ADVANTANGES YOU WILL GAIN, BY PREPARING YOU BUSINESS FOR SALE

ADVANTAGES YOU WILL GAIN, BY PREPARING YOUR BUSINESS FOR SALE

Good Morning Bloggers

For the next while, on a Tuesday – I will be posting articles from Mark Corke of Suitegum.

Mark is a Business Broker, who writes articles on, and runs seminars on “Preparing you Business for Sale”.

Both Mark and I are of the opinion that ensuring that your Business is Prepared for Sale at all times will ensure that your business always commands the highest value. It actually increases the value of your Business quite considerably.

Here are some of the issues that Mark will be covering:

Here are the advantages you'll gain
Learn to unlock the value in your business, making it something to be desired by your new customer; the business buyer.


Cross the threshold to safeguard your family's future by preparing your business for sale so that in the event of a calamity, clear selling decisions can be made and acted upon by people not normally in control.


Discover the new opportunities in your own business as your mind opens up to new methods and techniques highlighted by the need to have a business prepared for sale.


You will notice that properly prepared businesses cause the owners to find more profit in the day to day transacting, even if they decide to never sell their "babies".


Explore real life examples of business sale strategies which have worked to provide the sellers with millions of Rands more than what they originally expected to receive in Present your business for transfer.


Isn't it time that you too achieved the peace of mind that a business prepared for sale provides the owner, knowing that in a time of stress or disaster, the business can be quickly sold for a good price, instead of auction value.


Join the growing list of savvy business owners who are able to provide their prospective purchasers with a meaningful report which enables them to compose a business plan which financial institutions fall over each other to finance, without giving away secrets and intellectual capital in "Prepare your business for sale".


Educate yourself to instruct attorneys as to the essential sections of an agreement of sale both legislated and street wise.


Take a giant step to discovering the different types of buyer profiles you can expect to encounter as you approach the time to finally hand over your business to a new owner, and learn to short circuit the crooks and tyre-kickers.


Let's be honest, we all know selling businesses is not for sissies, and it is realistically something which you are unlikely to do more than a few times in your life, so getting the value right, safeguarding your family's future, putting the deal to bed with a good, well financed buyer, and finally making the deal stick is important.


Of course it doesn't do any harm if you prepare your business for sale, but never sell it, because the journey of this preparation is going to open your eyes to so many other ways of making that baby sing in an honest to goodness way.

If you would like to sign up for Mark’s newsletters, Here is the link.

Please feel free to tell all of your friends too – they will thank you for it!

MOTIVATION - HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS

MOTIVATION – HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Good Morning all – this article was not written by me, it was sent to me by a colleague who it had been sent to. That said, it carries my sentiments exactly. The first paragraph is by my colleague and from there the whole piece has been written by Steven McManus. All I can say to Steve is, thank you for this exceptionally well written piece. I agree with you and well done for writing it. It puts things squarely in perspective without any hype and drama.

Hi there
I don’t know about you, but I feel that South African journalism, and their overriding desire to sell their media, has a lot to answer for. Have you noticed how, over the years, media has become more sensationalist and dramatic, in an attempt to grab our attention and make us buy their news over their competitor’s? I have always felt that South Africa is an incredible land of opportunities. But to see and seize these opportunities, we all need to stop the griping, and actually start being thankful for how good we have it in South Africa. This article by Steven McManus really puts some perspective on things.

If you care about South Africa, please help spread the good news to counter the negativity by reading just how good things really are and sending this everyone you know…….

I believe that part of the reason we are going through mass negativity at present is because we are constantly bombarded with bad news. I believe that if we all keep reading, talking, thinking, and worrying about the bad stuff all the time, we will end up attracting it.

At the beginning of 2008, almost as soon as most South Africans returned to their everyday lives, having enjoyed a relaxing summer holiday, the perfect storm erupted. In quick succession there has been the unanimous unseating of the country’s President as leader of the ANC in December 2007, followed by a nationwide power crisis with regular “load shedding” which started in January 2008 and which we are told this will continue until after 2010. In addition South Africans are dealing with the perceived high level of crime (perception is reality), increasingly high levels of inflation (9.4% in February 2008), petrol at the highest levels ever and according to the popular media and dinner talk, more people than ever are considering immigrating to greener pastures.

After the last few months one may ask “Is there any good news about South Africa?” Yes!! After digging around on the internet, I have found plenty of good news about South Africa, which I would like to share with you to help put the constant bad news in perspective:

Cheap Petrol
Although the price of petrol in South Africa has increased dramatically it is still amongst the cheapest in the world. The highest price in South Africa is the Gauteng (inland) price for 95 octane unleaded petrol which as at 2 April 2008 is R8.91 per litre. In contrast according to a survey of 9 700 petrol stations in the UK by www.Petrolprices.com, for unleaded petrol, the minimum price in the UK is £1.03, the average price is £1.07 and the highest price £1.19 per litre. Using an exchange rate of £1=R15, this means that the average price per litre in the UK is over R16 per litre, nearly double South Africa’s price.

Cheap Housing
Housing in South Africa is still amongst the cheapest in the world. According to the April ABSA housing index the average price for middle segment housing (Residential houses nationwide between 80m2 and 400m2 ) is just R929 000. In contrast according to the BBC News Survey of UK house prices (which fell 3.6% in the last year) as at February 2008 the nationwide average is currently (Rand figures are conservatively calculated at £1=R15) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/uk_house_prices/html/houses.stm):
*Detached (A house not joined to any other) £342 800 (R5 142 000)
*Semi-Detached (A house which is joined to another house on one side) £200 037 (R3 000 555)
*Terraced (Streets of houses joined together in long rows) £176 732 (R2 650 980)
*Flat (A flat is part of a bigger building where all the flats share a front door) £200 967 (R3 014 505)

Lower Unemployment
According to Statistics South Africa the unemployment rate fell fractionally to 23% in September 2007—the lowest since records began in 2001. The government’s target is to cut the rate to 14% by 2014 (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/development/lfs-280308.htm)

Winning the War on Crime
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have conducted research on the victims of crime which shows the picture of South African crime as more typical of a developing country. These statistics show that South Africa has lower rates of violent crime than many African and South American countries. (http://www.unicri.it/wwd/analysis/icvs/pdf_files/No57/c04_57.PDF)

According to the South African Police Service Statistics, the incidence of most types of crime has reduced since 2001. Their latest report for the 6 month period April to September each year since 2001 (http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/crimestats/2007/april_sept2007/crime_report20062007.pdf) reveals the following rates of incidence per 100 000 of the population:
*The incidence of murder, although still unacceptably high is clearly decreasing 2001=22.7, 2002=22.9, 2003=21.0, 2004=19.7, 2005=19.6, 2006=20.0, 2007=18.7
*The incidence of rape, is also still unacceptably high but has clearly decreased in the past 2 years 2001=55.1, 2002=52.3, 2003=51.1, 2004=53.7, 2005=55.6, 2006=49.6, 2007=47.8
*The incidence of common assault has decreased dramatically in the past few years 2001=260.1, 2002=275.2, 2003=279.1, 2004=269.4, 2005=229.5, 2006=201.6, 2007=191.4

Stock Exchange Growth
*South Africa’s stock exchange (the JSE Limited), ranks 18th in the world in terms of total market capitalisation
*South Africa’s stock exchange ALSI (All Share Index) has risen from 7510.4 on 30 April 2003 to over 30 000 in April 2008, an increase of nearly 400% in 5 years (http://www.jse.co.za/)

Sporting Successes
*South Africa are the Rugby World Cup champions (http://www.rugbyworldcup.com)
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked rugby team according to the IRB as at 31 March 2008 (http://www.irb.com)
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked cricket team according to the ICC for One Day Internationals as at 22 March 2008 (http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/rankings/rankings.html)
*South Africa are hosts of 2010 world cup (http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html)
*South Africa has 2 golfers ranked in the top 10 in the world according to the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 13 - March 30th – 2008 (http://www.officialworldgolfranking.com/home/default.sps)

Competitive Nation
*South Africa ranked 44th out of 131 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2007/8 (http://www.gcr.weforum.org)
*South Africa has been ranked 28th among 108 countries measured for responsible competitiveness, according to the global think tank AccountAbility. (http://www.accountability21.net)
*South Africa ranks 52nd out of 157 countries in the world in terms of economic freedom, ahead of Italy (60th), Brazil (70th), the United Arab Emirates (74th), Greece (94th), India (104th) and China (119th), according to the Index of Economic Freedom 2007 (The 2008 Index of Economic Freedom covers 162 countries across 10 specific freedoms such as trade freedom, business freedom, investment freedom, and property rights http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index)

Rich in Resources
*South Africa is one of the world leaders in mining and minerals, with a significant share of the world’s reserves and production.
*South Africa has, according to the SA Department of Minerals and Energy, nearly 90% of the world’s platinum, 80% of the world’s manganese, 73% of the world’s chrome, 45% of the world’s vanadium and 41% of the world’s gold. (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/mining.htm)
*South Africa still has huge potential for the discovery of other world-class deposits in areas yet to be exhaustively explored.

Infrastructure Development
Since 1994, the South African government has channelled substantial resources into social programs and services, with varying degrees of success.
*Households with access to clean water: 85% in 2001, 80% in 1996
*Households using electricity for lighting: 69.7% in 2001, 57.6% in 1996
*Households in formal housing: 63.8% in 2001, 57.5% in 1996
*Households with chemical or flush toilets: 51.9% in 2001, 50.5% in 1996
*Pupil-teacher ratio: 38:1 in 2003, 43:1 in 1994
*People who have completed grade 12 schooling: 20.4% in 2001, 16.3% in 1996
*People with access to electricity: 70% in 2003, 32% in 1994

Lower Cost of Living
Despite recent inflation and price increases, South Africa still has one of the lowest cost of living levels in the world. According to the latest Xpatulator (http://www.xpatulator.com) cost of living survey of 228 global locations covering every country in the world, Johannesburg is the 71st, Pretoria is 58th, Cape Town is 51st, and Durban is the 36th cheapest place in the world to live. This means that 192 of the 228 global locations are more expensive places to live compared to Durban, while 157 locations are more expensive than Johannesburg. A detailed cost of living comparison of Johannesburg and London reveals that overall London is 74.5% more expensive than Johannesburg:
*Alcohol & Tobacco (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) is 56.7% more expensive in London
*Clothing (clothing and footwear products) is 85.3% more expensive in London
*Communication (fixed line, internet, and mobile) is 16.18% less expensive in London
*Education (school & tertiary) is 55.6% more expensive in London
*Furniture (furniture, household equipment and household appliances ) is 51.8% more expensive in London
*Groceries (food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material) is 46.7% more expensive in London
*Healthcare (general healthcare, medical and medical insurance) is 92.9% more expensive in London
*Household (housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes) is 104.3% more expensive in London
*Miscellaneous (stationary, linen and general goods and services) is 180.7% more expensive in London
*Personal (personal care products and services) is 145.2% more expensive in London
*Recreation & Culture is 4.8% more expensive in London
*Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels is 219.26% more expensive in London
*Transport (public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance) is 89.80% more expensive in London

Higher Purchasing Power
The lower cost of living in South African means that your salary goes much further in Johannesburg compared to London and most other places. Using the cost of living difference, hardship difference, and exchange rate, Xpatulator (www.xpatulator.com) calculates that if you earn R500 000 Rand in South Africa, you would need to earn £54 182 in London in order to have a similar standard of living, much more than the £33 333 the (£1=R15) exchange rate indicates. The good news is that if you move the other way (i.e. from London to Johannesburg) and you earn £60 000 currently, you would not have to find a job paying R900 000 the (£1=R15) that exchange rate indicates. Taking into account the vastly lower cost of living in Johannesburg, you would in fact only require a salary of R552 302 to have the same buying power as £60 000 in London.

In conclusion, yes 2008 will mostly be a tough year, given the short term difficulties, but the power problems and current high inflation are short term issues which will eventually be in the past.
The main reason so many people are negative is because bad news sells newspapers and attracts more listeners and viewers. Good news does not often make the front page!!

Thanks

Steven McManus
Website: http://www.xpatulator.com
E-Mail: Steven@Xpatulator.com
Blog: http://xpatulator.blogspot.com/



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

WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 5

ARTICLE 10

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?

Part 5


By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

So what exactly would be considered as “fair practice”?

Let’s examine this a bit more.

Firstly the employer must ensure that a proper investigation takes place in order to ensure that there are grounds for dismissal. Whether or not this is a formal enquiry at this point does not make any kind of difference as this is just the preliminary investigation.

Once it is ascertained that there are sufficient grounds, the employee must be notified in writing, that there are allegations and what these allegations are. Remember to use language that the employee will understand – so in essence – keep it as simple as possible.

The employee should then be allowed to respond and state their case or give circumstances etc around why they did whatever. They have to be given the opportunity to answer to the charges and/or allegations made and give an explanation. This is usually when the disciplinary hearing would take place.

The employee also needs to be given a reasonable amount of time in which to formulate a response to the allegation(s) and/or charge that has been levied against them.

The employee is also entitled to request and receive and assistance that they may require from a trade union representative and/or fellow employee and may even ask for assistance from the HR department if they are not sure of the process and/or how to proceed.

After the enquiry has been held, the employer must advise the employee of whatever the decision has been made. This advice and/or notification must be made in writing and a copy retained in the employees records.

Any disciplinary that is taken against trade union representatives or any employee that holds any kind of office bearing position or any official of a trade union, should not be taken without first notifying the trade union. The trade union should then be consulted before any action is taken against that particular staff member.

If the decision is taken to dismiss an employee, the employee has to be notified in writing that they are being dismissed and of course the reason for the dismissal. At this point the employee has to be reminded of their rights in terms of the appeal hearings and/or their right to refer the matter to a council with jurisdiction or even to the CCMA for mediation and/or to any other dispute resolution, in terms of the employers laid down and/or previously negotiated and accepted policies and procedures, or any other policies and procedures that have been established and agreed to by means of a collective agreement.

There are obviously exceptional circumstances where the employer cannot reasonably be expected to follow these guidelines and in these instances the employer would then document the reason why these guidelines could not be followed and copies of this documentation must then be retained and filed in the employee’s personnel file for future reference.

It is a legal requirement for employers to keep and maintain records for each employee. All transgressions, whether they resulted in a disciplinary hearing or not, should be recorded in the file, together with any hearings. Actions taken against the employee by the employer must also be recorded and maintained as well as the reason that these actions were taken.

Next week we will look at Dismissals and Industrial Action.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 75

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 75

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Write notes and reminders on the business cards, which will over time jog your memory.”

Well I don’t know about you, but I am really bad with names and faces. I have been like that all of my life – ironically though I can remember what the US$ rate was in 1977 (it was 1.12 with the Rand being the stronger), but when it comes to names and faces – well they just escape me. I no longer apologise, it is not meant disrespectfully – some times things just are what they are.

So as you can imagine, I really have to work hard at trying to remember who is who, when I meet a whole bunch of people at a networking event! As soon as is practical, I make notes on the actual card as to what they do and what I want to talk to them about when I meet them, I also make a note of which event I met them at so that when I phone and remind them who I am I can use the name of the event as clarification. Often I can hear on the phone, that they can not quite place me and then when I mention the name of the event, they suddenly remember – it works all the time.

When I load the contacts onto my database, I make notes again of where I met the individual and what it is that they do (often the card does not give any kind of indication of what it is that the person does, especially if they are consultants), so that when I meet with them I have a broad kind of understand about what it is that they do.

Keep your notes up to date and keep your data base up to date too, for the best results and to reap the highest value from it.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

MOTIVATION - THE PEOPLE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW

MOTIVATION – THE PEOPLE YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

It is said that “your life can be changed in a matter of seconds by people you don’t even know”

For me, I don’t think it even matters as to whether or not you are actually even open to the possibility of that moment or even open to the change that that moment might bring.

These are the moments, or what, Oprah Winfrey calls “Ah Ha!” moments, that usually come completely out of the blue or when you least expect them and yet quite possibly they are the moments that can and probably will change the direction of your life or be the defining moment when you change intrinsically as a person.

That’s not to say that you will only experience one of these moments in the course of your life time. I certainly haven’t! But then of course why would you limit yourself to only of these deliciously appetizing, soul defining moments? You don’t have to you know.

That said, like your first kiss or your first love – your first ‘Ah-Ha’ moment is one that you are unlikely to ever forget. I certainly couldn’t.

My defining moment came in November 1999, when I sat in front of a complete stranger by the name of Vanessa Paige and she was reading my Tarot cards.

Now I can see all of you smiling and nodding your head in unison – a Tarot card reading!

Well let me tell you, this was not a Tarot card reading that you have done by the Gypsies who live in caravans or the fortune tellers that you engage with at the fun fair. This was a reading like I have never encountered in my life! And this was the reading that changed the course of my life and who I am as a person.

You see Vanessa told me that I was a worthwhile person. That I had the right to make my own decisions and my own choices. That it was my life and that I had the right and the power to live it. She told me that I had “given away my power” to bosses that used and abused it, to friends who did not appreciate me and to family, who took as much as they could and then discarded me.

Vanessa made me understand that I could take my power back, I could be somebody, a worthwhile somebody, who could make a valuable contribution to this world. All I had to do was to believe in myself and start to love – me.

And you know what else? Vanessa told me that she believed in me!

This was the first time that anyone had ever said anything like this to me and the effect was quite profound.

It has been a slow and sometimes painful journey, but it has also brought me much happiness and fulfillment.

I now own my own business. I make a difference in the lives of others. I write for magazines and newspapers. I have been interviewed and appeared on TV. I have been the guest speaker at huge functions – but most of all, most powerful of all – I am the master of my own destiny.

And all it took was one brief moment in time, with someone I did not know!

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 4

ARTICLE 10

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?

Part 4


By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

So here we have George, who has now attended his disciplinary hearing for a) stealing stock and b) hitting Simon. Now what?

Well, generally speaking it would not be the right thing to do, to dismiss an employee for a first offence. Obviously there are always exceptions, depending on the severity of the offence!

Some of the examples of serious misconduct are, but not limited to, and it should be noted that each case has to be judged on it’s merits;
· gross dishonesty
· willful damage to the property of the employer
· willful endangering of the safety of others
· physical assault on the employer
· physical assault on a fellow employee
· physical assault on a client and/or customer
· gross insubordination.

If the case does not meet the requirements of section 188, which states

(1) A dismissal that is not automatically unfair, is unfair if the
employer fails to prove-
(a) that the reason for dismissal is a fair reason-
(i) related to the employee's conduct or capacity; or
(ii) based on the employer's operational requirements; and
(b) that the dismissal was effected in accordance with a fair
procedure.
(2) Any person considering whether or not the reason for dismissal is a
fair reason or whether or not the dismissal was effected in accordance
with a fair procedure must take into account any relevant code of good
practice issued in terms of this Act.51
then the dismissal will not be fair.

When the chairperson was deliberating on whether or not to impose the penalty of dismissal on George, not only should he take into consideration the gravity of the misconduct but he also has to take into account other factors such as, but not limited to:
· length of service
· previous disciplinary record
· personal circumstances
· the nature of the job
· the circumstances of the infringement itself.

The chairperson also has to take into account what the penalty was for any previous case, in which the circumstances were the same. You see all employees have to be treated in the same manner – so if there was a previous case such as this, the penalty has to be the same as this.

Next week we will have a look at what a “Fair Procedure” would be.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 4

ARTICLE 10

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?

Part 4


By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

So here we have George, who has now attended his disciplinary hearing for a) stealing stock and b) hitting Simon. Now what?

Well, generally speaking it would not be the right thing to do, to dismiss an employee for a first offence. Obviously there are always exceptions, depending on the severity of the offence!

Some of the examples of serious misconduct are, but not limited to, and it should be noted that each case has to be judged on it’s merits;
· gross dishonesty
· willful damage to the property of the employer
· willful endangering of the safety of others
· physical assault on the employer
· physical assault on a fellow employee
· physical assault on a client and/or customer
· gross insubordination.

If the case does not meet the requirements of section 188, which states

(1) A dismissal that is not automatically unfair, is unfair if the
employer fails to prove-
(a) that the reason for dismissal is a fair reason-
(i) related to the employee's conduct or capacity; or
(ii) based on the employer's operational requirements; and
(b) that the dismissal was effected in accordance with a fair
procedure.
(2) Any person considering whether or not the reason for dismissal is a
fair reason or whether or not the dismissal was effected in accordance
with a fair procedure must take into account any relevant code of good
practice issued in terms of this Act.51
then the dismissal will not be fair.

When the chairperson was deliberating on whether or not to impose the penalty of dismissal on George, not only should he take into consideration the gravity of the misconduct but he also has to take into account other factors such as, but not limited to:
· length of service
· previous disciplinary record
· personal circumstances
· the nature of the job
· the circumstances of the infringement itself.

The chairperson also has to take into account what the penalty was for any previous case, in which the circumstances were the same. You see all employees have to be treated in the same manner – so if there was a previous case such as this, the penalty has to be the same as this.

Next week we will have a look at what a “Fair Procedure” would be.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 74

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 74

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Your business card should be professional, innovative and easy to read.”

Boy oh boy, I really wish more people would take note of this. I don’t know whether it is because of the onset of middle (ok older than middle) age and my eyesight is deteriorating or if it is just that people are not concerned about the writing on the business cards, but I am seriously battling to read both telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses and on occasion, even names.

I have gotten to the stage where I am beginning to seriously think about tossing out the cards where I cannot read the numbers and letters. It’s got something to do with, not only the size of the numbers and letters, but the font and the colour to. It’s either that or I will have to invest in a magnifying glass!

The irony of all of this, is that the actual card is that it is usually beautiful to behold with bold, clear logo’s. The name of the Company and what have you is also clear and concise, but when it comes to any of the details, often even the name of the person, the lettering is so small that it is almost impossible to read.

I’m pretty sure that if people only knew and/or understood how frustrating it is for people like me to try and read these cards, they would ensure that the writing and the numbers are clearer. I know that every time I battle with a card, I take out one of mine – just to make sure that I can read the information on my own card without trying to grow an extension to my arm or alternatively trying to grow squint as I bring it as close to my eyes as is humanly possible.

Your business card tells me, not only what the name of the company is, but also who you are and it allows me to contact you – if I cannot read the card, then I cannot contact you and if I cannot contact you, then I cannot refer you!

So take a moment now if you will, take out your card, have a look at it – is the lettering bold and easy to read, if you are not sure – take it to someone who perhaps already wears glasses or is hitting the mid 50’s ( sorry guys and gals it had to be said one way or another) and see if they can read it easily. If they can’t chances are – neither can I, or anyone else for that matter.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

MORE ON PHISHING

Good morning bloggers

A while ago I did an article on Phishing and the consequences thereof, both in the business sense and also in the personal sense!

Most of the banks have a whole spiel on the dangers of phishing, on their front page, as you go into the internet banking section, yet we are still unendated with messages from banks telling us to update our data online! Whatever you do -DON'T!

As a direct result of that post, I received a mail from Tonya Shtarkman, who is a student, but who also works for an American Company who is offering us all, free of charge, a solution to this problem (and ultimately a consequence for the people who send this rubbish out). I chatted to her boss Dave, via SKYPE (don't you just love technology) and here is an article, penned by Tonya, on exacty what to do when you get these messages.

I'm off to trawl my deleted box to find all the ones I have stored there so that I can put them on the site.

Have a great day.

Have you ever received a suspicious e-mail from a bank demanding that you confirm your personal information or risk having your account suspended? You were seconds from clicking on the provided link and then you realize: “Wait, I don’t bank with Wells Fargo Bank”. At that point, you detect that this is not a legitimate e-mail, throw it into your trash folder, and forget the whole thing happened. But what if you did bank with Wells Fargo? Would you hand over the goods?

These types of e-mails are not only fishy; they are actually called “phishes” and can seriously hurt you and your business if you fall victim to one. Bad guys create these phishing scams to gain access to your account, take your personal information, and even steal your funds.

So what happens when you simply throw that e-mail away? Your coworker, friend and neighbor all fall for the very same scam. This is why OpenDNS created PhishTank.com, a site that gives you the opportunity to submit phishes and block them for others.

PhishTank.com is a community-operated Web site powered by OpenDNS, the award-winning DNS service that makes the Internet safer, faster, smarter and more reliable. PhishTank gives Internet users like you the power to submit suspected phishes, which are then inspected and voted on by other Internet users. Unlike other services that have only a handful of people reviewing suspected phishing sites, OpenDNS’s PhishTank has tens of thousands of Internet users voting on them 24/7. This way, phishes are submitted, verified, and blocked within less than a day of their creation!

PhishTank also has by far the most accurate phishing data on the Internet. This is because of its sophisticated voting system: the more a user votes and the more accurate their votes are, the more weight their votes carry. This process also helps phishes get identified and blocked faster.

PhishTank’s continually-growing list of phishes is used by OpenDNS to protect its users from harmful phishing scams. OpenDNS also offers other useful tools such as Web-content filtering, shortcuts, typo correction, and network statistics. The service even makes you Internet faster and more reliable, operating at 100 percent up-time. Oh, and did I mention that it’s free?

Setting up OpenDNS is one of the best things you can do to keep your business running smoothly. So, why aren’t you using it yet? Visit OpenDNS.com and set it up today.

Tonya Shtarkman
PR Intern
OpenDNS.com

MOTIVATION - UNLEASHED IMAGINATION

MOTIVATION – UNLEASHED IMAGINATION


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from William Arthur Ward who says “Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.”

How’s that for a mouthful of absolute truth! We have an ad-campaign running here at the moment (although I forget what the product is) that has a young child saying something along the lines of “they say we should think of out the box! I say throw the box away!” The first time I heard it, I was astounded – not only by the words, but by my reaction to them! You see as an Internal Auditor, many people out there think that I should dress a certain way and behave a certain way, much like a character in some soap opera. It is their perception of how an ‘auditor’ should be. I have never fitted into that particular box and I have no intention ever, of fitting into any kind of box, for that matter.

I have always stated that I ‘think outside the box’ and yet here was a totally new concept! Throw the box away! How cool is that? Not having a box to be inside or outside of meant, for me, that much more opportunity. The mind boggled – well mine did anyway.

I guess that when most people say that you need to ‘focus’ on the business, they mean always keep your mind on your business. But what if . . . . what if, we didn’t so much focus on the business, but rather take the focus off the business and we just allowed ourselves to see and I mean actually see what opportunities there are out there? Remove the box from our vision, take the blinkers off or however you want to say it – but really look at the different ways that we could collaborate or form joint ventures or work opportunities!

For me it opens up a whole different view – this last week has seen me collaborating with Personal and Business Coaches, and mentors as well as graphic designers and power point facilitators. I am doing trade exchanges with web designers and IT guru’s and Media people.

Now suddenly the more I look around me, the more opportunities I see. The more opportunities I see the more my imagination finds ways for me to become involved, the more I become involved the more I am inspired.

So fire up your imagination, lose your blinkers and kick the box out of the way – there is more than enough to go around and there is no reason at all, for you not to have a share.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 3

ARTICLE 10

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?

Part 3


By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

As usual, our protagonists are standing by to make this journey just that little bit more understandable. We have Mike the Business Owner and George the worker.

Let’s give ourselves a little bit of a story, so that we can understand the finer details.

This particular incident is going to be one of Misconduct.

Mike owns a string of retail stores, with most of them being in the bigger malls. George is one of the workers in the warehouse. George has been with the company for 5 years. Mike has a warehouse in Johannesburg and the stock that is required by the stores is disbursed from the main warehouse in Johannesburg.

Mike has a reward program in place, whereby staff do not get bonuses as a 13th cheque, but rather a profit share as a percentage, based, not on turnover, but on net profit. In this way the expenses and shrinkage are kept to a bare minimum, by the staff themselves, as they obviously want to share in the highest obtainable profits.

George was caught stealing by another warehouse worker, let’s call him Simon. Simon, justifiably angry (remember George’s stealing has a direct negative effect on Simon’s bonus), states that he is going to report the incident to the Warehouse Manager, let’s call him Andrew. George also gets angry and punches Simon in the face, breaking his nose and his jaw.

Mike has a proper set of procedures in place including a ‘Code of Conduct’ and since he has been in business many precedents have been set. The Procedure Manual is readily and easily available to all staff members and in fact as and when procedures are updated and/or new ones introduced – the procedures are circulated to all the staff members who sign, evidencing that they have not only read but also understand the procedures.

Most of the staff, certainly those that have been employed over a long period of time know and understand that that ‘theft’ is a dismissible offence as is ‘striking’ another employee. The staff understands the limits and those same limits are documented in the ‘Code of Conduct’.

George is advised, in writing, that he is to make himself available for a disciplinary hearing and that the charges are ‘Gross Misconduct, in that he removed Company Property from the premises with out the required approvals and/or documentation and that he struck a fellow worker, breaking both his nose and his jawbone.”

This is not the first time that George has been in trouble at work and Andrew has had to both counsel and discipline George for several smaller infractions. A full documented record is available in George’s Personnel File and it is clear that Andrew has tried, on countless occasions to get George to change both his attitude and his self destructive behavior.

You see George has a really aggressive nature and a terrible temper and there have been occasions where George has sworn as fellow workers and other incidents where George has either pushed or shoved other workers.

George has quite a history!

In view of the fact that most of the other incidents were of a minor nature, George was counseled regarding his behaviour and he has fully understood that his attitude needed to change in order for his behaviour to change, but George has not heeded any of the advice and despite being on a Final Written Warning, he has now committed a really serious offence that carries a ‘dismissal’ action.

George still has to be taken through the whole disciplinary procedure though, he cannot just be dismissed out of hand. The disciplinary procedure itself must still be ‘fair’ and should be chaired by an ‘impartial’ person and evidence needs to be presented and the testimony of witnesses from both sides still needs to be heard, collaborated upon and carefully weighed before any kind of judgment is made. In this case however, in all probability George may also face criminal charges of ‘aggravated assault”, as well.
George’s situation, at best is precarious.

Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures relating to dismissal for misconduct.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 73

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 73

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Reciprocity is vital in successful networking.”

Right on the money again Renate.

I am still, after all this time, amazed at some people. As those that know me be now know, when I get a business card, it is an opportunity. I send off a mail to the person who gave me the card, telling them a little bit more about me and then I follow that up with a call to set up an appointment.

The whole idea of the meeting is for BOTH of us to share a little bit more about who we are and what it is that we do. It’s to explore synergies and see how we may be of assistance to one another and it is also an opportunity for BOTH of us to give each other referrals.

You would probably not believe me if I told you the number of people who are only interested in telling me what it is that they do and who they need to be put in touch with. I sit there is wide eyed amazement!

I mean come on people, I know that it is better to give than to receive, but I also need to put food on the table! I mean do they really think that I give up an hour of my time to listen to what they need and how I should connect them to all and sundry in my database, and they don’t even think about perhaps connecting me to someone in their data base?

Ok don’t get me wrong, I do try and assist where I can, but as they continue to contact me to get referrals from me, and never give me a referral – well at some point the pages of my database are going to close and when that happens, no amount of prying will get them open again.

As must as I need to give in order to receive, so to do you need to give in order to receive. It’s common courtesy and good manners. It’s also sound business sense.

So go on, give as much as you get – all that will happen is that you will get even more!

There is plenty, actually an abundance, to go around.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

MOTIVATION - RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO WE BECOME

MOTIVATION – RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO WE BECOME


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

It has been said that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but that we are responsible for who we become.

All around me I hear excuses from people. Excuses about why they cannot do something, or why the have failed at something. Hell I even had a chap, who for the purposes of this missive shall remain nameless, who said that I “have to” mentor him because he was previously disadvantaged! What absolute crap is that?

Many years ago, my father said to me “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world because it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you have made for yourself.”

It is something that I have taken very seriously all my life. I am careful about the promises that I make because I have to keep them. I am careful about the commitments that I make because they have to be honoured. It is my name that is at stake and quite honestly it is the only possession that I have that I will take to the grave with me.

The result of this for me, is that I have never blamed my background or my circumstances for anything – there’s no real point is there? I am the only one who can make the changes and I am the only one that can make things happen (or not happen) in my life.

So why is it, that where ever I go, I hear tales of woe and stories about how the government is to blame, or apartheid, or the interest rates, or global warming or the tax man or anything else that they can think of and blame. Why is it that we as individuals cannot take responsibility for what we’ve done and learn from our mistakes, dust ourselves off and stand up and start again. There’s no shame in that at all.

For me the shame comes in the fact that we don’t take responsibility and own our own mistakes, but that we find it easier to just blame all those around us!

So which one are you? Do you stand tall and proud? Do you take responsibility for what you do or do you find it easier to blame everyone and everything else?

What kind of name will you take out of this world? What legacy will you leave your children? What name have you given them?

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part 2

ARTICLE 10

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?

Part 2


By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

So here we are again – let’s look at what is considered an ‘unfair’ dismissal.

· any dismissal that is not done for a fair reason (like you just don’t like the person) is considered ‘unfair’.
· any dismissal that takes place without the proper and fair procedure, irrespective of whether it is in accordance with any notice period in a contract of employment or in legislation governing employment. So this means that you cannot just come to work one day and decide that George has to go, because he is irritating the hell out of you, so you give him a month’s notice as per his Letter of Appointment and in compliance with legislation – I mean you did give him a month’s notice so what is the problem? Right? Wrong!

Each time you dismiss someone, please understand in order for you to ascertain whether it is fair or not is always determined by the facts of the case and whether dismissal is appropriate or not as a penalty.

I would also like to add in here that it is also determined by precedents that have been set in previous cases. Let me explain. If two years ago one of your employees (let’s call him Philip) was caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and Philip managed to convince everyone at his disciplinary, that he had ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay it back the following day and you gave him a ‘Final Written Warning’ in consequence of his actions and now George is caught stealing say R100.00 out of the till and George now also says that he ‘borrowed’ the money for taxi fare and that he intended to pay the money back the next day, but you are fed up with George because his attitude is bad, so you dismiss him – this would be construed as ‘unfair’ dismissal because you did not dismiss Philip for the same offense, two years ago. So be careful when dishing out punishments for first time offences – they may just come back and bite you on the rear end in the future!

You still have to follow the correct procedure and whether the procedure is fair or not is determined by, but not limited to, the following guidelines.

There are three grounds, by which ‘dismissal’ is considered fair and legitimate, by the Act.

These are:
· the conduct of the employee (which is why it is of critical importance to have a documented ‘Code of Conduct’ for your Company)
· the capacity of the employee and
· the operational requirements of the employer’s business.

The Act says that a dismissal is automatically unfair if the reason for the dismissal is:
· anything that is an infringement of the basic rights of employees and/or trade unions or
· if the reason is one of those that is listed in section 187.

These reasons include, but are not limited to:
· if the employee participates in a lawful strike
· if the employee intends to become or is pregnant
· any acts of discrimination against the employee.

Where the dismissal is not automatically unfair, the employer has to show that the reason for the dismissal is because the employee’s conduct was in question or that the employee’s capacity was in question or it is based on the employee’s failure to meet the operational requirements of the employer’s business.

If you, as the employer cannot show this or if you cannot prove that the dismissal was performed within the parameters of fair procedure, then the dismissal will be deemed as unfair.

In essence you have to make very sure that you have all your ducks in a row and that you can substantiate and prove anything that needs to be proved in this respect.

Next week we will look at the Disciplinary Procedures prior to dismissal.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 72

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 72

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Keep accurate records. You need to be able to keep track of the people you meet.”

Once again Renate has hit the nail squarely on the head. If your records are not accurate, just how do you think you are going to keep track of the people that you meet?

This is possibly one of the main reasons that I am so fond of Plaxo, because it does all of this for me. If any of my information changes, I need only change it once on my profile in Plaxo and it automatically updates my database with my new information. How cool is that?

There’s nothing worse than trying to set up a meeting with someone whose telephone number has changed or their e-mail address has changed or they seem have just dropped off the planet.

So, whilst it is important to ensure that your data base records are current and up to date, so too is it important to ensure that your data base has your up to date and current details too.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

MOTIVATION - INTEGRITY OR MAKING EXCUSES

MOTIVATION – INTEGRITY OR MAKING EXCUSES


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from Dr Laura Schlessinger who says:

“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.”

So which one are you?

I remember, as a young child, my father saying to me “You are not responsible for the name that you have brought into this world as it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world, is the name that you have made for yourself.” I am not sure that I understood the implications and the consequences of what he was saying as I was far too young, but these words have had a great impact on my life.

On my journey down the path of what we call life, I have often heard things like “the banks took everything I own, they were the downfall of my business!” Or what about, and this is my favorite “The VAT man is killing my business!”

My question to both of these (and countless others) is ‘why’? When you started your business and you went to the bank for a loan, presumably you had to sign a piece of paper, in the form of a contract that said – you will pay back x amount every month or words to that effect. So then why is the bank, now the bad guy, because he wants his money back? I really don’t get it at all! What about the VAT man – you collect money on behalf of the VAT man and in payment of this service, he gives you an interest free loan for two months and he also allows you to offset some of the VAT that you have already paid out, against what you have collected on his behalf – so every two months, when he wants his money back – how it is that he is suddenly the ‘bad’ guy? I don’t get this either?

Could it possibly because of your own short comings? Could it be because you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a Business Owner? Could it possibly be because you actually are not a person of integrity?

You see, instead of taking the bull by the horns and admitting to our own short comings and admitting to ourselves that we are the ones that have actually messed up . . . big time, we turn to the government, the banks, the interest rates, the weather/global warming (insert anything you want here) and then sit back smugly – because well, we were not at fault and we are people of integrity!

Guess what people? We aren’t! If this sounds very familiar to you and it is something that you keep saying – guess what? You are not a person of integrity! Own it!

But all is not lost because we can change who we are, and this is an easy one to fix! There doesn’t have to be any soul searching, heavy therapy or anything else.

It’s a simple case of “do what you say you are going to do”!

So now – now what are you going to do? Are you going to tell me that you are going to do something and then . . . well, only you will know what happens next.

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

WHAT TO DO WHE. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part !

ARTICLE 10

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?

Part 1


By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

More and more I am getting questions around “when can we dismiss a staff member” or indeed “when should I dismiss a staff member”.

There are a host of reasons for dismissing staff, the question though is whether it will seen as ‘fair’ or ‘unfair’ dismissal. When faced with a dismissal that is either ‘unfair’ or even borderline ‘unfair’, you can be sure that you might just end up at the CCMA and that brings on a whole different world.

So here are some pointers of what can and cannot be done – please be advised that these are ‘some’ pointers – certainly, not everything will be covered and always ask advice from a Labour Attorney should you be confused.

There is a ‘Code of Good Practice’ available on the Department of Labour’s website and whilst this deals with some of the key issues around dismissals, specifically those related to an employee’s conduct or their capacity to do a particular function, it remains general. In other words each case is usually quite unique and there are some instances where the issues or what took place are completely outside of what is considered ‘the norm’ in the “Code of Good Practice’. This may include but not be limited to circumstances such as the number of employees and so on and therefore a different approach would be needed to resolve these issues.

For the record the “Code of Good Practice’ was established as a guideline and it was not intended to be substituted for disciplinary and/or grievance procedures. These procedures still need to be followed correctly.

For the ‘Code of Good Practice’ to be effective, both employees and employers should treat one another with respect. The spirit of the Code is for both parties to have a ‘win/win’ experience. The employer must be able to operate his/her business effectively and the employee must be able to work in a safe and efficient environment.

The whole purpose of the ‘Code’ is for the employees to be protected against frivolous actions on the part of the employer, however that said the employer is also entitled to a satisfactory work performance as well as acceptable conduct from their employees.

Next week we will look at some of the ‘fair’ and ‘unfair’ reasons for dismissal.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 71

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 71

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Not marketing yourself is like blinking in the dark. You know you are doing it. No-one else does.”

What a chuckle I had with this one! It really did appeal to my sense of humour and I had this video moment of a cartoon with everything black as the lights are off and here and there you get a flash of white, that then very quickly turns back to black as someone blinks in the dark!

Marketing yourself need not be expensive, you don’t have to hire one of those marketing guru’s to do it for you – actually it is exceptionally easy to do it for yourself.

Let’s take this one step at a time :-
· always, always, always have your business cards close at hand. Your business card should have the name of your company and all of your contact details on it. If your company name does not say who you are (i.e. if your company name is ABC Plumbing we all know what you do, but if it is ABC Consulting), if possible have something on the back of your card that gives people an indication of what it is that you do, like a list of your services.
· Whenever you send an e-mail out, even if it is just one of the funnies you share with friends, have your signature in place. Your company name, contact details, web address etc. You never know who your friend may forward your ‘funnies’ to.
· Get onto some of the networking sites – not only business ones, but the social ones too, like Facebook (have you any idea how much business is done on Facebook?) – always put your company details and your contact details in your profile.
· When you meet people, even socially, always ask what they do and always find an opportunity to tell people what it is that you do.

This is marketing in its most basic form, inexpensive but vital to the growing of your business.

So go out there – meet people, build relationships, build your brand and above all, remember to have fun!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

MOTIVATION - IT'S NOT THE WHAT, IT'S THE WHO

MOTIVATION – IT’S NOT THE WHAT, IT’S THE WHO


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

It is said that “It’s not what you have, but WHO you have in your life that counts the most.”

Whilst on some level I agree whole heartedly with that statement, I would like to take it one step further and say that ‘It’s not only WHO you have in your life, but also who they have in their lives, that will count the most in yours’.

I have watched this in play over and over and over again – people sitting around a table chatting about this and that and suddenly a single comment is made and everybody interacts with everybody else in terms of somebody who knows somebody who can assist. It’s wonderful to watch this when it happens.

You see most people instinctively want to help others and sometimes this is the only way that they know how.

So I consider myself truly blessed, because I know a great many people, who know a great many people, and when I need help and assistance all I have to do is ask!

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?

ARTICLE 9

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?



By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.

For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.

Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?

Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.

Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.

What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?

Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.

Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!

There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.

So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?

Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.

Others see staff as an investment in their company.

I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.

For me, in my personal capacity they are both!

For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.

On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.

When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.

The bottom line is as always – what do you think?

The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.

Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 70

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 70

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”

Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.

During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.

Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.

Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.

Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.

James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.

I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!

For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.

The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 70

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 70

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”

Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.

During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.

Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.

Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.

Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.

James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.

I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!

For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.

The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za

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

MOTIVATION - CONTINUOUS EFFORT

MOTIVATION – CONTINUOUS EFFORT


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

The quote today comes from Sir Winston Churchill, who says “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”

Really not the words that I wanted to hear at this time in my life I can tell you!

I have, of late, been struggling with personal issues (that I won’t go into at this time). Suffice it to say, that I thought that I had worked through them all and come to an amicable solution of sorts – silly me!

You see on a logical level I work through stuff and usually deal with it and then walk away. That’s all very well, but it seems that things also have to be dealt with on an emotional level as well and herein lies my challenge.

Without going into too much detail, as a child growing up I lost the ability to deal with many things on an emotional basis. That part of me was shut down and for many years the ‘emotional’ side of me was dealt with in pure anger. Not to good for the psyche or the soul – but that was the only way that I could deal with it.

As I am sure you can imagine, this did a great deal of damage to me and today I still pay huge dividends in my sometimes inability to deal with things on an emotional level.
Pain on any level is not an easy thing to deal with, yet somehow I have learnt to just ‘shut’ it out, and here is where the problem starts – you see it comes back to bite me in the butt!

What I had thought had been dealt with has come back to haunt me and now I really have to sit down and go inside of myself, to the emotional side of myself and feel that pain and then work through it – I have to make myself vulnerable to that pain and really feel it, in order for it to go away completely. No wonder Vanessa always tells me that my greatest strength lies within my vulnerability.

I have no doubt that I will come out on the other side a much stronger person for the experience and I know that I will have to go back there continuously in order for me to deal with the issue at hand. I also know in that place deep down inside of me, where you instinctively know the truth when you hear it, that in order for me to move forward it has to be done, so in essence I understand that it has to be done.

I guess it gives the other saying that Vanessa keeps telling me a lot more foundation too – those words being “Difficult and challenging experiences precede all worthwhile accomplishments”.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You have a witness!

ARTICLE 8

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU HAVE A WITNESS!



By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Having a witness, when dealing with a disciplinary, an arbitration, a CCMA hearing or even a court hearing is often the difference between winning and losing! Doing it all by yourself is often very difficult, but if you have someone who can back you up and vouch for your story, this is usually a winning factor!

Let’s bring in my favorite pair – Mike the employer and George the employee.

Mike and George have had their usual tiff and now they are at the CCMA for an arbitration hearing. Mike has not only sent his representative (which in this case would be himself), but he has not sent Sue, who can corroborate his story. Mike is going to find it extremely difficult to win the case, because the testimony of the witnesses (both for the employer and for the employee) forms an important part of the procedure at any arbitration hearing.

The arbitrator (let’s call him Charles) has to start the proceedings, by explaining the arbitration process and the rules – these are (but not limited to):

· That opening statements have to be made by both parties (both Mike and George) to outline what it is that they intend to prove.
· Charles may decide to have Mike present his case first. This would mean that Mike, at this point should have all of his witnesses come in one at a time to give their testimony. It is also at this time, that Mike would present any documents and/or other evidence that he may have to prove that George did whatever it is that he says that George did.
· Each time that Mike and/or his witnesses give testimony, George is entitled to cross examine Mike and/or his witness.
· Charles also has the right to ask either Mike and/or his witness any questions but only pertaining to clarity – in other words if Charles is not sure of what Mike is saying, he can ask to have that particular point explained in more detail. So for example if Mike’s witness Sue says – “George did not follow procedures” – Charles could ask what those procedures entailed, so as to get a better understanding of the situation.
· Mike also has the right to question his own witness, but only on issues that were brought up in the cross examination of the witness. So for example, if Mike’s witness Sue stated that George was late for work – Mike could ask her exactly how late George was for work.
· Once all of Mike’s witnesses have been heard, been cross examined and questioned by both Charles and Mike, and Mike has presented all of his documentary evidence, visual and/or auditory evidence, then George has his chance to present his case – in exactly the same manner.

Once both sides of the story has been told, in graphic detail, the following will take place.

· Charles will hear closing statements – this is when both sides (just like in a court of law) make a final plea as to why they should be awarded or win the case.
· Charles then needs to take himself off to his office, go through all the evidence again, so that he is sure that he understands everything and then make the award. In other words, at this point he will decide who has won the case.

The evidence that Charles needs to mull over and assess, before he makes his decision usually falls into 3 distinct categories. They are, but not limited to:

· Documents
· Items such as, video tapes or clips, stolen goods, photos and other such items that would be relevant to the case
· Witness testimony.

Witness testimony is always the most crucial. For example, if Mike says that George told Sue that he was not coming to work because he wanted to stay at home and watch the soccer on TV, it stands to reason that Sue should be there to confirm and say exactly what it was that George told her.

So having your witnesses there means that they can corroborate each piece of evidence thereby giving it more weight.

Make sure that when you attend any of the above hearings or arbitration that you have all your evidence in order and everyone present who can back everything up.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 69

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 69

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

I went to a Networking dinner the other night and was totally amazed that around 80% of the people that I met did not have a business card with them!

I mean, this was a Networking event, not a visit to the neighbour’s house for an informal braai – although quite frankly you should have a business card to two with you when you go there too.

Going to a Networking event without a business card is just plain stupid! Even if your business cards are still at the printer, or you forget to pick them up – make sure that you have something with your Business name and contact details. This was a huge event (with over 1000 people present) and I had the opportunity to actively network with a minimum of 30 people. I walked away with 27 business cards, of which 23 have the names and contact details of the various individuals written on the back of my ‘old’ business cards.

Not having business cards at a networking event actually tells it’s own story – it tells me that you are not serious about doing business with anyone. Well that or you have no idea about what networking is about!

Going to a networking event is an opportunity to give your cards out freely and always ask for one in return. Contact the people whose cards you have taken and follow up. Phone them, book an appointment to see them and exchange referrals.

Always, always, always have a sufficient supply of cards with you!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

MARK CORKE - PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR SALE

Just spoke to Mark Corke and the next seminars are:

15th/16th July in Durban

29/30th July in Cape Town

Mark can be contacted on 083 399 2666 or mark@suitegum.co.za or have a look at his website on www.suitegum.co.za

Most businesses don't sell for anything close to the value they should, and frankly...

THAT'S JUST WRONG.

Particularly when the owner isn't around to defend the value.

If you were to sell your business today, would you get true value for it? And if you were not around, would your loved ones be able to sell it for what it's worth? Do you really think they could? Do you even know what the real value of your business is? The simple truth is that businesses are often sold unprepared under unforeseen circumstances.

The unfortunate answers to these questions lie in the fact that most business owners never consider preparing their businesses for sale before a purchaser asks them to supply the financial statements, management accounts and VAT returns. No sooner are these supplied, than the prospective purchaser asks about the customer mix and debtor analysis. Another challenge all together…

Prepare your business for sale!

You can learn to prepare your business for sale so that at the drop of a hat you are ready to sell for 209% more than you believe it is worth today. An impossibly silly claim? Not at all!

Businesses that are properly prepared for sale, well in advance of the event, and then kept prepared through a simple maintenance program, always sell for higher values, in quicker, cleaner deals, than if the business had not been prepared properly, or at all.

So why don't we prepare our businesses for sale?

Most sellers simply don't know where to begin. They know they need to present a profit figure, and they know that VAT returns will be used to prove the turnover. They hastily sketch out some cash flow forecasts based on improving “this” and implementing “that”. They are scared that their staff will up and go if they discover the business is for sale. They don't want their suppliers and customers to find out.

Any of this sound familiar to you? Do you fit the bill?

And so you do nothing until the buyer is sitting in the office asking awkward questions. At that point, of course, it becomes a bit of a mess, as the bookkeeper is called in, sworn to secrecy, and has all the pressure transferred to his shoulders. By the next morning even the cleaners and drivers know there is something afoot.

If I can show you how to pre-empt this entire debacle, and add value to your business, would you be interested in “Preparing your business for sale”? Well, of course you would.

You will be empowered to prepare a complete prospectus on your business, to be easily updated every month in less than an hour.

You will learn exactly how to add value to your business so that both you and your buyer benfit from the improvements.

You will be able to identify the elements in your business that savvy buyers are after, and show those elements to your best advantage.

You will gain....

oh never mind; I promise you that you will get so much value that you won't ever want to take me up on my money back guarantee... but I'll offer it anyway (It's all in my full offer on my website).

I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked to sell a business in a hurry.

“I will take any reasonable offer.”
“I don't know how to run my wife's business, and I don't have the time.”
“I'm getting divorced, and my wife wants the business.”
“We've had enough, and we're going to emigrate. I need my money by December.”
"My husband has had an accident. He says I must sell his business because it is going out of business. "

Why condemn yourself to this unhappiness?

There is an easy solution, you know. What's more, it is so easy if you are already running your business in a slightly better than basic fashion. By following our techniques, nobody need ever know that your business is being sold, or in fact that you have prepared your business for sale, if this is an issue for you.

Great news for business owners who think their businesses will never be sold: Not only will your business be sold, but you will use the proceeds from that sale to improve your life and leapfrog your dreams to a higher level.

Join me for a few hours of good advice and solid pointers as to how you will create a life raft of opportunity in your business, ready to be launched at short notice.

All businesses should be in a constant state of readiness for sale. We live and work in an uncertain environment with new challenges being thrown our way constantly.

Do not be caught unaware.

Do not be caught investing most of your life’s time in a business to keep the wolves from the door today, and to provide for your future tomorrow, when you have no idea of what a buyer would be looking for in a business today.

Do not be caught flat footed when circumstances such as illness or death dictate that you have to sell at short notice.

Wouldn’t that be sad?

So to take the first step towards preparing your business for sale, go here.

Cheers
Mark Corke

MOTIVATION - FORGIVING FRIENDS

Damn! Wrote the article yesterday and then forgot to post it!

MOTIVATION – FORGIVING FRIENDS


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

It is said that, no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and we must forgive them for that.

Oh yes, I understand this on the most basic of levels and depending on the level of the hurt that is caused the forgiveness is easy. Well for me it is.

My problem and this is something that I obviously have to work on until I get it right, or as right as I will ever get it, is the management of the memory of that hurt.

I am not talking about the minor cuts and bruises that we get from any relationship and probably mostly a friendships, I am talking about the major league stuff.

It’s the hurts that are ‘deal breakers’ or the hurts that cause physical pain to the soul, that I am talking about. It’s the hurt that changes, on a fundamental level, how you look at that person that you have called friend, and you make a decision about whether you still want that person in your life or not.

Forgiving someone for something is not an issue at all with me. I guess because of the pain that I went through as a child when my parents were murdered. I understand and have done for a very long time, that in order for me to grow as a person I need to let go of the many issues that I have in life, and then move forward. I understood that I had to forgive in order for me to heal and for me to move on. Harboring that intense kind of unforgiveness in my heart and in my soul becomes destructive to my own life. I got that and I forgave!

My problem is the memory of that pain. Let me try and explain it another way. There is a saying that goes something like “Forgive and forget”. I think that means that when we forgive we should also forget the transgression. Therein lies my difficulty. Forgiving is not the problem, forgetting is the challenge.

Let’s take for example a couple – one of them is unfaithful to the other. The hurt party may forgive and even try to forget and not bring it up again. However should the transgressor come home late, or plead extra time at work, or go out with the boys/girls or spend any time away from home, sans partner – the hurt party will always be wandering what the deal is, because somewhere in the back of their minds is the fact that they were hurt once before, by this person.

Well that is the way it is with me, with friends. You see they are the very people with whom I have been the most vulnerable. It is my friends who I have shared my biggest secrets with. My fears, my weaknesses, my hopes, my dreams, my expectations. It is my friends who I have bared my very soul to and when they do something, especially deliberately, to hurt me – how do I forget that?

When I am hurt in such a manner, by someone I call friend – I usually forgive and then walk away from the friendship or the relationship, so as not to let that person have another opportunity to hurt me. I wish them no ill – in fact I wish them the very best of luck and happiness in the future as long as they have that future as far away from me as possible!

Is this the right way to handle this – quite honestly, I don’t know. What I do know however is that there are many people who travel with us on this journey that we call life. Some will be with us from beginning to end, some will only travel a part of the way with us, many will never even meet us.

For me, the trick is to understand who is a ‘lifer’ and who is there but for a fleeting moment. Once I have established that I need to ‘let go’ to walk away in the understanding that my journey with that particular person has come to an end, for whatever reason.

When I walk away, I need to do that with peace in my heart and a smile on my face. I need to celebrate the good times and learn from the bad and then discard them – there is no place for painful memories in my heart and in my soul.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES

ARTICLE 7

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES



By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.

Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!

Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.

It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.

Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.

Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!

The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!

So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.

Next week, we will look at a new topic.

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