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April 2007   Issue No. 78

Index

• Are Policies & Procedures a waste of time?  

• Next Abundance & Passion Playshop - BOOK NOW!

• Sales Champions' news  

• Master's Wisdom  

• Login to Treasure Chests

• Website Links

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Policies & Procedures - A waste of time, or...  

by Narelle Stratford

Some would say that Policies and Procedures are the last things you think of as a small business owner, while others might feel that you should create these documents immediately after you've written your business plan.

Let's look at a couple of scenarios.  

For instance, you have staff, and you are finding that some staff work more efficiently or effectively than others.  Some live in an office pig-sty, and others keep their workspace clean, neat and tidy.

Some wear their uniform with professional aplomb, while others always seem to look scruffy, even in a uniform.

Or, do you have staff who regularly skive off work and flick it onto others to do for them?

Just perhaps, you are even the role model for your staff with an untidy office and messy deskspace, dirty cups, and an overflowing waste-bin?  

If your staff are sounding like those mentioned above, it can be a real problem.  Why?

Let's take a look at personal appearance first.  This employee (or you for that matter) represents your business.  Many areas impact on business credibility and professional image is just one of them.  Without credibility, there can be no trust.  No trust equals no sales...

Professional Image

Professional image relates to the appearance of the humans in your business, as well as the physical workplace viewed by clients.  A professional image also applies to image that is marketed and branded and last but not least, the image portrayed or represented by your products and services.

Remember your body language info?  It only takes 30 seconds to sum someone up and decide for or against that person.  The same can be said for the physical environment of the business.  You need to make your professional and business image count in the first 10 seconds, so get personal / physical appearance for both you and the work environment down pat and you can then work on your rapport skills to great effect in the next 20 seconds. 

Clients will usually give surroundings a quick scan, just like they do with you and other sales reps or consultants.  A quick up and down scan of the person, a quick "in the round" scan of the waiting room or retail area, and now an impression is formed.

If you like being seen as the untidy eccentric who lives in a mess, great!  In fact, you probably have finished reading already.  However, if you don't like visiting a business that is dirty, untidy, smells and has cobwebs and stained carpets, your clients won't want that from you either.  Oh, by the way, the restroom is part of the physical surroundings and deserves more respect than most people are prepared to give.

Some solutions?

1. Help yourself and staff, by having adequate desk space.  Stop filing horizontally (all over every available flat surface) and start filing vertically: file racks or stands for the desk, rolling hanging files and (this is a unique idea!) use the filing cabinet. 

2. Never work on more than one thing at a time.  Always put the last item to be worked on, away in its place and then start something new.  That way, you continue to clean up after yourself and there's less to do at the end of the day.

3. As soon as your cup is finished, remove it to the kitchen, wash it and put it away.  Having written this, it is actually preferable that you drink your cuppa elsewhere and take a real break!

If you have a Policies and Procedures Manual,

use it as the tool it was designed to be.  If you have a P&P Manual, there will be a policy for your office environment that includes keeping your workspace clean, neat and tidy.

Managing Staff

Now, what can you do about staff who aren't pulling their weight?  Again, this should be covered in the P&P Manual, and a section on Human Resources can include Role Descriptions, daily procedures, attitude, expectations of employees and so on.  Then, you can quite calmly point out how an employee is not meeting your expectations and what they need to do about it.

Of course, if you had a P&P Manual in the first place, your staff would have read it, and be aware of all that is involved.  Plus, you would have provided a thorough induction so that everyone is absolutely clear, wouldn't you?

What happens when you want to go on holiday or exit the business?

If you don't have an Operations Manual or Policies and Procedures Manual, there is another reason to create them, and that is that when you sell the business, or want to put in a Manager, the new owners or Manager know exactly what to do to run the business to your standards.  Then, when you are on holiday, your business can still run like clockwork.

Sounds basic, doesn't it?  But, it's often a lack of time to put these Manuals in place, that causes the problem.  Provide an adequate office or workshop environment, guidance for behaviour and appearance, and watch what happens.  Be the role model your staff need and productivity will improve, plus you'll find audits easy to achieve.

Need some help?  Call Narelle now on Mob:  0412 251 196 or 07 3857 5482.

What?  Meet your Subconscious and connect with your Conscious Mind (as espoused in The Secret) and create a wonderful collage of all that you want in your life.  This fun experience will help you to understand why you don't have everything you want in your life right now, and what you can do to help yourself achieve it easily and playfully.

When?    Saturday, 2nd June, 2007

Time?      9.30am registration & concludes 3.00pm

Where?       79 Russell St, West End   Qld   4101

Lunch:     Morning Tea, Gourmet lunch and Afternoon Tea provided

Investment:    $130 (inc. GST)

MT & AT are delicious yummies to energise and tickle your taste buds!  + Great coffee, tea, juice, herbal and green teas available all day.  Glass of chilled bubbly with super working lunch!

Playbook Notes, and all materials supplied.

Read more here!

Be quick to book in, as space really is limiting the numbers.

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© Narelle Stratford                    www.saleschampions.com.au                April 2007