WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS IS YOURS?
A business can be anything from a home-based operation to a multi-national conglomerate. However, most of the principles of running a successful business will be the same regardless of size. Broadly speaking business types can be divided into four categories.
PROFILE.1 Home-based and owner driven, often self-employed tradesmen providing a specialist service. They do not normally employ people. If extra hands are called for they use partner, sub-contract or they know a man who does.
FAULT FINDING: Inept at marketing and pricing they they are not the brightrest tools in the box when it comes to bookkeeping, customer care and lack the basics of running a successful business. Though not necessarily lacking ambition they are intimidated by the complexities and responsibilities of running a bigger operation.
PROFILE. 2 Small manufacturer or service provider. Operates from a sign written premises and has at least one business vehicle. An employer the boss is internet savvy and website. Printed stationary with phone accessiblity. He advertises regularly, aware of the need for providing service quality and has basic understanding of business methods.
FAULT FINDING: Jack o' all trades and master of none, the boss who hires and fires. He is also sales director, bookkeeper; takes care of marketing but an amateur at debt collection. He knows a little about commercial legislation and employee relations. This boss is the only one who is genuinely overworked and under-paid.
PROFILE.3 Larger service provider or manufacturer whose position offers the advantages of delegation. Competent (sometimes) members of the staff who can be relied upon to assume responsibility it is a system that together makes things work. Often dependent upon outside support: IT, marketing, vehicle leasing, temps.
FAULT FINDING: Prone to complacency, too busy to identify and consider the opportunities that present themselves in the rapidly moving market place thus depriving the firm of its edge. The least popular person is the one who shouts; ‘We're going to make a few changes around here’ even if change is for the better. This type's weakness is its complacency and resistance to change. This leads to sloppiness; poor customer care and service, low staff morale, poor accountancy and inertia.
PROFILE.4 Large manufacturing concerns often acting independently as part of a larger group, they operate in a customer-driven competitive market. Benefits from full corporate accountability, proper delegation and attention to detail and client requirements although often tend to skimp on essentials such as mystery shopping services. Foolish.
FAULT FINDING: Lumbering, slumbering giants often slow to change or have diverged from giving the attention to detail that brought success in the first place. A tendency to 'staff and customer remoteness'. Individual initiative is dampened through corporate inertia. They like the slogan, ‘Big enough to deliver but small enough to care.’ Fine words! Do they?
AUTHOR PROFILE: Michael Walsh has been a sales professional and journalist for 40 years. During that time, he managed regional sales teams and provided sales training for sales recruits.
Author of The Business Booster, during 20-years spent with the Guild of Master Craftsmen and Federation of Master Builders he identified, assessed and successfully recruited over 4,000 companies. The Business Tips columnist for online media Typically Spanish. Michael and Nadia Walsh for perfect English and Russian language marketing and website translations. quite_write@yahoo.co.uk website www.michaelwalsh.es telephone 662 067 490.