Looking to grow your Cumbrian business? Starting a new business in Cumbria? In-Cumbria’s Business Doctor Peter Fleming brings the top business tips which will help you achieve your vision.
I worked for a MD once who was not just a great visionary but also a very driven Leader in being able to achieve these aspirations. Every employee presentation ended with the same mantra “Be Brilliant at the Basics”…
Through supporting many businesses small and large, implementing a clear strategy for growth and particularly improving their sales, I tend to be asked, what’s the one thing that would make the difference? And the answer, there is no one thing! However if you make continued incremental improvements in all areas of the business you tend to find the business outputs and results increase dramatically over time.
Therefore one quote which has always stuck with me is: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got" , Henry Ford (1863-1947).
Three key areas to focus on to deliver a successful business development plan are;
Structure , ensuring good communication; look at your current hierarchal structure within your business. Who reports to whom? Adapt the structure to the future needs of the business, establishing clearly defined job roles and responsibilities then determine what key competences are required for these roles. Improved clear communication lines internally ultimately means you will be more effective when it comes to customer communication.
Processes and policy; is there defined processes for important tasks? This doesn’t need to be military level Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) however understand the key process flows within your business. A good tip is to walk through them and highlight any bottlenecks. Determine if these are due to batch mentality of certain tasks such as work planning, job sheets allocation or invoicing? Then as a team find a better way of working. Simply reducing the amount of duplication or people involved, including yourself, will make a significant difference. Clarifying policies such as customer complaints procedures, staff sickness & holidays requests, even use of personal mobile phones and social media within the workplace will make processes more efficient therefore employees being more productive, resulting in a better level of service.
People ; have the right person on the right seat of the bus. Ensure you recruit or fill job roles with people whom have the competences and potential required to establish and fulfil the future business structure. Give all employees the opportunity to sit down with their line manager for appraisals at least twice per annum and hold less formal monthly 1-2-1s with your line managers. Ensure staff are supported “to be the best they possibly can be” within their roles. This is not just sending them on training courses, but coaching, mentoring, buddying up with others “on the job”, having 1-2-1’s and giving them the necessary tools to be effective and efficient in their roles.
If you are looking to grow your business, Business Doctors Cumbria offer a free business health check where we can help you to set a clear vision to understand the steps you need to take to fulfil your aspirations.
Contact Peter Fleming 07966 686112 email peterfleming@businessdoctors.co.uk
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