10% IS GONE

So how are you doing on your 2013 New Year's resolutions? On schedule? Forgot what they were? Broke them already?

As we post this week's blog, 10% of 2013 has already passed us by. Doesn't seem possible but it is true. Time goes on whether we make progress on our goals or not. I don't know what your goals were but now is a good time to look at some areas of our operation that we should be focusing on.

SALES--We should be addressing how to bring more business in the door. Would of mouth doesn't get it. Have you made that list of major prospects that you want to turn into customers? How are you going to get an appointment to visit with them? Think about some pinpointed mailers that get right to the desk of the decision maker. How about a box of chocolates with a message about how you would just LOVE to have 20 minutes of their time to discuss how you can mutually help each other. You can deliver these or have someone deliver them and then call back in a couple of days to secure the appointment. Better hurry though, Valentine's day is almost here. 

Or if you can't make it by Valentine's day, how about ordering some umbrellas with your logo on them to mail in April with a message that goes something like "Are you getting showered with complaints about your local contractor? Use this umbrella to stay dry and call us. We'll row right over and discuss how we can assist you". 

Just a couple of ideas to spark an interest in your prospects. There are countless other ideas for spring and these are just a couple. The idea is to get going if you haven't already done so. Remember, 10% of the year is already gone.

OPERATIONS--What about those training sessions you were going to conduct in 2013? Were they even a resolution for this year? If not, wouldn't it be great if your employees were all retrained in the way YOU want them to clean a building? Remember, if you haven't done initial training or conducted "refresher" classes with your existing long time employees, they may very well be cleaning the building WRONG. We all get into bad habits and if we don't retrain, we run the risk of having a workforce that is doing a great job of cleaning the building wrong and we wonder why we are getting so many complaints.

I submit that the majority of your employees want to do the job right but just get into bad habits and if you are not monitoring their efforts they just keep on doing the incorrect procedures and maybe using the wrong products etc. Check it out, it just might save you a few complaints and maybe an account. 

HUMAN RESOURCES--Have you checked to make sure your hiring and orientation process is correct? Asking the right interview questions? Getting all the correct paperwork? Making the most effective use of your recruiting dollars? Still hiring just to fill positions or do you have a systematic recruiting process for employing career individuals? This area is where new employees establish their first impressions of your company. What impression do you think they are getting?

While I'm on the subject of first impressions, what impression does your facility send to new prospective employees. Dirty entryway? Dirty carpet? Rude greeting by a receptionist when they come in? Cob webs hanging from the ceiling? These all send a message of how you run your business. 

What about out in the field? What dress code do you enforce? Everybody required to be in uniform? Do they wear them? What about their personal hygiene? Proud to have them represent you when they encounter a customer? Might be a good time to check it out. 

ADMINISTRATION--Are you getting those invoices out and the receivables in so your cash flow is good? Do you have a system for getting the past due receivables collected? 

Well, how you doing on your New Year's resolutions? We are at the 10% check point for the year. Have this blog act as a reminder that if you are not yet started or are behind that NOW is the best time to get started. Time is a wastin' and your competitor may just be passing you by. 

Be sure to check out our FREE weekly pod casts at www.tripodcast.com. These are short, concise, informative messages that may just help you get your week started off on the right foot. 

Till next time.