| |
| |
|
Management Information |
|
|
|
Train Me -- But Follow Through
My mechanic has me trained. When I take my car in for an oil change, he places a sticker in the upper left hand corner of my windshield to remind me what date and mileage I should have my next maintenance completed. But every once in a while, he forgets to put the sticker on the window. Then I have to remember the date and mileage details. It's a good thing to train your customers and clients and it can help you pump up your bottom line. But if you choose that route, it's important to follow through. Because my mechanic occasionally forgets the oil change sticker, he shifts the burden of that "perk" to me. On top of that, it could cut into his business if I delay the maintenance because I've forgotten when the car is due. And if he forgets stickers on several cars...well, you get the idea. Training your customer when and how to do business with you helps both them and you. You can train your customers to easily understand when you are available, when to expect a response to a question, when to expect delivery of a specific item plus many more interactions with you and your business. Customers appreciate consistency from the companies they do business with. But make sure you have a mechanism to help you follow through. Unmet expectations have a way of driving business to your competition. About the Author Denise O'Berry frequently speaks to professional organizations, is the author of three booklets, and several "how-to" manuals. She writes a weekly small business column, hosts an online small business owners forum and is called upon regularly by publications such as Entrepreneur, Bank Rate Small Business, Florida Trend, Inc., various newspapers, radio and television to provide expert comments on small business issues. http://www.whatspossible.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Group Meeting Disrupters MEETING DISRUPTERS: If two participants are carrying on a personal discussion that interferes with a meeting, direct a clear and simple question to one of them. In order to avoid embarrassing them, address them by name before asking the question. You're Hired, Now Go Home: Managing Workers at a Distance Telecommuting or virtual work opens up a wider net of potential employees for businesses - the disabled, the stay-at-home parent, the student, the retired, the flextime person, etc. However, it also creates unique challenges in hiring, supporting and managing this new group of workers. Is Your Business Ethical? Ethics - in a profession or trade - is that branch of philosophy which studies the principles of right and wrong in human conduct.Is your business ethical?What I mean is "Does your business do the right thing when faced with that decision?" It's a simple question, which many businesses struggle with. Bullying and the Not for Profit Organisation Where there is people there is politics! Bullying is now a major workplace issue that has invaded our not for profit organisations. Take the following example. I Cant Use This Approach Unless My Boss Does - Power, Accountability, and Consequences People who work with us often struggle with this dilemma: in theory, they come to believe that it would be very helpful to use our approach with people who have more power than they do, and in practice, sometimes it seems too risky to try. Some examples of things that feel too risky include raising questions with your boss about his or her performance, disagreeing publicly with people who have more power , or otherwise sharing information that might lead you or the person in power to feel put on the sp ot. Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Have a Complete Agenda Most agendas for a meeting look like this.* Budget* Payroll* Staff* Sales* VutszxtnSome people would tell me, "That's a perfectly good agenda. The Few & the Many: Free Trade, Outsourcing, & Communication Have you noticed that some sound ideas get bad publicity? Two I have in mind are outsourcing and free trade.No doubt you could name others, but looking at these two initiatives helps us understand a communication challenge for many companies and not-for-profit organizations. How to Create an Operations Manual An operations manual can act as a tool for training employees and empowers them to your business running smoothly when you are out of the office. Though it may seem like a lot of work, the effort put into your operations manual can save you money that could otherwise be wasted on mishandled procedures and employee training time. Uncommon Common Sense - Know What is the Most Important Thing in Your Business Over 3 of my meetings with 3 business owners last week, what really shocked me was how uncommon common sense was. 2 out of 3 I spoke to do not know what is the most important thing in their business. Knowing versus Doing - Execution In The Workplace Have you ever worked with someone who always seemed to have the answers; who always seemed to know what should be done; who could always quote the experts view on a certain situation, but for some reason, just couldn't perform as expected?Working with a client last month I was struck by the fact that my client was already very knowledgeable about the issue that we were discussing. As we talked through the situation it was clear to me that my client was well read on this subject. Top 10 Things Every Business Should Provide for Every Worker - Including the Boss! Doing business and meeting the needs of workers is increasingly complex. Employees and managers often prefer a cafeteria-list of fringe benefits (a "flexible spending account") so they can choose increased health care, child care or more time off as their individual preferences dictate. Virtual Assistance: A Money Saving Opportunity For Employers What is a Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant is a highly skilled, independent entrepreneur who provides business services in a remote or virtual environment. Some have used terms like telecommuter or working from home. Learn How To Get The Most From Your Team Being a leader isn't easy. Every one looks to you to make decisions, resolve disputes, and to carry all the responsibility. Negative Self-talk is Too Expensive I'm always fascinated by the people who lift huge weights, particularly in competitions like the Olympic Games. There are events for men and women and they get up on stage to lift a bar with huge weights attached. Outsourced Learning: Are You Ready for Learning BPO? As the business world enters a period of hyper-competitiveness, every business process will be subjected to examination and possible restructuring. We have already seen outsourcing and offshoring used to an extent what nobody would have dreamed of a few years ago. Build Rapport Fast! - Eight Easy Steps Building rapport is all about creating a relationship, in the moment. And this is vital in business, education, friendships and many other areas of life. Procrastination and JDI! In a management role procrastination can seriously hold back progress and demotivate individuals and teams who, full of innovation and drive to move forward, get frustrated and confused when action is held up. There are a number of steps that will help the procrastinating manager. Profound Knowledge We all are on a quest for knowledge. Whether its information that will make our lives easier or just small packets of data that in a trivial way allows us to sort out "why things are the way they are on this planet. Three Business Lessons From The US Postal Service There was a buzz in the air recently about the US Postal Service. Seems as though they were running into a budget deficit in the billions. Business is About Making Money Ask most people why they are in business and they will give you any number of reasons. Things such as wanting to improve the lives of others; make the world a better place; provide for their family; have more free time; the list goes on and on.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
