OK - be prepared. Here's me being grumpy (probably because of all the rain we've had recently). Why is it that whenever you want to do something, it's always hassle? Let me give you an example. Looking at my costs recently, I decided to change a couple of suppliers - one was my bank. They wanted ID (fine); they wanted me to fill in a form (fine), but then they wanted me to contact all my customers who pay by standing order to inform them that I've changed my bank details (hassle!). That in my book is hassle for me as I have to add it to my to-do list and hassle for my customers who have to mess around changing the standing order.
Yes, I know I could make it simple for my customers and it would only take me a few minutes, but why is it that all the processes are set up to be hassle for people. To be perfectly honest, this is the type of situation that just puts me off doing something.
I personally think that doing business with someone else should be as easy and as straight-forward as possible. You should come away from that deal feeling happy that you've swapped supplier or bought from someone. Not frustrated and annoyed.
It's interesting how bureaucracy and paperwork get in the way of building a good relationship with the customer. Come on guys, go back to basics and try to understand how your customer is feeling when they buy from you!
Any thoughts on my moan?
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Plan now for September
Mmm, it seems that August is counted as a bit of a nothing month as far as business is concerned - September's when everything picks up again isn't it?
Although it's easy to think this way, if you're quieter in your business or taking some time out, that's when you should be doing your planning for between September to December. If you leave your planning until September though, you won't be able to hit the ground running when September starts.
Here's how to do a quick plan that you can just stick up on your wall. Your plan should be no longer than two pages so that you can remember all the information on it and use it proactively.
1) Write down three personal goals and three business goals that you'd like to achieve between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009. These goals MUST be things that you're really passionate about - they must be things that you would happily get out of bed for without getting paid. So, when you've written your goals have a think about whether they make you passionate. If the answer is no, go back and reassess.
2) When you've written your goals write down where you are now with them. Give each a percentage score between 0 and 100% where 0% is nothing has been done and 100% is the goal is completed.
3) Then you need to write down how you will achieve each of these goals. Break each goal down into individual tasks - the aim being that if you completed all of the tasks, your goal would be complete. Once you've written your tasks, you have an action plan then to help you work through your goal.
Unless you're going for funding, this is a very quick way of writing a business plan for your business that you will actually use.
Although it's easy to think this way, if you're quieter in your business or taking some time out, that's when you should be doing your planning for between September to December. If you leave your planning until September though, you won't be able to hit the ground running when September starts.
Here's how to do a quick plan that you can just stick up on your wall. Your plan should be no longer than two pages so that you can remember all the information on it and use it proactively.
1) Write down three personal goals and three business goals that you'd like to achieve between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009. These goals MUST be things that you're really passionate about - they must be things that you would happily get out of bed for without getting paid. So, when you've written your goals have a think about whether they make you passionate. If the answer is no, go back and reassess.
2) When you've written your goals write down where you are now with them. Give each a percentage score between 0 and 100% where 0% is nothing has been done and 100% is the goal is completed.
3) Then you need to write down how you will achieve each of these goals. Break each goal down into individual tasks - the aim being that if you completed all of the tasks, your goal would be complete. Once you've written your tasks, you have an action plan then to help you work through your goal.
Unless you're going for funding, this is a very quick way of writing a business plan for your business that you will actually use.
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