Business Tips - The Man (or Woman) in the Mirror

BUSINESS TIPS – The Man (or Woman) in the Mirror

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting

Ken Blanchard says “If you want to know why your people are not performing well, step up to the mirror and take a peek”.

This one really made me smile -  you see I recently attended a seminar where Billy Selekane was one of the guest speakers and he said that Michael Jackson’s song “Man in the Mirror” was singularly instrumental in changing his life and I guess if you listen to the words properly you will hear something which explains the profound impact that the song had on him – it goes something like this:
“I’m starting with the man in the mirror,
I’m asking him to change his ways & no message could have been any clearer,
If you wanna make the world a better place,
Take a look at yourself and then make a change!”

I guess half the battle is firstly to recognize that there is a problem and then to get clarity on exactly what that problem is.  Only then will you be in a position to make a decision on how to go about finding the correct solution to that problem and in my experience, nine times out of ten it is lodged somewhere between “Perception, Expectation, Assumption and Interpretation!”

Those four words for me are the most dangerous in the dictionary because they very seldom meet reality!

Often the lack of good performance is a lack of understanding of the communication and then the employee assumes that they understand what needs to be done and the employer assumes that the employee knows what needs to be done and the result is chaos, resentment, angst and hurt feelings.

Then of course the perception on the part of the employee is an emotional one of “I get no appreciation for my efforts” and the expectations on the part of the employer are not met and there is an emotional “the staff are not performing properly because they are lazy and ungrateful” and the reality of course is that neither statements are even remotely correct,

Perhaps the better option would be to ascertain whether or not they have understood the instruction correctly the first time around.  The reality is that often our interpretation of something is completely different to the next person.

When I am facilitating workshops, I have learnt that it is not enough to just ask people if they understand because usually the answer is a resounding yes!  I have learnt to take it one step further and ask them to tell me what they understand from what it is that I have just told them.

The first time I did this, I was absolutely astounded by the different answers that I got around the room.  The delegates themselves were amazed at the different responses, the different interpretations, the different viewpoints and perceptions.  It was an extremely profound moment and one that had a huge impact on all of us.

So for the sake of your sanity and for the benefit of your relationship with your employees make sure that everyone really does understand the requirements and that you are all on the same  page.  You’ll be amazed at how much your employee’s performance will improve.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 4

MOTIVATION –  Powerful Words – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2010

Networking for me, is one of the most powerful words, for my business.  It conjures up meetings with new people and that always gives me the perception of new business and an abundance of new opportunities.

Networking is where I meet people who are like minded, who share the same goals as I do and who are serious about business.

Remember though that Networking is something that you have to do on a continual basis and not just when you need new or additional business.  It’s easy when you are busy, not to Network, but that is when you need to Network the most – that is how you stay ‘busy’.

Refresh/Rebirth/Revitalize/Re-invent – whatever word you use to describe what it is when you change or add to what it is that you do in your business is also a very important word.  Looking back on my business I can see that it has morphed into something similar, but also very different to what it originally was and that’s not a bad thing.  You see as Entrepreneurs we have to move and change with what the market requires or needs from us or we will wither and die.  Being able to change, quickly and often in a completely different direction is an Entrepreneurs greatest strength.  It ‘stretches’ your mind, it makes you ‘think’ and it makes you ‘see’ and become aware of all the different opportunities and options that are available to you.

Next time we will have a look at the final two powerful words, until then remember to have fun!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - What to do When . . . Staff are Negligent in the Performance of their Duties - Part 2

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . STAFF ARE NEGLIGENT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES - PART 2

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations & Best Practice requirements.

So here we are again with Mike and George and the disciplinary is now taking place.  You will remember  that George has failed in his duty as the Security guard, to either search the employees as they were leaving or to search them in the correct manner.  George has also allowed employees to sign the register evidencing that they have been properly search when they haven’t and all of this has been captured on video.

At no time during the disciplinary did George challenge any of what Mike had found.  In other words he did not deny that he had not searched some of the employees, he did not deny that he had not searched some of the employees in the manner prescribed in the procedures as laid down or even that he had allowed staff to sign the register indicating that they had been searched, when in fact they hadn’t.  George did not deny anything.

What George did say however, is that he had not been trained properly – in fact he stated that he was upset at the lack of training that he had received by Mike at this store.  He further stated that the search “procedures” which he had not received any training for at this store, were completely different to the search “procedures” that he had been trained in at a previous store that Mike owned.

The Chairman presiding over the disciplinary, after weighing up all the evidence and taking into account the fact that George had been with the Company for 15 years,  found George guilty of misconduct in that he had failed in his duty to properly carry out the required search procedures.  George’s misconduct had created a potential loss or theft situation and had therefore put the company at risk.  The Chairman also took into account that ‘as far as was known’ no theft or loss had taken place during this particular shift.

The Chairman further found that despite all of the mitigating circumstances (being the long service and that no losses appeared to have taken place during this particular shift), that the relationship of trust and confidence had been broken down irrevocably.  This was shown and highlighted by the video footage that had been provided proving that the employee had failed in his duty and that as a result of this the employment relationship could no longer continue.

George was dismissed.

In accordance with Mike’s internal appeal procedure and in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, George lodged a formal appeal.

Now of course, an appeal hearing  had to take place.

Next week we will continue with what happens.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

VAT 101 - Some of the Requirements - Part 1

VAT 101  – Some of the Requirements – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

Please note that this pertains to South Africa VAT (Value Added Tax) requirements.

“Who here loves the VAT man?”  That is a question that I ask on a regular basis.  Sadly though, more often than not, mine is the only hand that goes up.  It is definitely a mind-set that needs to be changed if we are to make the best use of the concessions that SARS gives us.

That said, here are a few tips in terms of what must be done regarding the VAT requirements.

Obviously – number one on the list is that you have to be a VAT vendor in order for any of this to apply to you and if your turnover is a million or more per annum, then being a VAT vendor is compulsory.  You can, however, apply to become a ‘voluntary’ VAT vendor.

VAT has to be charged at the current rate (as at February 2017) which is    14% and of course you have to make use of a valid ‘Tax Invoice’ and this has to be kept in terms of the correct retention period as promulgated by law.  That means that your documents must be archived and retained.

VAT must be charged for all services or products supplied by the vendor.  These services or products must be wholly or partly used for consumption in the course of making supplies or supplying a service that is taxable.  That means of course that if you buy a potato (as a basic foodstuff this does not attract VAT which means you cannot offset it), to make chips or mash or even a roast potato dish for your restaurant, you used the potato (but changed it in the cooking process) in your product and your product does now attracts VAT.

Going out for a meal with clients is called ‘entertainment’ and as such you can claim it as a business expense, but you cannot claim the VAT on it, unless . . .

If you or one of your staff are going out for a meal with a client and you (they) are out of town for longer than one night, you can claim the VAT back on this.  In fact any meals taken by you and your staff, including alcohol, whilst you are out of town on business for a period longer than one night can have the VAT claimed for.

Normally, you cannot claim VAT for ‘office refreshments’, however if you purchase refreshments for the delegates that you are training, then you can claim VAT on those refreshments.

As usual, it is about what you know and how you use it that will allow you to make the most of your relationship with SARS.  Next week we will have a look at a few more expenses that you can in fact claim the VAT back on.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS – 8 Tips on Stuff you Should know Before you Start a Business – Part 4.

BUSINESS TIPS – 8 Tips on Stuff you Should know Before you Start a Business – Part 4.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – November 2014

So far we have looked at how vital it is to get clarity, to put a Business Plan into place, doing the research, avoiding discounts, hiring friends (or even family) and leaving the past behind.  Today we are in the final stretch with the last two tips.

Don’t be afraid to fail
I recently saw one of those motivational posts that said something along the lines of  “The only difference between you and a master is that the master has failed many more times than you’ve even tried”!

The reality is that we fail . . . . .  all the time.  Think about the red robot that stopped you – you failed to go through the green in time, or the meeting that you were late for or even worse missed altogether.  They’re failures, sure not life threatening ones, but failures non-the-less!

Don’t be too hard on yourself when you do fail.  Dust yourself off, learn the lesson from what you did wrong and then discard the failure and move on.  Take the lesson you’ve learnt, put it together with all the things that you did right and move forward.

I started this particular series with a plan, a business plan and I am going to end it with a plan – an action plan!  Clearly planning is of great importance.

The Action Plan
For me, each issue that comes up must have its own plan.  So for example the registration and legal requirements need a plan so that I know what needs to be registered, how (what documents are needed to be completed and attached to the registration) and when by.

The administrative process needs an action plan.  What needs to get done, who is going to do it and how – the sales process would feature hugely here.

The operational requirements needs an action plan.  What needs to get done, who is going to do it and how – the deliverables process would typically feature here.

Then of course the HR requirements also needs its own plan.  What employees need to be sourced and recruited and of course how many.  What skills do they need, what are the legal requirements, where do you find them -  what do you need?  So typically you would need things like job specifications, job descriptions, letters of employment and the whole host of policies and procedures.  Issues around who is going to write or supply them and when do you need them by, would feature here.

I have often heard people, from the safety of their cushy corporate jobs you understand, say things like “I want to start my own company – how hard can it be?”

The reality of course is that it is hard -  the reality is that there is a huge amount to do, to research and to understand and if you cannot keep track of it all you will make things a whole lot harder for yourself than they need to be.

So although it might take you a whole heap of time to put the action plans into place, they will most definitely save you a whole lot of time and angst in the long run.

Here we are at the end of this particular series.  I hope that they have been of some help and benefit to you as you start this exciting chapter of your journey.

I wish you good luck, good wishes and good fortune.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 3

MOTIVATION –  Powerful Words – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Here we are at week three on this particular series – powerful words and how they motivate us.  Already they have had a profound effect upon me . .  I wonder how they have impacted (if at all) on you?

Health.  Oh dear, I can see that I am going to be in the depths of the brown smelly stuff again today.  I really don’t take as good care of myself as I expect and motivate and yes, even moan, at loved ones to take of themselves.  I don’t get enough sleep and I certainly don’t get enough rest and last week it was plain enough that I don’t get enough ‘me’ or ‘dream time’.  Exercise is something that I used to do in my youth and my diet – well perhaps we shouldn’t even go there!  Here’s the thing though – in order for us to work optimally it is important that we get some exercise (and no, I am not talking about spending 3 hours a day at the gym – moderate exercise is all that is required).  It is important to eat not only well, but also healthy foods (and for goodness sake, that does not mean going on any of those fad diets and always check with the doctor first to ensure that you do what is best for your particular body type).  Get enough sleep!  Yes I know that some people need more sleep than others – you know what is good for you and try and say “no” to a chemical induced sleep (whilst it allows you to sleep it comes with it’s own set of consequences)!  Where possible try and sleep naturally and on your own steam!  Not getting enough rest and down time means that your judgment will probably not be as clear as it could be and this could also have an impact on your decisions and they way that you execute them.  You need to look after yourself first before you are able to take care of anyone else or anything else.

Organization. This one I must admit is also another favorite of mine.  For as long back as I can remember, when I sit down to work (and this started at junior school level) I had to have all the utensils that I may need.  My pen, pencil, ruler, rubber, sharpener, book, notepad etc.  I could not get started until everything was within sight.  Trying to work with even one of those items missing was a nightmare, as my mind keep coming back to the question ‘where is . . . ‘.  Nowadays, I just don’t mess with that particular emotion and keep a set of everything on my desk, in my carry-bag and downstairs (where I sometimes work while I am watching TV), it just makes life easier.

The same can be said when I need to do something – all the research notes and articles and whatever other requirements that are needed for the particular article or the project must be present and accounted for.  I make copious amounts of lists and as each task is completed it gets ‘ticked off’.  It really is so gratifying to see each list with rows of ‘ticks’ down the side – it gives me a certain sense of accomplishment.

Most people get quite a fright when they see my desk – it looks like a mound of paper, disorganized, cluttered and a mess!  I know that my domestic helper always smiles at me, each week when I say to her “don’t touch the desk” and when she does clean (and I have seen her do this), she does it in sections, careful not to move anything too far out of its original position.  You see, whilst it may look like a disorganized clutter and mess to you – I know exactly where everything is. I have piles of material that can be used for the articles that I write, piles of information that will be used to write policies and procedures, piles of work in order of priority, and notes of things that need to be done or people that need to be contacted – yip, it’s all very logical to me.   Many people need a clean clear desk on which to work – that for me would be intimidating!  You need to find what works for you, then organize yourself and your space into what is most comfortable for you to work in.  Only once you are comfortable in your space and in yourself will you be able to ‘let go’ and get on with what needs to be done.  If that means using a favorite pen, or listening to a specific type of music (or not), indulge yourself and then see how quickly, efficiently and effectively you get on with getting on with your short-term and long term goals.

Next time we will have a look at a few more powerful words, until then be gentle on yourself, you will find that you accomplish a whole lot more!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - What to do When . . . Staff are Negligent in the Performance of their Duties - Part 1

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . STAFF ARE NEGLIGENT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

According to the law, the charge of negligence is a dismissable offence!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s examine what can and often does happen.

Let’s go back to our protagonists – Mike (the employer) and George (the employee) and see what they are up to this week.

Mike owns a retail type store that sells anything and everything and George is the security guard.  One of George’s main functions is to physically search employees as they leave the premises, to ensure that half the store stock doesn’t leave with them.

Mike is a pretty thorough type of a guy and he has all of his procedures and controls in place.  One of the procedures is that it is incumbent upon the Security guard to search each and every employee that leaves the premises, without exception.  The procedures have all been circulated and all the staff have signed off indicating that they have familiarized themselves with the procedures.  Furthermore, Mike has gone through the procedures with George to ensure that he understands exactly what it is that he must do.  George has been with the company for 14 years now and it is therefore highly unlikely that he has not had the benefit of training for the position.  George is equipped with a metal detector that must be used when conducting a search to ensure that metal objects have not been fraudulently removed from the store.

In view of the value of some of the higher priced goods in the store, Mike has had a whole surveillance application installed and he is able to video all the staff as they leave and therefore he is able to monitor George to ensure that the search is in fact carried out on all the staff and also to ensure that the correct search procedures are utilized.

In accordance with laid down procedures, George has signed the procedure manual, in particular the procedures that pertain to the searching of staff members as they leave the premises, thereby acknowledging that they had been read and explained to him and that he understood what it was that had to be done.

The employees are individually searched in a private cubicle, with close personal inspection, plus a metal detector scan.

Mike noticed that the turnover in the store was steadily declining and that the losses were creeping upwards all the time. He investigated and attempted to resolve the situation by increasing his preventative measures.  One of the areas that he looked closely at was the staff exit procedures.

What he discovered was not good news.  He found that out of 24 employees that left, George had only conducted a properly compliant search on 1 of these. There were eight instances where the staff members were not searched at all.  That meant that there were 15 staff members who were not properly searched.  Not only were the staff not searched or not correctly searched, the video also showed that George allowed the staff to sign the register thereby confirming that they had been search, when of course they hadn’t!

Clearly a disciplinary had to take place.

Next time we will continue with what happens.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

VAT 101 - VAT on Fuel

VAT 101 - VAT on Fuel

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting August  2009.

We all know (well I hope we do) that we cannot claim VAT on the fuel that we use.

So how do we handle VAT and fuel levies? How do we claim back all that we can without falling foul of the law?

Let’s call in the protagonists.

Mike owns a transport company that collects fresh produce from all over the country and delivers it to the various branches of his clients, again all over the country.

With the various increases in fuel that we as South Africans have experienced over the last two years and Mike has been forced to introduce a fuel levy to his delivery charges on all of his deliveries.  Mike being an honorable man ensures that if the fuel price decreases, so do his levies, so the levy therefore fluctuates from month to month.

According to the law, Mike meets the minimum requirements and he is a registered VAT vendor.  Mike has to charge VAT.

The ‘fuel levy’ is not zero-rated.  It is a charge that Mike levies in respect of the service that he supplies and it is therefore not exempt.

You see Mike is not supplying fuel to his clients, he is supplying a service – the fuel levy now becomes a part of the services that Mike provides, much the same as the cost of maintenance of the vehicles is factored into Mike’s costs and therefore Mike is quite entitled to charge VAT on the fuel levy.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - The Importance of Attitude

Networking 101 – The Importance of Attitude

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting.

I promised to continue this section with your approach and attitude to Networking.

Most people seem to approach a Networking meeting with the “Let’s see what’s in it for me” glint in their eyes.  Let’s face it folks, as Trevor Nel of Inner Circle always says “We all come to these meetings to sell, not to buy”.  So what would make your service, your widget or your IP so much greater than the next person?  Why would everyone in the room, suddenly stop wanting to sell their wares and in a unique 180 degree turn, all want to buy something from you – well the obvious answer is nothing!

So, you’re pretty much not going to achieve anything if you expect to be selling 50 deals on the night (day or whenever) of the meeting.  Clearly your mindset needs to change.

Why not try going into the meeting with the idea that a) you are going to meet a whole new bunch of people (who also know a whole new bunch of people) and in doing so, you will strengthen and add to your data base or b) you are going to meet a whole new bunch of people who you can leverage off and perhaps form Strategic Alliances or Joint Ventures with or c) now here’s a unique thought – how about you are going to meet a whole new bunch of people who you can actually assist by pointing them in the right direction and thereby being a huge “Value Add” in their businesses.

Either way, you will have scored big time and will also have had value added to your network, your database and your business.

Networking for me, is about giving assistance and being of help to someone else, believe me – the more help you give the more business you will write. That’s not to say that you become a “mother Theresa” type of figure – you still have to make money to put food on the table, but at this point, money should not be your primary objective.

So the next time you go to a Networking event, make sure that your mindset is right, it will open up a whole new avenue to you and help with building new relationships, which in turn will bring you an abundance of new business.

I will continue this saga next time, with some more tips on Networking.

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS – 8 Tips on Stuff you Should know Before you Start a Business – Part 3.

BUSINESS TIPS – 8 Tips on Stuff you Should know Before you Start a Business – Part 3.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting

So far we have looked at how vital it is to get clarity, to put a Business Plan into place, doing the research and avoiding discounts.  Today we will be looking at a few more issues.

Hiring Friends
If ever there is a quagmire in business, this has surely got to be one of the biggest!

The reason for this is that generally speaking emotions get in the way and when things should be debated or problems discussed, we tend to try and steer clear of the confrontation so as not to upset the friend and in doing so, we put the friendship under another type of strain.

The reality of course is that the friendship/relationship should not be brought into the office and any issues concerning work or office, should be dealt with as you would deal with any other employee.

Human nature being what it is however, means that that seldom happens and unacceptable situations are allowed to continue until somebody snaps and irreparable damage is done to both the working relationship and the friendship.

If you are one of those people who find it difficult to separate the two relationships (and please understand that this would put you in the majority of individuals out there) then it would be in your own best interest not to hire someone that you consider a friend.

Similarly and equally as dangerous is developing ‘friendships’ at work.  What usually happens then is the same type of scenario as hiring friends and/or equally as serious, holding onto staff (who are now friends) who want to leave for whatever reason, but you don’t want to let them go.

Both situations are not sustainable and will more often than not, not be a good fit and when things go south and really aren’t working out well between employees and employers who are friends (or even family), then emotions need to be put aside and good business sense needs to be exercised and the employee needs to find work elsewhere.

Leave the Past in the Past, where it belongs!
Sounds like a title for a song doesn’t it!

Don’t get me wrong for one moment -  having previous experience is a great benefit and it certainly will serve you well in a new venture.  However, that said, especially if your previous business failed or did not take off as planned, don’t bring your fears and uncertainties and expectations in with your new ideas – leave those behind.

Previous competition, crazy customer needs and service challenges and the expectations that went with those, should also be left behind.  Learn the lesson that they taught you and move on.

This is a new business and it needs to be given the respect and dignity that it deserves.  So start afresh with brand new players for customers and new suppliers alike.

Remember that your business plan is a living, breathing document and you need to keep changing it and tweaking it as the market place changes and moves with the times.

Remember to keep up with the ever changing market place too.  Technology moves very fast and often as a product hits the shelves it is already “old”!  Make sure that you keep abreast with what is taking place in your industry in order for you to be a leader who reaps the rewards rather than a follower who fights with snaps and snarls for the scraps left behind.

Next time we will look at a few more of these points that should be taken into consideration before you even start.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 2

MOTIVATION –  Powerful Words – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Here we are at week two on this particular series – powerful words and how they motivate us.  Today we will be looking at a few more and what they can mean in our lives.

Purpose:
This word really resonates with me – you see I often feel completely overwhelmed.  Being the person that I am, I often have more than one project on the go.  Some are short term, some are medium term and some are really long term.  At the moment I am dealing with several really long term projects (the one we estimate will take around 15 years to complete) and there are two which will be on going.  These three projects in particular are taking up a huge amount of time now and are not bringing any revenue in, at this moment in time.  The result of course is that I find myself really stretched, physically, mentally, emotionally and also financially.  On a logical level of course, I know that the long term projects will bring in huge amounts of money at some point down the line (and yes I know exactly what that point is because that is how it has been planned), but that doesn’t help me with putting food on the table right now.  The reality is that I have to have several short term or ‘instant money’ projects on the go to bring the money in on a monthly basis, and somehow I have to find the time and energy to balance the two.

We all know and understand that finding balance in anything is quite difficult and it is usually when I am hugely ‘out of balance’ that I start to panic and feel completely overwhelmed and out of my depth.  The pressure feels as though it is pinning me down and I have to struggle to get out of its clutches.  During moments like this I understand that I am in dire need of what I call my ‘dream time’. It is the ‘me’ time that I take to just be.  To be quiet in myself and in my space.  It is the time that I take to think things over and dream of all the possibilities.  It is the time that I take to reconnect to my soul, to the child and the adolescent within me.  It is the time that I take to reconnect with my purpose in life, when I remember why it is that I started this journey, where I want it to take me and what I want to achieve.  Taking ‘dream time’ gives me the opportunity to ‘remember’ my purpose and my purpose is the reason that I am on the planet.  Forgetting or distancing ourselves from our life’s purpose can have some pretty drastic consequences, so always remember to reconnect, to take some time out and remember.

Motivate:
I seem to be on a mission with myself today.  The reason that I am saying this, with a huge big grin on my face is simply this – I often write about the things that I most need to hear and both of these words, today are very definitely what I need to hear about right now.  I spend about 90% of my time motivating people.  Whether it is through my blogs and the various articles that I write for newspapers and magazines or whether it is when I am giving a talk or even when I am assessing a client’s business, I am motivating them.  Whether it is to do things differently in order to get a better result or even when I am rescuing them from something that has happened as a direct result of some bad decisions – I am motivating them.  “Well that’s not a bad thing.” I hear you say, and no of course it isn’t.  Here’s the thing though – I seldom take time out to motivate myself and that’s not a good thing.  I need to listen to some motivational CD’s or read a motivational book to get me ‘fired’ up every now and then!  I need to attend more motivational workshops like the ones presented by Donna McCallum AKA The Fairy Godmother (http://www.fairygodmotherinc.com) and I definitely need to hear some motivational tips from a source other than me!

Hearing things from another person, often puts your own thoughts into a different perspective, it makes them more profound, more real and they often give you a greater clout about the ears than when you whisper them to yourself.

Clearly, I need to listen to my own words, so until next time when we continue with some more powerful words – where did I put Donna’s book “A Fairy Godmother’s guide to Getting What You Want”?  Ah – there it is . . .

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . STAFF GO AWOL! - PART 2

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . STAFF GO AWOL! - PART 2

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC - March 2008.

Please note that this applies to South African Labour and Best Practice requirements.

So here we are back with the dilemma that Mike finds himself in.  A staff member who is AWOL, who cannot be contacted – too much work for one person, and the possibility of falling foul of the law if he just dismisses said employee and hires another one! Mike is pretty much between a rock and a hard place.

So here is what not to do:
• Don’t immediately take the employer off the books and record that they have dismissed themselves.
• Don’t immediately hold a disciplinary hearing in the employee’s absence and then fire them.

If George has not formally and clearly resigned, Mike cannot just assume that he has resigned.  If there is no letter from George stating that he has resigned – well he hasn’t and if George hasn’t said “I hereby tender my resignation” (or words to that effect), packed up his worldly possessions and left, never to return again - then he hasn’t resigned.  George has done neither, therefore he has not resigned and he is still legally employed by Mike.

What Mike needs to do now, is to send a telegram to George’s home address saying something like – “you have been absent without leave for the last 5 days, you have not contacted the office to advise the reason for your absence and I have been unable to contact you at all.  This is a formal request for you to contact me on 083 702 8849 or 011 672 3456 or mike@abcspecials.co.za by 2nd April 2008.  If by that date, I have not heard from you, I will have no option but to hold a disciplinary in absentia, for being Absent without Leave and if you are found guilty, you may be summarily dismissed.”

Mike of course, needs to give George a ‘reasonable’ amount of time to respond to the telegram, 3 working days is more than reasonable for the telegram to be delivered and for George to contact the office to explain his absence.

If George does respond, depending on the reason for his absence, a disciplinary should be held.

If George does not respond by the stipulated date, a disciplinary must be held and Mike is well within his rights to dismiss George at this time.

It must be noted however, that a full ‘audit/document trail’ must be kept.  Should George crawl out of the woodwork at some point and decide to take Mike to the CCMA for unfair dismissal (or anything else that he might come up with), if Mike has a clear record of when he tried to contact George (telephone records are good), a copy of the telegram and the disciplinary records and don’t forget the attendance register to evidence that George did not come to work, and that Mike explored every opportunity to make contact with George – chances are that it will be thrown out of court.

It is always a good idea however, to get hold of a Labour Attorney to discuss the facts of the case and to make sure that steps that are taken are within the requirements of the law.  It is also a good idea, if you need to go to a CCMA hearing, to get the sound legal opinion of a good Labour Attorney to assist you.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

VAT 101 – The Company, the Trading Name and the VAT

VAT 101 – The Company, the Trading Name and the VAT

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

Please note that this pertains to South African VAT (Value Added Tax) Regulations

Sounds like the title of a bad movie, doesn’t it?

The reality is that it can be very confusing so let’s try and explain it in the most simplistic manner.

Let’s bring in the protagonists.  Mike, who is a plumber, has been trading as a ‘Sole Prop’ now for a number of years.  You see when he first started out he was concerned about whether he would be successful or not and he has now decided, due to the tax benefits and other Government concessions for small businesses, that he needs to be properly registered.  Mike has been trading under the name “Mike’s Plumbing & Supplies” and would obviously not like to start from the very beginning again, in terms of marketing and branding.

Unfortunately the name “Mike’s Plumbing & Supplies” has already been reserved and Mike has had to register his Company in his full name, being Mike Jennings T/A Mike’s Plumbing & Supplies.

Mike has had to register the VAT under his new Company.  The VAT that he collects is now under the name of Mike Jennings Company T/A Mike’s Plumbing & Supplies.

Mike is having difficulty in finding properly qualified plumbers and clearly needs to employ same if he wants to grow his business.

Mike recognizes the opportunity and decides to open up a training school to train aspiring plumbers.  Mike decides to use his existing Company to start the training school.

In view of the fact that Mike is using his existing company and it is already VAT registered, Mike has to charge VAT for his school right from the very beginning, although the training of plumbing students is very different to being a plumber, and in fact is a completely different entity to his plumbing business.

In time, Mike decides that he wants to operate his training division as a completely separate entity as it is doing really well.  Mike doesn’t want to start or register a new business, but he does want to separate the bookkeeping functions of the two businesses.

Mike’s bookkeeper, who knows what he is doing, registers a ‘branch’ to Mike’s original Company and so Mike Jennings CC T/A Mike’s Plumbing School is born.  This entity is now also registered for VAT and has its own VAT number.  He does this by means of a VAT 102 form.  The second VAT number for the same “holding” company does not have a minimum threshold and Mike  is able to continue charging VAT to the students.

As Mike’s business grows and he expands into more and different avenues, he is able to separate each entity, register them as ‘branches’ and register a VAT number for each one as he separates the bookkeeping functions so that each ‘branch’ is responsible for it’s own income and expenses and VAT requirements.

Well done to Mike for growing such a profitable business and running it in the correct manner.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - The Importance of Follow Through

Networking 101 – The Importance of Follow Through

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC

I promised to continue this section with some great tips to Network with.

Let’s start off with some of Helen’s tips that she mentions in her book;

Follow Through – Helen writes “It is estimated that 3% of people follow up after meeting new people.”

The 97% that don’t follow up must all belong, well in part anyway, to the “Reluctant Entrepreneur” foundation that I was talking about in previous postings.

Yip, right people – everyone is just blown away by your product/widget/service that you are peddling at whichever networking event that you are at and they are going to do each other harm, in the rush to get to your door to do business with you!  I guess some people just live in a perpetual dream world!

YOU have to make it work!  Take the person’s business card, tell them that you are going to connect with them and then . . .  wait for it . . . . yes, that’s right, you actually do phone them!  What a novel idea!

In fact what you should be doing is sending them a mail with your Business Profile on it and in the e-mail, re-iterate that you will be contacting them in the near future and then actually contact them.

The reason that you are contacting them is to set up an appointment for a ‘one-on-one’ meeting.  Yes I know that having these meetings can become tedious and time consuming, but this is the way to do it.  Set up the meeting and actually pitch up. In my opinion, people who do not pitch up for meetings, or phone and cancel are disrespectful to me.  Not only are they disrespectful, but their behaviour also tells me who they are, in one word - unreliable!

The reason you are having a ‘one-on-one’ meeting is to find out more about what they do.  Your first question should be along the lines of “Tell me more about yourself and your business – I need to understand more about what you do in order to help you with people in my data base who may need your assistance/widget/services.”

Starting your meeting in this manner, does two things: 1) It gives the other person the opportunity for them to talk (and you to listen… carefully) and 2) They will then feel obliged to ask you what it is that you do and then try to assist you.  Human nature and a person’s sub conscience will make them feel the need to reciprocate in some way.

Listen carefully to what they are saying about what it is that they do/sell etc and ask questions about the widgets/services until you have a basic idea (you don’t have to understand it 100% - remember you don’t have to know how to build a car in order to drive one).

Think about the people you have in your database/network and see if you can introduce them to the people who they may have synergies with and/or who may have need of their widgets/services.  Help them make the connection.

I will continue this saga next time, with your approach and attitude  to Networking.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS – 8 Tips on Stuff you Should know Before you Start a Business – Part 2.

BUSINESS TIPS – 8 Tips on Stuff you Should know Before you Start a Business – Part 2.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

Last time we looked at how vital it is to get clarity and to put a Business Plan into place.  Today we will be looking at a few more issues.

Research
I can’t begin to tell you the number of times that I ask people who their target markets are and they look at me as though I have come from a different planet and have lost my way, because of course, their product or service is for everyone! Yeah right and the Pope is Jewish!

The reality is that you have to do some research.  Whether the research is on who the target market is or whether there is any market at all is obviously dependent upon what your product or service is and of course the geographics, the demographics etc., also must come into play.  The old adage of ‘selling ice to an Eskimo’ in this case really does apply.

You see it doesn’t really matter how much you love and believe in your product or service, you have to find out if the people with the money to spend, feel the same way about it.

Then of course there will always be issues around cost.  Firstly and most importantly, you cannot sell your product or service for less than what it cost you, that’s just insane! So make sure that you do all the numbers correctly to ensure that you know what your “break even” point is.  Once you have ascertained that you are in a better position to set your margins.

Again -  be careful if your price is too low, prospective clients will question the value add or the quality or you may even attract the wrong type of clientele.  Too high and you may well price yourself right out of the market.

So where possible you need to do some research on your competition to ascertain what they are charging and what their value add is, for you to (at the very least) match their prices and their offerings or indeed better them.

Discounts
This was a trap that I fell into when I first started out and hopefully you will learn from my mistakes.

Firstly, I had priced my services too low, which attracted the wrong type of clientele.  They were in desperate need of my services but they were also too far down the road to ruin and the stark reality was that they could not afford to pay me at all.  They negotiated and haggled and I lowered my already low prices even further.  The result – I ended up having to ‘write-off’ a great deal of money in bad debts that year, because quite honestly they could not have afforded to pay me even if I came for free!

Giving out discounts like this also leaves a huge psychological footprint on your sub-conscious and that is one of ‘I’m not worthy’! If you yourself think that you are not providing worthwhile value then why would your clients?

You should look at this from a different perspective – one of ‘how to’ or bringing more value to your customers rather than simply discounting your prices.

Next time we will look at a few more of these points that should be taken into consideration before you even start.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Powerful Words - Part 1

MOTIVATION –  Powerful Words – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

We all have those words or those sayings that ‘pick’ us up when we are down – I know I do.  In fact, if the truth be told, I have this whole conversation that goes on in my head and often is actually uttered out loud (hopefully when no-one is watching), that gets me out of whatever slump it is that I am in.

Let’s face it, when something untoward happens, it can mess with your momentum, your mood, your head and throw you completely off course.  This is when this whole soliloquy takes place and one of two things happen.  I either get really angry at what has happened and then I challenge everything or it gets me out of my funk.  If I get angry and challenge everything, then I have to wait until I have calmed down, have the conversation again and at that point I can generally get on with life (hopefully going in the right direction)!

There are however some words that we can use that are generally accepted as “Power Words” that will assist us in getting our perspective right and boosting our confidence at the same time.  There are words that will motivate you and even keep you passionate about what you are doing irrespective of what may come your way.  Some of these words are (but not limited to):

Acceptance:
So often we push ourselves really hard and then on top of that we are really hard on ourselves if we don’t get everything done.  Here’s the thing though – we are human beings, not robots.  As humans, the reality is that there will be times when we are up and there will be times when we get down – that’s just life, in fact both the ups and downs are necessary for us to function properly and for us to ultimately be successful.  The trick is for us to accept this and then deal with it effectively.  When we don’t accept who we are and the ‘ups and downs’ of our lives, we then find ourselves in a situation where we can’t think clearly or innovatively and that’s just not a good space to be in.  The other thing of course that we often harp on the past – that doesn’t help at all, it just gets our minds into an absolute loop tape and we go round and round going nowhere.  Accepting that the past is exactly that – the past, and acknowledging what didn’t work makes it easier to understand what could work in the future.  The key though is to accept it, deal with it and then move on.

Planning:
Many of the failures that I come across in life can be directly attributed to lack of planning.  People have a dream, a vision if you will of something that they would love to do, that they are perhaps passionate about and they go for it!  Nothing wrong with that and I will always say “well done”.  The problem comes in when they go from zero to 100 in an instant and leave out all the bits in between.  The bits in between, being mostly the planning!  Having the desire and the passion are really great and very little can be accomplished without that essence – that said, nothing will be accomplished without planning and certainly, very little will actually succeed without proper planning.  The research needs to be done properly to ensure that you are at least aware of what can go wrong and all the consequences of what your actions will be, both in the positive and the negative.  You have to know what to do if or even when something should happen. Write everything down – all the positives and what to do with them, all the negatives and how to deal with them.  Write it down, from the smallest detail to the biggest item.  Run through each scenario several times until you think you have taken everything into account and then go through it again.  Put timelines on everything, that way you will have a goal to reach and it will also keep you focused.

Next time we will have a few more words to keep you motivated.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - What to do when . . . Staff go AWOL - Part 1

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . STAFF GO AWOL!

PART 1

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

Most employers rely rather heavily on their employees to get the job done, not only in the Corporate world, but also in the world of the SMME.  Unfortunately, it’s the SMME, who shoulder the biggest burden of ‘growing’ the economy and who have the greatest difficulty in ‘wading through the red tape’, who will ultimately foot the largest of all bills, when they try and dismiss AWOL staff without following the correct procedures!  How sad is that?

Let’s face it, employers need their staff to be present at work in order for the deliverables to take place. In a Corporate environment, a staff member who doesn’t pitch for a day or two can become a minor irritant in the grand scheme of things simply because there is usually another person who can ‘step up to the plate’.  Whilst this is not ideal in the long term, in the short term it is something that can possibly be lived with.

This however is not the case with a typical Small Business.  Usually there is the Business owner (lets call him Mike) who is the CEO, MD, HR Manager, IT Manager, Sales Manager, Administration Manager, Operations Manager, Counselor and general dogs body, and then there is one staff member, who shall we say is the driver who delivers everything.  Let’s call him George.

Let’s take a typical scenario – it’s been the Easter weekend.  The Company is in a state of animated suspension,  because being this time of the year there are 3 or more public holidays during the month, which means that productivity has to be increased for the other 19 or less working days in order to meet the targets set for the month.  The Tuesday morning after 4 days off – George does not pitch for work, and not only does George not pitch, he does not phone in or get anyone to contact Mike.

Now what! Torn between wanting to throttle George, because there are 50 urgent deliveries to make, Mike still has to continue with his work, meetings, sales, meeting of targets and so on, Mike is also concerned about George’s well being.  What if he has been in an accident – we all know what the roads are like over Easter and we all know what kind of condition the taxi’s are in as well.  Mike calls George’s cell phone number and the call goes straight to voice mail. The home telephone number that Mike has for George, just rings.  George’s girlfriend hasn’t heard from him for months and in fact wants nothing to do with him at all!  The cold reality of the situation is that Mike cannot get hold of George at all.

Mike decides to just get on with the job at hand and hopes that George will either call in or come back to work the next day.

The next day dawns bright and early and an exhausted Mike eagerly awaits the arrival of his driver – no George, no phone call, no nothing!  Again Mike gets on with what needs to be done in order for his business to continue operating.  Mike at this point is still torn, but more on the side of ‘What the hell is George playing at’!

The next day sees Mike dragging himself into the office.  He is fit to drop because in order for his company to meet the targets, deliverables etc, Mike has had to work through the night and the strain is more than beginning to tell!  Again he is faced with an impossible amount of deliveries, as well as all the appointments that he has made in order to promote and make his sales targets.  Most of these appointments were really difficult to get and would be impossible to re-schedule, without him losing credibility – needless to say, if the deliveries are not made, he will also lose clients and his income will suffer, not to mention cash flow and all the other realities that come with owning you own business.  Mike is now no longer  even the slightest bit interested in finding out what George’s problem is – all he wants to do is get rid of him!

Sounds familiar – doesn’t it?

Well here’s not what to do – don’t just fire the guy!  This action will sure as hell come back to bite you in the rear end and when I say bite you – it will take chunks out!

Let’s have a look at the facts – take the emotion out of the whole thing and just look at the facts.

On the one hand

• George is absent without leave and/or any kind of authority
• George has not contacted the office to let Mike know what (if any) the problem is.
• No-one has called in on George’s behalf.
• Mike has not been able to contact George in any way.
• Mike has no way of knowing when or indeed if, George is ever coming back and clearly Mike cannot cope on his own.

On the other hand
• The law necessitates that a disciplinary hearing needs to take place, in order for Mike to dismiss George, in a legally compliant manner.
• The law states that George is entitled to participate in a disciplinary brought against him because he has the right to know what the charges are against him, and he also has the right to defend himself.
• Mike cannot get George to a hearing because he cannot locate George.

The bottom line is that the very offence of being absent without leave is preventing Mike from disciplining George.

Next week we will have a look at how to resolve this dilemma.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Why we Need to Network

Networking 101 – Why we Need to Network

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC

I promised to continue this section with why we need to Network.  Again, I can only use myself and what I believe in as an example.  As a natural networker, it is extremely difficult for me to understand how people don’t feel the need to network.  Most of us use networking in some form or another on a daily basis.

Ha got you there didn’t I?  Well we do!  Ladies, if someone asks you where you got the new dress that you are wearing and you tell them where to go – you have networked.  You have recommended that someone go to a specific place in order to purchase a specific item.  That is a referral and referrals are part of networking.  Gents, if you are telling your buddy about the new golf course that you played on over the weekend and suggest that they play a game there because it was fabulous (ok, so maybe you did not use the fabulous), you have networked.  You have recommended that someone go to a specific place in order to purchase a specific item.  Again that is a referral and referrals are part of networking!

So why is it so difficult to do it in the business arena, specifically when it is our own business?  Who knows!

Anyway, today that is not the question on the table.  The question is “Why do we need to network”.  Well I suppose, strictly speaking, we don’t.  We could go the really hard route and do the cold calling thing and knock on doors or try and book appointments with CEO’s and Directors of Companies by sweet talking or bribing the dragons called PA’s that protect their Lord and Masters from members of the General Public.

Networking is about taking our passion, together with our personal profiles or our own individual Branding and getting it out there, visible, so that people will refer others who need our services, widgets or whatever.  Understand that this will not happen for very long if you cannot and do not deliver.  So our credibility has to be strong and branding has to be clear in order for us to stand out from the crowd.

My take on this is that Business needs to be fun, and trudging around the planet having one door after another slammed in my face, because they have never heard of me, is not my idea of fun!

So I choose to Network.  I choose to meet with people who are of the same mind as me.  People who want to do business, who can make a decision and who know what they want and are prepared to go after it.  People who make things happen rather than wonder, what the hell happened?

Going to networking meetings organises and structures this and makes the experience all the less painful – particularly if the meeting is facilitated or even partially facilitated.  For one thing, there is no hidden agenda, we are all there to do business.

Make no mistake, networking is still hard work, but the bottom line is that you have a foot in the door.  That is what a referral or lead is. .  a foot in the door, now it is up to the individual.  What are you going to do with the foot that is in the door.

Many people do not like to network because of their own misguided perceptions.  I constantly hear “I never get any leads” (don’t forget to put the whiny voice in when you say these words) or “They’re a waste of time”.

Well that is because the person, who usually utters these statements, has sat in the meeting like a lump of lard and expected relationships to build themselves, or referrals and leads to fall out of the sky like manna from heaven, or to claw it’s way up out of the earth specifically to land as a contract in their laps!  To them I say – get real!

Networking is about meeting the right people quickly and effortlessly, so that the business of relationship building can happen quickly, so that business can be referred and deals can be struck and money can be made.

So, do you still think that there is no reason for you to Network?

I will continue this saga next time, with some great tips to Network with.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za