily task takes only minutes. Take this link for a quick overview of how Goodsync works . There is also a MAC version of Goodsync, which I haven’t tried yet, but if it’s like anything Apple, it’ll be easy

I haven’t used the portable version, Goosync2go, but i have used the protable version of Roboform, so I have to assume the portable version is every bit as good as the PC version.

Of course, there is a free trial of Goodsync, it has full funcionality, just a few limits on the volume, so give it a go!

Bren

Tags: business, business success, innovation, IT Tools, Risk Management

What are your people doing, working… or?

Jul 12

Posted by Steve Gray in Excellence!, Leadership, People!, Planning | No Comments

Everyone seems busy right… But things are not moving very well, the people are all busy? Should I put another staff member on…

These and a whole bunch of other questions could be bothering you if your business is a bit bigger than a few employees.

You think back to the early days of doing everything yourself, you worked 12 hour days and then some, finally getting some breathing space when you took on some staff. You trained them and you could see great progress but now things seem different. What’s happening?

Perhaps your people have found a comfortable place for themselves and are keeping themselves busy (it makes the day go faster…) and not overly concerned about the effectiveness of things.

You have a meeting with your key people “Blah, Blah Blah!!!” you go on about how the key guys should lead the team, how they should get up noses, rattle the cage so to speak, and for a short while you see some “scared rabbits” run about and things pick up and then fade, now they are all back to busy but not overly effective.

Your method of getting people to do things seemed great at the time, but knowing it failed after a few weeks was disappointing, you feel like you have to watch the team the WHOLE time, and that’s not what you want to do.

The answer…

Take a look, wander about, listen, observe start making mental notes. What’s working, what’s not… and what are they doing to look so busy yet be so ineffective!

Ask yourself…

Are they doing “administrivia” and dragging it out to fill time.
Are they calling suppliers to get useless info for customers who probably won’t buy anyway, or only want a small quantity of a low priced item.
Chatting about ‘garbage’, or doing silly rubbish, which is personal, rather than getting to the tasks, which really need to happen.
Are your management team, managing too much and not leading enough? Are they not in a position to connect with staff due to too much paper work, or other garbage which is really just a waste of time.

Any of these can take the wind out of the sails of your business, but before you call one of those “rant and rave” meetings to put the wind up people (which will just buy you more enemies anyway). Consider a different approach.

(And yes here’s the answer/s…)

Check out if the team has great technology to support them and make the tasks easy to achieve.
Make sure your systems are easy to learn, follow and implement.
Use multitasking to keep them mentally stimulated and able to do various new tasks from time to time.
Chat to them about what works from their point of view, become a “one on one focus group leader” with each person and get REAL information, not the sort that filters up through the ranks and becomes watered down as a result.
Ask what keeps them coming to work, and not just money and holidays.
Coach your management team to do the same, train them to build rapport, not build ramshackle bridges to nowhere.

In all honesty if you set up a great business to begin with, you will probably find it can remain that way, but it may need some of your original passion for the business to shine through, so the results you want to achieve can be very tangible, you just need to have the right things happening in the right way… Now go out there and make YOUR business highly effective and get the people doing more of the right things in the right way. Then and ONLY THEN will you really profit from the business you started out with so passionately.

Tags: business, business women, HR, hr leadership, Leadership, mums in business, People!

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