Where's the money gone?

It is a constant source of amazement to me that so many companies be they large or small fail to keep a control of their inventories. Whilst Management consistently push for increased sales performance, the question of housekeeping is often put on the back burner or it would appear totally neglected.

Yesterdays damming indictment of the Ministry of Defence sums up all that it wrong in many organisations, although frankly the scale of the ineptitude beggars belief.

The National Audit Office flagged up a lack of evidence about the existence and value of some £6.3bn of assets - including £752m of military equipment, which includes firearms and £184m of Bowman radios.

Back in 2008-9, auditors had raised concerns about inventory accounts and warehouse systems and checks had been improved, but they had found that the inventory recorded did not match the stock count at 29% of locations. 

This begs the question: how comfortable are you with your Stock and Debtors controls?

 It might be timely to conduct a pre-emptive review of your operating systems now rather than wait for the post mortem results.  

Looking for a Rolls Royce for the price of a Ford?

Whilst I won’t be able to pull off that particular stunt, I am able to give your business  thorough overhaul on a cost effective basis.

I can help you to tighten up your operational procedures and drive sales performance. Maybe after this exercise you could well be in the market for a new luxury car.

Why not get in touch and let’s see what we can put together

Solution to your business needs

Looking to increase Revenue/ Sales? Multi-faceted Business Professional / Rainmaker available for short or long term assignments

Mid year review?

Do you want to maximise your profits whilst avoiding locking your company into increased overheads?

Then it appears that the time is right for a root and branch analysis of your business. As an independent Consultant I can give your business a full evaluation and provide you with a range of successful sales strategies and cost saving efficiencies.

Why not check out my profile at http://uk.linkedin.com/in/gordonblackburn

Rewarding for failure

One of my early business mentors once remarked to me that there’s no such thing as a bad business merely badly run businesses.

At first sight it would appear to be rather a glib statement but when you analyse the performance of many companies it becomes a self evident truth.

How many times do we encounter senior management who are completely out of touch with the day to day workings of  their companies. As the list of companies heading towards administration / liquidation in the UK is rapidly accelerating it is a clear indictment of just how ineffectual many company directors are.

It is one of the great ironies of our times (as illustrated by the recent Banking crisis) that far from paying the price for poor performance many of the architects of failure have been richly compensated for their inadequacies.

Bizarre business strategy!

Though I’d share a recent experience – I was approached by a “start up” company operating in the field of renewable energy.

The initial telephone conversation sounded promising so I arranged to have preliminary meeting. I met the “management” at their offices in a prestigious block in The City – so far so good.

We then got down to discussions and it all went rapidly downhill – these people had a vision of being the London HQ of a large energy trading company. The only problem was they hadn’t thought through exactly what they were trying to do, far from seeking an assessment /appraisal of their business they were in fact looking for someone to turn up and present them with a business plan for a niche role in an industry in which they had no previous experience, product or usp.

As a Consultant I am quite used to explaining the harsh realities of the business world to companies that are already operating and finding it tough. However this was quite a different case – these people though that by putting a name board on an office building in The City this would fast track them to a listing on the FTSE 100.

Needless to say apart from providing me with an insight into a commercial Never Never Land this particular assignment was not one to fly.

However I am still on board for serious projects!

Sales & Marketing Services for the UK

The UK offers a very attractive market for companies wishing to export their products. Counter party risk is identifiable and can be successfully managed.

However it can also be an expensive market in which to operate. This is where we can assist you in achieving a cost effective mechanism by which you can trade on an efficient and cost effective basis.

By engaging the services of GLB Consulting Ltd (www.glbconsulting.co.uk) you can effectively market product through our intermediary and have the presence in the UK without the accompanying cost of establishing and maintaining a UK Office. Essentially we become not only your marketing channel but also your “ears and eyes”.

As insight into our activities is available via the following link:

www.youtube.com/user/MrGblackburn