ReeHart - Blogging from the Heart

Posts Tagged ‘business management’

It’s always easier to sell to an existing customer than to a new one.  For this reason, owners of small businesses constantly look for ways to keep their customers happy.  Regardless of what you sell, there are a lot of ways you can maintain a loyal customer base.  Here are some tips:

Stay Professional by Keeping Your Training Up to Date 

Keep up to date on the news and innovations that affect your industry.  It’s critical for your customers to think of you as an expert in your industry.  Since information is so readily available on the Internet, customers are becoming more and more knowledgeable every day.  It would not be good for your customer to know more than you do about something you are supposed to be an expert at.  That is why it is so important for you to commit to ongoing training and doing what you need to do to stay up to date with your industry.  Your customers will reward you for your commitment to constant growth. 

Resolve Customer Problems Quickly 

It is rare that you will hear about a customer problem up front, so you need to use your intuition in many cases.  You could learn a lot by asking your customers periodically how their experience with your and your company has been and request suggestions for improvement that might make their situation even more enjoyable. 

Most important, when you hear of a problem never give in to the SODDI defense (some other dude did it).  It’s your business, so everything that goes wrong is your fault – take the blame with grace.  Then, take action to fix it fast.  Customers are more used to excuses than fast action so your commitment will be noticed.  Instead of the error being foremost in their minds, the amiable resolution will keep them returning as repeat customers.  In fact, you may find that some of your biggest “problem” customers will end up being your best referral source. 

Help Your Customer Recall the Reasons They Picked You 

Don’t be timid: it is critical that your customer is reminded of the advantages of choosing you over your competition, and you should praise them for their wise choice in you.  There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t like to be praised, and its the perfect opportunity to help them recall your competitive advantages at the same time. 

The ultimate goal when creating loyal customers is to give them service that is so good, everyone else pales in comparison.  Provide outstanding service to your customers day after day, and they will expect it as a matter of course.  That’s a loyal customer. 

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Heather is a forty-six-year-old woman who is the director of the human resources department at a large brass fabricating company. In order to help diminish the costs linked to excessive sick days, poor employee work performance, employee alcohol abuse and alcoholism, increasing absenteeism, and work related injuries, Heather and the other company executives implemented some programs that made the work environment considerably more safe, healthy, and more productive.

As an example, fifteen years ago Heather and the other VIPs established an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to top shelf counseling for their personal problems that could adversely affect their work performance, personal well being, and their health.

The Company Administrators Erect An Avant-Garde Workout and Exercise Room Complete With Exercise Charts, Scales, Exercise Equipment, Weights, a Personal Trainer During Business Hours, and Mirrors

As another example, approximately eight years ago Heather and the other members of top management constructed a technologically advanced exercise and workout room complete with exercise charts, scales, many different types of exercise equipment, weights, a personal trainer during business hours, and mirrors.

Furthermore, roughly four years ago Heather and the other members of upper management invested in a distillation system that filters all the water that is accessible in the main building. In much the same way, three-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other company administrators started a “walking club” that zeros in on employees who want to work on their cardiovascular system.

The Company Administrators Initiate a Weight-Watchers Class and Sign Up a Weight-Loss Nurse to Oversee the Program

As another example, about two years ago, Heather and the other members of top management created a “Weight-Watchers” class that currently meets every weekday at noon until 1:00 PM. In addition, the VIPs hired a weight-loss trainer to manage the program.

Likewise, two years ago Heather and the other company administrators launched a “Stop Smoking Club” for employers who want to abstain from smoking.

In the last eleven months, in a joint venture with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company administrators established an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to learn how to better manage their anger.

Top Management Puts Into Operation a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

In the last two months, Heather and the other company leaders established a drug and alcohol testing program that is associated with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In fact, Heather is the main individual in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the workers about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.

One of the key components of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Wednesday after work. The basic idea with this class is informing workers that abusive drinking and depression frequently take place in the same individual. It is hoped that comprehending this information can help a person address both medical conditions and get the alcohol therapy and mental health counseling he or she requires.

The Company Executives Launch an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another relatively recent enhancement to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The rationale behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that quite a few people are unsuccessful in their attempt to understand the full impact of the results of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction without first learning about some of the alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that are available. Consequently, one of the objectives of this class is to provide various alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts in order to help workers gain a better comprehension of the large number of difficulties that are correlated with abusive and irresponsible drinking and how they can avert these issues from occurring.

Most recently, Heather and the other members of top management, through observations from employees, started a class that centers directly on acute drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Wednesday morning an hour before work and focuses mostly on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcoholism, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the different types of counseling that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in an abusive manner.

Although every single one of these preventative maintenance and health programs was fairly expensive, the company leaders think that they are several thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their workers with more productive, healthy, and safe working conditions.

Everyone does risk assessments, they just don’t know it.

If you have more than five employees then health and safety law requires that you carry out documented risk assessments for tasks or operations with significant risk. So, carry them out, preferably with the people involved and value their input, engage your workforce in the safety culture. Communicate the results and any changes required to the workforce, do not leave information in a file to rot.

But I dont know how to do a risk assessment!

Of course you do, if you drive a vehicle,car,bike, you do one at every junction, (I hope) looking both,each ways before moving out, if it is clear to do so. Even looking in your rear view mirror is a form of risk assessment before a manouvre. Crossing a street,road,highway on foot you do the same thing, looking each,both ways before you walk,step out.

Risk assessment is mainly common sense, could you affect anyone nearby, clean up mess,spillages, cure leaks, dont leave draws open for people to walk into. No trailing cables. Sometimes you will need specialist information,knowledge of machinery, production,processes or chemicals,products will,may will be needed, it is important to have this advice to hand when you need it.

Employees,Staff,Workforce are your business’s most valuable asset, so doesn’t it make business sense to protect them. It also makes legal, moral sense.

You cant eliminate all risk and the law would not expect you to, you are required to do what is reasonably practicable, that is, what an open minded, reasonable person would expect to be in place. Sometimes referred to as The man on the Clapham Omnibus, but you can Google that yourself.

The Definition of Risk Assessment

It is simply a methodical investigation of what in your workplace could cause harm to people and what precautions are in place to protect all persons who may visit your workplace.

Have you sufficient, reasonable precautions in place or do you need to make changes.

Did you know?

o 245 people in the UK are killed at work each year not including road related deaths

o There are 30,000 work related serious injuries every year, 1 every 17 minutes

o 137,000 people in the UK were injured or killed in work related incidents last year

o 2 million people in the UK believe their illness to be caused or made worse by work

o 25,000 leave work every year never to return

o 38.5 million working days are lost in the UK through injury or ill health each year which is a 30 billion annual cost to businesses

Did you know?

o The average fine for successful prosecution by the HSE was 18,765 in 2004 and this is not covered by insurance!

Five Stages of Risk Assessment

Stage 1 Hazard Identification

Pretend you are new and look at everything with a fresh view, is what you record reasonable or should changes be made.

Everyone in the workplace will have an opinion, seek them out and evaluate their comments.

Check manufacturers instructions or data sheets for chemicals and equipment as they can be very helpful in spelling out the hazards and putting them in their true perspective.

The less obvious hazards may also be identified by using records already in your possession, such as accident and ill health records.

High levels of noise or exposure to harmful substances should be considered as well as the obvious safety hazards.

Step 2 Who is at risk and how?

Compile a list of all persons,individuals who may be at risk then you will be able to manage it. You may need to consider them as groups rather than as individuals.

Descriptions of harm are needed, type of injury, e.g. repetitive tasks like on a production line. There are special requirements for some groups of workers like young people, pregnant women, disabled persons.

Members of the public should also be considered, if they could be hurt by your activities. If you share your workplace, you will need to think about how your work affects others present, as well as how their work affects your staff ” talk to them and ask your staff if they can think of anyone you may have missed. Extra thought will be needed for some specific hazards, cleaners, visitors, contractors, maintenance workers etc, who may not be in the workplace all the time.

Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

What are you going to do about the hazards, everything reasonably practicable is the answer there are Approved Codes of Practice available from the HSE which are taken to be industry best practice.

Compare what you have or are doing with the best practice guides. Do you need to improve?

Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control, PPE (personal protective equipment), Discipline of the workforce to work correctly. Use ERICPD to check.

Step 4 Record your findings and implement them

Write down your findings and keep them simple do not over elaborate e.g. Tripping over rubbish bins provided, staff instructed, weekly housekeeping checks, or Fume from welding: local exhaust ventilation used and regularly checked.

Risk assessments need to, be sufficient and suitable, they are rarely perfect, but need to evaluate the hazard properly.

You need to be able to show

o a proper check was made

o who might be affected

o the significant hazards are controlled

o all people potentially involved

o precautions are reasonable

o staff were involved

o the remaining risk is low

Dont try to do everything at once. Make a plan of action to deal with the most important things first. Health and safety inspectors acknowledge the efforts of businesses that are clearly trying to make improvements.

o Quick fixes

o Medium and long term goals

o Training

Step 5 Review your risk assessment and update if necessary

Review at least annually

Nothing stays the same

o Changes

o Improvements

o Any near misses or accidents

o Ask the workers if everything is OK

o If you know there has been a change review immediately

Some frequently asked questions (Courtesy of HSE Web Site)

What if the work I do tends to vary a lot, or I (or my employees) move from one site to another?

Identify the hazards you can reasonably expect and assess the risks from them. This general assessment should stand you in good stead for the majority of your work. Where you do take on work or a new site that is different, cover any new or different hazards with a specific assessment. You do not have to start from scratch each time.

What if I share a workplace?

Tell the other employers and self-employed people there about any risks your work could cause them, and what precautions you are taking. Also, think about the risks to your own workforce from those who share your workplace.

Do my employees have responsibilities?

Yes. Employees have legal responsibilities to co-operate with their employers efforts to improve health and safety (e.g. they must wear protective equipment when it is provided), and to look out for each other.

What if one of my employees circumstances change?

You’ll need to look again at the risk assessment. You are required to carry out a specific risk assessment for new or expectant mothers, as some tasks (heavy lifting or work with chemicals for example) may not be appropriate. If an employee develops a disability then you are required to make reasonable adjustments. People returning to work following major surgery may also have particular requirements. If you put your mind to it, you can almost always find a way forward that works for you and your employees.

What if I have already assessed some of the risks?

If, for example, you use hazardous chemicals and you have already assessed the risks to health and the precautions you need to take under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), you can consider them checked and move on.

Right now, there is a serious downturn in the overall economy. The effects on business are reverberating not only across the United States but around the world. From the everyday Joe on main street to auto workers in Detroit to traders on Wall Street, money seems all dried up.

Business owners in this bad economy have the simple desire to simply stay afloat as the economic downturn worsens by doing one thing. Hard work. Its an American heritage that will never die Sometimes, however, it takes more than just the sweat of their brow. It takes business financing.

Even in this recession, we have been able to secure personal and business loans for business owners in need. With the current economic black cloud hovering over the nation, this is no small feat.

Despite what you might think, the money is available and depending on your circumstances, it’s a lot faster and easier to get than for others. When you choose a business financing consultant, it is vital to have someone who has numerous connections to obtaining the money that you need in an expedient manner. Be sure to ask for business references, check out their Better Business Bureau record, and get to know them. Your goal as a client is to be treated first class and to get the money you need.

About Our Firm: Our business loan consultation service will help you find and secure the right type of small business financing for your cash flow, business start up, or business expansion needs. We will work closely with you to determine your unique needs in order to create the right solution for your business.