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Dealing with Customer Complaints – The ‘Act Now’ Policy
A business coach, when explaining to a group of entrepreneurs how to deal with a dissatisfied customer, asked how serious is the following customer complaint? (Add complaint here_________________.) Answers ranged from an easy fix to unrecoverable. The coach replied the actual seriousness can be immaterial; it depends on how long you wait to deal with [...]
How To Be An Extra-Special Manager
Regardless of how “normal” you may regard your business and how you run it, you may have a unique set of traits that can set you apart as a manager. It may be the way you interact with others or your ability to sell anything to anyone. It may be a bit subtler than that. Bringing that little bit extra to managing a business can make a significant difference in how your company operates and how you are perceived as a manager and boss. Bringing something extra to the table can give you a hands down advantage.
How Luck Figures Into Things
It isn’t all about an MBA, a solid investment from somewhere or how innovative you may be. Luck is a factor, and most successful business people believe that luck had something to do with their success. What’s interesting about this is that the average person in a full-time job or even in a small business puts education first and discounts luck as a factor.
Does Your Start-up Need an Employee?
Most new small businesses begin as one person operations. At some point the question becomes, is an employee or two needed? Do You Need To Delegate? The first consideration has to be whether or not certain responsibilities have to be delegated so that you can do the things you have to do to keep things [...]
Skills Entrepreneurs Lack
Most entrepreneurs are focused. They are goal oriented, and they are generally persuasive. These are all good qualities to have in business. It’s what they lack that is often most telling.
A Strong Brand Means Focus
Getting a hold of exactly what your company brand is can be difficult. Most entrepreneurs are so consumed with running a business and growing that business that they lose sight of the key to consumer acceptance, which is the brand. The brand can only be one thing. It can’t be a diverse set of ideas or selling points. Avis is “Number Two”. BMW is “The Ultimate Driving Machine”. Esso puts “A Tiger In Your Tank”. One dominant thought. One compelling brand.
How To Be A Mid-Life Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship is not something that belongs to the very young. In fact, they know very little. They often succeed by total fluke. Don’t be taken in by the endless hype that permeates almost anything written about business success. Nobody has the maturity and experience of someone over 50. Take that to the bank, and while you’re there, apply for a new business loan. Do it with confidence and even bravado.
Businesses That Learn Grow
Many small business owners don’t see themselves as particularly innovative. A very good approach for all entrepreneurs is to be observant, always test things out and assess what works and doesn’t work. In the end, it’s learning the basics that pay off for small businesses.
How to Keep Employees Happy Without Raises
Sometimes, especially in this economy, raises are out of the question. Sometimes the money isn’t there. However, employees are not just there for salary increases. There are many way to keep a staff happy without throwing money their way.
How Small Businesses Can Make It Big
Everyone loves a great success story, and there are many stories about little companies that took off and made it very big. Apple started in a garage. It comes down to strategies that suddenly take hold.
Are You Suited to Business?
Most people really want to be in business, regardless of how attached they are to their jobs and the regular income associated with those jobs. People have a hankering to be their own boss. It may or may not suit you.
An Interesting Perspective on Productivity
Productivity is on the mind of every entrepreneur and all entrepreneurs try to be productive at all times. In the end, it isn’t about working harder, it’s about working smarter.
What Your Customers Really Want
Customers don’t usually tell you what it is they really want. When asked they’ll usually say all is well, but there are many things they don’t say about businesses they deal with. A psychologist might tell you that it;s just human nature. Customers want a whole lot from you, but they’ll never tell you.
The Importance of Goals
It’s probably safe to say that the first goal set by every new business owner is to survive the first year, let alone the first few months. Assuming the company is still standing once that goal is reached, there are important goals that have to be set. Goal setting is about revenue and it’s also about ideas and innovation. It’s about employee retention and about product or service offerings.
New Entrepreneur? What You Need To Know
Are you a new entrepreneur? Before you do anything, think about what you really want to do. If you have a dream, be sure it’s something that is realistic enough to turn into a business.
What a Start-Up Doesn’t Need (Immediately)
Start small, then build. Too many new entrepreneurs put the emphasis on the wrong things. The big things can come later.
Good Leaders: A Balancing Act
In a business environment leader know that staff members should be given regular training to upgrade their skill sets. Great leaders know that it doesn’t stop there. Training and upgrading skills is something that also applies to them.
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