The ultimate expression of our Purpose is to serve –ourselves, family, friends and customers/clients and the wider community. In business, serving customers is the lifeblood of the organisation and successful businesses, small or large, make customers their central focus and a part of their team. Having a customer service policy and a set of procedures is essential and helpful. But behavioural strategies will not lead to long term sustainable business. An integrated model upon which all of your CS is built is needed. In…

Most of us are familiar with the very high failure rate of small businesses.  It’s scary and sobering.  It’s also preventable. Some of the reasons often given for failure include lack of ‘experience’, ‘capital’, ‘planning’, ‘a risk management strategy and contingency plan’, ‘vision’, ‘personal and fiscal discipline’, ‘cash flow’, ‘personal and professional networks’ (Your network is your net worth), ‘a clearly defined niche market’ and ‘life plan’ (knowing what you want for your life and building your business around it). Other reasons include poor ‘financial…