| Insulate Against Small Errors | | | | company information judiciously. They should |
| In a small business a small mistake can have a big | | | | know your marketing position, strategy and |
| impact. This is especially so when the small | | | | tactics. They should know where your profits |
| business services a particular locality. When your | | | | come from and how interaction with clients and |
| good reputation is endangered, rightly or wrongly, | | | | customers affects profitability. They should know |
| so is the business. Large businesses are far less | | | | how performance is measured: both their own |
| susceptible to small threats. And large businesses | | | | and that of the company. That's the minimum |
| have ample resources to correct errors and | | | | they should know. |
| retrieve disgruntled customers. Small business | | | | Start At Recruitment |
| can't match these resources. | | | | Make sure you have some sort of induction |
| Build Effective Customer Management Systems | | | | process that includes corporate philosophies, |
| The small business manager must ensure that all | | | | objectives and standards. If possible, discuss them |
| employees understand how vulnerable the | | | | with job candidates as part of your selection |
| business is to carelessness, sloppiness, discourtesy | | | | process. At the very least, new starters shuld |
| and perceived disrespect. The best way to do | | | | hear about these on their first day. |
| this is to develop effective customer treatment | | | | Meet Staff Face To Face Frequently |
| systems that all employees must understand and | | | | And put in place some form of face to face |
| observe. Grab every opportunity for staff to | | | | communication between you as CEO and your |
| obtain both positive and negative customer | | | | staff on at least a monthly basis. Sending out a |
| feedback, And as manager, lead by example. | | | | "staff notice", "sticking something on a notice |
| Build A "Company Way" | | | | board" or circulating "operations and procedural |
| If you're the owner of "Joe's Plumbing" develop a | | | | amendments" will never replace well planned face |
| "Joe's Plumbing" way of doing things. It should | | | | to face meeting with ample opportunity for staff |
| reflect business, employee and customer | | | | response and feedback. |
| relationship philosophies you want your people to | | | | Conclusion |
| practice to achieve your business goals. Make sure | | | | Informed staff can make informed decisions, take |
| that the "Joe's Plumbing" way enables customers | | | | informed choices, provide soundly based |
| to positively differentiate in favour of your | | | | communication and make informed contributions |
| business. | | | | at meetings and discussions. Finally, bear in mind: if |
| Keep Them In The Picture | | | | they don't know, they'll guess or shrug their |
| Inform your employees. Trust them to regard | | | | shoulders. Neither reaction helps your business. |