Networking 101 – Effective Communication is Key
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The eighth mistake, Craig says is “Slinging slang. Many networker’s profess to have excellent communication skills yet use slang or mispronounce big words when little words would have been better. Beware the use of contractions, excessive acronyms and name-dropping too. Don’t tell us what you’re gonna do! I would like to hear what you are going to do instead.”
This is also one of my favourites and I must say I am often hugely amused when people used words that they don’t know how to pronounce and then given time, once I have worked out what they were trying to say, I have lost most of what they did say.
The one that springs to mind right now is the chap that said ‘a certain’ instead of ascertain! Obviously the meaning of ‘a certain’ is completely different to ascertain and the result of that was that what he was saying made no sense at all. By the time I had figured out that he had meant to say ‘ascertain’, I had lost the rest of his speech, on what he was trying to say and what he did. Make no mistake, I had also lost the will to try and do any kind of networking or business with him as well.
I know that we live in the ‘new’ South Africa and that there are 11 official languages out there – 10 of whom I have no idea how to communicate in, and yes I am often amazed that the fact that many people here can speak four or five of those languages, clearly I am not one of them. The bottom line is that most business is conducted in English and if you cannot speak English so that it can be understood, by the people who do speak it, you will have a very difficult time and you will miss out on opportunities that will be snapped up by others.
Make sure that the words that you do want to use, are pronounced clearly and in the manner in which they are supposed to be pronounced. Practice what you want to say in your delivery speech and if need be, get someone who is fluent in English, to listen to your delivery and make corrections where needed.
Most of all, have fun! Having your own business should not be all stress and seriousness. Remember why you went into business for yourself in the first place. It’s an intergral part of your life and you should be enjoying it to the hilt.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
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Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
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
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.
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
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.
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 18, 2017
Sales 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income - Part 7
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 7
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting May 2009.
Everyone in South Africa is talking about the skills shortage. Actually the skills shortage is not only linked to South Africa, but appears to be a world wide problem.
When we talk about skills shortages we immediately think of people in the engineering or financial type world. Sadly they are not the only skilled shortages we have.
The majority of my clients who have product to sell are really battling to find skilled sales staff.
Gone are the days when people just left school and walked into a sales position that then served them well. Gone are the days that when just anybody could become a sales person.
Clients today are a lot more sophisticated in their requirements. There is a lot more choice available and people have a clearer picture of what it is that they want and they want to be given what they want rather than what the sales person think that they want or alternatively what the sales person may have available to sell.
The bottom line therefore is that your sales team need to be taught the skills and techniques that they will need in order to secure a sale.
So teaching them the skill (if you yourself have it) should become a matter of priority or you should make the decision to invest the time and money in insuring that they are adequately trained in the skill of selling and that they have the basic requirements of product knowledge.
Once they are trained, ensuring that their expectation and yours meet in the middle and that their perception is same as yours will also assist exponentially in ensuring that your sales force is moving in the direction that you want them to go.
Defining their roles, giving them realistic targets and rewarding them on the standard of their performance will usually motivate them to achieve even larger targets.
It’s just a matter of you ‘reap what you sow’ – so give them the right tools and the right training – you are the one that will reap the rewards.
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 May 2009.
Everyone in South Africa is talking about the skills shortage. Actually the skills shortage is not only linked to South Africa, but appears to be a world wide problem.
When we talk about skills shortages we immediately think of people in the engineering or financial type world. Sadly they are not the only skilled shortages we have.
The majority of my clients who have product to sell are really battling to find skilled sales staff.
Gone are the days when people just left school and walked into a sales position that then served them well. Gone are the days that when just anybody could become a sales person.
Clients today are a lot more sophisticated in their requirements. There is a lot more choice available and people have a clearer picture of what it is that they want and they want to be given what they want rather than what the sales person think that they want or alternatively what the sales person may have available to sell.
The bottom line therefore is that your sales team need to be taught the skills and techniques that they will need in order to secure a sale.
So teaching them the skill (if you yourself have it) should become a matter of priority or you should make the decision to invest the time and money in insuring that they are adequately trained in the skill of selling and that they have the basic requirements of product knowledge.
Once they are trained, ensuring that their expectation and yours meet in the middle and that their perception is same as yours will also assist exponentially in ensuring that your sales force is moving in the direction that you want them to go.
Defining their roles, giving them realistic targets and rewarding them on the standard of their performance will usually motivate them to achieve even larger targets.
It’s just a matter of you ‘reap what you sow’ – so give them the right tools and the right training – you are the one that will reap the rewards.
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 17, 2017
Networking 101 - Mind Your Manners
Networking 101 – Mind Your Manners
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I am going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The seventh mistake, Craig says is “You don’t mind your manners. Networker’s can’t make small talk, don’t show an ability to exchange pleasantries and interrupt others. Can you gracefully engage and disengage from conversations? Are your questions intrusive and your answers curt? Are you showing proper respect for the stranger you’ve just met? Or are you singing Opera? If so, your tune is familiar: It’s ‘me-me-me-me!”.
Well that one certainly is familiar to me. Why is it that people seem to think that their time is more important than mine. That what they have to say is more important than what I have to say.
Often, when I am engaged in conversation with someone else, they rudely push in, shove something either into my hand or the hand of the person that I am busy in conversation with and demand to be heard there and then! How rude!
I must admit, that although I will get to them eventually, I usually leave them until last. I find it difficult to be pleasant to someone who has treated me with such disrespect.
Going to a networking meeting with the only thought being what you can sell to someone is not going to work for you at all. Remember, everyone is there for the same purpose – we all want to sell something. I mean, think about it – who goes to these things will the sole purpose of buying something – certainly not me and if you are all honest with yourselves, neither do you.
The mindset needs to change though, because you need to go to the meeting with the idea of helping others – through connecting others with each other, you yourself will become connected.
That’s how it works for me and that is how it will work for you. You have to give, in order to get.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I am going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The seventh mistake, Craig says is “You don’t mind your manners. Networker’s can’t make small talk, don’t show an ability to exchange pleasantries and interrupt others. Can you gracefully engage and disengage from conversations? Are your questions intrusive and your answers curt? Are you showing proper respect for the stranger you’ve just met? Or are you singing Opera? If so, your tune is familiar: It’s ‘me-me-me-me!”.
Well that one certainly is familiar to me. Why is it that people seem to think that their time is more important than mine. That what they have to say is more important than what I have to say.
Often, when I am engaged in conversation with someone else, they rudely push in, shove something either into my hand or the hand of the person that I am busy in conversation with and demand to be heard there and then! How rude!
I must admit, that although I will get to them eventually, I usually leave them until last. I find it difficult to be pleasant to someone who has treated me with such disrespect.
Going to a networking meeting with the only thought being what you can sell to someone is not going to work for you at all. Remember, everyone is there for the same purpose – we all want to sell something. I mean, think about it – who goes to these things will the sole purpose of buying something – certainly not me and if you are all honest with yourselves, neither do you.
The mindset needs to change though, because you need to go to the meeting with the idea of helping others – through connecting others with each other, you yourself will become connected.
That’s how it works for me and that is how it will work for you. You have to give, in order to get.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
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
More and more I am coming across individuals, who want to start up a business, but 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
More and more I am coming across individuals, who want to start up a business, but 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, May 15, 2017
Motivation - Sharing Life
MOTIVATION – SHARING LIFE
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from Erin Majors, who says:
“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”
This is so true of so much in life. I am often astounded at how incredibly scared (or perhaps selfish is the right word) people are to share, especially in the business world. It’s almost as if, people are scared to give someone a helping hand because that may mean that they will lose out on the deal. How bizarre! To my mind, sharing something with someone, just makes my business just that much stronger – pretty much I guess, like the brighter light of two candles as apposed to just one. Yet many people look at me, with a really puzzled expression on their faces when I ask “How may I be of assistance to you?” Strange that don’t you think?
Then of course, you have those individuals who ‘help’ others, but only with some sort of hidden agenda, or a ‘what’s in it for me’! I must say, I really don’t get that one – because sooner or later, any deviousness will come out, and usually when you least expect it! Why does there always have to be some sort of ‘pay off’?
For me the Universe, is a really, really fun place. I have been helped along this pathway of life, many times by complete strangers. People, whose names I never even got to know and thankfully, I have been in a position to help some along the way – again often people whose names I never got to know and quite honestly it gave me a great sense of satisfaction. I was giving back you see – giving back to the Universe that has given so much to me.
Oh, don’t get me wrong – I’m not talking about people, who only have one purpose in life, and that is to get as much as they can out of somebody, whilst giving as little as they can in return! I’m not talking about the people who make a career out taking anything and everything that they can. I am not talking about the people who continually whine and moan about how badly life has treated them and how all they need is a little bit of help and then sit on their fat backsides and do nothing for themselves, whilst all around them people running around frenetically, doing everything for them!
I’m talking about empowering people to do for themselves, just like a candle – once lit – burns for itself. Sometimes people just need a helping hand to steer them in the right direction or a little advice or a word of encouragement.
So what kind of person are you? Do you give back to life or are you the person that just takes from it?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from Erin Majors, who says:
“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”
This is so true of so much in life. I am often astounded at how incredibly scared (or perhaps selfish is the right word) people are to share, especially in the business world. It’s almost as if, people are scared to give someone a helping hand because that may mean that they will lose out on the deal. How bizarre! To my mind, sharing something with someone, just makes my business just that much stronger – pretty much I guess, like the brighter light of two candles as apposed to just one. Yet many people look at me, with a really puzzled expression on their faces when I ask “How may I be of assistance to you?” Strange that don’t you think?
Then of course, you have those individuals who ‘help’ others, but only with some sort of hidden agenda, or a ‘what’s in it for me’! I must say, I really don’t get that one – because sooner or later, any deviousness will come out, and usually when you least expect it! Why does there always have to be some sort of ‘pay off’?
For me the Universe, is a really, really fun place. I have been helped along this pathway of life, many times by complete strangers. People, whose names I never even got to know and thankfully, I have been in a position to help some along the way – again often people whose names I never got to know and quite honestly it gave me a great sense of satisfaction. I was giving back you see – giving back to the Universe that has given so much to me.
Oh, don’t get me wrong – I’m not talking about people, who only have one purpose in life, and that is to get as much as they can out of somebody, whilst giving as little as they can in return! I’m not talking about the people who make a career out taking anything and everything that they can. I am not talking about the people who continually whine and moan about how badly life has treated them and how all they need is a little bit of help and then sit on their fat backsides and do nothing for themselves, whilst all around them people running around frenetically, doing everything for them!
I’m talking about empowering people to do for themselves, just like a candle – once lit – burns for itself. Sometimes people just need a helping hand to steer them in the right direction or a little advice or a word of encouragement.
So what kind of person are you? Do you give back to life or are you the person that just takes from it?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, May 12, 2017
HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT LEAVE - PART 2
HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT LEAVE - PART 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice.
Ok, here we go – now we have exactly what the Act says, now let’s find out exactly what it means!
Let’s get my favorite protagonists back. George the employee and Mike the employer.
George has been working for Mike for almost a year now and it’s time for him to take some leave. George is reluctant to take leave as he is really in need of some additional finance. The roof of his house in Soweto has blown off and he needs the additional finance to do the repairs. Mike on the other hand, can’t really do without George because he has landed a deal that has stretched his resources really thin. So they come to a compromise – George has requested that Mike pay him out for his leave and since Mike has the new deal he is in a financial position to pay George for the leave that he does not take!
Sounds like a win, win situation doesn’t it? Look again!
Firstly the only person to really win out of this situation is SARS - you see the extra finance in George’s pay packet means that he has gone into the next tax bracket, so he is actually paying more tax out to SARS than the leave pay is actually worth.
Secondly although George now has the additional funds that he needs to repair his roof – the additional work, without him taking a rest, means that his body and his mind is tired and it will be a whole year before he can actually take some time out again. His judgment is slow, his reflexes are slow and he is not only putting himself at risk, but also his work mates because he could actually be the cause of an accident.
Thirdly, although Mike has been able to complete his project on time, George will probably only be half as productive as usual for the rest of the year because he has not had time to rest.
Finally, if the Department of Labour or the CCMA found out that Mike had paid George’s leave out – Mike could be in serious trouble and face a huge fine for not obeying the law.
The only time it is legal for Mike to pay George out his leave pay is if George resigns, is dismissed, retires or is retrenched – then all of the leave pay would need to be paid out in full.
Next week let’s have a look at accumulation of leave.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice.
Ok, here we go – now we have exactly what the Act says, now let’s find out exactly what it means!
Let’s get my favorite protagonists back. George the employee and Mike the employer.
George has been working for Mike for almost a year now and it’s time for him to take some leave. George is reluctant to take leave as he is really in need of some additional finance. The roof of his house in Soweto has blown off and he needs the additional finance to do the repairs. Mike on the other hand, can’t really do without George because he has landed a deal that has stretched his resources really thin. So they come to a compromise – George has requested that Mike pay him out for his leave and since Mike has the new deal he is in a financial position to pay George for the leave that he does not take!
Sounds like a win, win situation doesn’t it? Look again!
Firstly the only person to really win out of this situation is SARS - you see the extra finance in George’s pay packet means that he has gone into the next tax bracket, so he is actually paying more tax out to SARS than the leave pay is actually worth.
Secondly although George now has the additional funds that he needs to repair his roof – the additional work, without him taking a rest, means that his body and his mind is tired and it will be a whole year before he can actually take some time out again. His judgment is slow, his reflexes are slow and he is not only putting himself at risk, but also his work mates because he could actually be the cause of an accident.
Thirdly, although Mike has been able to complete his project on time, George will probably only be half as productive as usual for the rest of the year because he has not had time to rest.
Finally, if the Department of Labour or the CCMA found out that Mike had paid George’s leave out – Mike could be in serious trouble and face a huge fine for not obeying the law.
The only time it is legal for Mike to pay George out his leave pay is if George resigns, is dismissed, retires or is retrenched – then all of the leave pay would need to be paid out in full.
Next week let’s have a look at accumulation of leave.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, May 11, 2017
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 6
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 6
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting
Why do your clients come back to you time after time? Perhaps I should be asking, do your customers come back time after time? There must be some sort of reason why.
Once you know what that reason is, your business will be going in a different direction altogether. Once you know what captivates your clients you will be able to capitalize on this knowledge and use it to its fullest potential.
Refine that reason, explore it, expand it, grow it, morph it into different aspects and then sell it for all that it is worth!
Take note, Discovery Health for example – it started out as just another medical aid. Then came the Vitality program (where you compete against yourself and the program) and the gym subscriptions. Then the Discovery credit card and now the health foods that you can buy at Pick ‘n Pay. All are variations of a theme – your health. All make a difference (if used correctly) to your health and all of them make a huge amount of money for Discovery and their respective partners.
So once you have found your unique selling point, capitalize on it – make yourself different and stand out from the crowd. Remember though, you can’t just sit on your laurels, you then have to do something about what it is that you have discovered. Find new innovative ways to expand your business and grow it.
Innovation and action will always result in success.
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
Why do your clients come back to you time after time? Perhaps I should be asking, do your customers come back time after time? There must be some sort of reason why.
Once you know what that reason is, your business will be going in a different direction altogether. Once you know what captivates your clients you will be able to capitalize on this knowledge and use it to its fullest potential.
Refine that reason, explore it, expand it, grow it, morph it into different aspects and then sell it for all that it is worth!
Take note, Discovery Health for example – it started out as just another medical aid. Then came the Vitality program (where you compete against yourself and the program) and the gym subscriptions. Then the Discovery credit card and now the health foods that you can buy at Pick ‘n Pay. All are variations of a theme – your health. All make a difference (if used correctly) to your health and all of them make a huge amount of money for Discovery and their respective partners.
So once you have found your unique selling point, capitalize on it – make yourself different and stand out from the crowd. Remember though, you can’t just sit on your laurels, you then have to do something about what it is that you have discovered. Find new innovative ways to expand your business and grow it.
Innovation and action will always result in success.
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 10, 2017
Networking 101 - Beware of Mixed Messages
Networking 101 – Beware of Mixed Messages
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The sixth mistake he says is “Leakage. Is there an inconsistency between what you say what you do? Your card may say one thing about you, your clothing suggests something else and the language and vocabulary you use further confounds strangers in getting a fix on who you are, what you’re about and your skill level. Strive to send consistent messages verbally, non-verbally and in your materials and correspondence. When everything works together the sum is greater than the parts.”
Whilst I agree that this may have some bearing on whether you are a good networker or not – my biggest gripe in this area is that of pre-judgement.
Personally, I don’t really care what your card says, how you dress or what you look like, I am going to hook up with you to find out more about you, what you do and most importantly, who you know!
Too many times, I have watched people pre-judge someone only to discover (often when it is far too late) that the person that they dismissed ‘out of hand’ is someone that they really should have hooked up with.
One of my biggest clients today, is a chap that I met in a bar. He was dirty and smelly, his t-shirt was torn and dirty and his shorts hadn’t seen the inside of a washing machine in a very long time. We got to talking and I discovered he had just gotten back from a fishing trip and was having an ice cold beer before going home to off load the boat etc. He actually owns 4 different businesses, several boats, a ‘holiday/weekend’ home on the Vaal and his own helicopter. When he travels nationally, he ‘charters’ a plane as he hates having to ‘wait’ or be dependent on airlines. Sounds like someone you would like to do business with, doesn’t it?
So my advice to you on this one is, don’t worry too much what it says on the business card, or what the person looks like. Talk to them and find out who they are and who they know!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The sixth mistake he says is “Leakage. Is there an inconsistency between what you say what you do? Your card may say one thing about you, your clothing suggests something else and the language and vocabulary you use further confounds strangers in getting a fix on who you are, what you’re about and your skill level. Strive to send consistent messages verbally, non-verbally and in your materials and correspondence. When everything works together the sum is greater than the parts.”
Whilst I agree that this may have some bearing on whether you are a good networker or not – my biggest gripe in this area is that of pre-judgement.
Personally, I don’t really care what your card says, how you dress or what you look like, I am going to hook up with you to find out more about you, what you do and most importantly, who you know!
Too many times, I have watched people pre-judge someone only to discover (often when it is far too late) that the person that they dismissed ‘out of hand’ is someone that they really should have hooked up with.
One of my biggest clients today, is a chap that I met in a bar. He was dirty and smelly, his t-shirt was torn and dirty and his shorts hadn’t seen the inside of a washing machine in a very long time. We got to talking and I discovered he had just gotten back from a fishing trip and was having an ice cold beer before going home to off load the boat etc. He actually owns 4 different businesses, several boats, a ‘holiday/weekend’ home on the Vaal and his own helicopter. When he travels nationally, he ‘charters’ a plane as he hates having to ‘wait’ or be dependent on airlines. Sounds like someone you would like to do business with, doesn’t it?
So my advice to you on this one is, don’t worry too much what it says on the business card, or what the person looks like. Talk to them and find out who they are and who they know!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 09, 2017
Business Tips - Customers, our invited guests
BUSINESS TIPS – Customers, Our Invited Guests
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC
Jeff Bezos says “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.”
Actually, if the truth be told, I really don’t think that we see our customers as anything like invited guests. Certainly not the way that I have been treated lately (although in all fairness I have to be the world’s worst customer).
I think we have panic attacks when we perceive that there is a lack of clients, but the minute we have them they become an irritation and I know I feel that some of my services providers feel that they are doing me a favour just to give me any type of service. In fact in the last couple of days, I have stated on several occasions that if I were to treat my clients the way that I was being treated there would be no clients!
Think about it for a moment – when you invite guests into your home, there are those that you feel comfortable around, that you have perhaps had as friends for many years. These guests have a great deal more freedom than say new guests. They are encouraged to make themselves at home, they potter around your home, perhaps follow you into the kitchen and help with the cooking or keep you company whilst you cook. The conversation may become playful and the feeling is one of easy wellbeing. So too should it be with your customers that have been with you for some time. Relationships have been built and the feeling is one of mutual respect and well being. Still, even these guests you would not expect to wash the dishes (even if they offered – they are guests after all, not family or extended family or even good friends). You would not go to bed and leave them wandering around your home unattended.
What about your new clients or guests that you have only just met? Whilst you are not strictly formal with them, the atmosphere is still a lot more formal than with your guests that you have known for some time. I mean, I am sure that you would not let them get their own drinks, you would serve them. They would not be in the kitchen with you as you cooked or prepared the meal and they certainly would not be encouraged to wonder around your home on their own. Yes you would try and make them feel comfortable but there would be limits. Isn’t that exactly the way that it is with your new clients – are you not a whole lot more wary around them, trying to put your best foot forward, trying to give them exactly what it is that they ask for?
Actually, perhaps the question should be, isn’t that the way that it is supposed to be happening, rather than the constant irritation that I have been experiencing of late. The sullen faces, the less than interested attitude and the glances and sighs that make me feel that they are actually doing me a huge big favour and I had better just accept what it is that they give me and I had better not say anything about the manner in which I have been treated or that they have given me inferior service and useless product.
Perhaps it is time that we have another look at who and what our customers are and why they are in our lives. Perhaps if we treat them a little better, they will stick around a little longer and buy some more product or give us some more work.
Perhaps . . . .
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
Jeff Bezos says “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.”
Actually, if the truth be told, I really don’t think that we see our customers as anything like invited guests. Certainly not the way that I have been treated lately (although in all fairness I have to be the world’s worst customer).
I think we have panic attacks when we perceive that there is a lack of clients, but the minute we have them they become an irritation and I know I feel that some of my services providers feel that they are doing me a favour just to give me any type of service. In fact in the last couple of days, I have stated on several occasions that if I were to treat my clients the way that I was being treated there would be no clients!
Think about it for a moment – when you invite guests into your home, there are those that you feel comfortable around, that you have perhaps had as friends for many years. These guests have a great deal more freedom than say new guests. They are encouraged to make themselves at home, they potter around your home, perhaps follow you into the kitchen and help with the cooking or keep you company whilst you cook. The conversation may become playful and the feeling is one of easy wellbeing. So too should it be with your customers that have been with you for some time. Relationships have been built and the feeling is one of mutual respect and well being. Still, even these guests you would not expect to wash the dishes (even if they offered – they are guests after all, not family or extended family or even good friends). You would not go to bed and leave them wandering around your home unattended.
What about your new clients or guests that you have only just met? Whilst you are not strictly formal with them, the atmosphere is still a lot more formal than with your guests that you have known for some time. I mean, I am sure that you would not let them get their own drinks, you would serve them. They would not be in the kitchen with you as you cooked or prepared the meal and they certainly would not be encouraged to wonder around your home on their own. Yes you would try and make them feel comfortable but there would be limits. Isn’t that exactly the way that it is with your new clients – are you not a whole lot more wary around them, trying to put your best foot forward, trying to give them exactly what it is that they ask for?
Actually, perhaps the question should be, isn’t that the way that it is supposed to be happening, rather than the constant irritation that I have been experiencing of late. The sullen faces, the less than interested attitude and the glances and sighs that make me feel that they are actually doing me a huge big favour and I had better just accept what it is that they give me and I had better not say anything about the manner in which I have been treated or that they have given me inferior service and useless product.
Perhaps it is time that we have another look at who and what our customers are and why they are in our lives. Perhaps if we treat them a little better, they will stick around a little longer and buy some more product or give us some more work.
Perhaps . . . .
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 08, 2017
Motivation - Self Image
MOTIVATION – Self Image
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr Joyce Brothers says “An individual’s self concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behaviour, the ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. A strong positive self image is the best possible preparation for success in life.”
This just reminds me how many thousands, in fact millions of people throughout the world there are, who live with little or no self esteem. It reminds me of the damage that parents have inflicted on their children or that teachers have inflicted on their students or employers on their employees. Even more sad, I see on a daily basis how we, as individuals, not only drive self esteem from the lives of our colleagues and friends but also from our own hearts.
A few years ago I employed a young lady who I put through a bookkeeping and later on an accounting course. Although extremely bright and intelligent she had not completed matric due to circumstances beyond her control. Having left school a number of years before I met her, I was pleased at her agreement to ‘go back to studying’ and very proud of the commitment she had made. I was so excited about this undertaking that I told everyone who would listen.
She was devastated and insulted! Her take on this was that she had to ‘go back to school’ because she was ‘stupid’.
Sadly there are many similar stories such as this one and I was recently reminded of this just last week.
A friend of mine had entered a dance competition. She was nervous and excited as she watched some of the other contestants dance. Her turn came and she executed all her dance moves with elegance, passion and precision. Chatting to her later, while we watched some more of the contestants, she was again extremely nervous and very critical of her performance. I pointed out to her that the lady who was dancing at the time was ‘out of sync’ with the music, her music in fact, did not match or compliment her costume and her movements were not fluid but stiff and unyielding. My friend turned to me, the pain evident in her eyes and said something along the lines of “I don’t see myself the same way that you see me. I don’t see myself the way anybody else sees me!”
Here is an intelligent, beautiful woman, with her whole life before her and the world at her feet, who does not see her talent or her potential, who does not see her ‘worth’. My heart went out to her and I was suddenly angered at the person or persons who had caused this pain and damage to her. Her perception was one of that she was not worthy, that she was not good enough and this had created her reality.
The true reality is that she will, in all probability win the competition – she’s that good! The true reality is that she is incredibly talented and her potential is huge and she is limited only by her own perception.
The lesson here today is that we, as individuals need to be positive, not only in our own lives but also in the lives of the people whose lives we touch. We need to encourage and uplift the people around us.
In essence we need to let them look at themselves through our eyes.
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
Dr Joyce Brothers says “An individual’s self concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behaviour, the ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. A strong positive self image is the best possible preparation for success in life.”
This just reminds me how many thousands, in fact millions of people throughout the world there are, who live with little or no self esteem. It reminds me of the damage that parents have inflicted on their children or that teachers have inflicted on their students or employers on their employees. Even more sad, I see on a daily basis how we, as individuals, not only drive self esteem from the lives of our colleagues and friends but also from our own hearts.
A few years ago I employed a young lady who I put through a bookkeeping and later on an accounting course. Although extremely bright and intelligent she had not completed matric due to circumstances beyond her control. Having left school a number of years before I met her, I was pleased at her agreement to ‘go back to studying’ and very proud of the commitment she had made. I was so excited about this undertaking that I told everyone who would listen.
She was devastated and insulted! Her take on this was that she had to ‘go back to school’ because she was ‘stupid’.
Sadly there are many similar stories such as this one and I was recently reminded of this just last week.
A friend of mine had entered a dance competition. She was nervous and excited as she watched some of the other contestants dance. Her turn came and she executed all her dance moves with elegance, passion and precision. Chatting to her later, while we watched some more of the contestants, she was again extremely nervous and very critical of her performance. I pointed out to her that the lady who was dancing at the time was ‘out of sync’ with the music, her music in fact, did not match or compliment her costume and her movements were not fluid but stiff and unyielding. My friend turned to me, the pain evident in her eyes and said something along the lines of “I don’t see myself the same way that you see me. I don’t see myself the way anybody else sees me!”
Here is an intelligent, beautiful woman, with her whole life before her and the world at her feet, who does not see her talent or her potential, who does not see her ‘worth’. My heart went out to her and I was suddenly angered at the person or persons who had caused this pain and damage to her. Her perception was one of that she was not worthy, that she was not good enough and this had created her reality.
The true reality is that she will, in all probability win the competition – she’s that good! The true reality is that she is incredibly talented and her potential is huge and she is limited only by her own perception.
The lesson here today is that we, as individuals need to be positive, not only in our own lives but also in the lives of the people whose lives we touch. We need to encourage and uplift the people around us.
In essence we need to let them look at themselves through our eyes.
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 05, 2017
HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT LEAVE - PART 1
HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT LEAVE - PART 1
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
Annual Leave and the various requirements, is something that we hear about time after time.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act – Section 20, deals with some of the conditions that apply to annual leave.
The Act says:
(1) An employer must grant an employee: -
(a) at least three calendar weeks (15 days) annual leave on full pay in respect of each 12 months of employment (the ‘annual leave cycle’)
(b) by agreement, at lease one day of annual leave on full pay for every 17 days on which the employee worked or was entitled to be paid, or
(c) by agreement, at least one hour of annual leave on full pay for every 17 hours on which the employee worked or was entitled to be paid.
(2) An employer must grant an employee an additional day of paid leave if a public holiday falls on a day during an employee’s annual leave on which the employee would otherwise have worked.
(3) An employer may reduce an employee’s entitlement to annual leave by the number of days occasional leave on full pay granted to the employee at the employee’s request in that annual leave cycle.
(4) An employer must grant at least three calendar weeks annual leave on full pay in respect of each 12 months of employment (the annual leave cycle) not later than six months after the end of the annual leave cycle or the year in which the leave was earned.
(5) Annual leave must be taken: -
(a) in accordance with an agreement between the employer and the employee; or
(b) if there is no agreement in terms of paragraph (a), at a time determined by the employer in accordance with this clause.
(6) An employer may not require or permit an employee to take leave during: -
(a) any other period of leave to which the employee is entitled in terms of this part of the Sectoral determination; or
(b) any period of notice of termination of employment.
(7) An employer may not require or permit an employee to work for the employer during any period of annual leave.
(8) An employer may not pay an employee instead of granting paid leave in terms of this clause except on termination of employment.
(9) An employer must pay an employee leave pay at least equivalent to the remuneration that the employee would have received for working for a period equal to the period of annual leave, calculated on the basis of the employee’s rate of remuneration immediately before the period of leave.
(10) An employer must pay an employee leave pay: -
(a) before the beginning of the period of leave; or
(b) by agreement, on the employee’s normal payday.
Let’s have a look at what this all means next time.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
Annual Leave and the various requirements, is something that we hear about time after time.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act – Section 20, deals with some of the conditions that apply to annual leave.
The Act says:
(1) An employer must grant an employee: -
(a) at least three calendar weeks (15 days) annual leave on full pay in respect of each 12 months of employment (the ‘annual leave cycle’)
(b) by agreement, at lease one day of annual leave on full pay for every 17 days on which the employee worked or was entitled to be paid, or
(c) by agreement, at least one hour of annual leave on full pay for every 17 hours on which the employee worked or was entitled to be paid.
(2) An employer must grant an employee an additional day of paid leave if a public holiday falls on a day during an employee’s annual leave on which the employee would otherwise have worked.
(3) An employer may reduce an employee’s entitlement to annual leave by the number of days occasional leave on full pay granted to the employee at the employee’s request in that annual leave cycle.
(4) An employer must grant at least three calendar weeks annual leave on full pay in respect of each 12 months of employment (the annual leave cycle) not later than six months after the end of the annual leave cycle or the year in which the leave was earned.
(5) Annual leave must be taken: -
(a) in accordance with an agreement between the employer and the employee; or
(b) if there is no agreement in terms of paragraph (a), at a time determined by the employer in accordance with this clause.
(6) An employer may not require or permit an employee to take leave during: -
(a) any other period of leave to which the employee is entitled in terms of this part of the Sectoral determination; or
(b) any period of notice of termination of employment.
(7) An employer may not require or permit an employee to work for the employer during any period of annual leave.
(8) An employer may not pay an employee instead of granting paid leave in terms of this clause except on termination of employment.
(9) An employer must pay an employee leave pay at least equivalent to the remuneration that the employee would have received for working for a period equal to the period of annual leave, calculated on the basis of the employee’s rate of remuneration immediately before the period of leave.
(10) An employer must pay an employee leave pay: -
(a) before the beginning of the period of leave; or
(b) by agreement, on the employee’s normal payday.
Let’s have a look at what this all means next time.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, May 04, 2017
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 5
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting.
How about your attitude and mindset? Quite frankly, I am sick to death of sales people who make me feel like they are doing me a favour, or how about the sales person who you ask directions to a specific item and they send their eyes heavenwards, let out a huge sigh and then ever so slowly start walking in the direction of . . . well who knows where because I never stick around long enough to find out.
Prospective clients do not come into the store or office, specifically to listen to your trials and tribulations – they come in to buy. Your personal life is, well exactly that, your personal life and it has nothing to do with the client.
Sitting or standing there with a long face is not going to help your personal situation and it is surely not going to help your professional situation either. Leave your troubles at home, don’t bring them to work.
Make each prospective client feel like they are the only reason that you have come to work today. Their wish is your command. Show them what they need to see, tell them what they need to know about the service or product and do it with a smile and then watch what happens.
Think about how you react in a restaurant. There you are waiting to try and catch the waiter’s eye because you want to order, but the waiter is so busy chatting to his friends, that you and your needs are totally forgotten – except of course when it is time to leave a tip, then of course you are not forgotten at all. Focus on the needs of the client, don’t be distracted by the other staff, take care of your clients and they will take care of you in the form of a sale that will in all probability result in a commission, a tip or even a well earned testimonial to the boss.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting.
How about your attitude and mindset? Quite frankly, I am sick to death of sales people who make me feel like they are doing me a favour, or how about the sales person who you ask directions to a specific item and they send their eyes heavenwards, let out a huge sigh and then ever so slowly start walking in the direction of . . . well who knows where because I never stick around long enough to find out.
Prospective clients do not come into the store or office, specifically to listen to your trials and tribulations – they come in to buy. Your personal life is, well exactly that, your personal life and it has nothing to do with the client.
Sitting or standing there with a long face is not going to help your personal situation and it is surely not going to help your professional situation either. Leave your troubles at home, don’t bring them to work.
Make each prospective client feel like they are the only reason that you have come to work today. Their wish is your command. Show them what they need to see, tell them what they need to know about the service or product and do it with a smile and then watch what happens.
Think about how you react in a restaurant. There you are waiting to try and catch the waiter’s eye because you want to order, but the waiter is so busy chatting to his friends, that you and your needs are totally forgotten – except of course when it is time to leave a tip, then of course you are not forgotten at all. Focus on the needs of the client, don’t be distracted by the other staff, take care of your clients and they will take care of you in the form of a sale that will in all probability result in a commission, a tip or even a well earned testimonial to the boss.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, May 03, 2017
Networking 101 - Keep Your Focus
Networking 101 – Keep Your Focus
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The fifth mistake he says is “Unfocused conversation. Networking is a chance to demonstrate focus, drive and confidence. Aimless rambling is pointless and suggests you’re not a focused professional. Showcase your communication skills by expressing yourself succinctly and ask precise questions.”
This is also one of my greatest pet hates! The only way that I can describe this to you is by telling you an actual story.
There is a young chap, let’s call him John, who faithfully comes to as many meetings as he possibly can. He is passionate about what he does, he is passionate about networking meetings and he really does see the value in them. What can possibly be the problem, you may ask – well it’s like this – I have no idea what it is that he does!
I have been seeing him at networking functions now for the better part of almost two years, he is still doing the same thing (I think – there is no way to tell) and I still have no idea about what he does. I have tried meeting him on a one on one so that he can explain it to me in greater detail and I was more confused than ever!
You see, when he gets up to tell his story, it changes all the time and it hops about. It is so bad that I am not even sure if it is a product or a service and I am not alone in this, as everyone that I have spoken to is as confused as I am!
Sadder than that even, is the fact that he knows that I do not understand what he does and instead of trying to assist me to ‘get the point’ he is amused by my confusion. So amused, in fact, that his latest introduction of himself, starts off by him telling everyone that he will try and keep it short so that they will not be as confused as what I am. How bizarre!
Perhaps a good way to deal with this is to set down points of what it is that you are trying to sell (product or service – let’s get that right from the beginning) and from there what the advantages are and the value adds.
Confusing the very people you need to assist you with contacts and referrals is just is not the way to go about things. People need to understand what it is that you do in order to hook you up with the right people.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The fifth mistake he says is “Unfocused conversation. Networking is a chance to demonstrate focus, drive and confidence. Aimless rambling is pointless and suggests you’re not a focused professional. Showcase your communication skills by expressing yourself succinctly and ask precise questions.”
This is also one of my greatest pet hates! The only way that I can describe this to you is by telling you an actual story.
There is a young chap, let’s call him John, who faithfully comes to as many meetings as he possibly can. He is passionate about what he does, he is passionate about networking meetings and he really does see the value in them. What can possibly be the problem, you may ask – well it’s like this – I have no idea what it is that he does!
I have been seeing him at networking functions now for the better part of almost two years, he is still doing the same thing (I think – there is no way to tell) and I still have no idea about what he does. I have tried meeting him on a one on one so that he can explain it to me in greater detail and I was more confused than ever!
You see, when he gets up to tell his story, it changes all the time and it hops about. It is so bad that I am not even sure if it is a product or a service and I am not alone in this, as everyone that I have spoken to is as confused as I am!
Sadder than that even, is the fact that he knows that I do not understand what he does and instead of trying to assist me to ‘get the point’ he is amused by my confusion. So amused, in fact, that his latest introduction of himself, starts off by him telling everyone that he will try and keep it short so that they will not be as confused as what I am. How bizarre!
Perhaps a good way to deal with this is to set down points of what it is that you are trying to sell (product or service – let’s get that right from the beginning) and from there what the advantages are and the value adds.
Confusing the very people you need to assist you with contacts and referrals is just is not the way to go about things. People need to understand what it is that you do in order to hook you up with the right people.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 02, 2017
Business Tips - A Start-Up Never Closes
BUSINESS TIPS – A Startup Never Closes
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC
Judging from some of the queries and e-mails that I have been getting over the last couple of months, it is abundantly clear that the perception around business startups is really, really, really skewered.
I know that at the moment, everyone wants to be a “CEO” or a “Director” and that on the face of things it is not a bad thing – it’s good to dream. The reality though is that having a title won’t make your business a success and having a title doesn’t mean that you can sit back and delegate all the tasks and that’s the extent of your involvement in the business.
The reality is that as a startup – more often than not, you are not only the “CEO”, but also the PA, the marketing department, the admin department, the tea lady (whether you are male or female) and the delivery driver. The reality is that although your ‘doors’ may close to customers at the end of the day, it is highly unlikely that your business duties will allow you to pack up and have the luxury of putting your tools down for the day.
Sadly many corporate employees look at their bosses and/or directors and see only what they want to see – the afternoons playing golf or the expensive cars or expensive clothes. What they don’t see is all the hard work, the 18 hour days and no week-ends to public holidays, the loss of family life. They don’t see the working while you are under the weather and sick, and oh . . don’t forget the trying to convince yourself that you were in bed for two days recuperating from a surgical procedure and those days amount to your time off for the next 6 months.
When you work from home, unless you control it, it actually becomes worse. Going upstairs to bed at night, I more often than not turn right at the top of the stairs – into the office, instead of left into the bedroom.
I soon realized that no matter how ‘smart’ I worked, I needed to put in the long hours in order to set things up and get ahead of the competition. I knew that I had to make the sacrifices then, in order for me to reap the rewards further on down the line.
Needless to say, many would be Entrepreneurs give up and fall by the wayside, disillusioned by the world of business – the reality of what it takes to grow and run a sustainable business, victims of their own shortsighted, un-researched, rose-tinted expectations.
Most return to the types of bosses from whence they came, blaming the government, the red tape, the economy and in fact everyone other than themselves, unwilling to take the responsibility for their own lack of judgment. Some forage forward to the next pipe dream or hare brained scheme of ‘instant riches’ that can be amassed, again without any idea of ‘what it takes’ to achieve the type of success that only successful people can make look so easy.
Understand though – in order for them to have achieved that level of success in their businesses, they have had to put in the time – they have had to make the sacrifices, often at the cost of their marriages, their families and their loved ones and they have had to remain focused on their goals. Ultimately they have had to believe in themselves.
Question is – do you believe enough in yourself and are you willing to make this kind of sacrifice?
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
Judging from some of the queries and e-mails that I have been getting over the last couple of months, it is abundantly clear that the perception around business startups is really, really, really skewered.
I know that at the moment, everyone wants to be a “CEO” or a “Director” and that on the face of things it is not a bad thing – it’s good to dream. The reality though is that having a title won’t make your business a success and having a title doesn’t mean that you can sit back and delegate all the tasks and that’s the extent of your involvement in the business.
The reality is that as a startup – more often than not, you are not only the “CEO”, but also the PA, the marketing department, the admin department, the tea lady (whether you are male or female) and the delivery driver. The reality is that although your ‘doors’ may close to customers at the end of the day, it is highly unlikely that your business duties will allow you to pack up and have the luxury of putting your tools down for the day.
Sadly many corporate employees look at their bosses and/or directors and see only what they want to see – the afternoons playing golf or the expensive cars or expensive clothes. What they don’t see is all the hard work, the 18 hour days and no week-ends to public holidays, the loss of family life. They don’t see the working while you are under the weather and sick, and oh . . don’t forget the trying to convince yourself that you were in bed for two days recuperating from a surgical procedure and those days amount to your time off for the next 6 months.
When you work from home, unless you control it, it actually becomes worse. Going upstairs to bed at night, I more often than not turn right at the top of the stairs – into the office, instead of left into the bedroom.
I soon realized that no matter how ‘smart’ I worked, I needed to put in the long hours in order to set things up and get ahead of the competition. I knew that I had to make the sacrifices then, in order for me to reap the rewards further on down the line.
Needless to say, many would be Entrepreneurs give up and fall by the wayside, disillusioned by the world of business – the reality of what it takes to grow and run a sustainable business, victims of their own shortsighted, un-researched, rose-tinted expectations.
Most return to the types of bosses from whence they came, blaming the government, the red tape, the economy and in fact everyone other than themselves, unwilling to take the responsibility for their own lack of judgment. Some forage forward to the next pipe dream or hare brained scheme of ‘instant riches’ that can be amassed, again without any idea of ‘what it takes’ to achieve the type of success that only successful people can make look so easy.
Understand though – in order for them to have achieved that level of success in their businesses, they have had to put in the time – they have had to make the sacrifices, often at the cost of their marriages, their families and their loved ones and they have had to remain focused on their goals. Ultimately they have had to believe in themselves.
Question is – do you believe enough in yourself and are you willing to make this kind of sacrifice?
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, April 28, 2017
HR 101 - What to Do When . . . There's a Discrepancy on the Job Description - Part 4
HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . There’s a discrepancy on the Job Description - PART 4
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practices.
Here we have Mike the owner of the Business with a problem on his hands as George the ‘Horse and Carriage’ driver has refused to do any convoy work, on the grounds that it was not in his job description.
The matter has gone to the Arbitrator at the CMMA and we are about to find out how the story ends.
The bottom line is that Mike had instituted a clear procedure on what was to happen in the event that there was a dispute. George and the Union had failed to adhere to this procedure. There was also a clear history, where previous drivers had done ‘convoy’ work and the Arbitrator could not find any evidence to show that the instruction was unreasonable in any way.
The Arbitrator also found that Mike was entitled to instruct the ‘Horse & Carriage’ drivers to work in the new vehicles (or convoys as they are known), when they were unable to perform their normal duties or when there was insufficient work for their ‘Horse & Carriage’ duties, and that the ‘Horse & Carriage’ drivers were not entitled to refuse to carry out such an instruction on the grounds that it was not in their job descriptions.
Although in this particular instance, Mike won his case, it would be advisable to ensure that you have proper job descriptions in place. Since it was the ‘clause’ that won the day, it would also be a good idea to include the clause “should a grievance be felt with regard to any instruction issued, representation may be made to supervision or higher authority by means of the grievance procedure, but in the first instance the instruction shall be obeyed.” Obviously then, you would also need to have a ‘Grievance Procedure’ in place too.
It must also be evident that Job Descriptions are not written in blood or cast in stone, as situations change all the time – so it would also be a good idea to have something like “the functions and responsibilities listed in the job description may be changed at any time, depending upon the operational requirements of the employer, and within the parameters of the post held by the employee.”
As usual though, all procedures, policies and controls and the changes that are made to them, must be made readily available to the staff.
The lesson to be learnt from this case though, is that you must have policies and procedures in place.
Next time we will start on a new case study.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practices.
Here we have Mike the owner of the Business with a problem on his hands as George the ‘Horse and Carriage’ driver has refused to do any convoy work, on the grounds that it was not in his job description.
The matter has gone to the Arbitrator at the CMMA and we are about to find out how the story ends.
The bottom line is that Mike had instituted a clear procedure on what was to happen in the event that there was a dispute. George and the Union had failed to adhere to this procedure. There was also a clear history, where previous drivers had done ‘convoy’ work and the Arbitrator could not find any evidence to show that the instruction was unreasonable in any way.
The Arbitrator also found that Mike was entitled to instruct the ‘Horse & Carriage’ drivers to work in the new vehicles (or convoys as they are known), when they were unable to perform their normal duties or when there was insufficient work for their ‘Horse & Carriage’ duties, and that the ‘Horse & Carriage’ drivers were not entitled to refuse to carry out such an instruction on the grounds that it was not in their job descriptions.
Although in this particular instance, Mike won his case, it would be advisable to ensure that you have proper job descriptions in place. Since it was the ‘clause’ that won the day, it would also be a good idea to include the clause “should a grievance be felt with regard to any instruction issued, representation may be made to supervision or higher authority by means of the grievance procedure, but in the first instance the instruction shall be obeyed.” Obviously then, you would also need to have a ‘Grievance Procedure’ in place too.
It must also be evident that Job Descriptions are not written in blood or cast in stone, as situations change all the time – so it would also be a good idea to have something like “the functions and responsibilities listed in the job description may be changed at any time, depending upon the operational requirements of the employer, and within the parameters of the post held by the employee.”
As usual though, all procedures, policies and controls and the changes that are made to them, must be made readily available to the staff.
The lesson to be learnt from this case though, is that you must have policies and procedures in place.
Next time we will start on a new case study.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Networking 101 - Don't Make Speeches
Networking 101 – Don’t Make Speeches
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The fourth mistake he says is “Spiel too long. Networking is not speechmaking. You have a finite window of opportunity to introduce yourself and glean a few details about the person you’re talking to. You can’t recite your resume, tell your life story or otherwise drone on. Keep it short and sweet!”
Sitting at a networking meeting last night, my mind wandered to the pile of work that is sitting on my desk, my 17 year old cat that seems hell bent on starving himself to death, my 7 year old nephew in Australia that I need to buy a birthday present for and even what I was going to have for dinner! Why you may ask – well the person who was telling everyone who they are and what it is that they are doing/selling was going on and on and on.
Unfortunately I have sat through this spiel on more than one occasion and it seems to be memorised word for word. It never changes or varies and there have been occasions when I have repeated it word for word as he has gone through it. Nowadays, I usually use his speech time for a comfort break, but last night I really didn’t need one, so my mind went on ‘walk about’!
Sad this, because the product that he sells is really worthwhile and he could sell so many more of them, if he just didn’t go on so much.
I wonder what I’ll do next week, when I again sit in a networking meeting and have to listen to the monologue all over again!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The fourth mistake he says is “Spiel too long. Networking is not speechmaking. You have a finite window of opportunity to introduce yourself and glean a few details about the person you’re talking to. You can’t recite your resume, tell your life story or otherwise drone on. Keep it short and sweet!”
Sitting at a networking meeting last night, my mind wandered to the pile of work that is sitting on my desk, my 17 year old cat that seems hell bent on starving himself to death, my 7 year old nephew in Australia that I need to buy a birthday present for and even what I was going to have for dinner! Why you may ask – well the person who was telling everyone who they are and what it is that they are doing/selling was going on and on and on.
Unfortunately I have sat through this spiel on more than one occasion and it seems to be memorised word for word. It never changes or varies and there have been occasions when I have repeated it word for word as he has gone through it. Nowadays, I usually use his speech time for a comfort break, but last night I really didn’t need one, so my mind went on ‘walk about’!
Sad this, because the product that he sells is really worthwhile and he could sell so many more of them, if he just didn’t go on so much.
I wonder what I’ll do next week, when I again sit in a networking meeting and have to listen to the monologue all over again!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Business Tips - An Abundance of Resources
BUSINESS TIPS – An Abundance of Resources
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr Renate Volpe, in her Leadership Insights nuggets says “Interdependence requires a shift in perception from a belief in the scarceness of resources, to the knowledge of an abundance of them.”
Wow! What a profound statement and how absolutely true. I think that on some level, as we grow into adults we begin to be ruled by our fears. That’s just crazy – much like the ‘tail wagging the dog’! Think about it for a moment – as children, we did not worry where our next meal was coming from or whether there were clean clothes to wear (or any clothes for that matter), we trusted that meals would arrive as would clothes and other necessities. As we grew up though, we started the whole ‘fear’ cycle. We became afraid of things on many levels, where the money would come from to buy the dance lessons or the new dress that we absolutely have to have or even fear of how our peers saw and what they thought of us.
So we get past the raging hormones of our teenage years, which always add to the conflict and as young adults we enter the Corporate world (well the majority of us do) and here the fear really sets in – we’re scared of what our colleagues may think of us, or that they will get the promotion before we do. We form, what we think are strategic alliances (much like the ones on the current Survivor series) and they generally fall down as none of us have been quite as honest and as up front and as ‘transparent’ as we should have been. We grapple and grope our way to the top, stepping on toes and even heads of people as we strive to get ahead, because ‘well there’s only one position available and I want it!’
Hopefully somewhere along the line we have an Oprah “Ah Ha” moment and our mindset changes and we see that actually, there is not only ‘one’ position available but as many positions and opportunities as we are willing to see, available.
Even for those of us in our own businesses, the opportunities and abundance is there for the taking, all we have to do is actually see them and then do something about them.
Remember though, that without the ‘action’ there is nothing. It doesn’t matter how many opportunities come your way, if you don’t do anything about them then that is all that they remain – an opportunity.
So open your eyes and look around you – if you are really ‘looking’ and really ‘seeing’, you will be amazed at what is available.
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
Dr Renate Volpe, in her Leadership Insights nuggets says “Interdependence requires a shift in perception from a belief in the scarceness of resources, to the knowledge of an abundance of them.”
Wow! What a profound statement and how absolutely true. I think that on some level, as we grow into adults we begin to be ruled by our fears. That’s just crazy – much like the ‘tail wagging the dog’! Think about it for a moment – as children, we did not worry where our next meal was coming from or whether there were clean clothes to wear (or any clothes for that matter), we trusted that meals would arrive as would clothes and other necessities. As we grew up though, we started the whole ‘fear’ cycle. We became afraid of things on many levels, where the money would come from to buy the dance lessons or the new dress that we absolutely have to have or even fear of how our peers saw and what they thought of us.
So we get past the raging hormones of our teenage years, which always add to the conflict and as young adults we enter the Corporate world (well the majority of us do) and here the fear really sets in – we’re scared of what our colleagues may think of us, or that they will get the promotion before we do. We form, what we think are strategic alliances (much like the ones on the current Survivor series) and they generally fall down as none of us have been quite as honest and as up front and as ‘transparent’ as we should have been. We grapple and grope our way to the top, stepping on toes and even heads of people as we strive to get ahead, because ‘well there’s only one position available and I want it!’
Hopefully somewhere along the line we have an Oprah “Ah Ha” moment and our mindset changes and we see that actually, there is not only ‘one’ position available but as many positions and opportunities as we are willing to see, available.
Even for those of us in our own businesses, the opportunities and abundance is there for the taking, all we have to do is actually see them and then do something about them.
Remember though, that without the ‘action’ there is nothing. It doesn’t matter how many opportunities come your way, if you don’t do anything about them then that is all that they remain – an opportunity.
So open your eyes and look around you – if you are really ‘looking’ and really ‘seeing’, you will be amazed at what is available.
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, April 24, 2017
Motivation - Pressing Limits
MOTIVATION – Pressing Limits
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr Joyce Brothers says “In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them.”
Good Grief! It is said that as authors, wordsmiths and writers, we often write about what we most need to hear and quite honestly, this is never so true as it is right now. You see for years and years I have lived in a very safe space in my personal life and right now I am pushing the boundaries and pressing for ‘no’ limits. In some ways I am scared out of my wits and in another space it feels like I have shrugged off the velvet ropes that have kept me bound for so long. It is liberating and empowering and deliciously, enticingly scary. It feels as though every nerve ending is straining at its roots to stretch itself to its fullest capacity in order to achieve its ultimate goal.
Quite honestly I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Quite honestly I am petrified at what could happen next.
Quite honestly I wonder why it has taken me so long to get to this point – I cannot believe that it was fear alone or perhaps I don’t want to believe that I could allow fear to hold me captive for so long.
The point is though, I feel alive!
The point is I am really excited!
The point is, I am the author of my own book, the director and star of my own movie. The point is, that for the first time, in a very long while I am doing what is important for me.
The strange thing though is that I am always aware of me pushing the limits in my business capacity. My friend Tess Elsen said at out monthly breakfast get together, that for years now, she has seen me work hard towards my goal, my focus has never waivered and my intention were very clear. Sure there were months when I wondered what the hell I was doing. Sure there were months when I did not know if there was enough money to put food on the table. Sure there were months when I faltered and fell, but I got up and shook my fists at the Gods and at the Universe and more often than not, even at myself, but I persevered. I knew that deep down in that place inside all of us that hears the truth, what it was that I wanted to achieve. I knew that what I wanted to achieve is right for me and I also knew that I could achieve it. It is within my grasp!
So if I knew all of this in my business life, why did I not know it in my personal life? Truth be told, how could I not know it in my personal life? Quite simple really – I think that in our business lives, we write “Business Plans”, we compile “Mission Statements” and live our professional lives by a business “Code of Conduct” and our personal lives just get the scraps that are left. The moments in time that are not focused on what we need to do in our professional capacity. It’s like we put the business before anything else.
Here’s the thing though – by leaving the ‘personal me’ behind, I am making it all that more difficult to achieve the ‘professional me’! Confusing as that may sound, Gemini or not, I am still one whole person and whichever side I neglect will have a pronounced affect on the other sides. I need, as a whole person, to be balanced.
In order to achieve that, I have to push the personal boundaries in much the same way that I push the business boundaries.
I have to ensure that I find those places inside of myself that I have never gone to and get myself there.
I have to ensure that I am never in my ‘comfort’ zone for too long.
I have to ensure that I am focused on what it is that I want to achieve.
I have to be all that I can be, at work, at play and as me.
I have to ensure that I live my life, my whole life for me.
What about you – do you push your limits?
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
Dr Joyce Brothers says “In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them.”
Good Grief! It is said that as authors, wordsmiths and writers, we often write about what we most need to hear and quite honestly, this is never so true as it is right now. You see for years and years I have lived in a very safe space in my personal life and right now I am pushing the boundaries and pressing for ‘no’ limits. In some ways I am scared out of my wits and in another space it feels like I have shrugged off the velvet ropes that have kept me bound for so long. It is liberating and empowering and deliciously, enticingly scary. It feels as though every nerve ending is straining at its roots to stretch itself to its fullest capacity in order to achieve its ultimate goal.
Quite honestly I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Quite honestly I am petrified at what could happen next.
Quite honestly I wonder why it has taken me so long to get to this point – I cannot believe that it was fear alone or perhaps I don’t want to believe that I could allow fear to hold me captive for so long.
The point is though, I feel alive!
The point is I am really excited!
The point is, I am the author of my own book, the director and star of my own movie. The point is, that for the first time, in a very long while I am doing what is important for me.
The strange thing though is that I am always aware of me pushing the limits in my business capacity. My friend Tess Elsen said at out monthly breakfast get together, that for years now, she has seen me work hard towards my goal, my focus has never waivered and my intention were very clear. Sure there were months when I wondered what the hell I was doing. Sure there were months when I did not know if there was enough money to put food on the table. Sure there were months when I faltered and fell, but I got up and shook my fists at the Gods and at the Universe and more often than not, even at myself, but I persevered. I knew that deep down in that place inside all of us that hears the truth, what it was that I wanted to achieve. I knew that what I wanted to achieve is right for me and I also knew that I could achieve it. It is within my grasp!
So if I knew all of this in my business life, why did I not know it in my personal life? Truth be told, how could I not know it in my personal life? Quite simple really – I think that in our business lives, we write “Business Plans”, we compile “Mission Statements” and live our professional lives by a business “Code of Conduct” and our personal lives just get the scraps that are left. The moments in time that are not focused on what we need to do in our professional capacity. It’s like we put the business before anything else.
Here’s the thing though – by leaving the ‘personal me’ behind, I am making it all that more difficult to achieve the ‘professional me’! Confusing as that may sound, Gemini or not, I am still one whole person and whichever side I neglect will have a pronounced affect on the other sides. I need, as a whole person, to be balanced.
In order to achieve that, I have to push the personal boundaries in much the same way that I push the business boundaries.
I have to ensure that I find those places inside of myself that I have never gone to and get myself there.
I have to ensure that I am never in my ‘comfort’ zone for too long.
I have to ensure that I am focused on what it is that I want to achieve.
I have to be all that I can be, at work, at play and as me.
I have to ensure that I live my life, my whole life for me.
What about you – do you push your limits?
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
Saturday, April 22, 2017
HR 101 - What to do when . . . There's a Discrepancy on the Job Description - Part 3
HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . There’s a discrepancy on the Job Description - Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC - March 2008.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
The question on the table is whether Mike was ‘reasonable’ in requesting George to drive ‘in convoy” as apposed to George driving his usual ‘Horse and Carriage’.
The CCMA Arbitrator said that in order to answer the question, which was “whether an employer may instruct an employee to perform tasks allegedly falling outside of his job description”, the answer would depend on:
a. what the terms and/or conditions of George’s contract is;
b. what the nature of the task that George was asked to perform is;
c. the circumstances in which the instruction was given, and
d. what Mike’s operational requirements are.
SATAWU, being the union that George belongs to, said that they had relied on the document (being the job description) which listed the duties and tasks of a “Horse and Carriage” drive. Acting as a ‘convoy driver’ was not listed on the job description, therefore in their opinion George did not have to perform this task.
Mike stated that the Job Descriptions, with their list of duties etc, were actually complied during an excise where he was trying to grade a list of duties and the salaries that were most appropriate for those duties. So each Job description that was compiled was mostly used as a gage and to determine appropriate wage rates rather than to constitute an extensive and comprehensive Job Description.
To prove the point, SATAWU requested that Mike produce the minutes of the relevant meeting, where the task team or committee, who were setting the job grades, met. Apart from that, the union did not call any witnesses or even disagree with the statement made by Mike.
The arbitrator agreed with Mike’s statement regarding the Job Descriptions, stating that the document (Job Description) did not have ‘contractual force’.
When all the documents were submitted, evidencing that the Job Descriptions were being used to rate wages, the arbitrator discovered that the “Horse & Carriage” drivers had, in the past been requested to perform ‘convoy’ related work and that they had in fact done so.
The Arbitrator found that “employees do not have a vested right to preserve their working obligations completely unchanged” from the moment that they are appointed. You see as Businesses grow and expand, so to do the requirements that the Business needs for their employees to meet their obligations to their clients.
Mike had also presented his “Employee Handbook” which he had issued to all of his employees, George included.
The Arbitrator referred to this handbook, that stated “employees shall obey the legitimate instruction of the supervision of any employee in authority over them”.
The union argued that George had a right to lodge a grievance over what he perceived as a duty that was not his.
Again the Arbitrator referred to the handbook, which further stated that “should a grievance be felt with regard to the instruction, representation may be made to supervision or higher authority, but in the first instance the instruction shall be obeyed.”
Clearly Mike had all his ducks in a row and clearly neither George nor his union had followed laid down procedures.
Next week we will see how the story ends.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC - March 2008.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
The question on the table is whether Mike was ‘reasonable’ in requesting George to drive ‘in convoy” as apposed to George driving his usual ‘Horse and Carriage’.
The CCMA Arbitrator said that in order to answer the question, which was “whether an employer may instruct an employee to perform tasks allegedly falling outside of his job description”, the answer would depend on:
a. what the terms and/or conditions of George’s contract is;
b. what the nature of the task that George was asked to perform is;
c. the circumstances in which the instruction was given, and
d. what Mike’s operational requirements are.
SATAWU, being the union that George belongs to, said that they had relied on the document (being the job description) which listed the duties and tasks of a “Horse and Carriage” drive. Acting as a ‘convoy driver’ was not listed on the job description, therefore in their opinion George did not have to perform this task.
Mike stated that the Job Descriptions, with their list of duties etc, were actually complied during an excise where he was trying to grade a list of duties and the salaries that were most appropriate for those duties. So each Job description that was compiled was mostly used as a gage and to determine appropriate wage rates rather than to constitute an extensive and comprehensive Job Description.
To prove the point, SATAWU requested that Mike produce the minutes of the relevant meeting, where the task team or committee, who were setting the job grades, met. Apart from that, the union did not call any witnesses or even disagree with the statement made by Mike.
The arbitrator agreed with Mike’s statement regarding the Job Descriptions, stating that the document (Job Description) did not have ‘contractual force’.
When all the documents were submitted, evidencing that the Job Descriptions were being used to rate wages, the arbitrator discovered that the “Horse & Carriage” drivers had, in the past been requested to perform ‘convoy’ related work and that they had in fact done so.
The Arbitrator found that “employees do not have a vested right to preserve their working obligations completely unchanged” from the moment that they are appointed. You see as Businesses grow and expand, so to do the requirements that the Business needs for their employees to meet their obligations to their clients.
Mike had also presented his “Employee Handbook” which he had issued to all of his employees, George included.
The Arbitrator referred to this handbook, that stated “employees shall obey the legitimate instruction of the supervision of any employee in authority over them”.
The union argued that George had a right to lodge a grievance over what he perceived as a duty that was not his.
Again the Arbitrator referred to the handbook, which further stated that “should a grievance be felt with regard to the instruction, representation may be made to supervision or higher authority, but in the first instance the instruction shall be obeyed.”
Clearly Mike had all his ducks in a row and clearly neither George nor his union had followed laid down procedures.
Next week we will see how the story ends.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, April 20, 2017
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 4
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting
How about taking your clients wants and needs into consideration and making the shopping experience that much more pleasurable for them?
I am not a natural shopper. To be honest, I absolutely hate shopping. For me wandering around the shops picking things up to put them down again because they are not quite right is a complete waste of time and only serves as an irritation. So being able to locate exactly what was advertised in the right colour and in the right size without a huge fuss is always first prize.
So remove all the difficulties and ‘red tape’ for your clients. If you’ve advertised it, make sure that you have sufficient stock. Make sure it is visible and that your clients have easy access to it. Putting it on the top shelf which means that I have to find a ladder to get to it is not a good idea and only means that I will walk out without making the purchase.
Make sure that you have sufficient staff to help the customers. Making me wait for hours because you don’t have sufficient staff to process the sale, will result in no sale from me. The frustration of waiting and endless queuing will make me walk out.
Don’t ask customers to complete pages and pages of questions. I am very aware of identity fraud and I don’t like to give my personal details to all and sundry.
Don’t ask me to ‘come back later’ or ‘come back this afternoon’ or ‘come back next month’. I don’t have the time or the inclination to go backwards and forwards to your shop/office.
Do ask me if I would like something else if you don’t have the exact item that I am looking for, but if I say ‘No Thank You’ don’t try and manipulate me into buying something that I don’t really want. You will not only lose the sale, but the customer as well.
Don’t try and engage me in a conversation where you try and tell me your whole life story. As much as you may feel that your story is very interesting/exciting/humorous (insert what you would like here), quite frankly, I am here to purchase something, nothing else and quite honestly, I am probably not interested at all. I will walk out in the middle of your story – you will think I am rude and in all probability, I will never come back to your store/office to buy anything again – just in case you try and bore me to death again.
Don’t tell me about all of your difficult clients – I have often been told that I a difficult client! I don’t see it like that at all. As far as I am concerned, I am very easy going . . . as long as you give me exactly what it is that I want! By telling me about your difficult clients, you are telling me that you do not meet the needs of your clients and/or their expectations and I will not want to ‘share’ their experience.
If I ask a question that you don’t know the answer to, don’t try and waffle your way through and give me useless, incorrect information. Rather be honest and tell me that you ‘don’t know’. Ask me if I would like to wait until you find out the answer or offer to call me with the relevant information as soon as you have found the answer. Then actually call me!
Do always make sure that you are hygienic in your personal capacity. If you have body odour, bad breath or dirty fingernails, I will walk out.
Remember that word of mouth is a very powerful medium and that negative or bad referrals travel faster and to more people than good ones.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting
How about taking your clients wants and needs into consideration and making the shopping experience that much more pleasurable for them?
I am not a natural shopper. To be honest, I absolutely hate shopping. For me wandering around the shops picking things up to put them down again because they are not quite right is a complete waste of time and only serves as an irritation. So being able to locate exactly what was advertised in the right colour and in the right size without a huge fuss is always first prize.
So remove all the difficulties and ‘red tape’ for your clients. If you’ve advertised it, make sure that you have sufficient stock. Make sure it is visible and that your clients have easy access to it. Putting it on the top shelf which means that I have to find a ladder to get to it is not a good idea and only means that I will walk out without making the purchase.
Make sure that you have sufficient staff to help the customers. Making me wait for hours because you don’t have sufficient staff to process the sale, will result in no sale from me. The frustration of waiting and endless queuing will make me walk out.
Don’t ask customers to complete pages and pages of questions. I am very aware of identity fraud and I don’t like to give my personal details to all and sundry.
Don’t ask me to ‘come back later’ or ‘come back this afternoon’ or ‘come back next month’. I don’t have the time or the inclination to go backwards and forwards to your shop/office.
Do ask me if I would like something else if you don’t have the exact item that I am looking for, but if I say ‘No Thank You’ don’t try and manipulate me into buying something that I don’t really want. You will not only lose the sale, but the customer as well.
Don’t try and engage me in a conversation where you try and tell me your whole life story. As much as you may feel that your story is very interesting/exciting/humorous (insert what you would like here), quite frankly, I am here to purchase something, nothing else and quite honestly, I am probably not interested at all. I will walk out in the middle of your story – you will think I am rude and in all probability, I will never come back to your store/office to buy anything again – just in case you try and bore me to death again.
Don’t tell me about all of your difficult clients – I have often been told that I a difficult client! I don’t see it like that at all. As far as I am concerned, I am very easy going . . . as long as you give me exactly what it is that I want! By telling me about your difficult clients, you are telling me that you do not meet the needs of your clients and/or their expectations and I will not want to ‘share’ their experience.
If I ask a question that you don’t know the answer to, don’t try and waffle your way through and give me useless, incorrect information. Rather be honest and tell me that you ‘don’t know’. Ask me if I would like to wait until you find out the answer or offer to call me with the relevant information as soon as you have found the answer. Then actually call me!
Do always make sure that you are hygienic in your personal capacity. If you have body odour, bad breath or dirty fingernails, I will walk out.
Remember that word of mouth is a very powerful medium and that negative or bad referrals travel faster and to more people than good ones.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Networking 101 - Deliver Your Pitch with Passion
Networking 101 – Deliver Your Pitch with Passion
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The third mistake he says is “Monotonal Delivery. If you can’t convey your qualifications, passion and employability in 30 seconds you may not get 30 minutes in an interview. Use vocal variety, intonation and enthusiasm to speak confidentially about yourself.”
Sometimes my greatest challenge at a Networking function is staying focused. So many times my mind has wandered and I find myself thinking about what my next appointment is and mentally reminding myself what has to be done before I leave for the appointment and what I have to remember to take with me and so on. Once I realize what is happening, I have to drag my thoughts back to the moment and try and re-focus on what is happening on the day.
This is generally due to the person(s) who are speaking at the time – it often sounds like they are so bored with themselves and what they do. It sounds like they would much rather be doing something else. It sounds like a well rehearsed speech that they have given several hundred times that day and quite frankly it sounds like they really feel that they shouldn’t have to be saying all of this again!
You’re passionate about what you do . . right? So let everyone know that! Let the passion come out into your voice, into your body language. Remind yourself before you get up to speak, what your objectives are and why you are there in the first place. Make people excited for you, about you and with you. This is after all your life, so put some life into it!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The third mistake he says is “Monotonal Delivery. If you can’t convey your qualifications, passion and employability in 30 seconds you may not get 30 minutes in an interview. Use vocal variety, intonation and enthusiasm to speak confidentially about yourself.”
Sometimes my greatest challenge at a Networking function is staying focused. So many times my mind has wandered and I find myself thinking about what my next appointment is and mentally reminding myself what has to be done before I leave for the appointment and what I have to remember to take with me and so on. Once I realize what is happening, I have to drag my thoughts back to the moment and try and re-focus on what is happening on the day.
This is generally due to the person(s) who are speaking at the time – it often sounds like they are so bored with themselves and what they do. It sounds like they would much rather be doing something else. It sounds like a well rehearsed speech that they have given several hundred times that day and quite frankly it sounds like they really feel that they shouldn’t have to be saying all of this again!
You’re passionate about what you do . . right? So let everyone know that! Let the passion come out into your voice, into your body language. Remind yourself before you get up to speak, what your objectives are and why you are there in the first place. Make people excited for you, about you and with you. This is after all your life, so put some life into it!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Business Tips - You Are Not Alone
BUSINESS TIPS – You Are Not Alone
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting
Starting your own business and keeping things on track and going in the right direction is probably one of the most daunting tasks.
You are everything to all people – your clients, your suppliers/service providers, your staff and even yourself. Your accountability and responsibility increases dramatically and the pressure and stress that you put yourself under would be the same as asking someone to balance a fully grown elephant on the head of a pin.
There are instances where things go wrong and you haven’t made any kind of provision for them, simply because you actually had no clue that they even existed and there are other things that go wrong because – well actually you messed up. The bottom line is that sometimes things go wrong.
These mounting issues, and the way that you react to them actually will shake you to the core of your being. Your self confidence takes a leave of absence and you wonder if you should have yourself committed to the nearest institution because clearly you are not of sound mind and judgment, to actually think that you could run your own business and be successful at it!
Sounds familiar doesn’t it? I promise you, you are not alone – we have all been there, to hell and back again.
Does this mean that you will no longer be passionate about your business – of course not! What it does mean though is that you will start having to conduct some sort of reality check with yourself.
For me the easiest way is always to write things down. So make lists of everything. Things like ‘what you have accomplished’ and ‘what still needs to be done’. How about ‘all the opportunities that you have uncovered’. Then of course, there are ‘issues’ or ‘things happening’ or ‘things that could happen’ in the business that could have a bad or negative effect on your business. Decide which are avoidable and make a decision on how you are going to avoid them. Look at the ones that are unavoidable and decide how best to deal with those too.
Put together a plan of action and then give yourself target dates and/or times to complete the task. Be realistic.
Once you have completed these lists and the ‘how to’ of what you can and can’t do, you will have a feeling of absolute empowerment. You see working through issues in this manner shows you that you will be able to work through anything.
Keep you head, keep your cool, calm down and work through each issue – one at a time.
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
Starting your own business and keeping things on track and going in the right direction is probably one of the most daunting tasks.
You are everything to all people – your clients, your suppliers/service providers, your staff and even yourself. Your accountability and responsibility increases dramatically and the pressure and stress that you put yourself under would be the same as asking someone to balance a fully grown elephant on the head of a pin.
There are instances where things go wrong and you haven’t made any kind of provision for them, simply because you actually had no clue that they even existed and there are other things that go wrong because – well actually you messed up. The bottom line is that sometimes things go wrong.
These mounting issues, and the way that you react to them actually will shake you to the core of your being. Your self confidence takes a leave of absence and you wonder if you should have yourself committed to the nearest institution because clearly you are not of sound mind and judgment, to actually think that you could run your own business and be successful at it!
Sounds familiar doesn’t it? I promise you, you are not alone – we have all been there, to hell and back again.
Does this mean that you will no longer be passionate about your business – of course not! What it does mean though is that you will start having to conduct some sort of reality check with yourself.
For me the easiest way is always to write things down. So make lists of everything. Things like ‘what you have accomplished’ and ‘what still needs to be done’. How about ‘all the opportunities that you have uncovered’. Then of course, there are ‘issues’ or ‘things happening’ or ‘things that could happen’ in the business that could have a bad or negative effect on your business. Decide which are avoidable and make a decision on how you are going to avoid them. Look at the ones that are unavoidable and decide how best to deal with those too.
Put together a plan of action and then give yourself target dates and/or times to complete the task. Be realistic.
Once you have completed these lists and the ‘how to’ of what you can and can’t do, you will have a feeling of absolute empowerment. You see working through issues in this manner shows you that you will be able to work through anything.
Keep you head, keep your cool, calm down and work through each issue – one at a time.
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, April 13, 2017
Sales 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income - Part 3
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting.
What I am going to say now, may be offensive to some at first glance, but I promise to explain myself during the course of the article.
Take advantage of the failure of others!
Now that may sound really hard and even very mean, but think about it for a while.
Let’s step back for a moment. We all understand that education equals knowledge. I am equally sure that we have all heard about “knowledge is power”. I would like to suggest however, that it is what we do with that knowledge that makes us powerful.
When we look at businesses to see why they have failed, specifically businesses that have been selling the same or similar products or services as ours, it should be so that we can learn from their mistakes and hopefully thereby avoid the same failure and not to ‘gloat’.
We need to look at what they were doing and where and how it went wrong and then we need to find ways to ensure that whatever they did to make it fall over – is not something that we do.
Questions like (but not limited to);
• who was their target market
• what was the quality of their product and/or services
• what was the value of their product and/or service
• what was the value add to their customers of their product and/or services
• was their product and/or service unique and different to that of their competitors and if so how?
Remember, the more you fail on your market testing, the more you actually succeed in the long run. So keep testing your market all the time. Analyze the results and try to improve the value and the value-add to your target market all the time. Even when you have a “winning formula”, you still need to continually move forward, change, morph and evolve.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting.
What I am going to say now, may be offensive to some at first glance, but I promise to explain myself during the course of the article.
Take advantage of the failure of others!
Now that may sound really hard and even very mean, but think about it for a while.
Let’s step back for a moment. We all understand that education equals knowledge. I am equally sure that we have all heard about “knowledge is power”. I would like to suggest however, that it is what we do with that knowledge that makes us powerful.
When we look at businesses to see why they have failed, specifically businesses that have been selling the same or similar products or services as ours, it should be so that we can learn from their mistakes and hopefully thereby avoid the same failure and not to ‘gloat’.
We need to look at what they were doing and where and how it went wrong and then we need to find ways to ensure that whatever they did to make it fall over – is not something that we do.
Questions like (but not limited to);
• who was their target market
• what was the quality of their product and/or services
• what was the value of their product and/or service
• what was the value add to their customers of their product and/or services
• was their product and/or service unique and different to that of their competitors and if so how?
Remember, the more you fail on your market testing, the more you actually succeed in the long run. So keep testing your market all the time. Analyze the results and try to improve the value and the value-add to your target market all the time. Even when you have a “winning formula”, you still need to continually move forward, change, morph and evolve.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Networking 101 - Highlight the Benefits of What You Do
Networking 101 – Highlight the Benefits of What You Do.
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The second mistake he says is “Poor networker’s don’t emphasize the benefits, but the features of what they do. Too many job seekers focus on the features of their work instead of the end results. Employers buy benefits, solutions and outcomes. Speak their language by focusing on what you can do for them, not how you do it. Example: project managers help companies save time and money (two benefits/outcomes) through expertly managing projects and people (features).”
Wow! This is powerful stuff! I attended a networking meeting at the Palazzo Hotel in Fourways last night and thinking back now to all the folk who delivered their ‘speeches’ on who they are and what they do, I can honestly say that about 70% of them are making this mistake. In fact a couple of them are so bad with their ‘speeches’ that I have no idea what it is that they do. Very confusing to say the least.
Remember people cannot help you or refer you if they have no idea what you do. Similarly you have to focus on what makes you different and stand out in the crowd. Taking the above example of Project Managers – there are hundreds if not thousands of these people out there – by saying that you help companies save time and money you are already being different to the rest who will waffle on about what they do to manage the project.
So think carefully about what you say when you are trying to sell yourself or your product. You have very little time to make your point or make an impression.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 and nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The second mistake he says is “Poor networker’s don’t emphasize the benefits, but the features of what they do. Too many job seekers focus on the features of their work instead of the end results. Employers buy benefits, solutions and outcomes. Speak their language by focusing on what you can do for them, not how you do it. Example: project managers help companies save time and money (two benefits/outcomes) through expertly managing projects and people (features).”
Wow! This is powerful stuff! I attended a networking meeting at the Palazzo Hotel in Fourways last night and thinking back now to all the folk who delivered their ‘speeches’ on who they are and what they do, I can honestly say that about 70% of them are making this mistake. In fact a couple of them are so bad with their ‘speeches’ that I have no idea what it is that they do. Very confusing to say the least.
Remember people cannot help you or refer you if they have no idea what you do. Similarly you have to focus on what makes you different and stand out in the crowd. Taking the above example of Project Managers – there are hundreds if not thousands of these people out there – by saying that you help companies save time and money you are already being different to the rest who will waffle on about what they do to manage the project.
So think carefully about what you say when you are trying to sell yourself or your product. You have very little time to make your point or make an impression.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 and nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Business Tips - How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis - Part 5
BUSINESS TIPS – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC
In the last 4 articles we have looked at and dealt with the fact that there are only 3 reasons why you will find yourself in a cash flow crisis. To remind ourselves, there were:-
1. You’re not making enough money.
2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you and
3. You are spending too much money!
We also looked at the first step that should be taken and that was to get clarity on what you owe and what is owed to you and we did this by means of a debtors and creditors aging analysis.
Then we looked at cutting costs, discussed putting a budget together and then making arrangements with your creditors to pay what you owe.
We have pretty much dealt with parts 2 and 3 from the list above and so today we look at your sales.
Here’s the thing - it doesn’t matter how well you collect the money or how you cut out all of the expenses, the reality is that if you don’t sell the product or service there will be no money coming in to collect!
So you need to sell, sell and then sell some more!
The fact that there is money to collect attests to the fact that you can actually sell. You just have to replicate what you did before when you sold and then just keep on doing that better and better.
The more you believe in your product or your service, the more “believable” you are and the more you will sell.
Make sure that the value of what you are selling is in line with what you say you are selling.
Make sure that you deliver on time and that you deliver what it is you say that you are selling or delivering.
Look at your product or service and see how you can do it better. Doing it better will also increase your sales.
Always ensure that you are giving your clients what they want and need rather than trying to sell them what you have or what you think that they may want or need.
Start with your existing clients and ask the question, especially the one that goes “Is there any other way we can help you?” More times than not, this will get you results and because the relationship is already there, the ‘selling’ will be a lot easier. So start there and then broaden your reach out into the open market.
Remember that you need to measure in order to manage, so it is very important to have a plan in place.
Some of the things that you need to look at or implement when you are putting your plan together are (but not limited to):-
- Plan a sales strategy
- Put a sales plan into place and this should include things like:-
• A list of all your products or services and how these are of benefit to your clients.
• A list of your target markets and your perception of “the perfect client”
• Your sales processes from cradle to grave
• Your sales tools
• Your sales scripts
• How to handle objections and how to turn cold leads into sales.
To delve a little more deeply into these aspects let’s break some of them down a little more.
Sales Tools
We all need all the help we can get, so it is a good idea to invest in a basic sales tool and this should include the following:
- A Website - in this age of technology having, at the very least, a basic website is of paramount importance.
- Business Cards - besides telling clients and prospective clients who you are, they bring a certain level of professionalism to the table.
- Brochures – great for giving a visual aspect to your products or service.
- Presentation – always useful to help close a sale
- Templates or samples of your products or service
- Sales management systems or CRM’s or similar – as you grow the number of clients it becomes easier to lose track of where you are with clients. So this is very useful.
Sales Process
It’s always a good idea to have everybody doing the same thing in the same way. Having a documented sales process will ensure that not only does this happen, but also that certain requirements or important information is not forgotten about. Your sales process should also contain the following:
- Leads - how and when to make contact
- Prospect – exactly what product or service that they are interested in
- Presentation – has a demonstration been done for the client or is it still to take place and when.
- Objections received - what they are, were they handled by who and how.
- Negotiation – what will work best for the client and you - how will you go about getting the right balance so that a win/win situation is created.
- Finalization - have the authorizations been received, are contracts agreed to and signed off. How many sales were “won” and why (goes to replicating a successful strategy) and how many sales were “lost” and why
- Monitor - the sales process should be monitored carefully and updated on a regular basis. You need to know who many leads you have, how many have been contacted, how many have been converted into sales and exactly where you are in the process with each lead and sale.
Finally! Prevention is always better than the cure and I have no doubt that once you get yourself out of your cash flow crisis, you will never have any desire to get yourself back into this mess again.
Ensure that the measures that you have implemented to get yourself out of the mess are continued to ensure that you never go there again.
Measure and monitor what is taking place on a continual basis and then make the necessary adjustments as and when they are required.
Remember that according to Parkins’s law, your expenses will always rise to meet your income. So make sure that your expenses are always under control
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
In the last 4 articles we have looked at and dealt with the fact that there are only 3 reasons why you will find yourself in a cash flow crisis. To remind ourselves, there were:-
1. You’re not making enough money.
2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you and
3. You are spending too much money!
We also looked at the first step that should be taken and that was to get clarity on what you owe and what is owed to you and we did this by means of a debtors and creditors aging analysis.
Then we looked at cutting costs, discussed putting a budget together and then making arrangements with your creditors to pay what you owe.
We have pretty much dealt with parts 2 and 3 from the list above and so today we look at your sales.
Here’s the thing - it doesn’t matter how well you collect the money or how you cut out all of the expenses, the reality is that if you don’t sell the product or service there will be no money coming in to collect!
So you need to sell, sell and then sell some more!
The fact that there is money to collect attests to the fact that you can actually sell. You just have to replicate what you did before when you sold and then just keep on doing that better and better.
The more you believe in your product or your service, the more “believable” you are and the more you will sell.
Make sure that the value of what you are selling is in line with what you say you are selling.
Make sure that you deliver on time and that you deliver what it is you say that you are selling or delivering.
Look at your product or service and see how you can do it better. Doing it better will also increase your sales.
Always ensure that you are giving your clients what they want and need rather than trying to sell them what you have or what you think that they may want or need.
Start with your existing clients and ask the question, especially the one that goes “Is there any other way we can help you?” More times than not, this will get you results and because the relationship is already there, the ‘selling’ will be a lot easier. So start there and then broaden your reach out into the open market.
Remember that you need to measure in order to manage, so it is very important to have a plan in place.
Some of the things that you need to look at or implement when you are putting your plan together are (but not limited to):-
- Plan a sales strategy
- Put a sales plan into place and this should include things like:-
• A list of all your products or services and how these are of benefit to your clients.
• A list of your target markets and your perception of “the perfect client”
• Your sales processes from cradle to grave
• Your sales tools
• Your sales scripts
• How to handle objections and how to turn cold leads into sales.
To delve a little more deeply into these aspects let’s break some of them down a little more.
Sales Tools
We all need all the help we can get, so it is a good idea to invest in a basic sales tool and this should include the following:
- A Website - in this age of technology having, at the very least, a basic website is of paramount importance.
- Business Cards - besides telling clients and prospective clients who you are, they bring a certain level of professionalism to the table.
- Brochures – great for giving a visual aspect to your products or service.
- Presentation – always useful to help close a sale
- Templates or samples of your products or service
- Sales management systems or CRM’s or similar – as you grow the number of clients it becomes easier to lose track of where you are with clients. So this is very useful.
Sales Process
It’s always a good idea to have everybody doing the same thing in the same way. Having a documented sales process will ensure that not only does this happen, but also that certain requirements or important information is not forgotten about. Your sales process should also contain the following:
- Leads - how and when to make contact
- Prospect – exactly what product or service that they are interested in
- Presentation – has a demonstration been done for the client or is it still to take place and when.
- Objections received - what they are, were they handled by who and how.
- Negotiation – what will work best for the client and you - how will you go about getting the right balance so that a win/win situation is created.
- Finalization - have the authorizations been received, are contracts agreed to and signed off. How many sales were “won” and why (goes to replicating a successful strategy) and how many sales were “lost” and why
- Monitor - the sales process should be monitored carefully and updated on a regular basis. You need to know who many leads you have, how many have been contacted, how many have been converted into sales and exactly where you are in the process with each lead and sale.
Finally! Prevention is always better than the cure and I have no doubt that once you get yourself out of your cash flow crisis, you will never have any desire to get yourself back into this mess again.
Ensure that the measures that you have implemented to get yourself out of the mess are continued to ensure that you never go there again.
Measure and monitor what is taking place on a continual basis and then make the necessary adjustments as and when they are required.
Remember that according to Parkins’s law, your expenses will always rise to meet your income. So make sure that your expenses are always under control
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, April 10, 2017
Motivation - Repeated Efforts
MOTIVATION – Repeated Efforts
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Robert Collier says “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
I was recently interviewed by Helen Nicolson (for her new book on Networking) and one of the questions that she asked me was “What do you consider as success.”
I don’t think that I missed a beat before replying something along the lines of that success means different things to different people. Think about it for a moment, flicking a light switch, as you enter a dark room and having the light actually come on – well that’s success!
Having looked at what Robert says and thinking it over very carefully, I am more than a little inclined to agree with him. It’s the daily effort that we put into things that ensure that we become successful as individuals. Never mind the money and the accolades (sure they are wonderful and often make life so much easier), the fact that we have carried on despite all odds, in spite of the negatives and hardships and irritations that we all face on a daily basis is in itself, a proclamation of our success.
I mean where would we be if we didn’t get out of bed each morning, put on our happy faces and bravely faced the world? Probably up Sh*t creek with no paddles. Sure many of us bounce out of bed and bounce around from pillar to post every day, but we all have days when we don’t want to get out of bed, where we don’t want to face the world and yet somehow we do. We drag ourselves out of bed and drag ourselves from meeting to meeting and from task to task, clearly only thinking of putting one foot in front of the other, and minute by minute, getting through the day.
Here’s the thing though, we have in actual fact been successful – yes we have. We haven’t stayed in bed, where the perception is that it’s warm and safe. We have gotten out of bed and through our actions we have accomplished something – and remember, without an action of some sort, nothing will happen.
Day after day we perform actions and successfully negotiate our way around obstacles that as SMME’s and Entrepreneurs, are everywhere in abundance. We deal with power outages and bad cash flows and client’s who don’t pay and bad (or no service) from our service suppliers and no internet connections and staff who don’t want to work or who steal from us and people and institutions who think that they have the power to make us dance like idiot puppets to any old tune that they feel that they can play.
And yet, somehow – with little more than guts and determination, we get to the end of each day. Sometimes a little more weary than the day before, but more often fired up and excited about what we have achieved. The deals that we have signed. The incredible people that we have met and engaged with. The doors that we have opened (or even managed to shut and bolt) and then we deal with the other one hundred and one little things that constitute our day – and you know what? We have succeeded, minute by minute – foot step, by foot step, we have succeeded.
I think, it’s time to stop beating ourselves up for the perceived failures and instead celebrate all the successes that we have. Lets toast ourselves for each and every little success and by doing that before we know it, we will be celebrating a tiny little success that will leave a huge big imprint on our hearts, our souls and indeed, our lives!
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
Robert Collier says “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
I was recently interviewed by Helen Nicolson (for her new book on Networking) and one of the questions that she asked me was “What do you consider as success.”
I don’t think that I missed a beat before replying something along the lines of that success means different things to different people. Think about it for a moment, flicking a light switch, as you enter a dark room and having the light actually come on – well that’s success!
Having looked at what Robert says and thinking it over very carefully, I am more than a little inclined to agree with him. It’s the daily effort that we put into things that ensure that we become successful as individuals. Never mind the money and the accolades (sure they are wonderful and often make life so much easier), the fact that we have carried on despite all odds, in spite of the negatives and hardships and irritations that we all face on a daily basis is in itself, a proclamation of our success.
I mean where would we be if we didn’t get out of bed each morning, put on our happy faces and bravely faced the world? Probably up Sh*t creek with no paddles. Sure many of us bounce out of bed and bounce around from pillar to post every day, but we all have days when we don’t want to get out of bed, where we don’t want to face the world and yet somehow we do. We drag ourselves out of bed and drag ourselves from meeting to meeting and from task to task, clearly only thinking of putting one foot in front of the other, and minute by minute, getting through the day.
Here’s the thing though, we have in actual fact been successful – yes we have. We haven’t stayed in bed, where the perception is that it’s warm and safe. We have gotten out of bed and through our actions we have accomplished something – and remember, without an action of some sort, nothing will happen.
Day after day we perform actions and successfully negotiate our way around obstacles that as SMME’s and Entrepreneurs, are everywhere in abundance. We deal with power outages and bad cash flows and client’s who don’t pay and bad (or no service) from our service suppliers and no internet connections and staff who don’t want to work or who steal from us and people and institutions who think that they have the power to make us dance like idiot puppets to any old tune that they feel that they can play.
And yet, somehow – with little more than guts and determination, we get to the end of each day. Sometimes a little more weary than the day before, but more often fired up and excited about what we have achieved. The deals that we have signed. The incredible people that we have met and engaged with. The doors that we have opened (or even managed to shut and bolt) and then we deal with the other one hundred and one little things that constitute our day – and you know what? We have succeeded, minute by minute – foot step, by foot step, we have succeeded.
I think, it’s time to stop beating ourselves up for the perceived failures and instead celebrate all the successes that we have. Lets toast ourselves for each and every little success and by doing that before we know it, we will be celebrating a tiny little success that will leave a huge big imprint on our hearts, our souls and indeed, our lives!
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, April 07, 2017
HR 101 – What to do When . . . . There’s a discrepancy on the Job Description - Part 2
HR 101 – What to do When . . . . There’s a discrepancy on the Job Description - Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice Requirements.
So now we know what a job description is, let’s have a look at the case study. Before we do that however, let me just say that often the question arises about whether job descriptions should be intentionally general to avoid the situation where an employee is obliged to carry out tasks or duties that are not specified in their job description. I have been advised that this has been looked at recently by the CCMA at an arbitration – let’s have a look.
Let’s have my favorite protagonists. Mike and George.
Mike owns a fleet of ‘horse and carriages’. These are those huge big trucks that carry containers, sometimes they haul ‘double containers’. We’ve all seen them and I am sure, often been stuck behind one going up a hill! George is one of the drivers of the ‘horse’. Mike’s business is both in the various ports in SA as well as in Johannesburg. Mike’s vehicles transport the containers that are off-loaded in the ports and that must then be transported to where-ever the destination of the importer is, or alternatively from the exporter from whichever port the goods are leaving from for the exporter. There are also times when goods must be transported from the manufacturer to the recipient’s depot.
This particular issue arose when there were no loads to be transported and George was requested to act as a convoy driver.
George refused on the grounds that he was a ‘horse and carriage’ driver and as such his duties were to the upliftment and transportation of containers and therefore he was restricted to this. His refusal was supported by SATAWU.
Mike stated that the instruction to act as a convoy driver, was fair and reasonable and therefore within the requirements of the law and that therefore, George had no right to refuse to perform the task on the grounds that it was not specifically stated in his job description.
The CCMA Arbitrator was asked to decide “whether, under all circumstances it is reasonable to instruct a horse and carriage drivers to do convoy work, when there are no loads available.”
Next week we will have a look at what the Arbitrator came up with.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice Requirements.
So now we know what a job description is, let’s have a look at the case study. Before we do that however, let me just say that often the question arises about whether job descriptions should be intentionally general to avoid the situation where an employee is obliged to carry out tasks or duties that are not specified in their job description. I have been advised that this has been looked at recently by the CCMA at an arbitration – let’s have a look.
Let’s have my favorite protagonists. Mike and George.
Mike owns a fleet of ‘horse and carriages’. These are those huge big trucks that carry containers, sometimes they haul ‘double containers’. We’ve all seen them and I am sure, often been stuck behind one going up a hill! George is one of the drivers of the ‘horse’. Mike’s business is both in the various ports in SA as well as in Johannesburg. Mike’s vehicles transport the containers that are off-loaded in the ports and that must then be transported to where-ever the destination of the importer is, or alternatively from the exporter from whichever port the goods are leaving from for the exporter. There are also times when goods must be transported from the manufacturer to the recipient’s depot.
This particular issue arose when there were no loads to be transported and George was requested to act as a convoy driver.
George refused on the grounds that he was a ‘horse and carriage’ driver and as such his duties were to the upliftment and transportation of containers and therefore he was restricted to this. His refusal was supported by SATAWU.
Mike stated that the instruction to act as a convoy driver, was fair and reasonable and therefore within the requirements of the law and that therefore, George had no right to refuse to perform the task on the grounds that it was not specifically stated in his job description.
The CCMA Arbitrator was asked to decide “whether, under all circumstances it is reasonable to instruct a horse and carriage drivers to do convoy work, when there are no loads available.”
Next week we will have a look at what the Arbitrator came up with.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, April 06, 2017
Sales 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income - Part 2
SALES 101 - How to Increase Your Sales Income – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting December 2008.
Today we are again looking at some of the different ways in which we can increase our Sales Income.
Education is key! Educating your target market or “market ignorance” is what it is generally called. Let’s face it, unless you tell people what it is that you sell, be it product or service, how will they know?
So get yourself a blog and write and post articles or tips related to your product or service. Give people useful tips and information – share ideas or get a discussion going that explores different ideas or gives answers to related challenges.
Get satisfied customers to tell their stories of what made them use your product or service and how it worked for them, what were the benefits, what were the challenges and how these were overcome. Try to get your stories published in the newspapers or magazines or even on the radio or television. You would be absolutely amazed how ‘hungry’ for material all of these mediums are and even if you don’t get paid to tell your stories or share your tips and advice, get them to publish it under your branding – get your name out there.
Use direct mail or direct sales or direct telesales to get your message across. Some people understand pictures better than words, some like to hear rather than read and some prefer a combination of all. Whichever you choose – make sure that you get your message across and that people understand the value of what it is that you are selling.
Educate your target market.
Next time I will be sharing a few more tips.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting December 2008.
Today we are again looking at some of the different ways in which we can increase our Sales Income.
Education is key! Educating your target market or “market ignorance” is what it is generally called. Let’s face it, unless you tell people what it is that you sell, be it product or service, how will they know?
So get yourself a blog and write and post articles or tips related to your product or service. Give people useful tips and information – share ideas or get a discussion going that explores different ideas or gives answers to related challenges.
Get satisfied customers to tell their stories of what made them use your product or service and how it worked for them, what were the benefits, what were the challenges and how these were overcome. Try to get your stories published in the newspapers or magazines or even on the radio or television. You would be absolutely amazed how ‘hungry’ for material all of these mediums are and even if you don’t get paid to tell your stories or share your tips and advice, get them to publish it under your branding – get your name out there.
Use direct mail or direct sales or direct telesales to get your message across. Some people understand pictures better than words, some like to hear rather than read and some prefer a combination of all. Whichever you choose – make sure that you get your message across and that people understand the value of what it is that you are selling.
Educate your target market.
Next time I will be sharing a few more tips.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
Networking 101 - Speak Clearly. Don't Mumber
Networking 101 – Speak Clear, Don’t Mumble
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The first mistake he says is “Bad networker’s mumble. A mumble is a speaking stumble, people mumble their name, their occupation and their titles all the time. Your name is irrelevant if we can’t hear it. You’ve been saying your name all your life so you may be bored with it, yet we may only hear it once. State your name clearly, slowly and in a way you can repeat it and remember it. It’s your lifeline to contact. Take care in stating it.”
This is one that I really struggle with! Over the years and with the help of sinus and other strange lurgies that we all seem to fall prey to from time to time, I have lost some of the hearing, particularly in my left ear. This often makes it difficult to hear, especially if there are other background noises. Even at facilitated Networking events, I find myself continuously asking people to speak up or start their presentation again or I have a need to ask them to state their names again. Often I don’t hear their names or what they do on the second or even third attempt – at this point I usually lose interest.
This in turn makes them feel embarrassed and they lose their place or worse yet, they begin to stutter and stumble even more!
Perhaps it is because people are so busy trying to remember what it is that they want to say that they don’t realize just how softly it is that they are speaking. It might be a good idea to write everything down clearly and in the order in which you would like to deliver the points that you wish to make. That way you can concentrate on projecting your voice to every single person in the room and ensure that everyone knows exactly who you are, what you do and most importantly why they should be doing business with you or having you in their ‘circle of influence’.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC
Craig Harrison says that the reason that Networking may not be working for you is because of the basic 9 mistakes that Networker’s make. I will be going through these over the next few weeks and let’s see if this is what is holding you back.
The first mistake he says is “Bad networker’s mumble. A mumble is a speaking stumble, people mumble their name, their occupation and their titles all the time. Your name is irrelevant if we can’t hear it. You’ve been saying your name all your life so you may be bored with it, yet we may only hear it once. State your name clearly, slowly and in a way you can repeat it and remember it. It’s your lifeline to contact. Take care in stating it.”
This is one that I really struggle with! Over the years and with the help of sinus and other strange lurgies that we all seem to fall prey to from time to time, I have lost some of the hearing, particularly in my left ear. This often makes it difficult to hear, especially if there are other background noises. Even at facilitated Networking events, I find myself continuously asking people to speak up or start their presentation again or I have a need to ask them to state their names again. Often I don’t hear their names or what they do on the second or even third attempt – at this point I usually lose interest.
This in turn makes them feel embarrassed and they lose their place or worse yet, they begin to stutter and stumble even more!
Perhaps it is because people are so busy trying to remember what it is that they want to say that they don’t realize just how softly it is that they are speaking. It might be a good idea to write everything down clearly and in the order in which you would like to deliver the points that you wish to make. That way you can concentrate on projecting your voice to every single person in the room and ensure that everyone knows exactly who you are, what you do and most importantly why they should be doing business with you or having you in their ‘circle of influence’.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, April 04, 2017
Business Tips - How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis - Part 4
BUSINESS TIPS – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting
In the last 3 articles we have looked at and dealt with the fact that there are only 3 reasons why you will find yourself in a cash flow crisis. To remind ourselves, there were:-
1. You’re not making enough money.
2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you and
3. You are spending too much money!
We also looked at the first step that should be taken and that was to get clarity on what you owe and what is owed to you and we did this by means of a debtors and creditors aging analysis.
Then we looked at cutting costs, discussed putting a budget together and then making arrangements with your creditors to pay what you owe.
This time we continue with some things that you can do immediately to help alleviate the situation.
Remember in part 2 we discussed the importance of knowing exactly what you owe and what you are owed.
Now it is the turn of your clients who owe you money (or your debtors as they are known) to get sorted.
This is where you have use every single communication medium that you can to communicate with your client. So you can phone, or e-mail, or SMS and even ‘WhatsApp’ them or use all the different types of social media communication to contact them. You see, you have to communicate with them and continue to do so until you have been paid in full.
It’s always a good idea to make notes on who you have spoken to, mailed, sms’d etc. Record the date and time, who you spoke to and what was said. If for example they said that they would pay on Wednesday the 12, make a note to remind them that they have promised to make a payment. When they pay, contact them again to a) thank them for making payment and b) to get a commitment for the next payment. If they don’t pay on the due date, of course you need to contact them to a) find out why they did not make a payment and b) to get them to make another commitment to pay. Be friendly but firm in your dealings with them and make them understand that they do have to pay and pay sooner rather than later.
For money that has been outstanding for a long time (for me that is anything over 60 days, but you need to make this decision up front), the reality is that you have to take the emotion out of the situation and get tough with yourself. Hand them over to the attorney for collection. The reality is of course that many of them are in all probability, dealing with their own cash flow problems. So being empathetic with their plight will stand you in good stead. That said though, you still have to deal with your own cash flow crisis – so get them to pay up, or hand them over.
Finally for today’s lesson, remember that you cannot expect your clients to pay you or be honourable with you, if you are not being honourable with your suppliers. You need to do to others what you want done to you!
Be honourable yourself. Let your words be congruent with your intent and as your receive the money pay out what you owe – even if it is before the due date.
Next time we will look a bit more in-depth at how to take back control of your “in crisis” cash flow.
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
In the last 3 articles we have looked at and dealt with the fact that there are only 3 reasons why you will find yourself in a cash flow crisis. To remind ourselves, there were:-
1. You’re not making enough money.
2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you and
3. You are spending too much money!
We also looked at the first step that should be taken and that was to get clarity on what you owe and what is owed to you and we did this by means of a debtors and creditors aging analysis.
Then we looked at cutting costs, discussed putting a budget together and then making arrangements with your creditors to pay what you owe.
This time we continue with some things that you can do immediately to help alleviate the situation.
Remember in part 2 we discussed the importance of knowing exactly what you owe and what you are owed.
Now it is the turn of your clients who owe you money (or your debtors as they are known) to get sorted.
This is where you have use every single communication medium that you can to communicate with your client. So you can phone, or e-mail, or SMS and even ‘WhatsApp’ them or use all the different types of social media communication to contact them. You see, you have to communicate with them and continue to do so until you have been paid in full.
It’s always a good idea to make notes on who you have spoken to, mailed, sms’d etc. Record the date and time, who you spoke to and what was said. If for example they said that they would pay on Wednesday the 12, make a note to remind them that they have promised to make a payment. When they pay, contact them again to a) thank them for making payment and b) to get a commitment for the next payment. If they don’t pay on the due date, of course you need to contact them to a) find out why they did not make a payment and b) to get them to make another commitment to pay. Be friendly but firm in your dealings with them and make them understand that they do have to pay and pay sooner rather than later.
For money that has been outstanding for a long time (for me that is anything over 60 days, but you need to make this decision up front), the reality is that you have to take the emotion out of the situation and get tough with yourself. Hand them over to the attorney for collection. The reality is of course that many of them are in all probability, dealing with their own cash flow problems. So being empathetic with their plight will stand you in good stead. That said though, you still have to deal with your own cash flow crisis – so get them to pay up, or hand them over.
Finally for today’s lesson, remember that you cannot expect your clients to pay you or be honourable with you, if you are not being honourable with your suppliers. You need to do to others what you want done to you!
Be honourable yourself. Let your words be congruent with your intent and as your receive the money pay out what you owe – even if it is before the due date.
Next time we will look a bit more in-depth at how to take back control of your “in crisis” cash flow.
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, April 03, 2017
Motivation - Responsibility
MOTIVATION – RESPONSIBILITY
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Abraham Lincoln who said : “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow, by evading it today!”
Actually this very topic came up with one of my colleagues yesterday. He is an entrepreneur – ‘a visionary’ he calls himself. His usual take on things to do with business is to get the business going – get it up off the ground and running and then look at things like registering it as a company or for VAT or PAYE or even get the books done or the policies and procedures put into place.
Personally, I really think that that is a stupid idea! I can just see everyone’s eyebrows raising and throats being cleared.
Ok, let me explain myself – so you’ve started business with this really brilliant product, that is unique to you. You’ve started on your own and pretty soon you have to employ someone because you just can’t keep up with demand. Before you know it, you’ve had to employ 10 people, you’ve moved premises three times and you now have to rent a warehouse to distribute from and you want to go national. Orders are pouring in and you really don’t have the capital to meet the demand of this growth spurt.
You go to the bank for a loan and here is where the whole thing begins to go pear shaped. You see you are still trading as a Sole Proprietor, so there is no Financial History on your Company, you don’t have a business plan never mind financials or projected sales or anything for that matter. No bank, or in fact an investor of any kind will lend you money without the right information.
To make matters worse, you seem to have employed a ‘rotten apple’ type individual who is hell bent on stirring up trouble and at this point you can’t do anything as you have not issued anyone with a Letter of Appointment and you are not registered with PAYE, UIF or Workmen’s compensation. Said individual keeps threatening to go to SARS or Department of Labour to report you, which would probably result in a SARS audit, which could become hugely costly for you as you are way over the minimum for VAT and you’re not registered for that either!
Pretty much a disaster, I am sure you will agree. So now it becomes a race against time trying to get all the documentation done and registered and you’re running around like a mad person trying to put out some fires (in terms of SARS and the Department of Labour), whilst simultaneously trying to light other fires (under the rear ends of the red tape bureaucrats in said financial institutions who grant loans) and still trying to meet your deliverables and manage your company.
Not a good place to be. Now if you had started in the correct manner by registering your company, then getting your financial stuff in order with a proper bookkeeper/accountant in place to give you monthly management reports, your bank accounts – just by themselves would have given you financial history that would be working in your benefit right from the beginning.
Then issuing Letters of Appointment to staff as you employed them and putting policies, procedures and templates in place to protect yourself from ‘rotten apple’ type employees who try and hold you over a barrel, would all have resulted in a completely different type of scenario.
Which situation do you think would have been easier?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Abraham Lincoln who said : “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow, by evading it today!”
Actually this very topic came up with one of my colleagues yesterday. He is an entrepreneur – ‘a visionary’ he calls himself. His usual take on things to do with business is to get the business going – get it up off the ground and running and then look at things like registering it as a company or for VAT or PAYE or even get the books done or the policies and procedures put into place.
Personally, I really think that that is a stupid idea! I can just see everyone’s eyebrows raising and throats being cleared.
Ok, let me explain myself – so you’ve started business with this really brilliant product, that is unique to you. You’ve started on your own and pretty soon you have to employ someone because you just can’t keep up with demand. Before you know it, you’ve had to employ 10 people, you’ve moved premises three times and you now have to rent a warehouse to distribute from and you want to go national. Orders are pouring in and you really don’t have the capital to meet the demand of this growth spurt.
You go to the bank for a loan and here is where the whole thing begins to go pear shaped. You see you are still trading as a Sole Proprietor, so there is no Financial History on your Company, you don’t have a business plan never mind financials or projected sales or anything for that matter. No bank, or in fact an investor of any kind will lend you money without the right information.
To make matters worse, you seem to have employed a ‘rotten apple’ type individual who is hell bent on stirring up trouble and at this point you can’t do anything as you have not issued anyone with a Letter of Appointment and you are not registered with PAYE, UIF or Workmen’s compensation. Said individual keeps threatening to go to SARS or Department of Labour to report you, which would probably result in a SARS audit, which could become hugely costly for you as you are way over the minimum for VAT and you’re not registered for that either!
Pretty much a disaster, I am sure you will agree. So now it becomes a race against time trying to get all the documentation done and registered and you’re running around like a mad person trying to put out some fires (in terms of SARS and the Department of Labour), whilst simultaneously trying to light other fires (under the rear ends of the red tape bureaucrats in said financial institutions who grant loans) and still trying to meet your deliverables and manage your company.
Not a good place to be. Now if you had started in the correct manner by registering your company, then getting your financial stuff in order with a proper bookkeeper/accountant in place to give you monthly management reports, your bank accounts – just by themselves would have given you financial history that would be working in your benefit right from the beginning.
Then issuing Letters of Appointment to staff as you employed them and putting policies, procedures and templates in place to protect yourself from ‘rotten apple’ type employees who try and hold you over a barrel, would all have resulted in a completely different type of scenario.
Which situation do you think would have been easier?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
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