SALES - Selling in Tough Times - Part 3

SALES

Selling in Tough Times – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February 2009.

Following on from last week, here are some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

Be Prepared
This one I am seriously found wanting on! You see, since all of my leads come out of Networking, I have already, very briefly met the person that I am having a meeting with (except of course when it is a referral), so I do know a little bit about them, presuming of course that I remember who they are.

The problem is that I have a very bad memory with names and faces and the fact of the matter is that I am usually meeting them for the second time, for an in depth meeting, several months down the line. What I should perhaps (in fact very definitely) be doing is googling them and finding out as much as I can about them and what it is that they do so that I am not going into the meeting blind.

What this tells the person that you are meeting, when you know a bit about them and what it is that they do or what their company is all about, is that you are serious about what it is that you do. It creates a tremendous amount of credibility for you as it shows that you were interested enough in what is to come out of the meeting, to find out more about them and then be able to discuss or ask questions that make sense.

Sell reliability.
Well now, this one certainly pertains to me. I often start off amused and then slowly (actually it quite quickly) become quite irritated with a sales person, what waxes lyrical about the technical stuff that happens with a product.

I am not a techno person, so I don’t understand the stuff and when I don’t understand it, throwing all the technical jargon at me, just makes me realize how many things can go wrong with the product.
Tell me the bottom line in easy to understand English. Tell me in easy to understand English if there is a guarantee and what brings it into effect.

Two of my favorite sales (and they both happened over a year ago) are: It was time to upgrade my cell phone, something that can normally be extremely frustrating for me. I walked into MTN at Rosebank and spoke to the young chap behind the counter. I said something along the lines of “I am a Nokia girl, this is what I have – I want the same or better and I don’t want to have to pay in.” Five minutes later I walked out with my new phone, all the paperwork done and dusted.

The second one was the purchase of my digital camera. Now I am not one to rush around like a mad thing taking happy snaps all the time, but I do take photos from time to time and it was time to drag myself kicking and screaming into the 21st century. I walked into the camera shop in Cresta and spoke to the young chap who always sorted the printing of my photo’s out. I said something along the lines of “I have no idea of the brand that I want, I want something simple that I can point at the general direction and it takes a reasonable photo. I don’t want to have to decide weather it is dark or light, the camera must do that for me, and it must not cost more that R2.50 (that’s always said with a huge grin on my face, but they understand what it is that I am saying.” Fifteen minutes later I walked out of shop with a new camera, camera bag and several other accessories. The camera had been programmed for me and all I have to do is press the two buttons – one to switch the thing on and the other to take the picture. Perfect!

In both of these instances, the sales person listened to me. They listened to what it was that I wanted and they gave it to me. In most of my other disastrous shopping experiences the sales person doesn’t listen to what it is that I want, instead they try to give me what they think I should have. Half the time I don’t understand what they are trying to say because I am not a technical person and I have no interest in hearing all that waffle.

Most people will tell you that I am extremely difficult – I disagree. If you give me exactly what it is that I want I am the easiest person on the planet. I am sure that if you tell these two salesmen that I am difficult they will disagree and tell you that it was the easiest and quickest sale that they have ever made.

Next week we will look at some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 100

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 100

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

For me, part of becoming a more skilled Networker or Networking more effectively, is not just about me doing things better, but it is also about me teaching others what I have learnt about how to Network. You see, if I am the most effective Networker around and no-one else around me knows how to Network effectively, I am not going to get what I want out of Networking. For me to effectively ‘work’ my Network, I have to have a network, that effectively ‘works’ their Network too.

So it is very important, not only for me to know and do the right things when I am Networking, but it is in my own best interests for the people that I Network with to know and do the right things when they are Networking to.

It is also very important that we start thinking the right way to and if we are to make our Networking endeavours as successful and as magnetic as they can be may involve us changing our mindsets. It’s means opening up our eyes and taking off out blinkers and having a look at absolutely everywhere – not just the usual spots.

How about looking at individuals and/or groups of individuals that never think about Networking or who don’t look at your particular Networking type groups because your profession or the size of your business is not where they look for what it is that they do.

I know from experience that ‘employees’ in a Corporate environment don’t feel the need to network because well, it’s like this . . . they have a comfortable job that gives them a steady income and they have a marketing department that markets and brand the company and they have a sales department that goes out and sells and brings the business in and therefore they don’t need to meet people and Network. The people that they usually meet are ‘needy’ small business owners who only want something from them and they don’t need anything those small ‘needy’ business owners have to offer. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

We all need to interact with people and when we meet with someone, whether it is at Networking type meeting or a social dinner or a beer in the pub down the road, we need to exchange ideas, exchange information learn new things – it’s a natural phenomena that is built into every single one of us. Think about it people, whenever you meet someone you always ask what they do and you invariably tell them what you do. It’s exchanging information about one another. The next step is exchanging ideas and most of us even exchange opinions. We try and understand the other person point of view (well most of us do) and we try and get them to understand ours.

So why is Networking any different? It’s our mindset that needs some serious work.

At a Networking event, we exchange information about one another, we exchange ideas (this is how you can be of assistance to my business and this is how I can be of assistance to yours) and we exchange opinions.

So whether you are a small business owner or an employee in a large Corporate – you need to Network and there is no reason what-so-ever, for the experience not to be a mutually beneficial one.

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

BUSINESS TIPS - Holding Directors Personally Liable for Company Debts

BUSINESS TIPS

Holding Directors Personally Liable for Company Debts.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February 2009.

Today’s article should perhaps, come with a warning – this is going to hurt someone, somewhere and at sometime and it is going to hurt badly!

It’s all about if you run your business recklessly or fraudulently and I am very serious people, when I tell you that it does carry a jail sentence and you will do jail time.

Have a look at the facts. There have been some pretty well known big Corporate companies that have gone for a ‘ball of chalk’ in the last couple of years. Names like Tollgate, Leisurenet and Fidentia spring to mind. In all of these cases, the directors and/or officials of the company have been handed hefty jail time sentences. In all cases, the business has been run recklessly and/or fraudulently. In all cases the media have had plenty to say and you must admit, they have kept us pretty up to date with what has been happening.

Now here’s the crunch. Don’t for a minute think, that because you are a very small company, and that most people have never heard of you, and therefore you will fly happily under the radar. That would be silly in the extreme. If you are a Business owner and you are deliberately running your business in a reckless or fraudulent manner, you could well be the next guest of the Department of Correctional Services.

Think about this though, if you are an unpaid supplier of someone who is running their business in a reckless or fraudulent manner, it may very well make you feel heaps better when they end up as a guest of the Department of Correctional Services, but that does not necessarily mean that you will get your money at the end of the day – you could still be ‘out of pocket’.

The problem here is that although the Companies Act allows the courts to declare that the Directors of a Company are personally liable for debts and losses incurred, specifically in the instances where those Directors have carried out the business of the Company in a reckless or fraudulent manner, the courts themselves do not enforce this easily. Again be warned, just because the courts don’t award or enforce this easily, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen.

So be careful about how you run the affairs of your Company. Be honest, be upfront and for goodness sake do not engage in fraudulent dealings. You will be held accountable at some point.

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

MOTIVATION - Problems & Challenges

MOTIVATION – Problems & Challenges


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

This was submitted to Thought for the Day by Juanita Welgemoed. “Now is the time to change all your problems into challenges.”

I am sure that I was not the only one, to take some time out over the holidays, to reflect on what has gone right in my business over the last year and what has gone wrong and why. Now the things that have gone right and why they have gone right is aways a good thing and it is usually quite easy to replicate what you did before in order for it happen that way again.

It’s the issues of what went wrong and how to resolve those issues that is always a tad more difficult.

But what if . . . what if, instead of seeing these issues as problems that have to be agonized over, or beating ourselves up over problems that we don’t seem to be able to resolve, what if we turn them into challenges. Challenges that can provide us with alternative income streams, or where we collaborate or joint venture with others in order to use the problem in it’s alternative form and turn it into a positive.

Think about it for a moment. Take crime for example – 30 or so years ago, we did not have hi-jackings or armed robberies (well not if you weren’t a bank). There were very few walls, let alone gates and electric fencing and the like around residential areas and homes. As the problem of crime became progressively worse (for whatever reason), instead of moaning and griping about how bad the crime was, people started doing things to help themselves and so a problem was turned into a challenge and an opportunity.

Can you imagine the challenges that the first ‘armed response’ company had to face, with no infrastructure in place. The vehicles, the training of the guards, the control rooms that operate 24/7 and so on – today I am sure that you would agree that it must have been quite a daunting task, but they took the challenge on and they turned it into a positive.

Does that make crime right? Of course it doesn’t. Has crime gone away? Of course it hasn’t and the challenges that they fact have today, I am sure are of a completely different nature. Today, 30 years later, the people who chose to bemoan the problem of crime, are probably still moaning and groaning. Yes they have the car alarm, the armed response and alarm contract, the electric fence and everything that goes with it, but it has ‘cost’ them financially ad they are still moaning. Those that turned the problem into a challenge have made money out of it and will continue to do so as they change newly acquired problems into challenges.

The bottom line of course, is that we can choose to take a problem and look at it, cry about, talk about, bang our head against it and perhaps even try and solve it – or we can choose to take that problem and turn it into a challenge or an opportunity.

The choice is entirely ours.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description - Part 3

ARTICLE 18

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description

Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

The one tip that we discussed last week was that the description of what the staff member needs to do has to be accurate and realistic.

The next tip is that the Job Description has to outline the job’s location, job purpose and content. It also has to document the relationships involved, the authority involved and the controls and checks.

Let’s examine what this means. Let’s take an Operations Manager’s position in a retail chain. Now clearly in this type of scenario, there are many different types of Managers. There would be store managers, Area or Regional Managers, Procurement Managers, Administration Managers, (and that’s just for the stores, never mind what happens at Head Office.) and so on. So if you were looking for an Operations Manager for the ‘stores’ as apposed to an Operations Manager for Head Office and/or the Warehouse/Factory, this would need to be specified and the fact that it is a Manager that is required and not an operations assistant or an operation’s clerk is of vital importance. This would highlight that the “job’s location in the organization” is one of Operations Manager of the stores. It stands to reason that that all the Operations Managers in the company would have similar, but not necessarily the same tasks to fulfill, so these need to be itemized carefully.

The job purpose and content would of course be to Manage the Operational requirements of all the stores country wide and take responsibility for how well the stores run. This would include but not be limited to the responsibility of the staff, the sales of the stores and the reaching of targets. The projection of the company image to the public is also something that should be taken into account. It would include things like staff training on product and sales training, setting of budgets and targets, the responsibility of ensuring that Government legislation is complied with and that HR and Labour issues are met and controlled. Issues of safety and health would also need to be controlled, not only for the staff, but also for clients. Merchandising of stock and procurement of supplies would also fall under the responsibility of the Operations Manager. So be sure to list everything that needs to be done.

The relationships involved would include the staff who would report into the Operations Manager as well as who the Operations Manager would report into as well as what controls and checks would be in place to measure the Operations Manager performance. This would include, but not be limited to targets and budgets being met and so on. It would also be necessary to include things like the minimum requirements of the job, you would not employ someone straight out of school to perform this task, now would you? – what are the minimum educational requirements (for example, a minimum of matric and a Management diploma and/or degree or a minimum of x number of years working experience in an Operational Environment and/or Managerial position) and so on.

Clearly the expectation of both the holder of the job (in this case the Operations Manager) and his/her supervisor must be the same or similar. They must equally understand, exactly what is required, when it is required and how the job must be done. Often issues of ‘expectation’ and ‘perception’ not meeting in the middle is what causes the most headaches and conflict within an organization.

Next week we will continue with some more tips on how to write a Job Description.

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

SALES - Selling in Tough Times - Part 2

SALES

Selling in Tough Times – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February 2009.

Following on from last week, here are some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

The next one is Keeping your Pipeline full

This is definitely something that you should be doing all the time – not only when times are tough. It’s a good idea to put at least one new prospect and/or opportunity into your pipeline on a daily basis. Look around you, be aware of the people around you, be even more of all the opportunities that are in great abundance all around us all. Remember though, recognizing an opportunity is great, but it is really not enough, you have to do something about it – it requires an action on your part for that opportunity to be turned into a reality.

Network

Oh this is one that I really like – Network, Network, Network! Always, always, always have your business cards with you – don’t leave home without them. Set a goal or a target of new people to meet on a daily basis – four or five new people a day is a good start. Exchange business cards with them. Find out who they are and what it is that they do. Tell them who you are and what it is that you do. Work the synergies between you and if there aren’t any, don’t stress it – connect them with the people in your database or your circle of influence that they may need to be in touch with. Understand that this may not bring you any kind of business immediately, but what it will do is set you up for the future and future business.

Ask Questions

Most sales people don’t ask the right questions and very seldom listen. The usual for them is to launch into this huge explanation about their product and/or their service and long explanations about how their product and/or service will revolutionize your life. Stop! Instead of waxing lyrical about how wonderful your product and/or service is, ask your prospect what they need and want and the just shut up and listen - I mean really listen. People feel more comfortable about buying something that they know they need rather than something that they are told that they need. If their needs have been met, because you have listened to what it is that they need or want, the sale will be much easier.

Next week we will look at some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 99

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 99

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

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

“Be inclusive and collaborative”.

Over the holiday period, I did not travel anywhere, or take a significant break. That said, I spent my time – quietly at home, examining what I had done in 2008 and what needed to be done in 2009. With the economy (supposedly) in a mess and the credit crunch (supposedly) really hurting everyone concerned (as you can see I don’t really buy into either – but the rest of the world does, so I have adjust my the way I respond to them accordingly), I realized that I have to do things completely differently for 2009.

At the recent launch of the Soweto 5 year project that I attended at the Ubuntu Kraal in Soweto, the speaker Parks Tau, who is the Financial Director of the Economic Development of the City of Johannesburg, kept referring to the fact that there has to be a collaboration between Government, the Private Sector and the people of Soweto, in order for the roll out of this initiative to actually work. As I listened to him speak, several of the people there kept saying “We are tired of the talk shows, now we want things to happen.” Parks kept on patiently explaining that that is one of the reasons that there had to be the collaboration.

Several times since then, I have been in a networking environment, where the people have used words like ‘Joint Venture’ and ‘Strategic Alliance’ and even ‘Partnerships’ and my brain just kept going back to the word “Collaboration”.

My 2009 has really started with a bang! Work is pouring in from all kinds of different avenues, clients that were dormant, new clients, referrals and the like from friends and colleagues from all over the country. Here’s the thing though – the majority of opportunities that are coming my way are of a collaborative nature! Particularly for my Workshop “A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business.” You see many of the Skills Development companies and NGO’s such as Women In Finance, British Chamber of Business and so on are needing to train everyday people who want to start their own businesses in the basic aspects of running a sustainable business. They not only need me to facilitate the training of my workshop, but they also need access to my extensive data base that is packed full of people – not only people who can facilitate training of a whole plethora of different Skills Development topics but also people who may need to be trained on those particular skills.

So guess who is getting the old Memorandum of Understanding out, dusting it off and Collaborating like there is no tomorrow?

Me of course! Guess what? So can you – Collaborate with me, or with others – just get out there and do it now!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

TAX - Does the Small Business Rates Apply to Sole Proprietors

TAX

Does the Small Business Rates Apply to Sole Proprietors

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February 2009.

Now here is one for the history books – me writing about tax!

Firstly let it be understood, I am no expert on Tax and I am not a Tax consultant. That said, there are issues that even I understand on how we as SMME’s (small, medium, micro enterprises) can save ourselves some money.

Where ever we go, we hear people talking about how the tax man is messing with us, how our businesses are being ‘strangled’ by the tax man. How difficult it is for the small business owner to survive because of the taxes and how Government should assist the SMME.

Well to be quite honest, every year I see evidence of just that! Government relaxing criteria on the SMME, Trevor Manual relaxing tax for the SMME. What I don’t see, is the SMME taking advantage of what has been offered. Perhaps it is just easier to moan and groan and blame someone else for our misfortune or the fact that we often don’t think about what we are doing.

Small businesses have preferential rates that are applicable, but one of the requirements is that the business must trade either as a private company or as a close corporation in order to qualify.

Now already I can see the eyes moving heaven ward. Think about it for a moment. If your company is not registered as a company, how is SARS expected to know if your personal account is being used for a legitimate business or if on the face of it you have ‘created’ a business – which runs through your personal account, in order to claim the preferential rates? Come on now be fair – registering your business, tells SARS that yours is a legitimate business.

As a registered business, SARS is now able to award you the preferential rates. This means that instead of paying maximum of 40% as an individual or Sole Proprietor, as a registered Close Corporation or Private Company you get to pay a maximum of 28%. The reality of this is a saving of 12% on your bottom line and I am sure that you will agree with me that that is not to be sniffed at.

Now I can hear all of you saying, “yes, but now I am paying 40% as an individual and 28% as a business!” Well not really hey, especially if you are doing your books correctly!

Firstly, you should be claiming all of the expenses and allowances that you are entitled to, through your business. This should leave you in your personal capacity, with only the personal expenses and incidentals that you cannot claim through your business and then this should form the ‘salary’ that your business pays you on a monthly basis. Now here comes the interesting part – if your ‘salary’ is less than the minimum, then you don’t pay tax as an individual at all.

So I urge you as SMME’s to go and register your business, then register your business as an employer and employ yourself. Following the rules and the guidelines, will mean huge savings in taxes.

Huge savings in taxes will also increase your productivity too! Why increased productivity you may ask? Well that’s a simple one to answer – you see all the time that you used to spend moaning and groaning about how badly the tax man is treating you can now be used to sell more product and/or your services.

The bottom line of course is that you – yes you – need to change your mindset and work with the system. You will find it far more rewarding than the constant butting you head against a brick wall that you all seem hell bent on doing.

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

MOTIVATION - A Mission Statement

MOTIVATION – A Mission Statement


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

The majority of big Corporate Companies all have their own Mission Statement. Usually they are placed strategically for the world to see, at reception, or on a wall that you would look at as you enter the building or the office. Why do you think that is? I’ve always thought that it is to tell all their customers, even the really unhappy ones that are about to blow the place to hell, exactly what it is that they promise to do or to achieve, whether they actually do and/or achieve what they say they are going to is of course a whole different discussion for another day.

So anyway, do we as Small Business owners have our own mission statements, hanging up for all to see? Or let’s take it one step further, how about a personal mission statement? Have any of you thought about putting a personal Mission Statement down on paper? I certainly haven’t, but you know what - I think it is a brilliant idea.

Now here’s the thing though – a Mission Statement is not something that you can just jot down in a few minutes. It’s something that needs to be thought about . . . carefully.

It will mean of course that we have to carefully consider our desires. Not just the ones that cause us to scratch, but the ones that are deep down in the core of our beings. We would have examine all the things that we are passionate about, not just the cute, sexy little number down the road, but the passion for what you do, what you want to achieve, for life itself – passion that comes from within. Passion that you cannot explain because the words have never been invented, but that bubbles up inside of you until you want to explode with excitement and joy whenever you think about being all that you can be and achieving all that you can achieve. Yes a lot of careful thought and deliberation would be required to capture the essence of a personal Mission Statement.

Then of course we need to be aware of what is written on there – always. A Mission Statement is not only for the here and now. It’s not for when we feel like it or when we have time. It’s not for when we are fighting with our significant other or (since I don’t have children) shouting at the cats. It’s something that we would have to live, breathe, eat, sleep and think. It’s something that we would have to not only bring to our conscious world but also have simmering and shining in our sub-conscious minds. It would have to be so constant and present in our lives and in our worlds that everyone around us would also be conscious and aware of it.

The contents of our own personal Mission Statement would be considered and reflected in every decision that we make, on every thought that we have and every deed that we do. It would form the foundation of all of our principles, our morals and every commitment that we make.

It would be like . . . well think of you married folk, before you make or accept a social engagement you usually (if there is any kind of respect in the relationship) check with your spouse first to see if they are available/willing to attend the engagement. So now before you did, said or even thought anything you would ‘run it by’ your Mission Statement to see if it fitted the criteria.

Whether you accepted a challenge or not would depend entirely on how well it fitted in with your Mission Statement and any kind of conflict meant that the challenge would be discarded.

A Mission Statement is what we should live by, it should be our conscience, the essence of who we are. It should have our dreams, not just the ones for tomorrow and next week, but all of our dreams of all that we hope to achieve and even a little bit about how we are going to get there.

Now you’re thinking – wow! Would I be able to confine myself to such a ‘small’ space within my own mind, where I would lack the freedom of choice that I so enjoy now? I honestly don’t know because that is a decision that you yourself would have to make.

What I do know for sure though (to coin a phrase from Oprah Winfrey) is this – if my Mission Statement was absolutely sincere in its intention, if it is true to my beliefs and my aspirations. If it suited me as the individual that I am and the individual that I want to become. If it encapsulates my dreams, my hopes and drives away my fears. If it is honest and meets my expectations, then I believe that it will assist me in making better choices in my life and in making the right decisions. But, if I have, in any way compromised with my Mission Statement and it is not a true reflection or lacks sincerity in any way, then I also believe that it will not work and that my life may even become sad and without direction and that no matter how much I achieve there will always be something lacking, an element of something missing.

Now, where’s my journal? I have to start making notes. Notes for my personal Mission Statement. That is my choice. I wonder – what will yours be?

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description - Part 2

ARTICLE 18

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description

Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Last week we had a look at the difference between an employee’s duties and the job description.

Here are some of (but not limited to) the things that you need to look at and take into account when you want to write a job description.

First of all you need to be accurate and realistic about the requirements of the job.

Let me tell you a story. Many years ago I was employed by an insurance company, to capture all their hand written client data onto their computer system and in so doing, drag them kicking and screaming into the 20th Century. They needed to get all of their client information into an electronic format, if they were to remain in business and have any sort of competitive edge. At the same time, their own business Administration was in a state of total chaos, and they needed proper procedures and controls put into place to bring some sort of order into their lives.

A few days after I started, I was asked to perform bookkeeping tasks. Now although I am an qualified bookkeeper, I have never done a full set of books for a client (other than my own, when I was young and stupid) and certainly never done a set of books in an accounting package. You see they had seen that I was a qualified bookkeeper (as this information was on my CV) and they thought that they could get two jobs done for the price of one.

Don’t do that – the one job has nothing to do with the other and in this instance actually required two different people.

Make sure that what you require is realistic.

Then there is the case of the domestic worker – here is another story of how things go pear shaped.
You cannot believe the number of small businesses who have hired their domestic worker as the cleaner/housekeeper/tea lady. This in itself is not a problem at all, in fact I have done this myself. What is the problem is that all of a sudden the domestic worker becomes the filing clerk and then the office administration clerk.

Now, giving someone the opportunity, if they are capable is absolutely fantastic. Promoting someone to a position that is outside of their capabilities and then holding them accountable when they cannot cope or mess something up, is just plain irresponsible. You cannot fit the Job Description to the person – the person must fit the Job Description. So be honest about what the job entails and what your requirements are for that particular job and then find the person that fits those requirements.

Next week we will continue with some more tips on how to write a Job Description.

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

SALES - Selling in Tough Times - Part 1

SALES

Selling in Tough Times – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

I keep hearing all around me that we are in the middle of an economic crisis and a credit crunch. I must say that I am really not convinced! I mean the interest rates have come down and the petrol price has come done – so I am not totally sold on the whole concept. That said, for those who have ‘bought into’ the whole ‘economic crisis’ scenario and also for those like me who want to make life really easy for themselves, here are some tips on the “how to” sell in tough times.

Existing Satisfied Customers.
I have no doubt that even at our worst, we have left some satisfied customers in our wake. Surely to goodness, logic must tell us that if we have satisfied them once, it cannot be that difficult to satisfy them again. Reconnect with them, rekindle the relationship that you once had with them and find out what it is they need/want/desire. If it is something that you can do for them – fabulous, if it isn’t , don’t stress, connect them with who they need out of your database. This still means that you are adding value to them and they will remember you all the more for it.

Ask for Referrals
What is it about the human race and South African’s in particular, that we find it so incredibly difficult to ask for help? We find it very easy to help, to assist – I mean, we are internationally known for our friendliness and generosity. Yet we cannot seem to ‘ask’ when we need the help.

It’s very easy you know, just do it – ask for what you want. Ask your friends, your relatives, your clients (past and present) to refer you to the people within their circle of influence. It will cost them a few minutes of their time and it will increase your sales exponentially. How cool is that? Even more cool is the number of references that you are likely to get out of the exercise.



Putting on the Pressure.
It is said that in the tough times, it is not a good idea to put pressure on a client in order to close the deal. I would take that one step further and say that it is never a good idea to push someone into a corner in order to close a sale!

Be warned – if you do push a client like this, in all likelihood you will never sign a deal with them ever – not just this one deal, but never another deal ever.

People like to take some time to think about what it is that they want to do. They like to think about the pro’s and con’s of what they need/want/desire – the more pressure you apply the more they will resist and the more desperate you will appear. You will not only lose the sale, you will lose the client too. Don’t do it!!

Next week we will look at some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 98

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 98

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

It is well documented and well known that the easiest way to increase your sales is to rope in and resurrect your existing and/or dormant clients.

The second easiest way to get new clients is from referral Networking. Let’s face it, the majority of us would rather make use of a supplier that someone has recommended than someone we have found out of the yellow pages. I know for sure, which one I would rather use.

So how do you go about getting referrals? Well for me it is a ‘no brainer’. I do it through Networking. I have been Networking for a number of years now and the relationships that I have built up as a result of those networking events, pays up big time – really big time!

In the last week alone, I have formed 3 different collaborations with people within my own database and the result is that I have now got 3 different projects on the go. How exciting is that.

How did I originally meet these people? Well two of them I met through two different Networking meetings and the other was referred to me. How easy is that? It sure as hell beats knocking on doors and doing cold calling.

Remember though, you have to build the relationships and maintain them and you have to recognise the opportunity and then act on it. Don’t be discouraged if things don’t happen immediately. Stay focused and keep going – pretty soon the business will just start flying in.

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

BUSINESS TIPS - Causing a Cash Flow Crunch

BUSINESS TIPS

Causing a Cash Flow Crunch

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

We’ve all heard about the bad economy and how things are going to get worse before they get better. We’ve all heard about how this is a global recession and how everyone is going to feel the pinch.

The reality of what is happening today is people are losing their jobs. People are feeling the ‘credit crunch’ and feeling a bit squeezed and small businesses and closing down faster than they are starting up.

Part of the problem may very well be related to the ‘credit crunch’, however I suspect that the economy is getting blamed for a lot of bad cash flow management and how we as small business owners actually run our businesses and in some cases how big Corporate Companies and even the Government are the cause of small businesses going under.

Many businesses (especially the large corporate companies) seem to have the idea that they can just pay the smaller SMME if and when they feel like it – Government in particular is notorious for this.

The whole drive to assist small businesses, by both Government and the Private Sector is more often than not, negated by those self same companies when they don’t pay the SMME on time for the services and/or products rendered.

I have it on good authority that most of the big Corporate Companies only pay 60 or even 90 days and Government can be as long as 180 days (and that is with the SMME phoning and harassing them on a daily basis).

The National Credit Act (NCA) also doesn’t really protect the SMME from these hungry sharks either! You see as long as there is no additional ‘financial gain’ on the debt that is paid at 30, 60, 90 or 180 days, they are quite happy, and the SMME doesn’t have to become a registered credit provider despite the fact that the SMME’s are clearly giving credit!

Let me explain this in a little more detail – as individuals we are entitled to charge interest at prime plus two percent on outstanding bills. This is called ‘Incidental’ credit as it was not our ‘intention’ to give credit to the client, but rather a consequence of them not paying us on time.

If you however, charge interest on invoices that are paid 60, 90 days plus then you have to register as a credit provider. If you ‘load’ your rates, you will be undercut by someone else, so basically you are skewered either way.

The bottom line then is that big Corporate Companies and Government fund themselves using money that belongs to the SMME. Then they try and make themselves smell sweetly of rose petals by publically donating huge funds to get SMME’s up and running to boost the economy, whilst quietly destroying them by not paying them on time and thereby forcing them to close their doors.

So what is the point of these huge great big giants declaring that X percentage of their suppliers are from the SMME sector and this is how they are assisting the growth of the economy? How are they assisting? Personally I don’t see it and quite frankly this is one of the reasons that I (and thousands of small businesses across the country) would rather not do business with the Corporate and/or Government world.

In this instance, it really is a case of the “Cure is worse than the disease”.

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

MOTIVATION - Living Each Day

MOTIVATION – Living Each Day


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from an anonymous donor who says “Live each day as if it is your last, but start each day anew.”

Live each day as if it is your last! What a statement! What a mindset change! What a life style change!

I am of the opinion that we are all very guilty of becoming complacent. Of taking life and our lives for granted or for just going through the motions of living. In reflection this is very sad and such a waste.

Then there are those who often live each day as their last, but very seldom start each day as a ‘new’ day – they drag every hurt and perceived wrong doing through the dawn with them, making the burden of ‘living’ the day as if it were their last a very burdensome one. Thinking on it, logic must tell you that the lighter the load the easier it would be to live the life, so to speak.

So it is my recommendation that we try to recognize what needs to be done on a daily basis, deal with what can be dealt with, accept what can be accepted and discard the rest – just walk away, it will not serve you in any way to hang onto feelings and emotions or perceived slights and transgressions.

In fact, not only will they not serve you, they will drag you down and in dragging you down, they will prevent you from living each day to the full.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description

ARTICLE 18

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description

Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

In my experience, one of greatest challenge in any small businesses is getting the paperwork right, particularly in the HR arena.

Issues of paperwork seem to pale into insignificance, when the focus is on getting the sale of the product and/or service, in order to ensure that there is sufficient funds at the end of the month to pay the bills.

Ironically, it is the lack of proper ‘paperwork’ that usually becomes the downfall of the Company and this is especially true when it comes to the HR side of the business.

Landing up at the CCMA, with a difficult staff member, who has all the weight of the law behind them, because you – as the business owner – have not put all the requirements in place, could mean the demise of your business as fines paid eat into your hard earned cash flow. Some businesses and/or business owners never recover.

Ensuring that your staff have been notified, in writing of their job descriptions and their duties is a legal requirement. The law is there to actually protect the employer as well as the employee. That, perhaps is the first thing that we all need to understand.

The next thing that we all need to understand, is the difference between a “Job Description” and the “Duties” of the employee. Most people that I come into contact with seem to think that it is one and the same – beware – it isn’t.

A job description is exactly that – it describes the job.

Employee duties is exactly that, it describes the duties that the employee is expected to perform.

Let me simplify this a little more for you. In some Companies, particularly small businesses, an employee may be expected to perform several duties, for example Jane Doe, may be employed as the PA and the Bookkeeper and she may also be responsible for shipping and sales as well. So her duties (which is what goes onto the letter or contract of employment) are that of PA, Bookkeeper, Shipping clerk and sales assistant. Therefore Jane Doe actually should have four different Job Descriptions – one for each of the duties that she performs and despite the fact that there may be ‘overlaps’ on each one of them – in this instance for example, she may be required to liaise with clients for issues pertaining to each individual duty, the fact remains that they are four extremely different jobs and each one must have their own Job Description.

In a big Corporate, often there is one Job Description for several employees. Take for example a Company that has several hundred sales assistants. Each assistant would have the duties of a ‘Sales Assistant’ on his/her letter of appointment, but there would only be one Job Description involved and that would be the Job Description of a Sales Assistant.

Writing Job Descriptions for me is not a difficult thing, but then that is because of the way that my brain is wired, however it has become increasingly evident that for others it is one of the most difficult and challenging things to write – especially if the person writing it has no knowledge of what the actual job entails. For example, George is an extremely talented designer and if asked could probably tell you to the nearest cm, how much fabric is required to make a particular garment. That said, George in all probability would have no clue how to run a set of books properly. Oh don’t get me wrong George would understand the basics of how to cost the garment and what have you, but the ‘nuts and bolts’ of bookkeeping would not only bore him to tears, it is something that he would not understand. Could you therefore imagine George writing a Job Description for the bookkeeper that he would need to employ?

In the big Corporate Companies, the person writing the job description is usually the Line Manager, and it would be written in conjunction with the HR Manager. The Line Manager would understand and have experience in every aspect of the job or position that he would like to be fulfilled and the HR Manager would have the experience of how to put those requirements into a Job description. In a small business, the business owner is usually the one who does everything that needs to be done, often without fully understanding all the requirements of the job as is evidenced by George the talented designer.

Next week, I will list some of the basic requirement.

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

MARKETING - Special Offer

MARKETING – SPECIAL OFFER


Firstly, compliments of the season – may we all prosper, beyond all expectations in 2009!

I am starting the New Year off with a “Special”!

During the holidays, I added a considerable number of Policies, Procedures and Templates to my ‘store’ and I am feeling so good about my achievement, I want to share with you.

So for all policies, procedures and templates purchased – and paid for - between now and the 31st January 2009, I will be giving a 15% discount.

Some of the new and really handy ones are:
1. A73 – Supplier Recruitment. This is really great for those who are VAT vendors and/or BEE compliant. It will assist VAT vendors in optimizing VAT output in order to increase the amount of VAT that they can claim and great for clients who are BEE compliant (or in the process of becoming compliant) to ensure that they can optimize the number of points they can score in terms of supplier procurement.
2. H56 – Disciplinary Code & Procedure Policy. This is for those who have staff and who are not sure what the guidelines are. So when can you issue a ‘verbal’ warning, or when is it appropriate to issue ‘written’ warnings and when can you skip to the front of the queue and dismiss without having to even issue a solitary warning.
3. H64 – Sexual Harassment Policy. I guess this one is self explanatory
4. H1 – Alcohol & substance Abuse Policy. Now I know that this one is self explanatory
5. O2 – HIV/Aids Policy. How many of you actually know the status of your employees and even if you did, do you know how to treat them?

Other’s that are also useful, but not quite so ‘heavy’,

6. Retrenchment templates
7. Certificates of service
8. Bookkeeping – monthly checklist and procedure
9. Electronic and paper – Filing procedure – how many of you have millions of files and still can’t find anything?
10. Prevention of Organised Crime Act – I’m pretty sure, a few of you didn’t even know that this exists.

Anyway – those are some of the Policies/Procedures and Templates that I have on hand – if you would like to have a look at the list and see what your Business could do with, drop me a mail on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or give me a call on 083 702 8849 and I will forward it to you.

It’s really simple – send me a mail telling me which ones you want, I will send you an invoice, deposit the money into my account and as soon as it reflects I will forward the Policy/Template/Procedure straight to you.

Have a great day

Best regards

Nikki Viljoen
N Viljoen Consulting CC

KEEPING YOU COMPLIANT

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 97

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 97

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

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

“Brand yourself. Find a way of making yourself memorable.”

I know that this is a subject that I have touched on many times before, but perhaps it is time to re-visit it.

You see, I have been going through my database, it’s something that I do on a regular basis, when I send mails out. This time though it has also been a clean up. So as I sent mails out, and they bounced back, I made a concerted effort of deciding whether I should contact the person and ascertain why it is that their mails are bouncing or if it was time to remove that particular person’s information from my database.

It’s a good thing you know to ‘clean’ out your database from time to time, to ensure that it is current and up to date.

Now here’s the thing, you see about 70% of the bounced mails belong to people who I have no recollection of. Looking at the information that I have on them, I can tell you where I met them and even the name of their business or who introduced them to me, but I cannot remember what they look like or even what they do.

That’s a problem – I know that I have a really bad memory for names and faces, which is why I always add in the additional information about them (where I met them, or who introduced them to me and so on), but not to remember what they do – well that for me is not good. I usually have even a vague idea what it is that people do, particularly if they have made a really great impression on my mind – which obviously in terms of the people who I cannot remember have not done.

To make a good impression on my mind (or anyone else for that matter) means that the branding has to be particularly strong, especially in the instances where the name of the Company does not give out any kind of clues as to what the person does. I mean if the name of the Company is ABC Plumbing, it’s pretty certain that the person is a plumber, but if the name of the Company is ABC Consulting, then I have a problem.

So make sure that your branding is very strong, that the way that you present yourself or what it is that you do, makes you stand out in the crowd and not just for a moment, but also for time to come. So that even people like me, who have a bad memory for names and faces, will not forget what it is that you do.

If I don’t remember what you do, then I cannot refer you or your services and having your name and contact details in my database actually serves no purpose what-so-ever.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS - Storing Your E-mails

BUSINESS TIPS

Storing Your E-mails

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

I must admit, this is something that I have had to research on a personal level. When you get to the stage of getting in excess of 100 mails a day it can be a daunting exercise to try and manage and/or prioritize the mails.

The research that I did came up with the following suggestions:

I keep all mails that pertain to my clients and my service providers. I have a file for each client and/or each service provider and pretty much in the same way that I would file my paperwork, I use these files on the computer.

So for example if I have a client ABC Consulting – I would have a folder (under clients) called ABC. In the folder ABC, I would have sub folders such as invoices, quotes, payments etc – but for the e-mails I would also have sub folders for incoming mail and another for outgoing mail. It just makes it easier if I am looking for something that I sent to the client or something that I received from the client.

The rest of the mails that pertain to anything other than clients and/or suppliers, that I want to keep go into sub-folders of my Inbox. This means that I can search though all my messages (particularly if I am researching something) all in the same place.

I have also discovered that you can have replies that you send out, sent to a sub-folder too. How neat is that? You can write a rule to have messages sent to various folders on receipt or on sending the message, depending on what it is that you want to do. Click on the Tools tab and then select Rules and Alerts. Remember though that if you have more than one ‘rule’ that applies to incoming e-mail, the rule that was placed first is the one that takes precedence.

Keeping a handle on your e-mails will make it easier to handle all the information overload that most of us experience on a daily basis.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

MOTIVATION - Becoming More Conscious

MOTIVATION – Becoming More Conscious


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

You know, I grew up on a farm in the late 50’s and 60’s and for the people of my generation, using the “K” word was pretty much the norm. Was that right? Of course not! My point though is that nowadays when I hear that word (although it is very rare to hear it these days, thank goodness), apart from the fact I find it offensive, I am also reminded how things were.

So how did we get from there to here? How did a whole nation of people go from using words that were the ‘norm’ for that period of time – to something that now, the majority of us find absolutely reprehensible?

Well I think it is because we have become more conscious about what we say. It’s like the ‘volume’ control on kids – as they grow, so they become more aware of what they sound like and then instead of every word being said as loud as they possibly can, it becomes softer and more manageable.

Now here’s the thing – if we become more aware of what we say to ourselves softly and quietly, on a daily basis and stop all the negative thoughts that run wild in our heads, chances are that those negative thoughts will become positive thoughts and pretty soon instead of a sad, depressed and frightened individual, we’ll be a happy, upbeat confident person.

So how do we go about this? Well as with most things in life, it would be one word at a time, one day at a time. Be aware of what your thoughts are – each time something negative pops into you mind, mentally shake it loose – get rid of it and then replace it with a word with the opposite meaning. Actively think of the good things around you, be aware of your surroundings, take time out of your day to enjoy the simple things in life, the magnificent sunrise, the glorious sunset, the smell of freshly brewed coffee or freshly baked bread.

Allow your mind to wonder back to the memories of child hood where you were responsible for nothing more than being a kid and having a good time. Remember the laughter and the sunshine.

Watch children at play, see the delight upon a child’s face as they see their first butterfly or soapy bubbles as they float in the air and remember the thoughts that you had when you first experienced things. It will lighten the load in your heart and put a spring in your step.

Fill your head with pleasant positive thoughts and the burdens of your day will melt away.

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Conduct a Disciplinary

ARTICLE 17

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need to Conduct a Disciplinary

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

The mindset of most individuals is that the conducting of a Disciplinary hearing is a ‘waste of time”. Whilst that may be the perception – it is really the only way that both parties, the Employer and the Employee, get to do battle in a way that is completely fair and without any emotion.

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act is very clear on the subject.

Staff can no longer just be summarily dismissed – the staff member is thereby protected from an employee hell bent on dismissal. Staff members, no longer get to do as they please and then get away with it – the employee is thereby protected.

There are now rules and regulations governing how things get done – this is called the Disciplinary Procedure.

Many cases that have landed up in the CCMA, and been lost by either of the parties because the correct procedures were not followed.

They are not difficult, they are completely fair and they can ensure a fair outcome. If the employee is dismissed and feels that justice has not been served – they can firstly ‘appeal’ the decision and if they still do not feel that justice has been served they can then take the whole issue to the CCMA.

Let’s step back a moment and see what the procedures are:

· The staff member must be served with a Notice to Attend a Disciplinary Hearing.
· The charges must be clear and concise.
· The staff member must be given a minimum of 48 hours to prepare his/her case from the time that the Notice is served to the time that the hearing takes place.
· The staff member has the right to have representation (this means someone inside of the company – no lawyers at this point)
· The staff member has the right to have an interpreter if there is a need.
· The staff member has the right to call any witnesses, if there is a need.

And guess what – the Employer has the same rights.

The Disciplinary must be chaired by an impartial person, who has not been involved with any of the issues leading up to the hearing being called for. This way, both cases get to be heard without any pre-conceived perceptions.

The Chairperson must hear both sides of the story, before making a ruling. The chairperson can ask as many questions as they feel the need to, in order to reach a decision.

The penalty must fit the crime.

Next week we tackle a new issue.

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

MARKETING - Who is Your Target Market

MARKETING

Who Is Your Target Market?

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

Do you know who your target market is? Do you believe that your market is “everybody”?

I know that when I started out, I believed that ‘everybody on the planet’ was my target market – wrong, wrong, wrong! You see, whilst most people could certainly benefit from having and using my services and my products – many just didn’t want to or don’t see the value add, or didn’t think that they needed it because they could fly below the radar, or they can do it themselves. So invariably the more I pushed for these people to buy into what I do and what I have for sale, the more they resisted and the more I struggled to sell.

This, for me, was a huge problem! I find it really difficult to understand why someone would not buy something that would actually assist them in saving money and headaches and time in the long run. Doesn’t make any kind of logical sense does it? Well it doesn’t to me and I have no doubt that on some levels you would be the first to agree with me.

Thing is though, most people have a mind of their own and well ‘you can take a horse to water . . .’! On most levels I understand this, but the fear of losing someone who really should be a customer, drove me ever onwards to get them to buy! The result, well I lost them as potential customers – although in all honesty, when the brown smelly stuff hit the fan, there have been those that have come to me for help – to late to prevent the loss you understand, but well that was their choice now, wasn’t it?

So it took a while, but now I do understand that marketing to my clients is not exclusive, but inclusive.

So what does that mean exactly?

Well for me it means that instead of thinking that everybody needs a support group and I offer support and therefore they need me, I take it just a little bit further. I look at ‘why’ they need me. I look at what their ‘specific’ needs are as apposed to just their ‘general or generic’ needs.

Although most people have the same needs on many levels, they don’t want to ‘think’ that they are the same as everybody else – they are unique and therefore their problems and requirements are unique.

Get to know them, build relationships with them and find out what it is that they need and then you will be able to sell them what you have that they need or want.

Give them what they want/need/desire rather than want you want/need/desire to give them.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 96

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 96

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

For the longest time, networking has been about handing out cards. Think about it for a moment, if you went to a Networking event, it was usually at one of the Chambers, you were usually encouraged to wander around with a cup of tea in one hand and a sticky bun/cake/sandwich in the other and off you went to engage with some poor unsuspecting person, who was usually caught on the back foot, or you were caught on the back foot. Networking, these days is just so much more! Don’t get me wrong, there are still some of the ‘old’ traditional way of Networking, but as in most other aspects of our lives, Networking has also moved forward.

So what other options are there? Well, apart from the ‘Chamber’ type networking, there are several different types of meetings that you can go to – some are dinners, some are breakfasts, some are during the day. Some have themes with guest speakers or presentations, some have a combination of a whole lot of different things – you need to find what you are comfortable with. On a personal level, I prefer meetings that are semi facilitated. As a introvert, I find it difficult to just walk up to strangers and just start talking – I guess that is why I am not too fond of ‘cold calling’ either.

Then there are the social networks such as ‘facebook’ and ‘myspace’. These are essentially fun networks, where people who are passionate about Networking can and often do, do a lot of business.

Actually, if the truth be told, people who are passionate about Networking can actually network anywhere.

Where ever you Network though, remember that building and maintaining networks is all about building relationships. So stay in touch, send out newsletters, or interesting titbits of information to do with your business that would make people want to know more, invite people to the new places that you discover and share with your database.

Share your knowledge, share your experiences, share what you have to offer, who you are and what it is that you do – you’ll be surprised at just how much fun you can have.

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

BUSINESS TIPS - VAT (Value Added Tax) Claims for Fuel

BUSINESS TIPS

VAT (Value Added Tax) Claims for Fuel

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

I am doing quite a bit of research on what can be claimed for VAT, not only for my own Business purposes, but in general as I seem to be on a mission of late. I am trying to change people’s mindset and how they view the VAT man – you see, I have a rather special relationship with the VAT man.

It appears that I am the only one of the planet who actually LOVES him! Yes I do! I love the VAT man – you see, unlike most people my VAT man appears to ‘pay’ me to be a VAT vendor – it does require a little effort on my part too though.

I have to be VAT registered, I have to complete my VAT returns every second month, I have to make sure that I pay those funds across – on time, or I will be liable to pay penalties and interest. So you see it means that I have to manage my VAT. In return, the VAT man allows me to claim for all sorts of things.

Now I know that I have a brilliant accountant – his name is Nico Labuschagne and he can be contacted on 084 606 0075 or labuschagneassoc@lantic.net – I know that he is up to date with all the bits and pieces that we can claim from the VAT man (so as to increase the amount of money that the VAT man pays me), but I am a bit of a control freak, so I also need to know what I can and cannot claim.

I have come across this useful piece of information and being a sharing girl, I am sharing this with all of you.

Consulting to my clients, means that I often have to travel to them and if they are far enough away, I charge them for my fuel and running costs at the AA rate. Now the question is – am I correct in charging VAT on top of this – fuel per se, you see does not attract VAT.

The answer is – of course you do. The bottom line is that you are not actually charging the VAT on the fuel, but rather that you are using the charge of the fuel and the running costs as a tool to calculate the value of your services to your client – so it is subject to VAT.

Best I go and find some more ‘far-a-way’ clients then.

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

MOTIVATION - Our Own Minds

MOTIVATION – Our Own Minds


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Jameson frank says “Our Greatest battles are those that are fought in our own minds.”

Ain’t that the truth and wouldn’t the world be a much better place if that were the only place battles were fought?

I know, that for me on a personal level, the time I took out from my clients between the 19th of December 2008 and the 4th January 2009, served not only as a rest period, but also gave me a chance to finish off some of the battles in my mind that started during the course of 2008.

I know that for many (myself included) 2008 was a challenging year. I certainly had one, not only from a business point of view, but also from a personal perspective.

My business has morphed in so many ways and become so much more than what I first envisioned. I have started a second business, that is so completely different to what I do and have done in the past, I have walked away from some pretty long term friendships and I have grown so much as a person.

Most of these changes meant that great battles had to be fought in my mind.

All of these changes came about as a direct result of battles that had already been fought . . . and won.

You see for me, although I am not scared of change and once the decision has been made, I usually embrace change – in many of these instances the actual decision to make the change, was extremely difficult and painful, but I knew deep down inside that they had to be made in order for me to move on or move forward.

I made a choice to move forward in my life and in order for me to do that, changes had to be made – some of those changes cost me dearly, but had I not paid the price – I could have been stuck there for a long time and that price was one that I was not prepared to pay.

So now I am rested and ready and excited and rearing to go, into 2009, where I will reap the benefits of winning those battles and paying those prices!

What about you – how have your battles gone? Are you ready to make history in 2009? I know I am!

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

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Your Staff Want To Strike - Part 8

ARTICLE 16

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Your Staff Want to Strike – Part 8

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Here we are again, at the dismissals. Your staff have embarked on an ‘Unprotected and/or illegal’ strike, you have issued an ultimatum and they have not returned to work. The ball is now in your court.

Remember though that you still have to decide whether dismissing them would be considered ‘fair’ before you dismiss. The Code of Good Practice (which we have already looked at in a previous discussion) on dismissals deals with three components which much be taken into account when deciding on the fairness of the dismissal. To re-iterate, these are:
1. the seriousness of the contravention of the Act;
2. attempts made to comply with the Act, and
3. whether or not the strike was in response to unjustified conduct on the part of the employer.

Please note that although these are the three issues that the employer has to look at, the court is not limited to these only.

So, let’s have a look at the ‘seriousness of the contravention of the Act’. If the employees have not followed any of the procedures as laid down by the Labour Relations Act, in all probability the Labour court, will have very little, if any sympathy for the employees who embark on an Unprotected and/or illegal strike.

What about ‘attempts make to comply with the Act’? Again, if the strike is unprotected and/or illegal because the striking employees have not followed laid down procedures or the followed the requirements of the Act, the court may have a little more sympathy, depending on the nature of the ‘failure’ to comply. Let’s have a look at this in a little more depth. Let’s say for example the striking employees really believe that the strike was protected – the court may have more sympathy for the employees – this is one instance where ‘ignorance of the law is bliss’! Here’s the deal – the employees did not, for example, give management the required 48 hours ‘notice of intention to strike’ it was only 40 hours. The employees, have in their ignorance, thought that they had complied with the requirements, but technically they hadn’t – so the strike is unprotected. The court will have sympathy with the employee – so be careful on this issue.

And finally, ‘whether the strike was in response to the employer’s unjustified conduct’. If the strike is in direct response to a perceived something that the employer has done, I would suggest that you call in a Labour Attorney as each of these needs to be judged on their own merit.

A word of caution here though - if the employer provokes a strike or if there is ‘bad faith’ during negotiations before the strike takes place, the court will come to the assistance of the employees. So make very sure that your reasons, as the employer, of doing what you did are very clear and transparent.

One of the other issues that the court will look at is the duration of the strike. If the employees are dismissed as soon as the strike starts, the court will in all likelihood rule the dismissals as ‘unfair’. If the strike has been going on for a long time, and this results in irreparable financial harm to the company (and this must be able to be proved) then the dismissal of the strikers would be considered fair.

Here’s the thing though, there are also consequences to a protected strike. The Labour Relations Act does control and regulate these consequences though.

Firstly you cannot institute civil proceedings against an employee for participating in a protected strike, however the employee is not entitled to receive any pay during the period of the strike – the ‘no work, no pay’ rule applies. Please note though, that if the employee’s package includes payment for accommodation or food etc, these have to continue. What you also can do though is recover the ‘payments in kind’ by instituting civil procedures in the Labour Court.

Secondly and more importantly, although you cannot dismiss a staff member for participating in a protected strike, but you can (in certain circumstances) dismiss the employee for ‘operational reasons’. Beware though, that this can only be done if there are genuine operational reasons and as long as you comply with the requirements of Section 189 or 189A of the Labour Relations Act. The bottom line is that if, as a consequence of the strike, the employer loses business and/or production to such an extent that the financial wellness of the company has been put or is at risk, then you will have good and valid reasons to consider retrenchment.

Just be careful that you don’t use ‘operation requirements’ as an excuse to dismiss striking employees. The reason for the retrenchment must be genuine and you must be able to show that they are linked to the operational requirements of the business. The Labour Appeal Court has ruled that employees can be dismissed if the ‘operational reason’ for retrenchment is as a direct result of the employees going on strike.

Again, please also remember that irrespective of whether the strike is protected and/or unprotected, employees can be dismissed for misconduct during the strike. These would pertain to issues such as intimidation, violence (both physical and/or verbal) and damage to property.

Next week we tackle a new issue.

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

SALES - How to Increase Yours Sales Income - Part 5

SALES

How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 5

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

How about your attitude and mindset? Quite frankly, I am sick to death of sales people who make me feel like they are doing me a favour, or how about the sales person who you ask directions to a specific item and they send their eyes heavenwards, let out a huge sigh and then ever so slowly start walking in the direction of . . . well who knows where because I never stick around long enough to find out.

Prospective clients do not come into the store or office, specifically to listen to your trials and tribulations – they come in to buy. Your personal life is, well exactly that, your personal life and it has nothing to do with the client.

Sitting or standing there with a long face is not going to help your personal situation and it is surely not going to help your professional situation either. Leave your troubles at home, don’t bring them to work.

Make each prospective client feel like they are the only reason that you have come to work today. Their wish is your command. Show them what they need to see, tell them what they need to know about the service and/or product and do it with a smile and then watch what happens.

Think about how you react in a restaurant. There you are waiting to try and catch the waiter’s eye because you want to order, but the waiter is so busy chatting to his friends, that you and your needs are totally forgotten – except of course when it is time to leave a tip, then of course you are not forgotten at all. Focus on the needs of the client, don’t be distracted by the other staff, take care of your clients and they will take care of you in the form of a sale that will in all probability result in a commission, a tip or even a well earned testimonial to the boss.

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

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 95

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 95

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

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

“ Be strategic and determine what your goals are. Assess your current network and plan your future networking accordingly.”

Wow! So this pretty much fits in with what I have been saying over the last 4 weeks or so.

Let’s re-iterate! What is it that you want to accomplish when you go to a networking event? Do you want to ‘sell’ you product and/or service or do you want to ‘buy’ someone else’s product and/or service or do you want to meet up with ‘like minded’ individuals who you want to build relationships with?

If you are wanting to build relationships with ‘like minded’ individuals, they then become your networking partners or, if you like ‘are in your circle of influence’.

How do you go about educating the people in your ‘circle of influence’ or your networking partners about the type of clients that you wish to do business with? Do you actually know what kind of clients it is that you want?

What about subsequent meetings with your networking partners or circle of influence? How do you engage with them in terms of reciprocal networking?

Do you have any kind of plan of action?

You see, like most things in life, if you don’t plan . . well you have exactly . . . nothing!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://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 or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS - Improving Your Business Website

BUSINESS TIPS

Improving Your Business Website

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting January 2009.

Before we go any further, and before all who know me fall about with laughter – I am a bit of (hell let’s be honest – a helleva) a technophobe. So what I am putting down here is what I have found on the web (a little common sense and logic) and because, no matter what I tell you or write here, my web is looked after by Meryl of Pixelmagic (http://www.pixelmagic.co.za), so no matter how much I ‘break stuff’ she assures me she can fix it! How cool is that? Anyway, back to the subject at hand. The bottom line of course, is that if you are going to try these things yourself, it’s a good idea for you to have a “Meryl” of your own, or I am quite happy to share mine with you.

Here goes!

It really does not matter if you use your website for fun, family connections (when your family is scattered to the four corners of the world, like mine is) or for Business purposes, the fact is that around 70% of Businesses have websites. No wonder we are spoilt for choice! The problem however is that the majority (some home made and even some that have been professionally done) are really crappy!

The problem is that even the really crappy ones are competing in the market and trying to sell their products are or services – how scary is that!

So – let’s have a look at what the internet says are the top 10 tips for improving your Business Website.

1. You have to have a plan!
As is most things in life, if you don’t have a plan, you have exactly . . . nothing! Write it down – what is the purpose of your website, what do you hope to achieve. Write down your goals, short term, medium term, long term and then brainstorm them – how are you going to achieve them. What do you need to do in order to fulfill them. Be realistic, we all have budgets. Match your immediate goals to your wallet – you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve!

2. Measure.
Again – if you can’t measure it you have a problem. How would you know if your website is being effective, or if you are just wasting your time, money and effort. You need to measure, how many people visit your website, how many sales result from your website, how many connections are made out of your website? Is enough traffic being driven to the website and how can you improve on these numbers?

3. Promote yourself?
I keep telling people – if you don’t tell people who you are, how will they know? So, use your website. Keep your customers updated on what is happening in your life – actually they are interested. Tell them about your successes, post your testimonials, tell them what plans are in the pipeline (they may want to partner up with you). Now is not the time to hide your light under the bushel – let it shine out brightly!

4. Branding
Remember your brand will always be associated with you – so make sure that it is special! Your brand, logo and by line should be unique to you and your product and/or service. It has to stand out to the world and especially your target market. Keep it simple though – complicated branding looks messy and cluttered on a website.

5. Content
You are the expert on what it is that you do – aren’t you? So write down what it is that you do, give out tips or teasers. Keep your content updated and interesting. Like it or not, we are all looking for information (yes even in this world of information overload) – make sure your information is new, fresh and current – it will keep people coming to your site on a regular basis.

6. Navigation
This is one of my pet hates – getting myself lost on a website or having to ‘go back’ all of the time to get myself to the home page or where-ever it is that I want to go, is really just a pain in the rear end. Let me tell you from experience – the easier it is for me to get around your site the longer I will stay and browse. So keep it simple.

7. Sales
Statistics tell us that Product and/or Services sold over the internet increased by 100% between 2002 and 2005. How fabulous is that? This means that your website should make it easy for your clients to purchase what they want/need/desire online.

8. Database
Your database on you website should not only have all your business and personal contacts on it, but it should surpass anything that you may have in your ‘little black book’ or your customer base. This is because as people visit your website, they should be encouraged to leave their contact details behind. This gives you a huge opportunity to entice them to spend some money with you by sending out regular communications to them, in the form of newsletters, specials and useful tips and information.

9. Promotion
Make sure that everybody gets to know about your website. Put the address on every single piece of literature that you have, your Business Cards, your Letter Heads, in the signature on your e-mail – everywhere!

And finally

10. Overloading your website
It is said that often ‘less is more’ – keep everything short, simple and to the point. Don’t waffle on and on about something. Say what you have to and then move forward.

Now – let’s have a look at an additional 3 tips as recommended by Meryl. Meryl says:

a. Know what you want your website to do for you
Yes, generate more income, but how? Do you want to be talking about your past successes and showing testimonials from other clients? Do you want your site pointed towards getting the visitor to contact you?

b. Know what you want your website to ‘feel’ like
The ‘feel’ of a website selling kids’ toys is going to be very different from one selling financial services to big corporates. Draw up a list of 20 or so emotive words that describe the tone of your site: fun, funky, young, colourful or corporate, serious trustworthy etc.

c. Copywrite
Also, asking your designer to get you a good copywriter is a very valuable option. Copywriters ensure that Search Engines love reading your site as much as humans do, as well as getting the feel you’ve chosen to carry across into the words!

Oh, and a – don’t have a look at my website just yet – Meryl and I will be doing some changes right now!

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

MOTIVATION - Acceptance or Change

MOTIVATION – Acceptance or Change


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from an anonymous wise person who says “Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”

Man, oh man! I can just see all the heads a nodding in agreement. Well here’s the kicker – the next time I hear any of you complain about something, I am going to remind you of this message!

Instead of complaining and moaning and groaning about the economy, the interest rates, the government, the tax man (insert anything you like here), find a way to change it.

If it is the economy – look for innovative ways to do business – notice, I did not say look for illegal ways to do business! There are a million and one opportunities out there – find one the suits you and change you mind set to make it work for you.

How about the interest rates – well it is my understanding (and I am no economist here) that the rates are put up to combat inflation. The reasons that we have inflation are many – one I know is because we here in South Africa, live on credit. So spend less on credit, try and pay off more of your debt so that you can become debt free and find a way to start a savings account. If we all did this we would certainly be a lot better.

The government – well here’s a fun one! Certainly here in South Africa we live in very interesting times in terms of what is going to happen come May 2009. Make the effort – find out who is offering what, back a party and actually go and vote. How can you complain about the government and what it has and hasn’t done, if you didn’t vote?

The tax man – this is one of my favorite’s! You see the tax man makes money for me! Yes he does, because I have learnt how to manage my VAT – so instead of me groaning and moaning every second month because I can’t find the money to pay the VAT man, I now celebrate because of how much the VAT man has ‘paid’ me to be a VAT vendor.

So come on people, I challenge you – find a way to make a change and in making a change, make a difference and if you seriously cannot do anything to change the situation, have the grace to accept it, make your peace with it and get on with the business of life!

Don’t let situations or issues control your life – take ownership of your life and make sure that you control the situations and issues in your own life.

Let’s start 2009 on the right foot, going in the right direction – find a way to change something or make a difference every day of your life, even if that difference is to you. You’ll find that it is not that difficult to do.

Wishing you all the very best for 2009 – let’s make a difference!

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 . . . . Your Staff Want To Strike - Part 7

ARTICLE 16

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Your Staff Want to Strike – Part 7

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

What exactly is an “Unprotected or Prohibited” Strike? Well it’s really quite simple and literally means what it says – if the employees and/or union have not followed the correct procedures and/or if they are striking over anything that is not ‘protected’ (see previous articles on this subject), then the strike is not protected, which basically means that they are not protected, in any way from being dismissed (of course, as usual there are procedures that would still need to be followed).

Should the employees embark on an Unprotected or Prohibited strike, the employer can go to the Labour Court of an urgent interdict to stop the employees from continuing the strike.

If the employees continue to strike, the employer can start thinking about dismissal. Actually you don’t need to wait until you get an interdict, which they then ignore, but it is a good idea to wait as it puts the employer in a much stronger position should there be a question of ‘fair dismissal’.

To re-iterate, in terms of the dismissal, the employee still needs to follow the correct procedures, which would include:

· issuing a written ultimatum to the employees stating that they should return to work or face possible dismissal – please note that the ultimatum must be very clear. The employer must ensure that the staff understand, in simple clear terms, that if they do not come back to work they will face a disciplinary hearing that may result in dismissal. If the ultimatum is not clear, then the employer may end up having to face charges of ‘unfair’ dismissal at a subsequent CCMA hearing. If your workforce are not proficient in English (or whatever language you ‘work’ in), get the ultimatum translated into what the language is that they use – this will ensure that they do understand the meaning of what it is that you are trying to convey. Don’t, whatever you do ‘threaten’ that they may be a disciplinary – make sure that they understand that if they don’t come back to work within 24 hours (or whatever time frame you set like . . . by tomorrow the 22nd January 2009) disciplinary action WILL be taken that may result in dismissal (be careful not to say ‘will result in dismissal because that indicates that the verdict has already been handed down before the disciplinary has even taken place). Also be careful about attaching any further terms and conditions – make sure that they are legal. Make sure that the employees have sufficient time to consider the ultimatum – don’t for example say that they have to be back at work within the hour – that’s just unreasonable. If there is a union, get the union involved and get them to intervene. Unions, generally speaking, do not want their members going off on an unprotected and/or prohibited strike and they will usually try and persuade the employees to get back to work.
· The Labour Appeal Court, has in the past indicated that it is not enough just to issue an ultimatum to get the employees back to work and then if they don’t you can dismiss them – they still need to have the chance to be heard. It is not necessary to have a formal hearing, but what the employer does need to do, is ensure that staff are dismissed on charges that are ‘fair and reasonable’. Depending on the number of staff involved, it is suggested however, that a formal disciplinary hearing take place. In the instances where it is not practical to have a formal hearing for each staff member (imagine doing disciplinary hearings for say 100+ staff members), employers should write to the union advising them that in view of the fact that the employees have not adhered to the ultimatum, you (the employer) are now considering dismissal and that the union now has 24 hours within to give explanations and/or make representations as to why you (the employer) should not dismiss the striking employees.

Next week we will have a look at ‘how’ the employer actually goes about the dismissal process.

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