Are You Listening To Me?

We all want to be heard. However, the quieter you become the more you can hear. Have I caught your attention? Are you willing to listen for a couple of minutes about some good advice to consider while having face to face communications with another person or group? Today’s world of emails, twitter, and facebook often take the one-on-one component out of communication. Although these online exchanges are important tools to use today, nothing is more telling than a face to face meeting. Every day we are in conversations or verbal exchanges with family, friends, co-workers, vendors, customers and the list goes on. If your days are busy, you could have 100 or more interactions a day, some brief, some longer. It is natural to want to be heard and often you have to speak up to make your point of view. We have all been “the one” who feels that what we have to say is the most important message to be heard. To be a good communicator however, you have to be a good listener. It is natural for people to want to talk about themselves and we have all been in exchanges where you just cannot get a word in. Often people just want a forum to be heard and the good listener, the person who listens intently and with empathy, understands this. Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone is talking and wants to be heard and finally someone in the group will notice the quiet one and say, “you are being very quiet, don’t you have anything to add?” that person is probably a good listener. When you listen and hear what is being said you have a deeper understanding and meaning. Try incorporating a few of these 7 steps to effective listening and see what you hear:

1.      Face the speaker and maintain eye contact.

2.      Be attentive but relaxed.

3.      Keep an open mind.

4.      Don’t interrupt and don’t impose your solutions.

5.      Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions.

6.      Avoid finishing the speaker’s sentences.

7.      Pay attention to what isn’t being said.

Being a good listener for most does not come naturally. It takes practice and patience, good luck!

Would Your Customers Say You Are Easy To Do Business With?

We are all so very busy today. Life is fast paced and it seems like the things we need to do far out weigh the things we want to do. As a business owner you know this all to well. Your customers are no different from you. They are juggling the same things that you are. Do you think they would choose to do business with someone who makes it easy or more difficult? Easy right?!

If we were to survey your customers, what would they say?

We were contacted recently by a company who was not experiencing any growth in fact their sales were decreasing. They were not able to figure out what the problem was.  We spent time speaking with the employees, watching and analyzing the sales process and came to the conclusion that the processes they put in place to make the sale were actually making it difficult for their customers. Especially repeat customers who did not want to have to share their personal information each and every time they placed an order. 

With the help of the front-line employees, we were able to simplify the process and make it easier and quicker for their customers to place an order.  By involving the staff that were ultimately "in charge of" placing the orders, we quickly made the changes necessary and they were part of the new process and therefore were invested in the outcome. The outcome of course would be increased sales leading to growth. We measured results for a specific period and were thrilled with the outcome. This small but significant change had two dynamic benefits. First, it increased sales and the company is now growing. The second benefit which is a passive change, yet still extremely beneficial, is that the staff is now focused on placing client satisfaction first. They have seen that they play an important role in the success of their company and have more pride in the job that they are doing.

What is a Client?

When meeting with business owners we often refer back to this mantra. There is often a disconnect and our job is to reconnect. Please read and forward to anyone who may find value in the message. We are all either a client or the one fulfilling the service or product.

 

 

 

Employee Engagement / Ford Business Consultants / January  2016

As the owner or manager of a business do you know whether you effectively engage your employee’s? Engaging with your staff equals a more productive workplace. Here are some interesting statistics for you to consider.

·         70% of owners and managers have checked off the box that says “very good” job of communicating with their staff.

·         In the same survey over 60% revealed that they do not measure the results, this means they just hope it works.

·         In the same survey 26% of employees indicated they are “not engaged” at all and this suggests that there may be a disconnect between management and the workforce.

What kind of an impact does this have on your business? Disengaged employees lose their desire to do a good job resulting in poor customer service which means lost customers, less sales, staff leaving and poor morale for those that choose to remain with your business. Employee newsletters or intranet may not be working as you had hoped. You may be using the wrong methods of communication and you need to revisit the way in which your company communicates with staff.

How to set up an engagement program in your company

Start the tried and true method of treating employees the way you treat customers, with care. Smile and be sincere when engaging staff. When is the last time you looked an employee in the eye and had a conversation or asked their opinion? You will be amazed at the good will that comes from taking a few minutes to engage! In a small operation that we work with, we set up a 15 minute get together with everyone once a week. This method is direct and keeps everyone engaged as they hear the important messages first hand. In larger operations we have suggested an app for employees to stay connected. This allows information to be tailored to different departments. Yes it can be a challenge when your workforce is spread out or working in the field. Find creative ways to communicate and engage with your staff. We often hear from companies and organizations that suffer when things go badly and someone “drops the ball”. This is a polite way of saying someone messed up. Ford Business Consultants can put tools in place to assist you in minimizing this type of event. How often do we hear in the news about a problem that festers and it always comes back to someone not doing the right thing. We often see that this comes down to lack of engagement. One of the Systems & Processes we like to see companies install is “closed loop communication”. This is a verification system that when a task was asked of an individual, notification is given when that the work was carried out.  This type of engagement works and there is no wondering if it got done. This could be email, voice mail, or a check mark and initials on a work order.

How to know if engagement works?

We have already discovered that most businesses do not measure results. Measures could be employee retention, customer service satisfaction surveys and sometimes folks it is just a gut feeling that yes we have more engagement and you feel it. Businesses that have an “engagement program” and interact with staff regularly are leaps and bounds ahead of their competition. Not only will you enjoy more market share, you attract and retain talented staff that leads to be more productivity and more profits. If we can help with this program please contact us, it costs nothing to talk.

To your success,

Ford Business Consultants

1-877-776-1059

S.W.O.T.

Business S.W.O.T. Analysis

This is a powerful business tool that allows you to take a close look at your business. All businesses have strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and yes, threats. Strengths and weaknesses are often internal to your organization. Opportunities and threats can be external factors. Let’s break each one down in manageable chunks that you can use more easily.

*STRENGTHS  

What advantages does your operation have?

What do you do better than anyone else?

What are your operations “unique selling propositions”, the secret sauce?

What do customers and competitors see as your strengths?

What factors are in your operation that means “you get the sale”?

*WEAKNESSES

What needs improvement, staff, processes, sales and marketing, cost of sales?

What are doing that you should avoid?

What have customers and competitors in your market identified as a weakness?

What factors are losing you sales?

Consider your strengths and weaknesses from both an internal perspective and from the point of view of your customers in your marketplace. Do you have some trusted customers that you have identified with whom take an extra special interest in your business? You might consider   asking them for some feedback, most people will be more than happy to give an honest opinion if you take the time to ask. How about your staff? These folks are in your operation working with your customers, why not ask for some feedback and see what you can learn.

*OPPORTUNITIES

Are there opportunities open to your company that you can spot?

What interesting trends can you identify that you can take advantage of?

Are the products or services you offer changing?

Are there changes in technology that could be helpful or maybe impact your business in a negative way?

How about any new regulations or compliance issues?

Are there any identifiable shifts in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle changes that can help your business?

Is your business offering what the customer wants to purchase?

*THREATS

What threats do you face, what is holding you back?

Do you have any bad debt or cash flow issues?

Is ever-changing technology threatening your operation?

What are your competitors doing?

Are quality standards, specifications or expectations for your product or service changing?

Are you losing longtime customers and not enough new ones coming in?

We can all learn something when we make time and look at our business to identify what works and what does not. As a business owner or manager you can be so focused so much on the day to day workings that you miss the big picture. You know there is a mental list in your head of items in your workplace that need attention. Write them down, prioritize them and work toward the change you want and it will come about. And remember that there are no problems, only solutions that you have not found yet!  Be proactive and take charge today.

If you would like some assistance in performing a S.W.O.T Analysis on your business please call 1-877-776-1059 and ask for Richard or DeeDee @ Ford Business Consultants.

New Year, New You?

 The New Year is here and all those resolutions you made are waiting to be filled. You remember the ones about losing a few pounds and spending more time with family, ah yes. We all want to be a better person and that takes change in our attitudes and behaviors. Today is the 1st day of the rest of your life. Major life changes like losing weight, being a better parent, saving money, etc. are all worthy goals and you probably have a few more you want to tackle. 

     You might find small incremental changes in your behavior and starting slow is best for you, while others might dive in and stop the jelly donuts and calorie laden drinks in one day. Find what works for you and stick to your plan, it takes time for good habits to set in. Don’t be discouraged if you have a bad day, pick yourself up and make tomorrow a better day. Changes will only come about if you want to change yourself. No amount of coaxing will lead to the results you desire if you do not want change yourself. Your health and changing your eating and exercising habits is probably my favorite resolution because a healthy and fit you is more productive in all areas of your life.  Please consider throwing out the word “diet” you are not dieting, you are making a lifestyle change, for the better. Exercise is important, but more important is what goes into your mouth. I have heard that the percentage of attention should be 80% focused on what you eat versus 20% exercise. A moment of pleasure and those good endorphin's from eating something will long be forgotten when your blue jeans spent to “much time in the dryer” and shrunk.  A few helpful tips that have worked for me that you might consider if weight management is one of your goals.  Consider keeping a food diary. Writing down what you eat will open your eyes as to what you are consuming. Perhaps a phone app like MyFitnessPal might work for you. It records calories eaten and if you exercise it records that as well. Resolutions are nothing more than pledges waiting to be fulfilled. 

     No matter your goal whether simple or complex, you have to be the one to bring on the change for a better you in 2016! To your SUCCESS.

Focus Your Energy On What Matters To You