Don't Fight Over The Business

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

The financial start for a business
is larger than most of us can handle,
alone. Everyone doesn't have ready
cash at hand, or a rich relative able
to supply funds. Often times, you
can't get a loan from the bank. Or,
the loan wouldn't cover all expenses.

"I've been in that situation." You
shook your head.

An option is to turn to someone that
will lend you money, for a reasonable
interest rate. Perhaps, that person
wants to help run the business.

From the start, in writing, explain
what your partner's responsibilities
are. Leave nothing to chance.

Who will handle the accounting? The
suppliers? Will someone other than
you two hire, fire, employees? One
or both of you should be on site at
all times? When a major issue comes
up, who will do the problem solution?

Tailor the questions specifically for
your business. This list should be
prepared prior to signing a contract.

The fighting, over business affairs,
is eliminated. There isn't wasted
efforts on a task(s) done already.
Naturally, the business runs smoother.
You and your partner can focus on a
profitable year.

What To Do When Your Business Fails

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

Failure, as in any other aspect
of life, happens to small
businesses. Pointing the blame
finger, helps no one, is fruitless.
More importantly, push away your
hurt feelings. Take solace in, the
fact that, your best efforts were
given.

Address the situation at hand. Go
to your creditors, explain the
situation.

"A failed business makes it hard
to look at the staff, impossible
to face creditors." You lowered
your eyes to the floor.

It's not going to be easy
explaining to creditors, employees
needing their pay-check that will
never come, or your mentor who
cheered for every success.

Muster the courage to disclose
it. Don't hide behind your
mentor, family, or the pit-bull.
Advise everyone that has a right
to know.

In time, people will respect you.
The, mere, fact that you stood-up,
and chose to face the people who
trusted you, speaks about character.

Tie-up the end of business, and move
on.

Take some time to relax, do activities
you didn't have time for. Read the
book you've been trying to for three
years, visit family members, or
start an exercise routine.

Later, when you're ready, analyze
why the business failed. Was it
poor business decisions, on whose
part? Were your finances managed
by properly? What part, if any,
did you play in the failed business?

You must be honest with yourself.
If you don't find the true causes
of why the business failed, correct
them, you will continue to make the
same mistakes.

A failed business requires you be
fair with all concerned, move on
with your life, and find out why
it happened. At some future time,
build a new business.

Protect Yourself From A Thief

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"Huh?" You fixed your eyes on the
title.

A thief is a person who helps himself/
herself to another's property, cash,
without permission.

Sadly, employers, unknowingly, hire
people who are thieves.

I'm not saying, all book-keepers,
accountants, are thieves. There is
a, small, percentage lurking, that
know how to gain the trust of their
employers.

The check-book should remain under
your control. If an employee needs
a check, let him/her come to you.

It curtails anyone helping themselves
to business funds, by signing your
name. Also, you can spot when/if
too many checks have been written.
It keeps you involved with that
aspect of the business.

No one should have complete control
over funds, but you. It protects you
from a thief.

The only time you relinquish control
is when you have a partner. At that
time, you and the partner's signature
should be required.

Invest in a deposit stamp.

"What good id that going to do?" You
questioned.

A deposit stamp keeps your checks
from going to an account that has
a similar name, either, by fraud or
mistake.

The deposit stamp can read: For
Deposit In, Your Company's Name,
and the account number.

It's a must to save receipts, any
papers, from your accounting
personnel.

Criminal, back-ground, checks are
tools small business owners should
utilize. Still, errors will, can,
show-up, for one reason or the other.

Use common sense in an effort to
protect yourself from thieves. In the
long run, time, piece-of-mind, and
money will be saved.

Address Business Issues

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"It's a problem." You tossed
around the bed, half asleep.

Collect the, necessary, tools
needed to address the business
issue that's costing you sleep.
Most likely, it's stealing profits
as well. It's a waste of business
sources, your energy, and other
human resources to allow a business
issue to drag-on.

A business issue, problem, is
employees disregarding rules,
stepping across boundaries,
obsolete equipment, and/or suppliers.

Employees who do what they please are
bad examples to others. If they
continue, people will follow. Conflict,
confusion, flows from disrespectful
employees to everyone around them. The
negative energy fills the air.

Naturally, employees doing their jobs
become the objects of sarcasm. They,
eventually, produce less, and are
unhappy.

Sit the parties down, talk to them,
individually, and then together. Make
it clear that rule breaking will not
be tolerated. Lend or move people to
different departments, areas, permanently.
If negative behavior continues, dismissal
follows.

The business issue of antiquated equipment
can be difficult. It takes a toll on
employees, and profits. Address the issue,
move on with running a successful business.
The longer you put-off addressing the issue,
the more costly it becomes.

What employee wants to war-and-tug with
machinery, just to get a job done?
He/she will call in sick, often.

Perhaps, you have an in-house maintenance
team. It, still, takes time to get the
equipment running. Again, wasted human
resources, and possible profits.

A business issue with a supplier should
be addressed immediately. If materials
are less at supplier B, that particular
dealer is the one to work with. It isn't
personal, but a business decision. It
doesn't matter what the issue is with a
supplier, direct your attention to it.

Address business issues, and make your
life, business life, easier.

Customer Service That Brings Repeat Business

Be fair, attentive, and customers will
return.

Customer service is assisting, providing a
service, giving help and/or support. How
you, your employee(s), handle customers
determine whether or not they return.

"What will bring a customer back?" You
asked.

The first factor is attentiveness. If a
customer complains, for example, about
being on a certain floor, of a hotel,
direct your focus to the problem.

"I don't like staying on the third floor,
uneven numbers are bad luck.," Mr. Tate
said.

"It's nothing wrong with the room, and I'm
not sure there's another room available."
The clerk taps information into the computer
system.

After that, the customer, most likely, asked
for a manager, or packed immediately.

The clerk didn't, politely, address Mr. Tate's
concerns. He didn't want to stay on certain
floors, no matter how nice the room was.

His/her response should have been the
following.

"I understand, Mr. Tate. Would you like
to visit the bar, or get something to eat?
I'll have your luggage moved to a different
room."

"Sure."

"I'll notify you when the room is ready."

Mr. Tate is happy, will tell his friends,
and some of them will want to visit the
hotel.

Word-of-mouth is free advertising,
additional benefit.

The second factor in getting repeat
business is solving the problem
quickly.

Address Mr. Tate's issue promptly.
If you encounter difficulty finding
another room, go to Mr. Tate, and
keep him updated.

Chat with him for a few minutes,
and depart.

It shows that his fears, he, is
being taken care of. The hotel,
you, care.

The moment his room is ready,
advise him. Give him a
complimentary gift.

The last factor is get to know
customers.

"I'm busy, and don't have hours
to get to know customers." You
complained.

You don't have to spend hours talking
with them. Converse during the times
you see, speak, to them.

"Good morning, Mr. Tate. You sleep
well?"

Exchange pleasantries. Sometimes,
people will talk, ask questions.

The important key is you, your
staff, left a, friendly, door of
communication open.

Not Enough Time

Be fair, attentive, and customers will
return.

"I scheduled to do several jobs on Monday,
but wasn't able to." You said. "Now, I'm
running behind."

In my opinion, it's best to be organized,
have everything mapped out. You know what
is to be done on Day One to the end of your
week.

However, life, circumstances, don't, always,
allow us to stick to the plan. There, simply,
is not enough time.

"How do I make more time?" You sighed.

Don't get frustrated, disappointed, with
yourself.

You make more time by re-evaluating your
schedule.

It doesn't matter if for a business, or
a cluttered life. You must prioritize.

I'd like to write, for example, a book
per day. Update my web log once a day,
work on writing projects that interest
me, and instrust students.

Perhaps, there are people who can write
a perfet, need no editing, book, but I'm
not among them. I can write two or three
pages a day, more realistic for me.

My web log is revised in a timely fashion.
It's pointless, waste of energy, to worry
about it. The energy can be used for taking
care of tasks under my control.

I arrange students, who need my help, to fit
my schedule. If I can't work with someone
today then tomorrow.

Work projects, writing projects, are fitted
to my schedule. I'm relaxed, and work faster.

The same should hold true for you. Pick the
most important projects, tasks, to do, first.
Each one is given, only, a portion of your time.
Otherwise, you're loaded down working on jobs
that could have waited. At the end of the day,
you're stressed out, because you, still, have back-
logged work.

Practice pacing yourself. If necessary, jot
down what's urgent. Tape the paper near your
work-station.

If, only, you had decided to use this
practice sooner, your profit margin would
be larger.

Especially, the day the Browns called
about their order. The folder was mis-
filed. You had to call them back. You
found the folder on top of the filing
cabinet. Your stress level elevated that
day, needlessly. Hopefully, the Browns
become repeat customers.

Make a schedule to never have to use
the title words: Not Enough Time. Allow
time between tasks, projects, for the
unseen.

Also, if you stick to the schedule,
don't worry about what didn't get done.
Do your best.

It promotes happier, less stressful,
lives.

Schedule what you will do tomorrow, and
not be stressed, because you know what
to do next. Or, never again, spend too
much time on Product A, Task D, or Service
G.

Successful Internet Business Must Do

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

An Internet business requires
certain factors to be successful.
I'm referring to any product, or
service sold via the Internet.

Your advertising must take them
into consideration when promoting
products and/or services.

"Take what into consideration?"

The first factor is your target
market. Do some research. Who
will you direct your product or
service to. Exchange ideas in
forums. There's no harm in trying
chat rooms, related to your
business. Or, just to get
general information. Of course,
writing articles for e-zines
will give you exposure.

You want to know, exactly, who your
target market is. Senior citizens?
The eighteen to twenty-five age
group? Male? Female?

Next, explore ways of increasing
sales. Link to, for example,
another web site(s).

Once traffic, people, start
visiting your web site, the
sales presentation should
inspire them to buy.

Finally, build an e-list.

"How do I?" You stopped reading,
answered the telephone.

An e-list equals e-mail addresses.
Collect them to stay in contact
with customers. Send them new
offers, keep them aware of sales,
offer discounts, etc.

Online businesses must target
their market, increase sales,
bring in traffic, and build an
e-list to be successful.