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

Getting Organized

Yikes, the end of the calendar year is near. Now is the time to make those calls, finish that project and prepare for the coming year. As 2016 closes in it is a time to reflect where you have been but more importantly where you want to go! I find the time between Christmas and New Year ’s Day is usually unscheduled time as folks are either returning un-wanted items, travelling or just plain taking some time for themselves. Start with the clutter not only on your work spaces, but your phones and tablets as well. If you have not touched that hand out you got at a seminar in April, you do not need it. It is liberating to free yourself from clutter that accumulates over the year. You might consider the acronym of TRAF when something comes across your domain. TRAF stands for TOSS, REFER, ACT, and FILE. This works and avoids the buildup of clutter. Get out your 2016 calendar and look over the months and fill in events in your life that are already scheduled, birthdays, travel and other life events. Planning is important and by using a calendar you get the big picture and that can assist in your organization. Avoid procrastination, you know you have a major project coming, why not start working on it now? Get cracking on your plan as time does not wait. Make 2016 your best year ever! To YOUR Success!

 

December 2015 Holiday, Special and Wacky Days

We wish you everything Merry and Bright. Enjoy this festive time of year! 

December 21st is Look On The Bright Side Day

 

December 23rd is Festivus

 

December 24th is Christmas Eve and National Chocolate Day

 

December 25th is Christmas Day

 

December 26th is Boxing Day

 

December 26th-Jan 1 is Happy Kwanzaa

Happy Kwanzaa

Surround Yourself With Good People

“In the counsel of many there is wisdom”.  True words; consider adopting them for your own use. The world is a busy place, with everything we have to grapple with today both personally and professionally, you just can’t always have the answer. I have noticed that some people don’t seem to have any trouble when it comes to giving their opinion. Personal advice dispensed freely about the car you should buy, where to vacation and what movie should be on your list to watch. Matters of business are a different issue and you are expected to always have the answers. No one in business that we have ever met has had all the answers. The eye opener for me came a couple of decades ago when people whom either came into our world through employment, other business owners and clients (yes, clients) would show an interest in our business. I learned to nurture these relationships and these folks often had good advice about a business matter. Carefully cultivated relationships allowed me to seek counsel on challenging issues. Our business grew by leaps as I had surrounded myself with good people. Ultimately you have to make the decision and live with the results. Trusted employees can be your best source as they are the ones doing the work, on the front lines as we say. Consider having an advisory board, a small group that would meet once a month. This is informal and the folks are not paid for their time. They are generally warmed that you value their opinion. Topics of discussion can be sent a few days before the meeting to allow folks time to digest and offer some solutions to your challenges. Sometime last week you were talking with someone and you said “that’s a great idea” and you wondered “why didn’t I come up with that?  As previously mentioned, you are in the moment, taking care of the needs of the moment. A great leader surrounds themselves with good people and is open to suggestions and comments. Surround yourself with good people.

 

 

Waiting For A Different Result May Be Costly

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Some say this is the definition of insanity. Does this sound like your business? When we are consulted to assist a business get back on track, we ask tough questions. We will inquire as to why it is done this way and often we hear “well, this is the way we have always done it.” Sometimes that answer makes perfect sense as this is a best business practice and it works. Other times there is room for improvement in the way a business functions. The goal of every business is to make money; I think we can all agree here. We all get busy and we know there are issues that are impacting our business. From a distance the business works and it seems profitable. Only upon a closer inspection do we realize the need for change. We are creatures of habit and get comfortable in our worlds and change is not easily embraced. I am confident this has already happened as having had to inform staff of changes in policy or procedures is not often popular. Done with care and compassion these changes can be realized as a good thing. This rings true especially when staff work and attitude is improved. In growing your business, what do you do over and over and hope for better results? Is there a process in your business that takes too much time and doesn’t yield good results? Are you staying with the same way of selling because you can’t find the time to make the changes you know are needed? How much are you paying for goods and services your business consumes? Just as important as increasing sales is reducing costs which can get out of control if not watched carefully. Change only comes about when you have a deep desire to make it happen. Take action today with a small, incremental change in your business and build on that success. This is a great read and I refer to it often. Dr. Spencer Johnson has many good business books that are short and right to the point. As a busy business owner, this is exactly the type of read for you.



Donate Your Time If You Can

You work so hard all year long. You have earned everything you have and should be so very proud of what you have accomplished. Donating your time to an organization that you feel strongly about will fill the desire to help others. It is rewarding in so many ways.

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Your Family

Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season are upon us. Soon we will see and experience the sights and smells of holiday food being prepared and the gathering of family and friends.   Take moments during the festivities to pause and reflect upon all that you have to be thankful for.  May you and your family enjoy a bountiful holiday season.

Its Veterans Day.........remembering that Freedom is not free

If you should get the opportunity to salute a current member of our armed forces or a veteran, I hope that you will.

There are approximately 23.2 million military veterans in the United States.

• 9.2 million veterans are over the age of 65.
• 1.9 million veterans are under the age of 35.
• 1.8 million veterans are women.
• 7.8 million veterans served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975), which represents 33% of all living veterans.
• 5.2 million veterans served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present).
• 2.6 million veterans served during World War II (1941-1945).
• 2.8 million veterans served during the Korean War (1950-1953).
• 6 million veterans served in peacetime.
  

Be a LEADER not just the Boss

Congratulations you are the boss but are you a LEADER? The definition of a Leader: Leaders help themselves and others do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring definition, and create something new. Leadership is mapping out where you need to go as a “team” to win.

You are the one that everyone looks to for direction. Employee’s (teammates), customers and vendors know you are the boss. When you look back at your own work history I am confident you have had some fantastic bosses, the ones that inspired you to be who you are today. Then there were some you would care not to work with ever again. They too gave you some valuable information on how not to succeed as a leader. The fantastic bosses are the one’s whom are there to support but not micro manage what you have asked your employee to do. The fantastic bosses are the ones whom praise in public but counsel in private. Fantastic bosses understand human nature and the fact that people want to do a good job and feel good about their work. A fantastic boss leads the charge and sets examples of how the operation should flow. Be the boss you want to be and make gradual changes to your work place. Today is a new day and it is up to you to make the difference. Not sure where to start?  It costs nothing but your time if you wish to talk about how you can make positive changes. Contact us at ford@fordbusinessconsultants.com.

Can Good Customer Service Create Profit and Growth?

Every business that sells a product or service has customers. Yes, even businesses that supply one component to an end user, have customers. Ask any business owner or manager and they will inform you that “Yes, we have good customer service”. What does Good Customer Service look or feel like? It may be as simple as being taken to an item you cannot locate in a large store by the sales associate or the cashier thanking you for your business at the conclusion of the transaction. Perhaps your transaction was over the phone? Was your customer service representative helpful and cheery, could you feel their smile? Or were they hiding behind the fact that there is no physical interaction so why be overly nice? Good Customer Service has to start with a customer driven mindset, a passion to serve the customer.  When we give a business our hard earned dollars, we want to feel good about that transaction and know they value my patronage. Folks, there are many choices in today’s marketplace for the consumer to bring their hard earned dollars to.  If you don’t make it your business to excel in the customer service department your competition has just been given an opportunity to earn a new customer, unfortunately one of yours.  Please do not be fooled that just because business is good that it will last forever. All businesses experience ups and downs however, the ones that will be here in the down times are the ones whom understand and practice their customer service with each and every transaction.  Next time you are in a check-out line, stop yourself from saying “thankyou” after handing over $100.00.  Test this theory and see if you are thanked for your business. It is the employee whom should be saying thank you to you, not you to them.  Don’t be quick to blame the sales associate as this mentality begins with the management or ownership.  This is quite simply a management problem and not the employee.  

If we want change in our business, we must change. Change starts at the top and makes its way through the company.  It will not be enough to put a mission statement on the wall. Each and every staff member will have to be informed and coached as to company expectations. This will take time and you may have to spend a little money to get it done. Lead by example, nothing is as powerful as a demonstration by you, the owner or manager, as to what is expected. Do follow up with your staff regularly, work the floor, handle some incoming calls, and talk often with your staff. Lead the way and make your expectations clear. We all want customers to be raving fans of our business and excited to do business with us. Remember happy and satisfied customers lead to more profits and fuel growth. Not sure how to start? Contact us today and let’s talk about it, we are here to assist you. www.fordbusinessconsultants.com

You be the judge. Good customer service or comfortable with success?

Yesterday I went in to a bakery to purchase a cake. Upon entering the bakery there is a counter on your right to order sandwich's, salads, coffee etc. and another counter next to a case of cakes, cookies and other baked items. The bakery was extremely busy and there was no organization and it was not clear who was in line or even if there was a line. I proceeded to the case with the cakes as I wasn't ordering lunch and this seemed to be the thing to do. I stood there and stood there, employees walking past me and looking at me but not saying a word. Finally, after an uncomfortable amount of time an employee came over to get something out of the case and she informed me that there was one line and that was over there. As I turned to see where she was pointing, I can assure you there wasn't a line. Ok, I'll play the game. I wedged myself in between two people that seemed to be in the line and proceeded to finally make my way to the lunch counter. I ordered the cake and the employee then directed me to go over to the other counter where I had already been to complete my order. Ok, I followed her direction and went to the exact place I had been standing some 20 minutes earlier. Now, I don't like to equate the price of things to the service received but lets face it as humans we do this. If we stay at the Ritz Carlton we expect better service than the Holiday Inn. This cake was not cheap. I knew it would be good so I endured the poor service to get it. I paid for my cake and this is the kicker, I usually say thank you before the person that I just purchased something from does and I am often told I should not do that. Wait to see what they say. So this time my manners were put on hold because I was annoyed. The employee handed me the cake and did not say a word. Not thank you for your business, I hope you enjoy your cake,please come back and see us again, NOTHING.
Interestingly enough the day before, the bakery was closed, unusual for them, for an employee summer party. So, you would think they would be feeling good about where they work and maybe go above and beyond? Or is the owner as dispassionate about good service and therefore it trickles down? Maybe because they are busy they are resting on their laurels? Not sure. I do know that I emailed a comment about my service experience and have not heard back. Looks like I'm going to have to find a new bakery. Bad service, indifference to the customer and an overall uncaring attitude is the norm today. Imagine if your business went above and beyond how it would SHINE. What do you think?