EARLY WARNING – South African Telecoms Ripoff
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – July 2011
Whilst trawling on the internet the other day, I came across this article written by Charles Ash and I must admit to thinking “Finally, someone other than me thinks that we are being ripped off”. It was written some time ago, but is still valid (in my opinion) and so I have copied the complete article here for all to read.
The great South African telecommunications RIPOFF!!
Charles Ash, founder of www.bruin-ou.com and marketing manager of www.thehostingcompany.co.za has had it with telecoms and SMS ripoffs. He cautions that this information could put BILLIONS of Rands back into the South African economy!
At times like these, I feel like curling up in the corner of the shower and scrubbing my skin for hours until it turns bright red. I feel dirty, used, abused, cheated...betrayed.
I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps the high crime rate in South Africa is having an adverse effect on our corporations as some of the prices we pay for telecommunication services in this country are criminal...nothing more than daylight robbery.
Much is written about South Africa's unacceptably high instance of rape and rightfully so...but what about the lesser mentioned, government sanctioned "economic rape" of our citizens? "Economic rape", the kind practised with sickening impunity by so many corporates in South Africa is showing no signs of abating...in fact, it's spreading.
The petrol price rises, prices across the board rise...the petrol price drops...prices stay fixed. Price fixing scandals abound, the poor suffer while the corporates get off with a feeble slap on the wrist.
Something is deeply wrong with the conduct and insensitivity of corporates in this country. "Economic rape" is such a harsh term, but in the context and manner in which criminally exorbitant prices are thrust on the battered, unsuspecting, undeserving South African public, the term is particularly apt.
What makes the proliferation of high prices in the telecommunications sector so disturbing is the fact that it flies in the face of government's espoused pro-poor policies. Year after year, under the auspices of the loathsome and repugnant Ivy Matsepe Casaburri (Minister of Communications) and Lyndall Shope-Mafole (Director-General Dept of Communications), government has ensured that the poor and struggling middle classes in South Africa remain thoroughly disenfranchised and excluded from the new digital economy.
While most progressive developing nations in Asia, South America and even North Africa enthusiastically embrace the emancipative potential and power of telecommunications as a social leveler, South Africans continue to labour under the burden of ridiculously high prices, governmental indifference, shoddy service and hollow gestures of pricing relief.
I've often thought about what might influence government telecommunication policy makers to conjure up such disastrous policies, then in spite of the outcry and the reliable reports which consistently highlight the abject failure of these policies, government sticks doggedly to its guns, insisting on riding roughshod over the poor rather than backtrack and make the necessary course adjustments.
When the telecommunications industry needed decisive, visionary DIRECTION...it ended up getting misguided ministerial directives. But what influences or informs government's stubborn adherence to its patently disastrous telecommunications policies? I've considered this question for some time and contrary to popular, reductionist opinion, I think it goes far deeper than government merely maintaining the status quo in order to cash-in handsomely through its equity in Telkom and Vodacom.
After witnessing the Obama election and realising how effectively Obama was able to re-engineer public sentiment through astute usage of the internet and new media, it dawned on me that lethargic governments around the world should rightfully fear the Internet.
Unlike the SABC, the internet cannot be censored, it cannot be co-opted or coerced into presenting a sanitised, one-sided view which serves your narrow interests. The Internet is a place where ideas spread like wildfire, minds get infected with idea viruses and information is shared at the speed of light.
It stands to reason then that lethargic governments would at the very least try their utmost to prevent the mass proliferation of this technological beast for as long as possible while they consolidate their stranglehold on the masses, prey on the ill-informed, mould the malleable and ingratiate themselves to the vulnerable.
Knowledge is power, so when you're denied access to the most powerful information repository in the history of mankind, it makes you a weak and easy target. You don't have the means to properly interrogate the facts or expose yourself to alternate, dissident views...you're just what the politicians love...voting fodder. Well, that's my theory anyway.
On the issue of telecoms pricing, there are four areas of profiteering in the telecommunications sector which I would like to speak out on lest my silence on these matters make me complicit in their continuation.
1. SMS for Mobile Content aka "SMS RIPOFF to $%#&@ and get RIPPED OFF"
There's not much in this world that riles me more than seeing adverts on TV for SMS content...like "SMS FAIL to &%*#$" and get a picture sent to your phone or even more disturbingly, SMS LOVE...or SMS TONE. The cost of these text messages are in the region of R5 each; some are R10, some are even R30 and worse still, most are subscription based. With most new phones sporting high resolution screens; gigs of storage space; sound systems like ghetto blasters from the 80's/early 90's and 3G/HSDPA connectivity capabilities, it's no surprise that service providers are lining up to put these feature to full use. What makes the mobile content industry so particularly reprehensible is that it preys on the poor and the poorly informed.
For starters, your phone needs to be WAP enabled in order to download mobile content. Now, if your phone is WAP enabled and you're still paying for mobile content, then you need to have your head checked. Simply bookmark google.com on your phone's browser, visit Uncle Google, type "Free Mobile Content" and BOOYAKASHA!! All the free mobile content your salivating phone can eat. Alternately, you could visit a personal favourite of mine (www.waptrick.com) and access vast repositories of free mobile content from games to pictures to tunes. DISCLAIMER - I have no responsibility whatsoever...particularly if some of the content you access is copyrighted or adult in nature.
Not happy with that? Or your phone's browser is not giving you the sublime experience you'd like, simply head over to and install Opera Mini on your phone. Opera Mini is a phone browser that actively customises websites on the fly in order that they can fit on your phone's screen, effectively allowing you to visit just about any website on the Internet. This way, if you're feeling particularly amorous and romantic, save yourself the R5/love poem you're currently expected to pay and head over to Google...type "SMS love poems" and VOILA ROMEO...all the love poems your phone can ingest...FREE!!
This segment would not be complete without a simple calculation to illustrate what most average Joes' and Joelenes' might not be aware of. Considering that all network operators except Virgin (ie. Vodacom, Cell C, MTN) all charge a staggering R2/MB of data, when you SMS I-AM-A-FOOL to &%$*# and instantly shed R10 for the displeasure of gaining access to that ostensibly hilarious 4MB video clip you're after, keep in mind that @ R2/MB, the download will cost you a further R2 x 4MB = R8. The total cost of this exercise in subliminal corporate fleecing is R10 + R8 = R18...guess they hid that in the nanoscopic fine-print right? Mobile content probably only makes sense if everybody has a Blackberry as you get unlimited data access with these bad boys.
To add insult to injury, the network providers are now all in on the great social ripoff currently underway. By accessing content services from the network provider's lacklustre mobile portals, like mtnloaded.co.za; Juiced or Vodafonelive, the data charges (the R2/MB) are waived (something to do with walled-garden services yadda-yadda). Now, if I was a mobile content service provider, I'd be suing the pants off of the networks for such brazen anti-competitive practises...but that's another story... Anti-competitiveness IS the name of the game in South Africa.
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
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Friday, July 08, 2011
HR - Failure to Disclose - Part 1
ARTICLE 72
Failure to Disclose – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC , July 2011
I certainly have had a few clients that have been on the receiving end of this particular situation and all for the wrong reasons – however this topic, like most connected to HR, is a double sided coin and I will endeavour to illustrate this by means of two stories – one will be a happy ending for the employer and one won’t.
Let’s deal with the happy ending first and bring out my favourite protagonists.
Mike owns a high end jewellery store in a popular very busy mall. He is well situation in the mall and his store is internationally known and respected. His hand crafted, individually designed jewellery is highly sought after and prized.
Mike’s mother used to do his books and she was also the cashier in the store, but now in her 80’s she has decided to finally retire. Mike is looking for someone to replace his mother – someone who, is not only competent with accounting but also someone he can trust.
Mike puts the word out and starts the whole interview process. Mike, being an ‘attention to detail’ kind of guy is very clear about what his requirements are and as part of his interview process he is clear about what qualifications the applicant must have, that references will be checked and what documents the successful applicant must be able to provide in terms of legislation and compliance. Mike does not want to have any problems with the Department of Labour down the line. Part of Mike’s interview questionnaire is the question “Do you have criminal record”? Sarah smiled when she answered this question with a very resounding No.
After several gruelling weeks of interviewing, Mike finally settles on a young Nigerian woman by the name of Sarah. Sarah is well groomed, erudite, has all the correct qualifications and she assures Mike that she is able to work here in South Africa as she has the required documentation.
Sarah is employed on the proviso that her references check out and that she provides the relevant documentation. Sarah starts work the following day and Mike is pleased with his choice of candidate as Sarah fits right in from the very beginning.
Mike starts checking references and cannot get through to any of the numbers provided. Mike understands that the references are for Companies and people who live in Nigeria and with the time difference there could be some difficulty, but he is mindful of the fact that these references have to be checked and he persists. In the meantime, every time he asks Sarah for her documentation there is some sort of reason or another as to why she has not brought them along. Mike keeps reminding her that he needs the documents and Sarah keeps promising to bring the documents to work. Somehow she never does.
Mike continues to struggle to get through to the numbers that Sarah has provided and eventually Mike decides to contact the Nigerian Embassy to see if they can provide him with the correct telephone numbers for the Company that he is trying to contact. The Embassy gives him the correct number and he eventually (some 5 weeks after Sarah has started work) gets through to the Company that she worked for in Nigeria. Mikes speaks to the Company CEO and he is absolutely horrified at what he discovers. Sarah was caught selling ‘blood diamonds’ and had served time for this crime.
Mike calls Sarah in and confronts her with his findings. Sarah breaks down and admits that this information is correct but that when Mike asked her if she had a criminal record, she assumed that he meant in South Africa. The reason that she did not give him her documentation is because this information appears on one of the documents and of course she did not want him to see it. Mike is understandably furious and a disciplinary hearing is held and Sarah is dismissed for non-disclosure.
Of course Sarah goes to the CCMA and lays a claim of ‘unfair’ dismissal because according to her she had been asked this question purely because she was Nigerian.
The Chairman ruled in favour of Mike because the question that he asked in terms of the criminal record was part of his interview process and that all the applicants had been asked the same question – Sarah had not been singled out at all. Furthermore, in view of highly sensitive issue around blood diamonds and the fact that Mike’s business involved the use of diamonds, employing someone who had trafficked in blood diamonds, could have a negative impact on his business.
In this instance, following the correct procedures in terms of the interview process as well as disciplinary and dismissal procedures is what won the day for Mike. As usual, if you are not 100% sure of what you should be doing or where you stand legally, get yourself some help.
Next time we will hear about a not so happy ending for an employer.
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
Failure to Disclose – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC , July 2011
I certainly have had a few clients that have been on the receiving end of this particular situation and all for the wrong reasons – however this topic, like most connected to HR, is a double sided coin and I will endeavour to illustrate this by means of two stories – one will be a happy ending for the employer and one won’t.
Let’s deal with the happy ending first and bring out my favourite protagonists.
Mike owns a high end jewellery store in a popular very busy mall. He is well situation in the mall and his store is internationally known and respected. His hand crafted, individually designed jewellery is highly sought after and prized.
Mike’s mother used to do his books and she was also the cashier in the store, but now in her 80’s she has decided to finally retire. Mike is looking for someone to replace his mother – someone who, is not only competent with accounting but also someone he can trust.
Mike puts the word out and starts the whole interview process. Mike, being an ‘attention to detail’ kind of guy is very clear about what his requirements are and as part of his interview process he is clear about what qualifications the applicant must have, that references will be checked and what documents the successful applicant must be able to provide in terms of legislation and compliance. Mike does not want to have any problems with the Department of Labour down the line. Part of Mike’s interview questionnaire is the question “Do you have criminal record”? Sarah smiled when she answered this question with a very resounding No.
After several gruelling weeks of interviewing, Mike finally settles on a young Nigerian woman by the name of Sarah. Sarah is well groomed, erudite, has all the correct qualifications and she assures Mike that she is able to work here in South Africa as she has the required documentation.
Sarah is employed on the proviso that her references check out and that she provides the relevant documentation. Sarah starts work the following day and Mike is pleased with his choice of candidate as Sarah fits right in from the very beginning.
Mike starts checking references and cannot get through to any of the numbers provided. Mike understands that the references are for Companies and people who live in Nigeria and with the time difference there could be some difficulty, but he is mindful of the fact that these references have to be checked and he persists. In the meantime, every time he asks Sarah for her documentation there is some sort of reason or another as to why she has not brought them along. Mike keeps reminding her that he needs the documents and Sarah keeps promising to bring the documents to work. Somehow she never does.
Mike continues to struggle to get through to the numbers that Sarah has provided and eventually Mike decides to contact the Nigerian Embassy to see if they can provide him with the correct telephone numbers for the Company that he is trying to contact. The Embassy gives him the correct number and he eventually (some 5 weeks after Sarah has started work) gets through to the Company that she worked for in Nigeria. Mikes speaks to the Company CEO and he is absolutely horrified at what he discovers. Sarah was caught selling ‘blood diamonds’ and had served time for this crime.
Mike calls Sarah in and confronts her with his findings. Sarah breaks down and admits that this information is correct but that when Mike asked her if she had a criminal record, she assumed that he meant in South Africa. The reason that she did not give him her documentation is because this information appears on one of the documents and of course she did not want him to see it. Mike is understandably furious and a disciplinary hearing is held and Sarah is dismissed for non-disclosure.
Of course Sarah goes to the CCMA and lays a claim of ‘unfair’ dismissal because according to her she had been asked this question purely because she was Nigerian.
The Chairman ruled in favour of Mike because the question that he asked in terms of the criminal record was part of his interview process and that all the applicants had been asked the same question – Sarah had not been singled out at all. Furthermore, in view of highly sensitive issue around blood diamonds and the fact that Mike’s business involved the use of diamonds, employing someone who had trafficked in blood diamonds, could have a negative impact on his business.
In this instance, following the correct procedures in terms of the interview process as well as disciplinary and dismissal procedures is what won the day for Mike. As usual, if you are not 100% sure of what you should be doing or where you stand legally, get yourself some help.
Next time we will hear about a not so happy ending for an employer.
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
Thursday, July 07, 2011
EARLY WARNING - Infant Car Seat on Roadside
EARLY WARNING
Infant Car Seat on Roadside
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – July 2011
I have received this mail from a colleague and as such cannot vouch for whether it is true or not, but I do feel the need to pass it on, in case it is – forewarned is always forearmed.
“While driving on a rural end of the roadway on Thursday morning, I saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it. For whatever reason, I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. But when I got to my destination, I called the police and they were going to check it out, but this is what the police advised even before they went out there to check . . .
There are several things to be aware of . . . gangs and thieves are now plotting different ways to get a person (mostly women) to stop their vehicle and get out of the car.
There is a gang initiation reported by local police, where gangs are placing a car seat by the roadside with a fake babe (or doll) in it . . . waiting for a woman of course, to stop and check on the abandoned baby.
Note that the location of this car seat is usually beside a wooded or grassy field area and the person (woman) will be dragged into the woods (grass), beaten and raped and then usually left for dead. If it is a man, they are also usually beaten and robbed and maybe left for dead too.
Do not stop for any reason! Call the police and report what you saw, but don’t even slow down.”
It sure is a sad world that we live in if this happens.
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
Infant Car Seat on Roadside
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – July 2011
I have received this mail from a colleague and as such cannot vouch for whether it is true or not, but I do feel the need to pass it on, in case it is – forewarned is always forearmed.
“While driving on a rural end of the roadway on Thursday morning, I saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it. For whatever reason, I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. But when I got to my destination, I called the police and they were going to check it out, but this is what the police advised even before they went out there to check . . .
There are several things to be aware of . . . gangs and thieves are now plotting different ways to get a person (mostly women) to stop their vehicle and get out of the car.
There is a gang initiation reported by local police, where gangs are placing a car seat by the roadside with a fake babe (or doll) in it . . . waiting for a woman of course, to stop and check on the abandoned baby.
Note that the location of this car seat is usually beside a wooded or grassy field area and the person (woman) will be dragged into the woods (grass), beaten and raped and then usually left for dead. If it is a man, they are also usually beaten and robbed and maybe left for dead too.
Do not stop for any reason! Call the police and report what you saw, but don’t even slow down.”
It sure is a sad world that we live in if this happens.
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
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
BLOGGING TIPS - Responding to Comments
BLOGGING TIPS – Responding to Comments
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC July 2011
Most of you who know me, know that I have an opinion about most things and I am not afraid to voice that opinion. It wasn’t always like that – there was a time when I just kept quiet, sucked it up and said nothing. Problem with that of course is that it does damage inside, to your being. So once I realized that and got over myself, I stated my opinion, not just to be difficult or give someone a hard time, but to get it out there – to make others think perhaps a little more and even sometimes (if I am perfectly honest) to see if I can get someone to change my mind.
That means of course, that I often leave comments on the blogs or articles that I read and I must say that I feel kind of deflated when I don’t get a response. I understand that we are all busy, that we all have 101 things that need to be done and usually they all need to be done yesterday – but that said, it’s kind of rude don’t you think? It’s like not saying ‘you’re welcome’ when someone says thank –you, or not saying ‘bless you’, when someone sneezes.
Think about it for a moment, by ‘enabling’ the comments section on your blog, you are actually inviting people to interact with you, to share their feelings/emotions/thoughts on what you have written and then what . . . nothing happens, it’s like having a one sided conversation and quite frankly, that for me is just boring.
For me, it would be the same thing as not answering questions about the topics that I train on or being ‘indifferent’ to others. We all know that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference and ignoring someone who has taken the time and trouble to comment on something that you have written, irrespective of whether it is good or bad - well that is just being indifferent in my book.
Being ignored, that’s just horrid and quite frankly, I often don’t go back to that particular author. Why should I? Blogging for me, is not only about getting my message across, it’s also about interaction and with interaction comes relationships and we could all do some more of those.
My blogs have opened my life up to the rest of the world and I now have people who I correspond with all over the world. From the USA to Russia – from Holland to the UK, Australia to Canada – I’m sure you get the picture. Do I get business from these people – well not directly, but I have learnt a great deal and I am exposed to more than my little world and yes, indirectly I have gotten business and even a mentor or two.
Responding to comments for me is a must, it’s a way to open up a dialogue, to interact and to grow as a person.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC July 2011
Most of you who know me, know that I have an opinion about most things and I am not afraid to voice that opinion. It wasn’t always like that – there was a time when I just kept quiet, sucked it up and said nothing. Problem with that of course is that it does damage inside, to your being. So once I realized that and got over myself, I stated my opinion, not just to be difficult or give someone a hard time, but to get it out there – to make others think perhaps a little more and even sometimes (if I am perfectly honest) to see if I can get someone to change my mind.
That means of course, that I often leave comments on the blogs or articles that I read and I must say that I feel kind of deflated when I don’t get a response. I understand that we are all busy, that we all have 101 things that need to be done and usually they all need to be done yesterday – but that said, it’s kind of rude don’t you think? It’s like not saying ‘you’re welcome’ when someone says thank –you, or not saying ‘bless you’, when someone sneezes.
Think about it for a moment, by ‘enabling’ the comments section on your blog, you are actually inviting people to interact with you, to share their feelings/emotions/thoughts on what you have written and then what . . . nothing happens, it’s like having a one sided conversation and quite frankly, that for me is just boring.
For me, it would be the same thing as not answering questions about the topics that I train on or being ‘indifferent’ to others. We all know that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference and ignoring someone who has taken the time and trouble to comment on something that you have written, irrespective of whether it is good or bad - well that is just being indifferent in my book.
Being ignored, that’s just horrid and quite frankly, I often don’t go back to that particular author. Why should I? Blogging for me, is not only about getting my message across, it’s also about interaction and with interaction comes relationships and we could all do some more of those.
My blogs have opened my life up to the rest of the world and I now have people who I correspond with all over the world. From the USA to Russia – from Holland to the UK, Australia to Canada – I’m sure you get the picture. Do I get business from these people – well not directly, but I have learnt a great deal and I am exposed to more than my little world and yes, indirectly I have gotten business and even a mentor or two.
Responding to comments for me is a must, it’s a way to open up a dialogue, to interact and to grow as a person.
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
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
BUSINESS TIPS - Common Mistakes Start-up Businesses Make - Part 2
BUSINESS TIPS – Common Mistakes Start-up Businesses Make - Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2011
Following on from last time, here are some more of the common mistakes that are made by SME’s (small, medium enterprises) and start-ups.
Under charging for products and services.
This one I certainly can relate to as it was one of the mistakes that I made when I started out and it became a really big problem. You see firstly, the way that you ‘charge’ (especially for services or hourly rates) tells people who you are and even what you think of yourself. Secondly, it all goes to selecting, in part, who your target market is. Obviously, if your charges are too high, or not in line with the rest of the industry, this could also have quite an effect on your turnover and obviously your cash flow.
My biggest problem was that I could not find anyone here in South Africa who was doing what I wanted to do – great opportunity for me, but a bit of a ‘thumb suck’ when it came to fixing prices and costs. So I used my ‘corporate monthly salary’ as a guide line! What a mistake that turned out to be. I also did not factor in a whole bunch of stuff, such as (but not limited to), that although there are (well there should be) eight working hours in a day, five days a week to get the work done (well that’s what I got paid for in the corporate world) – the reality is that some of those hours will be spent on marketing and finding those clients – you can’t charge anyone for that and some of those hours will be spent on admin – you can’t charge anyone for that either. So the bottom line is that you don’t have 22 days in a month that you can charge out at an hourly rate – more realistically it is around 10 days. Now that sure messes with your calculations.
The second problem was that because I had come in at such a low cost (R200 per hour), I attracted pretty much all the wrong target market. Yes, they were the SME and start-up market, which was exactly where I wanted to be, and yes they were in desperate need of what I was offering, just like it should be – the problem was that they could not even afford to pay me at that low rate.
Instead of cutting my losses and walking away from the problem, I compounded it by becoming all emotional and feeling sorry for them, so I offered them a) discounts if they paid me cash and b) terms if they couldn’t! Bad move on both elements. By offering them discounts on charges that were already too low, I was not even breaking even and of course I was telling them that I did not value myself very much and quite frankly, if I didn’t value myself very much, why on earth would they value me? Offering them terms . . . well let’s just say that that wasn’t my finest decision, especially as I continued to work for them, even while I was trying to get money out of them for work that had been done months ago. I am sure you can see where that went – they disappeared and I never got paid and it got quite ugly. In my first two years of trading, I wrote off tens of thousands of bad debt that I could ill afford.
Finally I got over my emotional self, upped my prices considerably and found myself a better quality of client . . . One that could pay. Are my prices still reasonable? Of course they are, they have to be in order for me to make any impact in my chosen market, but they are no longer ridiculously low.
So this is very important people, you need to make sure that your charges are reasonable enough to evidence good value for money, but you also need to cover all of your costs as well as leave something over as profit. It needs to be looked at very closely and very honestly and more often than not, very brutally.
Next time we will have a look at some more of the most common mistakes – till then, remember to have fun too.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2011
Following on from last time, here are some more of the common mistakes that are made by SME’s (small, medium enterprises) and start-ups.
Under charging for products and services.
This one I certainly can relate to as it was one of the mistakes that I made when I started out and it became a really big problem. You see firstly, the way that you ‘charge’ (especially for services or hourly rates) tells people who you are and even what you think of yourself. Secondly, it all goes to selecting, in part, who your target market is. Obviously, if your charges are too high, or not in line with the rest of the industry, this could also have quite an effect on your turnover and obviously your cash flow.
My biggest problem was that I could not find anyone here in South Africa who was doing what I wanted to do – great opportunity for me, but a bit of a ‘thumb suck’ when it came to fixing prices and costs. So I used my ‘corporate monthly salary’ as a guide line! What a mistake that turned out to be. I also did not factor in a whole bunch of stuff, such as (but not limited to), that although there are (well there should be) eight working hours in a day, five days a week to get the work done (well that’s what I got paid for in the corporate world) – the reality is that some of those hours will be spent on marketing and finding those clients – you can’t charge anyone for that and some of those hours will be spent on admin – you can’t charge anyone for that either. So the bottom line is that you don’t have 22 days in a month that you can charge out at an hourly rate – more realistically it is around 10 days. Now that sure messes with your calculations.
The second problem was that because I had come in at such a low cost (R200 per hour), I attracted pretty much all the wrong target market. Yes, they were the SME and start-up market, which was exactly where I wanted to be, and yes they were in desperate need of what I was offering, just like it should be – the problem was that they could not even afford to pay me at that low rate.
Instead of cutting my losses and walking away from the problem, I compounded it by becoming all emotional and feeling sorry for them, so I offered them a) discounts if they paid me cash and b) terms if they couldn’t! Bad move on both elements. By offering them discounts on charges that were already too low, I was not even breaking even and of course I was telling them that I did not value myself very much and quite frankly, if I didn’t value myself very much, why on earth would they value me? Offering them terms . . . well let’s just say that that wasn’t my finest decision, especially as I continued to work for them, even while I was trying to get money out of them for work that had been done months ago. I am sure you can see where that went – they disappeared and I never got paid and it got quite ugly. In my first two years of trading, I wrote off tens of thousands of bad debt that I could ill afford.
Finally I got over my emotional self, upped my prices considerably and found myself a better quality of client . . . One that could pay. Are my prices still reasonable? Of course they are, they have to be in order for me to make any impact in my chosen market, but they are no longer ridiculously low.
So this is very important people, you need to make sure that your charges are reasonable enough to evidence good value for money, but you also need to cover all of your costs as well as leave something over as profit. It needs to be looked at very closely and very honestly and more often than not, very brutally.
Next time we will have a look at some more of the most common mistakes – till then, remember to have fun too.
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
Monday, July 04, 2011
Cape Town Workshop - 19 July 2011 - A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business
Cape Town Workshop - 19 July 2011
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business – 19 July 2011
Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber, Randburg Chamber and WIF.
Getting started in the right direction will ensure a smooth transition from 'wannabe' to business owner and will allow you to focus on what you are good at - you know, getting that product and/or service to market. Ensuring that you have everything in place and working correctly, will ensure maximum productivity with minimum effort and will always affect your bottom line. Getting your processes and procedures in place will ensure that your business is built on a strong infrastructure that usually translates into a sustainable business.
The workshop deals with the everyday issues that arise when starting a new business. It saves time and energy as well as money. Time in that you don’t have to spend time in queue’s trying to get the correct documentation, or doing research on the Internet or anywhere else for that matter, trying to find out what you have to do and where you have to go in order to do it.
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business is broken up into the following main titles below and starts off with the difference between a Sole Proprietor, a Close Corporation and a Company and how to register each of these entities.
- Accounting Records & General
- Banking Accounts
- Receipts and Banking
- Cheque Payments and/or Internet Payments
- Invoices
- Credit Notes
- Bank Reconciliations
- Petty Cash
- Control of Numbered Stationery
- Computerised Accounting
- Staff & HR Issues
- Security/Safety
- Money Laundering
- Filing
- Stock Control
No prior knowledge of Starting A Business is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to register and manage your business on a practical level.
About the Facilitator – Nikki Viljoen
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who has her own company called Viljoen Consulting.
Nikki has in excess of 30 years experience in this field both from a banking perspective as well as from a Corporate perspective.
Having seen a huge gap in the SMME market, Nikki started Viljoen Consulting to assist SMME’s to become compliant and to establish controls and processes and to implement structure into the smaller companies to give them greater stability, and to encourage sustainability.
Nikki’s business blog http://www.businessreality.blogspot.com/ or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/ was recently internationally rated at 8.9 out of a possible 10. This places Nikki 5th in the world in her category. With her blog Nikki shares useful Business and Personal tips with anyone who cares to read it.
Date: Tuesday 19th July 2011
Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)
Venue: CCDI
2nd Floor, Herrington House
37 Barrack Street
Foreshore
Cape Town
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Friday 15th July 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486
2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business – 19 July 2011
Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber, Randburg Chamber and WIF.
Getting started in the right direction will ensure a smooth transition from 'wannabe' to business owner and will allow you to focus on what you are good at - you know, getting that product and/or service to market. Ensuring that you have everything in place and working correctly, will ensure maximum productivity with minimum effort and will always affect your bottom line. Getting your processes and procedures in place will ensure that your business is built on a strong infrastructure that usually translates into a sustainable business.
The workshop deals with the everyday issues that arise when starting a new business. It saves time and energy as well as money. Time in that you don’t have to spend time in queue’s trying to get the correct documentation, or doing research on the Internet or anywhere else for that matter, trying to find out what you have to do and where you have to go in order to do it.
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business is broken up into the following main titles below and starts off with the difference between a Sole Proprietor, a Close Corporation and a Company and how to register each of these entities.
- Accounting Records & General
- Banking Accounts
- Receipts and Banking
- Cheque Payments and/or Internet Payments
- Invoices
- Credit Notes
- Bank Reconciliations
- Petty Cash
- Control of Numbered Stationery
- Computerised Accounting
- Staff & HR Issues
- Security/Safety
- Money Laundering
- Filing
- Stock Control
No prior knowledge of Starting A Business is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to register and manage your business on a practical level.
About the Facilitator – Nikki Viljoen
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who has her own company called Viljoen Consulting.
Nikki has in excess of 30 years experience in this field both from a banking perspective as well as from a Corporate perspective.
Having seen a huge gap in the SMME market, Nikki started Viljoen Consulting to assist SMME’s to become compliant and to establish controls and processes and to implement structure into the smaller companies to give them greater stability, and to encourage sustainability.
Nikki’s business blog http://www.businessreality.blogspot.com/ or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/ was recently internationally rated at 8.9 out of a possible 10. This places Nikki 5th in the world in her category. With her blog Nikki shares useful Business and Personal tips with anyone who cares to read it.
Date: Tuesday 19th July 2011
Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)
Venue: CCDI
2nd Floor, Herrington House
37 Barrack Street
Foreshore
Cape Town
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Friday 15th July 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486
2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
MOTIVATION - Don't Compromise Your Life
MOTIVATION – Don’t Compromise your Life
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2011
I was extremely lucky to have ‘discovered’ my passion, quite by accident although I like to believe that it was by some sort of design. I couldn’t bear to think of working at a job that I wasn’t passionate about or that I hated. On some level I guess, I do understand that there are some jobs out there that are done by individuals who have no passion for what they do or perhaps have no ambition to do anything else – it really saddens me when I think of them though and it just makes me that much more grateful for being able to work at and in a field that I love and am absolutely passionate about.
Actually it reminds me of my younger brother, who at the age of about four or five, was asked “what do you want to be when you are grown up?” and he replied without hesitation “I am going to be an accountant and I am going to be a millionaire!” All the other little boys were wanting to be train drivers and ambulance drivers and policemen or whatever their perception of a ‘fun job’ was at that time. It was easy to change their minds by talking to them about other adventures like the ones that sailors had or explorers had, but my brothers very serious statement stood and his mind could not be changed. At forty something, his choice has stood the test of time as he is a senior international partner with a well known audit group and he has been with them for around thirty years now and he is a millionaire – so yes, he has achieved the objective that he had as a little five year old boy.
His and my story though are the exception and not the rule as sadly, the reality of life is that often it is easier to find your lover or your life partner than it is to find a job that you truly love. How sad is that?
The ideal time to make the decision about what you want to do, of course, is when you are starting out. Again sadly, the majority of our youth have no cooking clue about what it is that they want to do – the ‘drop out’ rate at universities and colleges evidence the amount of indecision that there is out there and even more end up in dead end jobs doing what they have no passion for and what they hate, just to put food on the table.
The question for me of course is; it this how we compromise our lives? Is it acceptable that we accept second best and we then spend the rest of our lives wondering about “what if . . . ?”
We all try and pay attention to the needs of our loved ones, we try and pay attention to the needs of our bosses and all the other external factors that need attention in our lives, but we very seldom pay attention to our own needs and what we need to fulfill our own dreams and aspirations.
Often we allow others to make decisions about our lives and often these decisions are based on their aspirations or dreams. Sometimes it’s family members who feel the need to live their lost lives vicariously through yours. Here’s the thing though, living your life like this will not bring any fulfillment in their lives or your life for that matter.
The bottom lines is that you have to look out for yourself – you have to what’s best for you in order for you to be able to be there for others or for you to take care of others.
You cannot compromise your life! You have to live your life to the full and become all that you can be in order for you to fulfill your destiny.
I know that I am, but what about you?
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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2011
I was extremely lucky to have ‘discovered’ my passion, quite by accident although I like to believe that it was by some sort of design. I couldn’t bear to think of working at a job that I wasn’t passionate about or that I hated. On some level I guess, I do understand that there are some jobs out there that are done by individuals who have no passion for what they do or perhaps have no ambition to do anything else – it really saddens me when I think of them though and it just makes me that much more grateful for being able to work at and in a field that I love and am absolutely passionate about.
Actually it reminds me of my younger brother, who at the age of about four or five, was asked “what do you want to be when you are grown up?” and he replied without hesitation “I am going to be an accountant and I am going to be a millionaire!” All the other little boys were wanting to be train drivers and ambulance drivers and policemen or whatever their perception of a ‘fun job’ was at that time. It was easy to change their minds by talking to them about other adventures like the ones that sailors had or explorers had, but my brothers very serious statement stood and his mind could not be changed. At forty something, his choice has stood the test of time as he is a senior international partner with a well known audit group and he has been with them for around thirty years now and he is a millionaire – so yes, he has achieved the objective that he had as a little five year old boy.
His and my story though are the exception and not the rule as sadly, the reality of life is that often it is easier to find your lover or your life partner than it is to find a job that you truly love. How sad is that?
The ideal time to make the decision about what you want to do, of course, is when you are starting out. Again sadly, the majority of our youth have no cooking clue about what it is that they want to do – the ‘drop out’ rate at universities and colleges evidence the amount of indecision that there is out there and even more end up in dead end jobs doing what they have no passion for and what they hate, just to put food on the table.
The question for me of course is; it this how we compromise our lives? Is it acceptable that we accept second best and we then spend the rest of our lives wondering about “what if . . . ?”
We all try and pay attention to the needs of our loved ones, we try and pay attention to the needs of our bosses and all the other external factors that need attention in our lives, but we very seldom pay attention to our own needs and what we need to fulfill our own dreams and aspirations.
Often we allow others to make decisions about our lives and often these decisions are based on their aspirations or dreams. Sometimes it’s family members who feel the need to live their lost lives vicariously through yours. Here’s the thing though, living your life like this will not bring any fulfillment in their lives or your life for that matter.
The bottom lines is that you have to look out for yourself – you have to what’s best for you in order for you to be able to be there for others or for you to take care of others.
You cannot compromise your life! You have to live your life to the full and become all that you can be in order for you to fulfill your destiny.
I know that I am, but what about you?
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
Friday, July 01, 2011
HR - Religious Discrimination - Part 2
ARTICLE 70
Religious Discrimination – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - July 2011
As promised here is the story version of what happened at the CCMA. Let’s bring out the protagonists.
Mike owns a very busy little gym in a quiet suburb and he has several body builder type staff working for him as personal trainers. Patrons are not encouraged to work out on their own, but are allocated their own personal trainer(s) to assist them with getting the best out of a workout. Patrons are then encouraged to make use of the gym’s masseurs, who are all properly trained in working with sports injuries.
As part of the branding, all staff are required to wear uniforms – the males are required to be clean shaven, with short hair (for hygiene purposes) and the females are required to wear their hair (specifically long hair) up in a ponytail and away from their faces. When in the indoor heated pool, all staff are required to wear swimming caps, again for hygiene purposes and to minimize the amount of hair fallout.
Mike’s business is expanding with more and more sports patrons coming to his gym to receive expert training and he has had to increase the number of personal trainers and masseurs. Mike’s letter of appointment specifies that the gym is open 7 days a week and the hair and hygiene requirements and he is careful to explain the reasons for the requirements at the interviews to ensure that both male and female staff are aware of the requirements and that they agree to them up front.
Everything goes along splendidly for several weeks and then he notices that several of the male staff are not shaving regularly. Mike calls a staff meeting and reiterates the requirements and instructs all the male staff to come to work ‘clean shaven’ on a daily basis. Mike further states that staff members who do not properly portray the image of the gym and the brand will be sent home to sort out what is required, at their own cost and without pay for the time wasted.
The following day, several of the staff again came to work unshaved and when Mike instructed them to go home and shave, they refused on religious grounds. They explained to Mike that they belonged to the Nazarene religion and that this religion forbade them to shave or even trim their beards. All of them were instructed to attend individual disciplinary hearings and all of them were dismissed.
Of course all of them went off to the CCMA and they claimed that their dismissal was automatically unfair as it was based on their religion.
Mike stood his ground and stated that:-
• Apart from the fact that beards made personal trainers and masseurs look dirty and untidy, all of these employees had been briefed on the requirements of being clean shaven as this was a hygiene requirement as well as part of the branding and therefore image of the company.
• All of the employees had arrived for the interview, clean shaven, they had signed their letters of appointment, thereby contractually agreeing to be clean shaven and
• For the first couple of week’s they had all come to work clean shaven, with no problem at all.
• At no time, until they all refused to shave, had any of them advised Mike that they were of a religion that forbade them being ‘clean shaven’. Clearly Mike was perplexed by this development.
The Court decided in Mike’s favour based on the following facts:
• There were several issues with this particular religion that were forbidden, yet the staff had transgressed on all of them, such as but not limited to: - the employees worked on a Sunday (and had never refused to do so) despite the fact that they were forbidden to do so in terms of their faith.
• The staff had arrived for their interviews clean shaven and had remained that way for several weeks despite the fact that they were forbidden to do so in terms of their faith. These two issues indicated that the church was ‘flexible’ in the application of these rules.
• The staff could not show that they would have to ‘suffer a harsh penance’ for breaching the rule of not shaving.
• It was evident that these employees were selective in their choice of which religious laws and rules they would follow and which they wouldn’t.
• The fact that Mike was very consistent in applying the rules of ‘clean shaven’ male faces etc evidenced that these staff members had not been singled out on the basis of their religion, but rather on their non-adherence to laid down company procedures that had been previously and meticulously followed, by these very same employees.
• Grooming and hygiene was an important and integral factor in the running of a private gym.
Be warned though, just because Mike won this case , doesn’t mean that employers will always win cases based on ‘unfair discrimination’ relating to religion and beliefs – each case should be looked at in terms of it’s own merits and it is advisable to employ the services of a HR/IR (human resources/industrial relations) expert when in doubt.
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
Religious Discrimination – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - July 2011
As promised here is the story version of what happened at the CCMA. Let’s bring out the protagonists.
Mike owns a very busy little gym in a quiet suburb and he has several body builder type staff working for him as personal trainers. Patrons are not encouraged to work out on their own, but are allocated their own personal trainer(s) to assist them with getting the best out of a workout. Patrons are then encouraged to make use of the gym’s masseurs, who are all properly trained in working with sports injuries.
As part of the branding, all staff are required to wear uniforms – the males are required to be clean shaven, with short hair (for hygiene purposes) and the females are required to wear their hair (specifically long hair) up in a ponytail and away from their faces. When in the indoor heated pool, all staff are required to wear swimming caps, again for hygiene purposes and to minimize the amount of hair fallout.
Mike’s business is expanding with more and more sports patrons coming to his gym to receive expert training and he has had to increase the number of personal trainers and masseurs. Mike’s letter of appointment specifies that the gym is open 7 days a week and the hair and hygiene requirements and he is careful to explain the reasons for the requirements at the interviews to ensure that both male and female staff are aware of the requirements and that they agree to them up front.
Everything goes along splendidly for several weeks and then he notices that several of the male staff are not shaving regularly. Mike calls a staff meeting and reiterates the requirements and instructs all the male staff to come to work ‘clean shaven’ on a daily basis. Mike further states that staff members who do not properly portray the image of the gym and the brand will be sent home to sort out what is required, at their own cost and without pay for the time wasted.
The following day, several of the staff again came to work unshaved and when Mike instructed them to go home and shave, they refused on religious grounds. They explained to Mike that they belonged to the Nazarene religion and that this religion forbade them to shave or even trim their beards. All of them were instructed to attend individual disciplinary hearings and all of them were dismissed.
Of course all of them went off to the CCMA and they claimed that their dismissal was automatically unfair as it was based on their religion.
Mike stood his ground and stated that:-
• Apart from the fact that beards made personal trainers and masseurs look dirty and untidy, all of these employees had been briefed on the requirements of being clean shaven as this was a hygiene requirement as well as part of the branding and therefore image of the company.
• All of the employees had arrived for the interview, clean shaven, they had signed their letters of appointment, thereby contractually agreeing to be clean shaven and
• For the first couple of week’s they had all come to work clean shaven, with no problem at all.
• At no time, until they all refused to shave, had any of them advised Mike that they were of a religion that forbade them being ‘clean shaven’. Clearly Mike was perplexed by this development.
The Court decided in Mike’s favour based on the following facts:
• There were several issues with this particular religion that were forbidden, yet the staff had transgressed on all of them, such as but not limited to: - the employees worked on a Sunday (and had never refused to do so) despite the fact that they were forbidden to do so in terms of their faith.
• The staff had arrived for their interviews clean shaven and had remained that way for several weeks despite the fact that they were forbidden to do so in terms of their faith. These two issues indicated that the church was ‘flexible’ in the application of these rules.
• The staff could not show that they would have to ‘suffer a harsh penance’ for breaching the rule of not shaving.
• It was evident that these employees were selective in their choice of which religious laws and rules they would follow and which they wouldn’t.
• The fact that Mike was very consistent in applying the rules of ‘clean shaven’ male faces etc evidenced that these staff members had not been singled out on the basis of their religion, but rather on their non-adherence to laid down company procedures that had been previously and meticulously followed, by these very same employees.
• Grooming and hygiene was an important and integral factor in the running of a private gym.
Be warned though, just because Mike won this case , doesn’t mean that employers will always win cases based on ‘unfair discrimination’ relating to religion and beliefs – each case should be looked at in terms of it’s own merits and it is advisable to employ the services of a HR/IR (human resources/industrial relations) expert when in doubt.
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
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
BLOGGING TIPS - Great Articles equal Great Experiences
BLOGGING TIPS – Great Articles equal Great Experiences
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June 2011
One of the quickest ways to get me to unsubscribe, fire you as a service provider or indeed walk into your competitors lair, is to irritate me.
You see, for it is not just about what the offering is, it’s not just about the product or even the service – for me it’s about the whole experience. It’s about how that whole experience makes me feel (and I don’t necessarily mean in a warm and fuzzy or touchy feelie kind of way). Does it make me want to return, does it make me want to share (in a good way or even when I’m spitting mad), does it make me smile or laugh, does it make me want to change something?
Reading for me, be it articles or magazines or books, have the same kind of effect. Is it written in a simple manner that is easy to read and understand? Does it bring forth images that make me smile or laugh or even cry and squirm or shake with anger? Not every ‘good’ experience is sweetly pleasurable – some sadden and make me think and then act, some challenge and some . . . . well, they just irritate!
They irritate because they are too technical or they use words that necessitate me being permanently attached to the dictionary or they are so devoid of any type of truth or figment of reality that I am blinded by a red mist of anger and indignation at the fact that someone would even think that I would be caught up in their absolute nonsense!
Like many, I do not like to seeped and surrounded by negativity and if I am reading something that constantly brings this emotion to the forefront, I will stop and move onto the next article.
As a creature of habit, I usually return time and time again to the same sites. When I find an article that I enjoy on a site, I will usually ‘follow’ it to see what else comes up. That said however, I can just as easily ‘unfollow’, which is something that I will do from time to time, if I become disgruntled and irritated with the author and/or their content.
The reality is that I am not any different to anyone else out there in terms of how I deal with my own set of particular likes and dislikes. The reality is that there are truckloads and more, of information out there – useful stuff, enjoyable stuff and of course a load of nonsense too. It’s freely available to anyone and everyone. The only thing between someone reading your articles or not is the choice that they make about the experience that they are having.
So, if you want your readers to keep coming back, time and time again, you have to make sure that you do not irritate and annoy them. Make sure that every article equates to a memorable experience.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June 2011
One of the quickest ways to get me to unsubscribe, fire you as a service provider or indeed walk into your competitors lair, is to irritate me.
You see, for it is not just about what the offering is, it’s not just about the product or even the service – for me it’s about the whole experience. It’s about how that whole experience makes me feel (and I don’t necessarily mean in a warm and fuzzy or touchy feelie kind of way). Does it make me want to return, does it make me want to share (in a good way or even when I’m spitting mad), does it make me smile or laugh, does it make me want to change something?
Reading for me, be it articles or magazines or books, have the same kind of effect. Is it written in a simple manner that is easy to read and understand? Does it bring forth images that make me smile or laugh or even cry and squirm or shake with anger? Not every ‘good’ experience is sweetly pleasurable – some sadden and make me think and then act, some challenge and some . . . . well, they just irritate!
They irritate because they are too technical or they use words that necessitate me being permanently attached to the dictionary or they are so devoid of any type of truth or figment of reality that I am blinded by a red mist of anger and indignation at the fact that someone would even think that I would be caught up in their absolute nonsense!
Like many, I do not like to seeped and surrounded by negativity and if I am reading something that constantly brings this emotion to the forefront, I will stop and move onto the next article.
As a creature of habit, I usually return time and time again to the same sites. When I find an article that I enjoy on a site, I will usually ‘follow’ it to see what else comes up. That said however, I can just as easily ‘unfollow’, which is something that I will do from time to time, if I become disgruntled and irritated with the author and/or their content.
The reality is that I am not any different to anyone else out there in terms of how I deal with my own set of particular likes and dislikes. The reality is that there are truckloads and more, of information out there – useful stuff, enjoyable stuff and of course a load of nonsense too. It’s freely available to anyone and everyone. The only thing between someone reading your articles or not is the choice that they make about the experience that they are having.
So, if you want your readers to keep coming back, time and time again, you have to make sure that you do not irritate and annoy them. Make sure that every article equates to a memorable experience.
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
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
BUSINESS TIPS - Common Mistakes Start-up Businesses Make - Part 1
BUSINESS TIPS – Common Mistakes Start-up Businesses Make – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
More and more I am coming across individuals, who want to start up a business, who have no clue about what they are doing and who don’t have any kind of plan in place. Now having an idea is great, that is what starts the dream but quite honestly, not having any kind of plan in place is the same as committing suicide – business suicide!
A business that does not have any kind of plan in place will often have neither direction nor focus and if that is the way that you are starting up, quite honestly, that is the quickest way to just close the doors. Many start-ups feel that the only reason to have a business plan in place is if they need to raise capital and they couldn’t be further from the truth. Having a documented business plan in place will help to direct the process of starting a new business and for those businesses that are already established, it will help them keep focused on what they want to achieve and by when they want it achieved.
Your business plan however, is not a ‘once off’ kind of document. It needs to be updated and changed as the business grows and as your requirements and needs change too.
Being cocky and full of nonsense, is definitely not going to endear you to anyone. So many newly started business owners, who are in the first flush of success (read: they are in their 2nd month of trading and the glow hasn’t worn off yet) think they are invincible. My advice to them is “Get a grip!” They often compare themselves to the greats out there and strut their stuff, but as tempting as it is, they need to remember that they are still taking the first steps and adjust themselves to that.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with dreaming that you will get there . . . one day, but you need to remain grounded, focused and with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Remember all big businesses started out as little businesses and although every journey starts with a single step – you have taken that first step and now you need to take the next, and then the next and then . . . you get my drift I am sure.
Trying to sell yourself to your clients and suppliers as ‘established’, when you’re not will only make them see you as dishonest and it will not work in your favour in the long run – so just don’t do it!
Don’t try and be clever by extending credit to your clients when you have just started out – the reality is that you will end up with a lot of bad debt and clearly this will affect your cash flow in a negative way. Getting money in quickly and efficiently will allow you to go to the next step of your plan a lot quicker and without as much risk. Having to continuously wait for your money puts your business at risk and will cause you untold unnecessary stress.
Next time we will have a look at some of the other common mistakes.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
More and more I am coming across individuals, who want to start up a business, who have no clue about what they are doing and who don’t have any kind of plan in place. Now having an idea is great, that is what starts the dream but quite honestly, not having any kind of plan in place is the same as committing suicide – business suicide!
A business that does not have any kind of plan in place will often have neither direction nor focus and if that is the way that you are starting up, quite honestly, that is the quickest way to just close the doors. Many start-ups feel that the only reason to have a business plan in place is if they need to raise capital and they couldn’t be further from the truth. Having a documented business plan in place will help to direct the process of starting a new business and for those businesses that are already established, it will help them keep focused on what they want to achieve and by when they want it achieved.
Your business plan however, is not a ‘once off’ kind of document. It needs to be updated and changed as the business grows and as your requirements and needs change too.
Being cocky and full of nonsense, is definitely not going to endear you to anyone. So many newly started business owners, who are in the first flush of success (read: they are in their 2nd month of trading and the glow hasn’t worn off yet) think they are invincible. My advice to them is “Get a grip!” They often compare themselves to the greats out there and strut their stuff, but as tempting as it is, they need to remember that they are still taking the first steps and adjust themselves to that.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with dreaming that you will get there . . . one day, but you need to remain grounded, focused and with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Remember all big businesses started out as little businesses and although every journey starts with a single step – you have taken that first step and now you need to take the next, and then the next and then . . . you get my drift I am sure.
Trying to sell yourself to your clients and suppliers as ‘established’, when you’re not will only make them see you as dishonest and it will not work in your favour in the long run – so just don’t do it!
Don’t try and be clever by extending credit to your clients when you have just started out – the reality is that you will end up with a lot of bad debt and clearly this will affect your cash flow in a negative way. Getting money in quickly and efficiently will allow you to go to the next step of your plan a lot quicker and without as much risk. Having to continuously wait for your money puts your business at risk and will cause you untold unnecessary stress.
Next time we will have a look at some of the other common mistakes.
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 - Common Mistakes Start-up Businesses Make - Part 1
BUSINESS TIPS – Common Mistakes Start-up Businesses Make – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
More and more I am coming across individuals, who want to start up a business, who have no clue about what they are doing and who don’t have any kind of plan in place. Now having an idea is great, that is what starts the dream but quite honestly, not having any kind of plan in place is the same as committing suicide – business suicide!
A business that does not have any kind of plan in place will often have neither direction nor focus and if that is the way that you are starting up, quite honestly, that is the quickest way to just close the doors. Many start-ups feel that the only reason to have a business plan in place is if they need to raise capital and they couldn’t be further from the truth. Having a documented business plan in place will help to direct the process of starting a new business and for those businesses that are already established, it will help them keep focused on what they want to achieve and by when they want it achieved.
Your business plan however, is not a ‘once off’ kind of document. It needs to be updated and changed as the business grows and as your requirements and needs change too.
Being cocky and full of nonsense, is definitely not going to endear you to anyone. So many newly started business owners, who are in the first flush of success (read: they are in their 2nd month of trading and the glow hasn’t worn off yet) think they are invincible. My advice to them is “Get a grip!” They often compare themselves to the greats out there and strut their stuff, but as tempting as it is, they need to remember that they are still taking the first steps and adjust themselves to that.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with dreaming that you will get there . . . one day, but you need to remain grounded, focused and with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Remember all big businesses started out as little businesses and although every journey starts with a single step – you have taken that first step and now you need to take the next, and then the next and then . . . you get my drift I am sure.
Trying to sell yourself to your clients and suppliers as ‘established’, when you’re not will only make them see you as dishonest and it will not work in your favour in the long run – so just don’t do it!
Don’t try and be clever by extending credit to your clients when you have just started out – the reality is that you will end up with a lot of bad debt and clearly this will affect your cash flow in a negative way. Getting money in quickly and efficiently will allow you to go to the next step of your plan a lot quicker and without as much risk. Having to continuously wait for your money puts your business at risk and will cause you untold unnecessary stress.
Next time we will have a look at some of the other common mistakes.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
More and more I am coming across individuals, who want to start up a business, who have no clue about what they are doing and who don’t have any kind of plan in place. Now having an idea is great, that is what starts the dream but quite honestly, not having any kind of plan in place is the same as committing suicide – business suicide!
A business that does not have any kind of plan in place will often have neither direction nor focus and if that is the way that you are starting up, quite honestly, that is the quickest way to just close the doors. Many start-ups feel that the only reason to have a business plan in place is if they need to raise capital and they couldn’t be further from the truth. Having a documented business plan in place will help to direct the process of starting a new business and for those businesses that are already established, it will help them keep focused on what they want to achieve and by when they want it achieved.
Your business plan however, is not a ‘once off’ kind of document. It needs to be updated and changed as the business grows and as your requirements and needs change too.
Being cocky and full of nonsense, is definitely not going to endear you to anyone. So many newly started business owners, who are in the first flush of success (read: they are in their 2nd month of trading and the glow hasn’t worn off yet) think they are invincible. My advice to them is “Get a grip!” They often compare themselves to the greats out there and strut their stuff, but as tempting as it is, they need to remember that they are still taking the first steps and adjust themselves to that.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with dreaming that you will get there . . . one day, but you need to remain grounded, focused and with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Remember all big businesses started out as little businesses and although every journey starts with a single step – you have taken that first step and now you need to take the next, and then the next and then . . . you get my drift I am sure.
Trying to sell yourself to your clients and suppliers as ‘established’, when you’re not will only make them see you as dishonest and it will not work in your favour in the long run – so just don’t do it!
Don’t try and be clever by extending credit to your clients when you have just started out – the reality is that you will end up with a lot of bad debt and clearly this will affect your cash flow in a negative way. Getting money in quickly and efficiently will allow you to go to the next step of your plan a lot quicker and without as much risk. Having to continuously wait for your money puts your business at risk and will cause you untold unnecessary stress.
Next time we will have a look at some of the other common mistakes.
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
Monday, June 27, 2011
MOTIVATION - Liberate Your Future
MOTIVATION – Liberate Your Future
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
The quote today comes from Marilyn Ferguson, who says “Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose to liberate the future.”
Well there it is – my old friend “choice” has come to give me a real swift, sharp, painful kick up the rear end!
Just when I think I’ve got the whole thing carefully sussed out, something like this comes along to remind me just how quickly my focus can wander and even more how quickly I can lose my footing on the path of my life. And yes . . . I often do write about what I most need to hear!
Quite often over the last couple of months my thoughts have turned to the past and instead of relocating them to the present and the future, I have allowed them to dwell there, with consequences you understand – there are always consequences.
I’ve allowed myself to dwell on relationships, both business and personal, that are no longer – I have wallowed in the hurt and injustice of the emotions that they aroused. I have grieved over the loss of animals and companions and friends and seeped myself in self pity – but ultimately at what cost?
Sure these things have to take place and it is healthy to go through them, ironically though, I thought that I had dealt with this . . . or had I? Was this self indulgent rubbish or was this me actually going through that process that I thought I had already gone through? Who knows and quite honestly does it really matter? Probably not!
What does matter though, is that I shrug it off and get myself re-focused because the more I continue down this path of self pity, the harder it will be for me to get myself back on track. I have to make a decision, a choice if you will. That choice is to turn away from the past, forget about it, wipe the slate clean and look to the present and the future.
What do I want to see on the newly cleaned off slate? How do I want to populate it? I have a few ideas – do you?
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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
The quote today comes from Marilyn Ferguson, who says “Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose to liberate the future.”
Well there it is – my old friend “choice” has come to give me a real swift, sharp, painful kick up the rear end!
Just when I think I’ve got the whole thing carefully sussed out, something like this comes along to remind me just how quickly my focus can wander and even more how quickly I can lose my footing on the path of my life. And yes . . . I often do write about what I most need to hear!
Quite often over the last couple of months my thoughts have turned to the past and instead of relocating them to the present and the future, I have allowed them to dwell there, with consequences you understand – there are always consequences.
I’ve allowed myself to dwell on relationships, both business and personal, that are no longer – I have wallowed in the hurt and injustice of the emotions that they aroused. I have grieved over the loss of animals and companions and friends and seeped myself in self pity – but ultimately at what cost?
Sure these things have to take place and it is healthy to go through them, ironically though, I thought that I had dealt with this . . . or had I? Was this self indulgent rubbish or was this me actually going through that process that I thought I had already gone through? Who knows and quite honestly does it really matter? Probably not!
What does matter though, is that I shrug it off and get myself re-focused because the more I continue down this path of self pity, the harder it will be for me to get myself back on track. I have to make a decision, a choice if you will. That choice is to turn away from the past, forget about it, wipe the slate clean and look to the present and the future.
What do I want to see on the newly cleaned off slate? How do I want to populate it? I have a few ideas – do you?
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
Friday, June 24, 2011
HR - Religious Discrimination - Part 1
ARTICLE 70
Religious Discrimination – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - June 2011
The law states, in Section 6 of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) that there can be no unfair discrimination against an employee on arbitrary grounds. One of these grounds of course, is religion and this means that as an employer you cannot discriminate against an employee or a prospective employee, on the grounds of their religion.
Some of the area’s around religion that you would need to take into consideration are (but not limited to):-
- You cannot turn down a job applicant based on the fact that they are no (or are for that matter) of the same religion as you are, irrespective of what that religion is
- You cannot decide that only the employees belonging to a specific religion will be allowed to go to church/temple/shul/mosque etc., during working hours. The requirements of all the different faiths must be taken into account.
- You cannot insist that employees of a specific faith or religion must work on public holidays
That said, this is not an exact science and although the statements made above are examples of the types of discrimination out there, there are instances where they may not be considered “unfair discrimination”. Whether the discrimination is unfair or not will depend on various issues, such as (but not limited to) whether or it makes sense. Now whether or not it makes sense or not will also be dependent on the requirements of the job.
Here are some examples:
If you owned a factory type business where there were machines operating and where stupid mistakes could lead to loss of limb or life, you could not stop religious emblems being worn underneath garments as this would not affect the way that they worked or put them in any kind of danger. However, that said, if under the same conditions and circumstances you staff insisted on wearing these same emblems on necklaces around their necks, dangling out of their clothing, you could state that this put them at risk of injury to themselves and their peers and in this instance, of course you would be well within your rights to make that rule. What you absolutely couldn’t do though is allow some of the staff to then wear necklaces and not others. You have to be consistent in your decisions.
Some of the other examples that I have seen posted by Ivan Israelstam are rather evident in themselves and I must admit that I had a good chuckle to think that someone would even have considered them – some of these are “You could turn down a Jewish person for the position of Pope – that would not be considered unfair. You could refuse to employ an atheist as a priest – that would be considered fair.”
Next time we will look at an actual CCMA case where the staff cried ‘foul’ and see what happened.
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
Religious Discrimination – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - June 2011
The law states, in Section 6 of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) that there can be no unfair discrimination against an employee on arbitrary grounds. One of these grounds of course, is religion and this means that as an employer you cannot discriminate against an employee or a prospective employee, on the grounds of their religion.
Some of the area’s around religion that you would need to take into consideration are (but not limited to):-
- You cannot turn down a job applicant based on the fact that they are no (or are for that matter) of the same religion as you are, irrespective of what that religion is
- You cannot decide that only the employees belonging to a specific religion will be allowed to go to church/temple/shul/mosque etc., during working hours. The requirements of all the different faiths must be taken into account.
- You cannot insist that employees of a specific faith or religion must work on public holidays
That said, this is not an exact science and although the statements made above are examples of the types of discrimination out there, there are instances where they may not be considered “unfair discrimination”. Whether the discrimination is unfair or not will depend on various issues, such as (but not limited to) whether or it makes sense. Now whether or not it makes sense or not will also be dependent on the requirements of the job.
Here are some examples:
If you owned a factory type business where there were machines operating and where stupid mistakes could lead to loss of limb or life, you could not stop religious emblems being worn underneath garments as this would not affect the way that they worked or put them in any kind of danger. However, that said, if under the same conditions and circumstances you staff insisted on wearing these same emblems on necklaces around their necks, dangling out of their clothing, you could state that this put them at risk of injury to themselves and their peers and in this instance, of course you would be well within your rights to make that rule. What you absolutely couldn’t do though is allow some of the staff to then wear necklaces and not others. You have to be consistent in your decisions.
Some of the other examples that I have seen posted by Ivan Israelstam are rather evident in themselves and I must admit that I had a good chuckle to think that someone would even have considered them – some of these are “You could turn down a Jewish person for the position of Pope – that would not be considered unfair. You could refuse to employ an atheist as a priest – that would be considered fair.”
Next time we will look at an actual CCMA case where the staff cried ‘foul’ and see what happened.
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
Thursday, June 23, 2011
EARLY WARNING - Credit Card Fraud
EARLY WARNING – Credit Card Fraud
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – June 2011
We seem to still be on the whole Credit Card experience – this was also received from a colleague. Again, how true it is, I couldn’t vouch for – but it does seem plausible and for me forewarned is always forearmed.
“Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid using my Visa Cheque Card, which of course, is linked directly to my current account.
The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it was the same model as I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Then I heard a ‘click’ that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I’m thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on. It then dawned on me - the only thing there was my credit card, so now I am paying close attention to what he is doing.
He set his phone down on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I’m standing there struggling with the fact that this youngster just took a photo of my credit card. Yes he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.
Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlour. All I am saying is be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit (or debit) card, be cautious and don’t be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing as you use your card.”
The bottom line as always, be aware, be safe and take steps to ensure that you don’t become a victim.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – June 2011
We seem to still be on the whole Credit Card experience – this was also received from a colleague. Again, how true it is, I couldn’t vouch for – but it does seem plausible and for me forewarned is always forearmed.
“Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid using my Visa Cheque Card, which of course, is linked directly to my current account.
The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it was the same model as I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Then I heard a ‘click’ that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I’m thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on. It then dawned on me - the only thing there was my credit card, so now I am paying close attention to what he is doing.
He set his phone down on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I’m standing there struggling with the fact that this youngster just took a photo of my credit card. Yes he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.
Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlour. All I am saying is be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit (or debit) card, be cautious and don’t be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing as you use your card.”
The bottom line as always, be aware, be safe and take steps to ensure that you don’t become a victim.
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
Monday, June 20, 2011
MOTIVATION - Greatness is Consistence
MOTIVATION – Greatness is Consistence
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
I recently attended the International Women’s Day Centenary Conference here in Johannesburg. Wow! What an intense but motivational experience that was.
We were lucky enough to have some really interesting internationally renowned speakers as well as some really powerful local women.
Our very own Venete Klein, who used to hold one of the top Management positions in ABSA and who has recently left the bank to pursue her own dream of owning a business, was our opening speaker.
Venete, during her speech said that ‘greatness is not brilliance, greatness is consistency’!
How profoundly powerful is that? Many SME’s who I encounter seem to think that ‘greatness’ is about being powerful or being brilliant, or indeed being rich beyond measure and whilst there are many individuals who could be called great, who have all of these attributes too, the fact of the matter is that their ‘greatness’ is attributable to the fact that they have been consistent in their endeavors.
Consistent in their goals. Consistent in their focus. Consistent in the application of their actions to achieve whatever it is that they set out to achieve.
The mental picture that this always produces for me is the one of Nelson Mandela when he was released from prison – can you just imagine how focused he must have been to have endured 27 years of prison – my mind boggles!
By remaining consistent in his beliefs, his goals and his dreams, he achieved what was thought to be impossible.
So don’t worry about the power and the wealth – that will all come when it does – just be consistent in your actions and your dreams. Just continue to put one foot in front of the other, you’ll be amazed at what you will be able to achieve.
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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
I recently attended the International Women’s Day Centenary Conference here in Johannesburg. Wow! What an intense but motivational experience that was.
We were lucky enough to have some really interesting internationally renowned speakers as well as some really powerful local women.
Our very own Venete Klein, who used to hold one of the top Management positions in ABSA and who has recently left the bank to pursue her own dream of owning a business, was our opening speaker.
Venete, during her speech said that ‘greatness is not brilliance, greatness is consistency’!
How profoundly powerful is that? Many SME’s who I encounter seem to think that ‘greatness’ is about being powerful or being brilliant, or indeed being rich beyond measure and whilst there are many individuals who could be called great, who have all of these attributes too, the fact of the matter is that their ‘greatness’ is attributable to the fact that they have been consistent in their endeavors.
Consistent in their goals. Consistent in their focus. Consistent in the application of their actions to achieve whatever it is that they set out to achieve.
The mental picture that this always produces for me is the one of Nelson Mandela when he was released from prison – can you just imagine how focused he must have been to have endured 27 years of prison – my mind boggles!
By remaining consistent in his beliefs, his goals and his dreams, he achieved what was thought to be impossible.
So don’t worry about the power and the wealth – that will all come when it does – just be consistent in your actions and your dreams. Just continue to put one foot in front of the other, you’ll be amazed at what you will be able to achieve.
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
Monday, June 13, 2011
MOTIVATION - Are you Part of the Problem
MOTIVATION – Are you Part of the Problem
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
Well are you? Coretta Scott King writes “It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are, if you don’t use your power for positive change, you are indeed, part of the problem.”
Man, oh man, I can sure relate to this!
For the past few weeks I have been sorely challenged by someone who pays lip service to bringing about positive change but who is so blinded by her title (of manager) that she blocks every attempt to make a change that she hasn’t personally thought about or hasn’t been discussed to death with her in an attempt to get her approval.
Quite frankly it’s exhausting! It’s been seven weeks of ‘exhausting’ and I am no closer to the goal than when I started. I am seriously very close to finding someone else to run with the idea.
I have no doubt that I am not the only person to have experienced this and I am equally sure that this will be the last time I experience it either.
You see, this woman, let’s call her Alice, has now become a part of the problem instead of part of the solution, to bring about change.
Everything has to be in her time, as part of her criteria and with her own agenda and to make matters worse, she also does not communicate effectively, so if she has a query or is not sure of something, instead of making a call to ascertain what/where/how/when, she does . . . yeah, you’ve got it, absolutely nothing because “someone was supposed to have told me”!
In the meantime, several weeks of opportunity have gone by, nothing has happened and nothing has been resolved and we are still doing this really weird dance around her! Yes, I am sorely tempted to walk away and find someone else – someone who understands what I am trying to do and someone with the same code of conduct, same set of ethics and the same intention to make a difference and be a part of the solution.
I wonder if her Board of Directors will see the situation in this light when we meet this afternoon and I tell them of my decision. I wonder if they too will become a part of the problem or if they will stand up and be counted, and be a part of the solution too . . . . ?
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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
Well are you? Coretta Scott King writes “It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are, if you don’t use your power for positive change, you are indeed, part of the problem.”
Man, oh man, I can sure relate to this!
For the past few weeks I have been sorely challenged by someone who pays lip service to bringing about positive change but who is so blinded by her title (of manager) that she blocks every attempt to make a change that she hasn’t personally thought about or hasn’t been discussed to death with her in an attempt to get her approval.
Quite frankly it’s exhausting! It’s been seven weeks of ‘exhausting’ and I am no closer to the goal than when I started. I am seriously very close to finding someone else to run with the idea.
I have no doubt that I am not the only person to have experienced this and I am equally sure that this will be the last time I experience it either.
You see, this woman, let’s call her Alice, has now become a part of the problem instead of part of the solution, to bring about change.
Everything has to be in her time, as part of her criteria and with her own agenda and to make matters worse, she also does not communicate effectively, so if she has a query or is not sure of something, instead of making a call to ascertain what/where/how/when, she does . . . yeah, you’ve got it, absolutely nothing because “someone was supposed to have told me”!
In the meantime, several weeks of opportunity have gone by, nothing has happened and nothing has been resolved and we are still doing this really weird dance around her! Yes, I am sorely tempted to walk away and find someone else – someone who understands what I am trying to do and someone with the same code of conduct, same set of ethics and the same intention to make a difference and be a part of the solution.
I wonder if her Board of Directors will see the situation in this light when we meet this afternoon and I tell them of my decision. I wonder if they too will become a part of the problem or if they will stand up and be counted, and be a part of the solution too . . . . ?
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
Monday, June 06, 2011
MOTIVATION - Procrastination
MOTIVATION – Procrastination
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
The quote today is by an anonymous person who once said “Procrastination is the natural assassin of opportunity.”
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy – the universe certainly delivered a swift sharp well aimed boot to my rear end when it gave me this particular quote.
Make no mistake – I am the master of procrastination – except in my world it is called anything but – Procrastination.
Much like I never, never, ever exaggerate, I don’t procrastinate either! Oh don’t get me wrong – I dream, I plan, I just have to do this or that, it’s too late in the day or it’s too early or I need a cup of tea, or a quick trip to the bathroom. I’m really tired and I can’t concentrate or need some ‘down’ time – anything to distract myself from what I know I have to do – all justified, all legitimate and all very true!
Here’s the thing though, when I do get my head together and I actually sit down and in the words of Jacob Zuma “apply my mind”, the actual task itself usually doesn’t take long and it’s usually quite painless, completely contrary to my initial perception. Then of course I end up kicking my own rear end because I have procrastinated to such an extent that I have left everything to the last minute and put myself under pressure. How ridiculous is that!
Have I learnt the lesson – sometimes I think I have, but the reality is, if I am completely honest, that I still procrastinate.
Thankfully though, I have been made aware of my negative ways and nowadays when I find or realize that I am procrastinating, I stop and make a list of the reasons as to why I am avoiding the task in question. Once I have the understanding of what the problem is, then I can solve it and get to the task a lot quicker. The challenge of course, is to actually admit that I am ‘procrastinating’.
Will I continue to procrastinate in the future – of course I will, its human nature, but I will also be far more aware of what I am doing and hopefully that means I will continually check to see that I am managing my time in the most efficient way.
So how about you – how do you manage your procrastination?
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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011
The quote today is by an anonymous person who once said “Procrastination is the natural assassin of opportunity.”
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy – the universe certainly delivered a swift sharp well aimed boot to my rear end when it gave me this particular quote.
Make no mistake – I am the master of procrastination – except in my world it is called anything but – Procrastination.
Much like I never, never, ever exaggerate, I don’t procrastinate either! Oh don’t get me wrong – I dream, I plan, I just have to do this or that, it’s too late in the day or it’s too early or I need a cup of tea, or a quick trip to the bathroom. I’m really tired and I can’t concentrate or need some ‘down’ time – anything to distract myself from what I know I have to do – all justified, all legitimate and all very true!
Here’s the thing though, when I do get my head together and I actually sit down and in the words of Jacob Zuma “apply my mind”, the actual task itself usually doesn’t take long and it’s usually quite painless, completely contrary to my initial perception. Then of course I end up kicking my own rear end because I have procrastinated to such an extent that I have left everything to the last minute and put myself under pressure. How ridiculous is that!
Have I learnt the lesson – sometimes I think I have, but the reality is, if I am completely honest, that I still procrastinate.
Thankfully though, I have been made aware of my negative ways and nowadays when I find or realize that I am procrastinating, I stop and make a list of the reasons as to why I am avoiding the task in question. Once I have the understanding of what the problem is, then I can solve it and get to the task a lot quicker. The challenge of course, is to actually admit that I am ‘procrastinating’.
Will I continue to procrastinate in the future – of course I will, its human nature, but I will also be far more aware of what I am doing and hopefully that means I will continually check to see that I am managing my time in the most efficient way.
So how about you – how do you manage your procrastination?
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
Friday, June 03, 2011
HR - Showing Remorse
ARTICLE 69
Showing Remorse
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - June 2011
To be quite honest, this particular case “bent” my mind in several different directions simultaneously, and not in a good way either.
What it also did however, was clearly highlight the need to use someone with the highest level of labour law expertise when conducting disciplinary hearings that may result in dismissal.
Let’s bring out the protagonists.
Mike owns a small paint factory in one of the industrial parks. He is very conscientious about the health and safety issues around what happens in the factory because of the paint fumes and chemicals that are used and how badly they can react with one another. All the staff are trained on safety issues on a regular basis and safety drills and evacuations take place quarterly. Mike employs around 100 staff members.
Mike walks onto the factory floor and with the usual smell of paint fumes he detects another underlying smell. Mike is very concerned when he realized that that smell is in fact gas. He issues an instruction for all the staff to leave the premises immediately, while the problem is investigated.
The usual procedure is for staff to meet in the lower car park, several hundred meters from the factory. When they do the drill the evacuation generally takes less than 15 minutes.
Mike contacts his service provider and the authorities to report the problem and then goes to join the staff in the car park to wait for the technicians to arrive, investigate the problem and then proclaim the factory safe or unsafe. If the factory is declared unsafe the staff will be sent home until such time as the ‘all clear’ is given.
Mike gets to the car park around 20 minutes after his instruction to evacuate was issued and some of the staff are still taking a leisurely stroll to the car park from the factory and not only that, it is also clearly evident that many of the staff are not present and accounted for.
After chatting to the safety officers and investigating the issue further, it was discovered that many of the employees just did not follow the correct procedures – some just took their own sweet time to get to the safety of the car park and some went straight home without even reporting to the car park.
Mike was furious, and understandably so – what if the factory had explored while staff were still inside. What if they were looking for the bodies of people who had actually gone home and even worse, what if the safety officers or authorities had gone into the building to ‘rescue’ those that had not come out and the factory had blown up whilst they were inside and the people who they were supposed to be rescuing were safe at home. Clearly this was not acceptable at all.
Every person who had arrived late (after 20 minutes of the instruction to evacuate was originally given) as well as everyone who went directly home, were required to attend a disciplinary.
So far so good, I am sure you will agree – but here is where the whole thing goes pear shaped. You see, some of the employees were issued with final written warnings and some were dismissed. The dismissed staff took Mike to the CCMA.
The arbitrator found that the dismissals were ‘too harsh because the dismissed employees has shown “genuine remorse”’
Wow! So it doesn’t matter that someone could have been killed going in to look for them whilst they were safely at home, but they were ‘sorry’ so that’s okay then. Now that is not good for me at all!
What is also not good for me though, is the lack of consistency with the penalties issued at the disciplinary hearings – for me personally, that is where most of the problem lies and whether they showed ‘genuine remorse’ or not should have been featured as part of the mitigating circumstances. I understand that they were all given individual hearings (as they should have been), but the fact of the matter is that they did not follow safety procedures and because of this they put other people’s lives at great risk.
Let me put it this way – if Mike had ignored the problem and not followed the safety rules and the factory had blown up and the staff had been killed, but he showed ‘genuine remorse’ would his liability, responsibility, accountability and ultimate penalty, been reduced? I doubt it.
Once again this evidences the need to have someone with the correct legal HR ‘know how’, when dealing with these matters as the law is always open to interpretation.
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
Showing Remorse
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - June 2011
To be quite honest, this particular case “bent” my mind in several different directions simultaneously, and not in a good way either.
What it also did however, was clearly highlight the need to use someone with the highest level of labour law expertise when conducting disciplinary hearings that may result in dismissal.
Let’s bring out the protagonists.
Mike owns a small paint factory in one of the industrial parks. He is very conscientious about the health and safety issues around what happens in the factory because of the paint fumes and chemicals that are used and how badly they can react with one another. All the staff are trained on safety issues on a regular basis and safety drills and evacuations take place quarterly. Mike employs around 100 staff members.
Mike walks onto the factory floor and with the usual smell of paint fumes he detects another underlying smell. Mike is very concerned when he realized that that smell is in fact gas. He issues an instruction for all the staff to leave the premises immediately, while the problem is investigated.
The usual procedure is for staff to meet in the lower car park, several hundred meters from the factory. When they do the drill the evacuation generally takes less than 15 minutes.
Mike contacts his service provider and the authorities to report the problem and then goes to join the staff in the car park to wait for the technicians to arrive, investigate the problem and then proclaim the factory safe or unsafe. If the factory is declared unsafe the staff will be sent home until such time as the ‘all clear’ is given.
Mike gets to the car park around 20 minutes after his instruction to evacuate was issued and some of the staff are still taking a leisurely stroll to the car park from the factory and not only that, it is also clearly evident that many of the staff are not present and accounted for.
After chatting to the safety officers and investigating the issue further, it was discovered that many of the employees just did not follow the correct procedures – some just took their own sweet time to get to the safety of the car park and some went straight home without even reporting to the car park.
Mike was furious, and understandably so – what if the factory had explored while staff were still inside. What if they were looking for the bodies of people who had actually gone home and even worse, what if the safety officers or authorities had gone into the building to ‘rescue’ those that had not come out and the factory had blown up whilst they were inside and the people who they were supposed to be rescuing were safe at home. Clearly this was not acceptable at all.
Every person who had arrived late (after 20 minutes of the instruction to evacuate was originally given) as well as everyone who went directly home, were required to attend a disciplinary.
So far so good, I am sure you will agree – but here is where the whole thing goes pear shaped. You see, some of the employees were issued with final written warnings and some were dismissed. The dismissed staff took Mike to the CCMA.
The arbitrator found that the dismissals were ‘too harsh because the dismissed employees has shown “genuine remorse”’
Wow! So it doesn’t matter that someone could have been killed going in to look for them whilst they were safely at home, but they were ‘sorry’ so that’s okay then. Now that is not good for me at all!
What is also not good for me though, is the lack of consistency with the penalties issued at the disciplinary hearings – for me personally, that is where most of the problem lies and whether they showed ‘genuine remorse’ or not should have been featured as part of the mitigating circumstances. I understand that they were all given individual hearings (as they should have been), but the fact of the matter is that they did not follow safety procedures and because of this they put other people’s lives at great risk.
Let me put it this way – if Mike had ignored the problem and not followed the safety rules and the factory had blown up and the staff had been killed, but he showed ‘genuine remorse’ would his liability, responsibility, accountability and ultimate penalty, been reduced? I doubt it.
Once again this evidences the need to have someone with the correct legal HR ‘know how’, when dealing with these matters as the law is always open to interpretation.
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
Thursday, June 02, 2011
EARLY WARNING - Credit Card Theft
EARLY WARNING
Credit Card Theft
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – June 2011
I received this mail from a colleague and now pass it on in an attempt to halt this particular type of theft. The article appears to have been taken from the website http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/spears_m.
“A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it and that the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along with the receipt. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.
Funny enough though, he actually took a look at the card and ‘lo and behold’, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress back and she looked perplexed.
She took it back and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.
No exchange of words . . . nothing! The waitress took it and came back to the man with an apology.
Verdict!
Make sure that the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.
Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, assuming that it has to be theirs.
For your own sake, develop the habit of checking your credit card each time it is returned to you after a transaction.”
Good advice, whichever way you look at it.
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
Credit Card Theft
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting – June 2011
I received this mail from a colleague and now pass it on in an attempt to halt this particular type of theft. The article appears to have been taken from the website http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/spears_m.
“A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it and that the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along with the receipt. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.
Funny enough though, he actually took a look at the card and ‘lo and behold’, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress back and she looked perplexed.
She took it back and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.
No exchange of words . . . nothing! The waitress took it and came back to the man with an apology.
Verdict!
Make sure that the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.
Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, assuming that it has to be theirs.
For your own sake, develop the habit of checking your credit card each time it is returned to you after a transaction.”
Good advice, whichever way you look at it.
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
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
BLOGGING TIPS - Always be Yourself
BLOGGING TIPS – Always be Yourself
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June 2011
I must admit, I really did have quite a chuckle when I read the article “Be Yourself” by Oleg Mokhov the other day. You see I am a very literal person and the first thought that jumped up into my mind was ‘well how else could I be anyone other than myself?” The thought of being or even trying to be someone else is absolutely repugnant to me!
After some thought (and of course reading the whole article through also helped), I got the point.
Mokhov’s point is that that he writes the way that he talks, which is in a ‘very relaxed and informal’ manner and very much like myself, he keeps it simple and easy to understand.
It appears that some people’s perception is that their own type of personality is not particularly successful and the result is that they then try and force themselves to become someone else and quite frankly unless you are an accomplished actor or actress, this just in not going to happen – remember also, even accomplished actors and actresses say the words and become the persona of someone else’s imagination. So just don’t do it!
In the words of Mokhov “Are you funny, be funny. Serious, be serious. Angry, be angry.”
For my part, above all enjoy yourself and have fun – without that, there’s no real point anyway.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June 2011
I must admit, I really did have quite a chuckle when I read the article “Be Yourself” by Oleg Mokhov the other day. You see I am a very literal person and the first thought that jumped up into my mind was ‘well how else could I be anyone other than myself?” The thought of being or even trying to be someone else is absolutely repugnant to me!
After some thought (and of course reading the whole article through also helped), I got the point.
Mokhov’s point is that that he writes the way that he talks, which is in a ‘very relaxed and informal’ manner and very much like myself, he keeps it simple and easy to understand.
It appears that some people’s perception is that their own type of personality is not particularly successful and the result is that they then try and force themselves to become someone else and quite frankly unless you are an accomplished actor or actress, this just in not going to happen – remember also, even accomplished actors and actresses say the words and become the persona of someone else’s imagination. So just don’t do it!
In the words of Mokhov “Are you funny, be funny. Serious, be serious. Angry, be angry.”
For my part, above all enjoy yourself and have fun – without that, there’s no real point anyway.
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
Thursday, May 26, 2011
WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : How to Complete a Tender Document
How to Complete a Tender Document – 8 June 2011
Brought to you by Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, WIF, Randburg Chamber and the German Chamber
Accessing and completing tenders remains a mysterious area for most small businesses. Learn how to complete and submit a tender so that you can participate in a lucrative sector of business in South Africa. Using the practical skills that you will learn and understand in this powerful one day workshop, you will be able to make the system work for you to ensure that you apply for the opportunities that are best suited for you. Understand the pitfalls and how to avoid them by understanding your rights as well as your obligations. Get the right contracts in place and negotiate the best deal for yourself.
This workshop covers:
Entering into agreements
Changing Mindsets
Tenders
Other issues in the Tender Process
Contracts
Legal issues
Practical Examples
Malcolm Larsen
Malcolm is a Quantity Surveyor by profession. Malcolm has over 25 years worth of experience in submitting proposals for Tenders, contracts and project management of projects up to a value of R250 million. Malcolm is currently engaged as a Small Business and Personal Contract Specialist. Malcolm was also previously a “Fellow of the Institute of Directors”.
Join Sisibukula at this essential day long workshop:
Date: Wednesday 8th June 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg
Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Monday 6th June 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan Padayachy at spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga at manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen Larsen at colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Brought to you by Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, WIF, Randburg Chamber and the German Chamber
Accessing and completing tenders remains a mysterious area for most small businesses. Learn how to complete and submit a tender so that you can participate in a lucrative sector of business in South Africa. Using the practical skills that you will learn and understand in this powerful one day workshop, you will be able to make the system work for you to ensure that you apply for the opportunities that are best suited for you. Understand the pitfalls and how to avoid them by understanding your rights as well as your obligations. Get the right contracts in place and negotiate the best deal for yourself.
This workshop covers:
Entering into agreements
Changing Mindsets
Tenders
Other issues in the Tender Process
Contracts
Legal issues
Practical Examples
Malcolm Larsen
Malcolm is a Quantity Surveyor by profession. Malcolm has over 25 years worth of experience in submitting proposals for Tenders, contracts and project management of projects up to a value of R250 million. Malcolm is currently engaged as a Small Business and Personal Contract Specialist. Malcolm was also previously a “Fellow of the Institute of Directors”.
Join Sisibukula at this essential day long workshop:
Date: Wednesday 8th June 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg
Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Monday 6th June 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan Padayachy at spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga at manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen Larsen at colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business – 1 June 2011
Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber, Randburg Chamber and WIF.
The workshop deals with the everyday issues that arise when starting a new business. It saves time and energy as well as money. Time in that you don’t have to spend time in queue’s trying to get the correct documentation, or doing research on the Internet or anywhere else for that matter, trying to find out what you have to do and where you have to go in order to do it.
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business is broken up into the following main titles below and starts off with the difference between a Sole Proprietor, a Close Corporation and a Company and how to register each of these entities.
- Accounting Records & General
- Banking Accounts
- Receipts and Banking
- Cheque Payments and/or Internet Payments
- Invoices
- Credit Notes
- Bank Reconciliations
- Petty Cash
- Control of Numbered Stationery
- Computerised Accounting
- Staff & HR Issues
- Security/Safety
- Money Laundering
- Filing
- Stock Control
No prior knowledge of Starting A Business is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to register and manage your business on a practical level.
About the Facilitator – Nikki Viljoen
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who has her own company called Viljoen Consulting.
Nikki has in excess of 30 years experience in this field both from a banking perspective as well as from a Corporate perspective.
Having seen a huge gap in the SMME market, Nikki started Viljoen Consulting to assist SMME’s to become compliant and to establish controls and processes and to implement structure into the smaller companies to give them greater stability, and to encourage sustainability.
Nikki’s business blog http://www.businessreality.blogspot.com/ or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/ was recently internationally rated at 8.9 out of a possible 10. This places Nikki 5th in the world in her category. With her blog Nikki shares useful Business and Personal tips with anyone who cares to read it.
Date: Wednesday 1st June 2011
Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Monday 30th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486
2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Hosted by Sisibukula, Viljoen Consulting, German Chamber, Randburg Chamber and WIF.
The workshop deals with the everyday issues that arise when starting a new business. It saves time and energy as well as money. Time in that you don’t have to spend time in queue’s trying to get the correct documentation, or doing research on the Internet or anywhere else for that matter, trying to find out what you have to do and where you have to go in order to do it.
A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business is broken up into the following main titles below and starts off with the difference between a Sole Proprietor, a Close Corporation and a Company and how to register each of these entities.
- Accounting Records & General
- Banking Accounts
- Receipts and Banking
- Cheque Payments and/or Internet Payments
- Invoices
- Credit Notes
- Bank Reconciliations
- Petty Cash
- Control of Numbered Stationery
- Computerised Accounting
- Staff & HR Issues
- Security/Safety
- Money Laundering
- Filing
- Stock Control
No prior knowledge of Starting A Business is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to register and manage your business on a practical level.
About the Facilitator – Nikki Viljoen
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who has her own company called Viljoen Consulting.
Nikki has in excess of 30 years experience in this field both from a banking perspective as well as from a Corporate perspective.
Having seen a huge gap in the SMME market, Nikki started Viljoen Consulting to assist SMME’s to become compliant and to establish controls and processes and to implement structure into the smaller companies to give them greater stability, and to encourage sustainability.
Nikki’s business blog http://www.businessreality.blogspot.com/ or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/ was recently internationally rated at 8.9 out of a possible 10. This places Nikki 5th in the world in her category. With her blog Nikki shares useful Business and Personal tips with anyone who cares to read it.
Date: Wednesday 1st June 2011
Price: R950.00 per delegate (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material)
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Monday 30th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486
2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Monday, May 16, 2011
WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : Corporate Governance, Compliance & the New Companies Act, for Entrepreneurs
Corporate Governance, Compliance and the New Companies Act, for Entrepreneurs – 26 May 2011
Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, Women in Finance, German Chamber and Randburg Chamber together can provide you with every business solution for every business problem.
Come and join us at the workshop:
Much is heard about the Kings Commission and the New Companies Act, but what exactly does that mean and does it have any impact on the SMME/Entrepreneur? Of course it does and sadly, many only find out that it does, when they suffer the consequences.
As in all things in life, it makes sense for all small businesses and entrepreneurs to be proactive and run their businesses in a manner that evidences good governance.
The workshop takes the form of interactive sessions, where participants have the opportunity to discuss their own concerns and requirements and brainstorm towards solutions. Workshops will be valuable to owners and directors of organisations, no matter what the size of the company.
About the Facilitator – Frik Vermaak
Frik who is an Entrepreneur in his own right. Frik has 29 years of banking and financial services experience. During his career he obtained a BCom (RAU), MBA (PBS), TGMP (Harvard) and is a Chartered Marketer (SA). He completed his banking career at ABSA Corporate and Merchant Bank as General Manager Financial Institutions. He was a founding director of the JSE’s STRATE project and also served as a director of Unexcor and the Central Depository. He furthermore served on an advisory committee on the National Payment System of the South African Reserve Bank. In 2000 he was appointed CEO of Computershare South Africa Ltd. In 2004 he was a co founder and Executive Director of IIIPA Ltd, subsequently sold to Alexander Forbes. He consulted to both Alexander Forbes and IQ Business Group and worked as a corporate finance associate of Salamander Capital in structuring M&A, BEE and specialised funding transactions. In 2006 he joined Allegro Holdings as CEO until founding Evolution Consulting Group in 2009.
Frik is currently is Chief Executive Officer of Evolution Consulting Group, and serves in the boards of various companies. He uses his extensive experience in assisting Small and medium enterprise in business restructuring. He is a professional member of the Investment Analyst Society (IASSA) as well as the Marketing Association (MASA).
The workshop covers the following issues:
1. What is compliance?
2. Areas of compliance?
a. Corporate governance
b. Statutory compliance (New Companies act etc.)
c. Legislatory compliance (e. g. FAIS, FICA)
d. Industry/Product specific compliance
e. Labour compliance
f. Policies and procedures (HR, job descriptions, manuals, assessment policies)
g. Information Technology
h. Operational procedures (Manufacturing, Workflow)
i. Financial compliance (Audit, SARS etc)
j. Black Economic Empowerment
k. Disaster recovery/business continuity
3. Consequences of non-compliance: is it worth the price?
Be proactive and get yourself compliant before you are hit with fines and law suits and join us on this workshop.
Date: Thursday 26th May 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Gauteng
Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Tuesday 24th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan Padayachy on spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen Larsen on colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, Women in Finance, German Chamber and Randburg Chamber together can provide you with every business solution for every business problem.
Come and join us at the workshop:
Much is heard about the Kings Commission and the New Companies Act, but what exactly does that mean and does it have any impact on the SMME/Entrepreneur? Of course it does and sadly, many only find out that it does, when they suffer the consequences.
As in all things in life, it makes sense for all small businesses and entrepreneurs to be proactive and run their businesses in a manner that evidences good governance.
The workshop takes the form of interactive sessions, where participants have the opportunity to discuss their own concerns and requirements and brainstorm towards solutions. Workshops will be valuable to owners and directors of organisations, no matter what the size of the company.
About the Facilitator – Frik Vermaak
Frik who is an Entrepreneur in his own right. Frik has 29 years of banking and financial services experience. During his career he obtained a BCom (RAU), MBA (PBS), TGMP (Harvard) and is a Chartered Marketer (SA). He completed his banking career at ABSA Corporate and Merchant Bank as General Manager Financial Institutions. He was a founding director of the JSE’s STRATE project and also served as a director of Unexcor and the Central Depository. He furthermore served on an advisory committee on the National Payment System of the South African Reserve Bank. In 2000 he was appointed CEO of Computershare South Africa Ltd. In 2004 he was a co founder and Executive Director of IIIPA Ltd, subsequently sold to Alexander Forbes. He consulted to both Alexander Forbes and IQ Business Group and worked as a corporate finance associate of Salamander Capital in structuring M&A, BEE and specialised funding transactions. In 2006 he joined Allegro Holdings as CEO until founding Evolution Consulting Group in 2009.
Frik is currently is Chief Executive Officer of Evolution Consulting Group, and serves in the boards of various companies. He uses his extensive experience in assisting Small and medium enterprise in business restructuring. He is a professional member of the Investment Analyst Society (IASSA) as well as the Marketing Association (MASA).
The workshop covers the following issues:
1. What is compliance?
2. Areas of compliance?
a. Corporate governance
b. Statutory compliance (New Companies act etc.)
c. Legislatory compliance (e. g. FAIS, FICA)
d. Industry/Product specific compliance
e. Labour compliance
f. Policies and procedures (HR, job descriptions, manuals, assessment policies)
g. Information Technology
h. Operational procedures (Manufacturing, Workflow)
i. Financial compliance (Audit, SARS etc)
j. Black Economic Empowerment
k. Disaster recovery/business continuity
3. Consequences of non-compliance: is it worth the price?
Be proactive and get yourself compliant before you are hit with fines and law suits and join us on this workshop.
Date: Thursday 26th May 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Gauteng
Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Tuesday 24th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan Padayachy on spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle Mhlanga on manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen Larsen on colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
WORKSHOP: Johannesburg - HR 101 for Entrepreneurs
HR 101 (Human Resources) for Entrepreneurs – 24th May 2011
Hosted by Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, WIF and the German Chamber
Within SMEs the one area where there is much confusion about right and wrong is HR. The Human Resources area often proves very difficult for the entrepreneur unless they have previously been in the HR sector and of course kept up to date with the latest legislation. This workshop is designed to assist entrepreneurs with the task of organising the Human Resources requirements of their business and to set up the required documentation to comply with current legislation.
HR 101 for Entrepreneurs is a workshop aimed specifically at small business owners and entrepreneurs, at all levels who want to equip themselves with the basics of the Human Resources and relating legislative aspects of their businesses.
Understanding the language of HR will empower you to take your business to the next level and to understand and manage the human capital and business growth. Ultimately you will be equipped to grow a healthy and sustainable business.
Topics that will be covered in this workshop:
Surviving Human Resources:
- Legislative Compliance
- Contracts
- Leave
- Recruitment & Selection
- Employment Equity & Skills Development
- UIF & WCA (How they work)
- Policies & Procedures
- Fundamentals of Discipline as a Concept
- Disciplinary Code
Fundamentals of Discipline Training
- The Principal of Progressive Discipline
- The Concept of Double Jeopardy
- Poor Performance vs Gross Negligence
- Investigation
- Formulation of Charges
- Preparing the Case/Structure of a Disciplinary Hearing
- Absconcion Procedure
No prior knowledge of HR is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to manage your business on a practical level.
About the Facilitator – Dyonne Modlin
Dyonne’s work experience spans over 13 years with the focus being in the Human Resources and Industrial Relations. She has also worked in the union-intensive Surface Mining industries for around 6 years where the focus was exclusively Industrial Relations, primarily handling wage negotiations, Unions, Discipline, CCMA arbitrations and conciliations on a nationwide group basis. Dyonne has held a similar position within the Printing and Packaging Industries.
Date: Tuesday 24th May 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg
Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Friday 20th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan at spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle at manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen at colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Hosted by Viljoen Consulting, Sisibukula, WIF and the German Chamber
Within SMEs the one area where there is much confusion about right and wrong is HR. The Human Resources area often proves very difficult for the entrepreneur unless they have previously been in the HR sector and of course kept up to date with the latest legislation. This workshop is designed to assist entrepreneurs with the task of organising the Human Resources requirements of their business and to set up the required documentation to comply with current legislation.
HR 101 for Entrepreneurs is a workshop aimed specifically at small business owners and entrepreneurs, at all levels who want to equip themselves with the basics of the Human Resources and relating legislative aspects of their businesses.
Understanding the language of HR will empower you to take your business to the next level and to understand and manage the human capital and business growth. Ultimately you will be equipped to grow a healthy and sustainable business.
Topics that will be covered in this workshop:
Surviving Human Resources:
- Legislative Compliance
- Contracts
- Leave
- Recruitment & Selection
- Employment Equity & Skills Development
- UIF & WCA (How they work)
- Policies & Procedures
- Fundamentals of Discipline as a Concept
- Disciplinary Code
Fundamentals of Discipline Training
- The Principal of Progressive Discipline
- The Concept of Double Jeopardy
- Poor Performance vs Gross Negligence
- Investigation
- Formulation of Charges
- Preparing the Case/Structure of a Disciplinary Hearing
- Absconcion Procedure
No prior knowledge of HR is necessary for this highly effective but simple to understand workshop that promises to equip you with powerful tools to manage your business on a practical level.
About the Facilitator – Dyonne Modlin
Dyonne’s work experience spans over 13 years with the focus being in the Human Resources and Industrial Relations. She has also worked in the union-intensive Surface Mining industries for around 6 years where the focus was exclusively Industrial Relations, primarily handling wage negotiations, Unions, Discipline, CCMA arbitrations and conciliations on a nationwide group basis. Dyonne has held a similar position within the Printing and Packaging Industries.
Date: Tuesday 24th May 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forest Town
Johannesburg
Cost: R950.00 (includes breakfast/lunch/refreshments and course material, inclusive of VAT)
Time: 08.30 to 3.30/4.00 pm. (Registration from 08.00 onwards). Please allow additional travelling time to combat traffic.
RSVP: no later than Friday 20th May 2011 . Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Please contact:-
German Chamber delegates please contact Shaan at spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za or 011 486 2775
Randburg Chamber delegates please contact Nobuhle at manager@rcci.co.za or 086 101 9218
Women in Finance delegates please contact Colleen at colleen@womeninfinance.co.za or 084-353-9865.
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or 083 702 8849 for booking details.
Monday, May 09, 2011
MOTIVATION - Accepting Responsibility for Change
MOTIVATION – Accepting Responsibility for Change
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011
Dennis Waitley says “There are two primary choices in life, to accept conditions as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them.”
Looking back on the articles that I have written on the subject of ‘accepting responsibility’ over the years, I am both surprised (at the sheer volume) and also a little saddened by it. Saddened because I still seem to find the need to write about something that I really feel should be second nature and automatic – taking responsibility for ones actions.
Change has to happen, it is the only way that we grow and evolve, whether as individuals, as part of a team (such as a company) or even as a country – change is going to happen, accept it. Despite the fact that so many of us resist change at every opportunity, we all accept on one level or another, that it has to happen – the Universe, the Gods (whomever you may perceive them to be) won’t let us sit and rest in our comfort zones for too long – we have to make changes and we all make them in our daily lives – yes we do, when you change lanes in order to go past another car – you’re making a change to your destiny (yip that’s exactly what you are doing!).
Now logic must tell us that any kind of change, not matter how big or how small, will have a consequence. Not only will it have a consequence, but it will also have ‘pros and cons’ and depending upon which one outweighs the other and which one we choose, we will be, in effect, accepting that particular consequence and that particular consequence will have a responsibility that someone will need to take and since you made the decision to change, the consequence and therefore the responsibility for that change is, and should be all yours!
That makes me, (and therefore you too) a very powerful person (and I’m not talking about the power that CEO’s and world leaders – even corrupt one’s wield), I talking about the power to make positive (yes and negative) changes in our own lives – changes that can improve every aspect of our lives. Oh, I know that many folk bemoan their lot in life and bemoan the fact that they are stuck in a rut or have no choice – but I guess that that is their choice and therefore their decision and it should be their responsibility therefore, to live like that.
The fact of the matter is that if you want to change, you have to take responsibility for yourself and make that change.
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
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011
Dennis Waitley says “There are two primary choices in life, to accept conditions as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them.”
Looking back on the articles that I have written on the subject of ‘accepting responsibility’ over the years, I am both surprised (at the sheer volume) and also a little saddened by it. Saddened because I still seem to find the need to write about something that I really feel should be second nature and automatic – taking responsibility for ones actions.
Change has to happen, it is the only way that we grow and evolve, whether as individuals, as part of a team (such as a company) or even as a country – change is going to happen, accept it. Despite the fact that so many of us resist change at every opportunity, we all accept on one level or another, that it has to happen – the Universe, the Gods (whomever you may perceive them to be) won’t let us sit and rest in our comfort zones for too long – we have to make changes and we all make them in our daily lives – yes we do, when you change lanes in order to go past another car – you’re making a change to your destiny (yip that’s exactly what you are doing!).
Now logic must tell us that any kind of change, not matter how big or how small, will have a consequence. Not only will it have a consequence, but it will also have ‘pros and cons’ and depending upon which one outweighs the other and which one we choose, we will be, in effect, accepting that particular consequence and that particular consequence will have a responsibility that someone will need to take and since you made the decision to change, the consequence and therefore the responsibility for that change is, and should be all yours!
That makes me, (and therefore you too) a very powerful person (and I’m not talking about the power that CEO’s and world leaders – even corrupt one’s wield), I talking about the power to make positive (yes and negative) changes in our own lives – changes that can improve every aspect of our lives. Oh, I know that many folk bemoan their lot in life and bemoan the fact that they are stuck in a rut or have no choice – but I guess that that is their choice and therefore their decision and it should be their responsibility therefore, to live like that.
The fact of the matter is that if you want to change, you have to take responsibility for yourself and make that change.
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
Friday, May 06, 2011
HR - When is Theft, not Theft
ARTICLE 68
When is Theft, not Theft?
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - May 2011
One of the most confusing experiences that I ever had is when I caught someone, literally with their hands in the cookie jar. We held the disciplinary, followed the rules and the staff member was dismissed. CCMA did not uphold the finding and we ended up paying a huge amount of money as a settlement. Here’s a similar story – let’s bring in the protagonists.
Mike runs a small retail business in a busy mall. He has several staff members, but today we are going to meet George and Jane, who are both sales people in the shop.
Everybody works well together and as a team and Mike is grateful to have such a great team.
We all know that month-end in a mall is crazy busy and there is no time to stop and smell the coffee, let alone slip out of the store to go and buy anything.
George has a new girlfriend whom he is besotted over and he is constantly messaging her from his cell phone and even sneaking the odd call while he ‘collects’ product from the stockroom. Suddenly in the middle of a conversation where he is arranging to meet the love of his life after work for dinner, he runs out of airtime.
Caught up in the moment and concerned that he won’t connect with her that evening, George doesn’t stop to think about what he doing. George walks into the staff room and takes Jane’s phone out of her handbag that was lying open on the table and calls his girlfriend back.
As he makes the call, Jane walks in and finds George making a call on her phone – she freaks and rushes off to tell Mike! This is the first hint of any kind of dishonesty and Mike is furious.
When George is confronted, he admits that he took the phone of Jane’s bag and that he used it without permission, but he denies that he ‘stole’ the phone. Mike disagrees because as far as he is concerned, when you take something without permission – it’s theft.
George is disciplined, found guilty and is dismissed. George goes to the CCMA and they overturn the dismissal and Mike has to pay out 12 month’s salary as a settlement to George. Mike is gobsmacked, as I am sure most of you are right about now.
The CCMA found that ‘dismissal was too harsh a penalty in this case because the charge had been unauthorised possession” of the cell-phone and that nothing was documented about dishonesty or that the relationship of trust had been destroyed.”
You see ‘Unauthorised possession” is not automatically a dismissible offence and had they proved or shown that George was dishonest or that he could no longer be trusted, the outcome would have been very different.
The reality of the situation is that as individuals, we would never even dream of representing ourselves in a court of law, and yet as Entrepreneurs, we consistently and continuously insist on representing ourselves and our company’s in labour issues.
Please ask for help when you need it, experience shows that it will cost you far less in the long run!
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
When is Theft, not Theft?
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - May 2011
One of the most confusing experiences that I ever had is when I caught someone, literally with their hands in the cookie jar. We held the disciplinary, followed the rules and the staff member was dismissed. CCMA did not uphold the finding and we ended up paying a huge amount of money as a settlement. Here’s a similar story – let’s bring in the protagonists.
Mike runs a small retail business in a busy mall. He has several staff members, but today we are going to meet George and Jane, who are both sales people in the shop.
Everybody works well together and as a team and Mike is grateful to have such a great team.
We all know that month-end in a mall is crazy busy and there is no time to stop and smell the coffee, let alone slip out of the store to go and buy anything.
George has a new girlfriend whom he is besotted over and he is constantly messaging her from his cell phone and even sneaking the odd call while he ‘collects’ product from the stockroom. Suddenly in the middle of a conversation where he is arranging to meet the love of his life after work for dinner, he runs out of airtime.
Caught up in the moment and concerned that he won’t connect with her that evening, George doesn’t stop to think about what he doing. George walks into the staff room and takes Jane’s phone out of her handbag that was lying open on the table and calls his girlfriend back.
As he makes the call, Jane walks in and finds George making a call on her phone – she freaks and rushes off to tell Mike! This is the first hint of any kind of dishonesty and Mike is furious.
When George is confronted, he admits that he took the phone of Jane’s bag and that he used it without permission, but he denies that he ‘stole’ the phone. Mike disagrees because as far as he is concerned, when you take something without permission – it’s theft.
George is disciplined, found guilty and is dismissed. George goes to the CCMA and they overturn the dismissal and Mike has to pay out 12 month’s salary as a settlement to George. Mike is gobsmacked, as I am sure most of you are right about now.
The CCMA found that ‘dismissal was too harsh a penalty in this case because the charge had been unauthorised possession” of the cell-phone and that nothing was documented about dishonesty or that the relationship of trust had been destroyed.”
You see ‘Unauthorised possession” is not automatically a dismissible offence and had they proved or shown that George was dishonest or that he could no longer be trusted, the outcome would have been very different.
The reality of the situation is that as individuals, we would never even dream of representing ourselves in a court of law, and yet as Entrepreneurs, we consistently and continuously insist on representing ourselves and our company’s in labour issues.
Please ask for help when you need it, experience shows that it will cost you far less in the long run!
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
Thursday, May 05, 2011
EARLY WARNING - Paper on Your Back Windscreen
EARLY WARNING
Paper on Your Back Windscreen
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting May 2011.
I received a mail from my colleague Allen Berkowitz that says “Warning From Police”. Now whether that is true or not I have no idea. The contents of the mail however, sound like it is something that could be done and therefore we should all be aware of what could happen. It is reproduced below.
“WARNING FROM POLICE
THIS APPLIES TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN
BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE
NEW WAY TO DO CAR JACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)
Heads up everyone! Please keep this circulating. You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start your car and put it in reverse.
When you look into the rear view mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of pager stuck to the middle of the rear window. So you stop and jump out of the car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.
When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. They practically run you over as they speed off in your car.
And guess what ladies? I bet your purse/handbag is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!
BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.
If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and drive away.
Remove the paper later and be thankful that you read this mail. I hope you forward this to friends and family, especially to women. A purse/handbag contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.
Please tell your friends.”
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
Paper on Your Back Windscreen
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting May 2011.
I received a mail from my colleague Allen Berkowitz that says “Warning From Police”. Now whether that is true or not I have no idea. The contents of the mail however, sound like it is something that could be done and therefore we should all be aware of what could happen. It is reproduced below.
“WARNING FROM POLICE
THIS APPLIES TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN
BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE
NEW WAY TO DO CAR JACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)
Heads up everyone! Please keep this circulating. You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start your car and put it in reverse.
When you look into the rear view mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of pager stuck to the middle of the rear window. So you stop and jump out of the car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.
When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. They practically run you over as they speed off in your car.
And guess what ladies? I bet your purse/handbag is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!
BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.
If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and drive away.
Remove the paper later and be thankful that you read this mail. I hope you forward this to friends and family, especially to women. A purse/handbag contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.
Please tell your friends.”
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
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
BLOGGING TIPS - Being Kind to Your Readers
BLOGGING TIPS – Being Kind to your Readers
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC April 2011
I’ve just read an article entitled “6 Ways to be Kind to your Readers” by Bamboo Forest, and I must admit I was absolutely intrigued by the title. I mean kindness in itself is something most of us aspire to have and I am sure that we all think of ourselves as ‘kind people’ or at the very least, we would like to think of ourselves as kind (even if we may not be).
But what does it mean – to be ‘kind’ to our readers when we blog? I mean as much as it is our choice to write the blog, it is our reader’s choice as to whether they read the blog or not, surely?
So here is what ‘Bamboo Forest’ had to say:
1. “Kill or shorten introductions”. Now this particular statement, I am very sure will not work for me. To be fair, I can understand it up to a point, but for me, my intro sets the stage for the story to unfold. “Killing or shortening” that intro would hurt the story before it began to unfold.
2. “Champion quality over quantity”. This one however, in my opinion is right on the money! At a point, I was writing 5 new articles every week. Now don’t get me wrong, if you have the time to do the research as well as write the article – well that’s just fantastic and a great bonus. However, my workflow increased and the number of hours in the day didn’t and because I didn’t want to compromise the quality or the value of my writing, I have chosen to cut back on the number of articles that I write. There may be times when there are no articles for weeks or even months and then again there may be times when I am able to write on a pretty regular basis. I would rather write a good meaningful article than a rushed half -hearted one!
3. “Commit to having every post be entertaining”. Interesting – absolutely! Entertaining – well I am not too sure about that one, particularly in the world of business and especially in the world of business in South Africa. Current legislation and politics and proposed new legislation often makes really scary reading. Finding solutions to implement the changes without too much upheaval or cost, would hardly make for entertainment, unless of course you are falling about with laughter at the absurdity of it all.
4. “Write clearly” Well that makes perfectly good sense to me, especially when you are writing about business topics. People need to know what the point is. Let’s face it, if you are writing a piece of fiction, there doesn’t always need to be a ‘moral to the story’ (although a plot or storyline is a must), but if you are writing a piece on business – there has to be a point and people have to ‘get it’!
5. “Keep your posts as short as possible”. Again for me this is dependent upon the telling of the story. Sometimes the point is best made and illustrated by means of a story and the length of the story – well if the truth be told, it doesn’t matter how long the story is, as long as it keeps you engaged and interested and it illustrates the point, so that you the reader, ‘get it’!
6. “Step up your game”. Now this one, I particularly like. You see, for me ‘if you are not growing you’re dying”! If you are not constantly challenging yourself and your readers with what you are saying, if you are not improving or engaging or teaching or learning or moving forward or upward in some way –well what is the point?
So I guess what I am trying to say is that there are always guidelines on what to do and how best to do it. Thing is though, it has to serve your own soul and it has to make a difference in the lives of others – if it doesn’t meet those two requirements, well personally, I’d give it up.
Till next time, happy blogging!
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC April 2011
I’ve just read an article entitled “6 Ways to be Kind to your Readers” by Bamboo Forest, and I must admit I was absolutely intrigued by the title. I mean kindness in itself is something most of us aspire to have and I am sure that we all think of ourselves as ‘kind people’ or at the very least, we would like to think of ourselves as kind (even if we may not be).
But what does it mean – to be ‘kind’ to our readers when we blog? I mean as much as it is our choice to write the blog, it is our reader’s choice as to whether they read the blog or not, surely?
So here is what ‘Bamboo Forest’ had to say:
1. “Kill or shorten introductions”. Now this particular statement, I am very sure will not work for me. To be fair, I can understand it up to a point, but for me, my intro sets the stage for the story to unfold. “Killing or shortening” that intro would hurt the story before it began to unfold.
2. “Champion quality over quantity”. This one however, in my opinion is right on the money! At a point, I was writing 5 new articles every week. Now don’t get me wrong, if you have the time to do the research as well as write the article – well that’s just fantastic and a great bonus. However, my workflow increased and the number of hours in the day didn’t and because I didn’t want to compromise the quality or the value of my writing, I have chosen to cut back on the number of articles that I write. There may be times when there are no articles for weeks or even months and then again there may be times when I am able to write on a pretty regular basis. I would rather write a good meaningful article than a rushed half -hearted one!
3. “Commit to having every post be entertaining”. Interesting – absolutely! Entertaining – well I am not too sure about that one, particularly in the world of business and especially in the world of business in South Africa. Current legislation and politics and proposed new legislation often makes really scary reading. Finding solutions to implement the changes without too much upheaval or cost, would hardly make for entertainment, unless of course you are falling about with laughter at the absurdity of it all.
4. “Write clearly” Well that makes perfectly good sense to me, especially when you are writing about business topics. People need to know what the point is. Let’s face it, if you are writing a piece of fiction, there doesn’t always need to be a ‘moral to the story’ (although a plot or storyline is a must), but if you are writing a piece on business – there has to be a point and people have to ‘get it’!
5. “Keep your posts as short as possible”. Again for me this is dependent upon the telling of the story. Sometimes the point is best made and illustrated by means of a story and the length of the story – well if the truth be told, it doesn’t matter how long the story is, as long as it keeps you engaged and interested and it illustrates the point, so that you the reader, ‘get it’!
6. “Step up your game”. Now this one, I particularly like. You see, for me ‘if you are not growing you’re dying”! If you are not constantly challenging yourself and your readers with what you are saying, if you are not improving or engaging or teaching or learning or moving forward or upward in some way –well what is the point?
So I guess what I am trying to say is that there are always guidelines on what to do and how best to do it. Thing is though, it has to serve your own soul and it has to make a difference in the lives of others – if it doesn’t meet those two requirements, well personally, I’d give it up.
Till next time, happy blogging!
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
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
BUSINESS TIPS - Bookkeepers & Financial Year End - Part 2
BUSINESS TIPS – Bookkeepers & Financial Year End – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011
I know that I continually harp on about getting the right bookkeeper/accountant in place – the reason for this is that having the wrong one can end up costing you an arm and a leg.
It is imperative that your bookkeeper/accountant advise you in advance of any changes that will affect you. Imagine the waste of money and resources if the Company owner only found out that the has to pay VAT monthly when he reaches the R35 million turnover per annum mark, 6 months after he has met that particular milestone? The penalties and interest would be absolutely staggering!
The bookkeeper/accountant must also ensure that you are given monthly financial statements or management reports. Here’s the thing though, if you are given reports and/or statements that you have no idea how to read, these reports/statements are actually not worth the paper that they are printed on! So it is therefore incumbent upon the bookkeeper/accountant to make sure that you understand what it is that they are giving you. There is no way that you can make an informed decision around the financial aspects of your business if you have no idea about what is going on.
In terms of the law, your Company is obliged to produce Annual Financial Statements. This is to evidence to SARS (should they ask) what your financial status was during the course of the year and of course, so that your Company taxes can be correctly calculated. This must also be done timeously by your bookkeeper/accountant and they must be signed off correctly in terms of the law.
If, in terms of the law, your books must be audited, then it is the responsibility of the bookkeeper/accountant to assist the auditors with the auditing process and communicate and liaise with the auditors.
All of these issues should be done automatically and timeously by your bookkeeper/accountant, but that said you – the business owner remains accountable and responsible, so you need to manage your relationship with your bookkeeper/accountant to ensure that you are kept up to date.
As with most things in life, there are good bookkeeper/accountant’s and bad. Make sure that whomever you choose is at the very least registered and properly qualified and remember that no matter how brilliant/qualified/professional they are – you are ultimately responsible, so ensure that you, at the very least, pick one that you can build a relationship with and not someone who is just a voice at the other end of the telephone and that you are not just another invoice that has to be raised every month.
Finally – understand that SARS will not accept “ignorance of the law” as a reason for you not doing or paying stuff. Irrespective of whether or not you have a bookkeeper/accountant who did or didn’t do what needed to be done, it is your responsibility to ensure that things are done and you will be held accountable.
It’s your business at the end of the day and you need to keep your finger on the pulse.
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
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011
I know that I continually harp on about getting the right bookkeeper/accountant in place – the reason for this is that having the wrong one can end up costing you an arm and a leg.
It is imperative that your bookkeeper/accountant advise you in advance of any changes that will affect you. Imagine the waste of money and resources if the Company owner only found out that the has to pay VAT monthly when he reaches the R35 million turnover per annum mark, 6 months after he has met that particular milestone? The penalties and interest would be absolutely staggering!
The bookkeeper/accountant must also ensure that you are given monthly financial statements or management reports. Here’s the thing though, if you are given reports and/or statements that you have no idea how to read, these reports/statements are actually not worth the paper that they are printed on! So it is therefore incumbent upon the bookkeeper/accountant to make sure that you understand what it is that they are giving you. There is no way that you can make an informed decision around the financial aspects of your business if you have no idea about what is going on.
In terms of the law, your Company is obliged to produce Annual Financial Statements. This is to evidence to SARS (should they ask) what your financial status was during the course of the year and of course, so that your Company taxes can be correctly calculated. This must also be done timeously by your bookkeeper/accountant and they must be signed off correctly in terms of the law.
If, in terms of the law, your books must be audited, then it is the responsibility of the bookkeeper/accountant to assist the auditors with the auditing process and communicate and liaise with the auditors.
All of these issues should be done automatically and timeously by your bookkeeper/accountant, but that said you – the business owner remains accountable and responsible, so you need to manage your relationship with your bookkeeper/accountant to ensure that you are kept up to date.
As with most things in life, there are good bookkeeper/accountant’s and bad. Make sure that whomever you choose is at the very least registered and properly qualified and remember that no matter how brilliant/qualified/professional they are – you are ultimately responsible, so ensure that you, at the very least, pick one that you can build a relationship with and not someone who is just a voice at the other end of the telephone and that you are not just another invoice that has to be raised every month.
Finally – understand that SARS will not accept “ignorance of the law” as a reason for you not doing or paying stuff. Irrespective of whether or not you have a bookkeeper/accountant who did or didn’t do what needed to be done, it is your responsibility to ensure that things are done and you will be held accountable.
It’s your business at the end of the day and you need to keep your finger on the pulse.
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
Monday, May 02, 2011
WORKSHOP : JOHANNESBURG : How to Write A Business Plan
Workshop Invitation: How To Write A Business Plan – 12 April 2011
Gaster Sharpley, author of “My Small Business” writes “Planning is critical to the success of a business, no matter how small or big the business is. Most Entrepreneurs only put a plan in place when they need to borrow money, however, even a cash based business should plan in order to stimulate and influence growth.”
Writing a successful business plan is the first stepping stone to achieving your goals as a business owner. This task can seem daunting, especially if you are not equipped with the correct knowledge.
Sisibukula in conjunction with the S A German Chamber and Women in Finance is proud to host a workshop entitled “How to write Business Plan” facilitated by Kevin Foot.
About Kevin Foot
With many years of experience in corporate management and International Trade, Kevin Foot has the insight into the workings of a business that will give your business plan the edge it needs to be successful. As an Associate of the Institute for Independent Business (www.iib.ws) and a registered business broker for Aldes business brokers (www.aldes.co.za) he aims to add value and a wider range of skills and knowledge to SMME’s.
This thorough course will take you through each step of the business plan covering each topic extensively.
Mission and strategies
Sales, marketing and finances
Product and service description
Target Market Profiles, Customers and users
Reviewing the competition
Marketing strategies, plan, projections
Technology and R&D
Operational plans including capital expenditure projections
Funding
Implementation
Join Sisibukula at this essential day long workshop:
Date: Tuesday 12th April 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg
Price: R950 per delegate includes notes, refreshments, lunch (VAT Incl)
RSVP: no later than Friday 8th April 2011. Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
For Booking Please Contact:
SA German Chamber delegates, please contact Shaan Padayachy on 011 486 2775 or spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za.
Women In Finance delegates, please contact Colleen Larsen on 084 353 9865 or colleen@womeninfinance.co.za
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on 083 702 8849 or nikki@sisibukula.co.za
Gaster Sharpley, author of “My Small Business” writes “Planning is critical to the success of a business, no matter how small or big the business is. Most Entrepreneurs only put a plan in place when they need to borrow money, however, even a cash based business should plan in order to stimulate and influence growth.”
Writing a successful business plan is the first stepping stone to achieving your goals as a business owner. This task can seem daunting, especially if you are not equipped with the correct knowledge.
Sisibukula in conjunction with the S A German Chamber and Women in Finance is proud to host a workshop entitled “How to write Business Plan” facilitated by Kevin Foot.
About Kevin Foot
With many years of experience in corporate management and International Trade, Kevin Foot has the insight into the workings of a business that will give your business plan the edge it needs to be successful. As an Associate of the Institute for Independent Business (www.iib.ws) and a registered business broker for Aldes business brokers (www.aldes.co.za) he aims to add value and a wider range of skills and knowledge to SMME’s.
This thorough course will take you through each step of the business plan covering each topic extensively.
Mission and strategies
Sales, marketing and finances
Product and service description
Target Market Profiles, Customers and users
Reviewing the competition
Marketing strategies, plan, projections
Technology and R&D
Operational plans including capital expenditure projections
Funding
Implementation
Join Sisibukula at this essential day long workshop:
Date: Tuesday 12th April 2011
Venue: German Chamber
47 Oxford Road
Forrest Town
Johannesburg
Price: R950 per delegate includes notes, refreshments, lunch (VAT Incl)
RSVP: no later than Friday 8th April 2011. Space is limited therefore bookings will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
For Booking Please Contact:
SA German Chamber delegates, please contact Shaan Padayachy on 011 486 2775 or spadayachy@germanchamber.co.za.
Women In Finance delegates, please contact Colleen Larsen on 084 353 9865 or colleen@womeninfinance.co.za
Everyone else please contact Nikki Viljoen on 083 702 8849 or nikki@sisibukula.co.za
Sunday, May 01, 2011
HR - The Charge - Sexual Harassment
ARTICLE 67
The Charge – Sexual Harassment
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - April 2011
I have been reading some very interesting case studies lately and thought that it might be a good idea to share some of these with you. Now before anyone does the usual ‘knee jerk’ and the government’s legislation etc., let me be very clear on one thing. The law (irrespective of whether it is labour law or commercial law or any other specific law) is always open to interpretation – just keep that in mind always.
So let’s bring in the protagonists – Mike, who owns a retail outlet, selling CD’s and DVD’s, in a busy mall. Mike employs George, who is the supervisor and Julie (amongst others) who is a sales person.
Mike goes off to attend a meeting one Monday and comes back to absolute chaos. Julie is in floods of tears and it is evident that all the female staff in the store are really angry with George. Mike starts to investigate.
Apparently, or so the story goes from the female perspective, George and Julie received new stock, as was the norm on a Monday morning, that came with posters. The one poster was of the lead singer of a band, standing in a typical “Michael Jackson” pose with his hand on his genitals. Julie was disgusted at the visual effect of the poster and commented that it should not be displayed in the windows for children to see and George, from the male perspective, thought that the poster was hilarious and that there was nothing disgusting about it.
To illustrate his point (and I suspect to tease Julie), George jumped up and started dancing around Julie, to the music that was playing in the store and every time he came around to the front of her, he gyrated and put his hands over his genitals, mimicking Michael Jackson’s dance moves.
The men found this absolutely ‘fall down funny’ but the women were outraged. George, intent on getting his dance moves just right, misread Julie’s protests of his dance and continued to dance around her. Julie felt that his behaviour was disrespectful and unprofessional and George oblivious to this, just continued to gyrate and dance.
Eventually his dance routine was interrupted, when a whole group of customers entered the store, they had to be attended to.
The male staff saw this as a bit of harmless fun, but the female staff saw this as disrespectful behaviour as well as a form of sexual harassment as he had gyrated and ‘grabbed his genitals’ in Julie’s face.
Understandably, Mike was really annoyed with George. Not only was his behaviour unprofessional, but as the supervisor he should have been setting an example. Sexual harassment is a dismissible offense and Mike went through the process of the disciplinary. George was found guilty and was dismissed.
George lodged with the CCMA and unfortunately Mike lost the case.
Here’s the thing – although the charge of “Sexual Harassment” is an extremely serious one, the CCMA found that “the dismissal was too harsh because it was an isolated incident and was unlikely to be repeated.”
Sure, George’s behaviour was inappropriate, but no-one had been sexually assaulted or raped or threatened and as I have said many times – the punishment must fit the crime.
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 Charge – Sexual Harassment
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC - April 2011
I have been reading some very interesting case studies lately and thought that it might be a good idea to share some of these with you. Now before anyone does the usual ‘knee jerk’ and the government’s legislation etc., let me be very clear on one thing. The law (irrespective of whether it is labour law or commercial law or any other specific law) is always open to interpretation – just keep that in mind always.
So let’s bring in the protagonists – Mike, who owns a retail outlet, selling CD’s and DVD’s, in a busy mall. Mike employs George, who is the supervisor and Julie (amongst others) who is a sales person.
Mike goes off to attend a meeting one Monday and comes back to absolute chaos. Julie is in floods of tears and it is evident that all the female staff in the store are really angry with George. Mike starts to investigate.
Apparently, or so the story goes from the female perspective, George and Julie received new stock, as was the norm on a Monday morning, that came with posters. The one poster was of the lead singer of a band, standing in a typical “Michael Jackson” pose with his hand on his genitals. Julie was disgusted at the visual effect of the poster and commented that it should not be displayed in the windows for children to see and George, from the male perspective, thought that the poster was hilarious and that there was nothing disgusting about it.
To illustrate his point (and I suspect to tease Julie), George jumped up and started dancing around Julie, to the music that was playing in the store and every time he came around to the front of her, he gyrated and put his hands over his genitals, mimicking Michael Jackson’s dance moves.
The men found this absolutely ‘fall down funny’ but the women were outraged. George, intent on getting his dance moves just right, misread Julie’s protests of his dance and continued to dance around her. Julie felt that his behaviour was disrespectful and unprofessional and George oblivious to this, just continued to gyrate and dance.
Eventually his dance routine was interrupted, when a whole group of customers entered the store, they had to be attended to.
The male staff saw this as a bit of harmless fun, but the female staff saw this as disrespectful behaviour as well as a form of sexual harassment as he had gyrated and ‘grabbed his genitals’ in Julie’s face.
Understandably, Mike was really annoyed with George. Not only was his behaviour unprofessional, but as the supervisor he should have been setting an example. Sexual harassment is a dismissible offense and Mike went through the process of the disciplinary. George was found guilty and was dismissed.
George lodged with the CCMA and unfortunately Mike lost the case.
Here’s the thing – although the charge of “Sexual Harassment” is an extremely serious one, the CCMA found that “the dismissal was too harsh because it was an isolated incident and was unlikely to be repeated.”
Sure, George’s behaviour was inappropriate, but no-one had been sexually assaulted or raped or threatened and as I have said many times – the punishment must fit the crime.
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
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