Respect Geography or face the consequences

One of the most valuable commodities available to any organisation is local knowledge.

How many times has a venture ended badly owing to a basic failure to understand and deal with local market conditions?

The UK is a mature and sophisticated market and though offering different challenges to operating in a 3rd World destination there are still obstacles in trying to establish a presence.

Operating  overheads present a crucial challenge and this is where we can assist you to achieve a cost-effective solution to marketing your products in the UK.

Take a look at our website www.glbconsulting.co.uk

 or check out our video link http://youtu.be/ruUtQnlJwVM

Grab your share of UK business

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

Who's picking your pocket?

When asked to review operating systems, I  find it surprising that even in these difficult economic times many companies continue to adopt a laissez faire approach to their financial controls.

These companies fail to recognise the need for strict discipline in respect of Stock turn and control but what is even more disturbing in the reaction to the Debtorors book.

As more and more Customers seek actively to delay payment to Suppliers this element of business policing is even more critical.

When a Customer exceeds the agreed payment terms, they are in reality using the Supplier as an alternate (unsecured overdraft). I have seen this situation spiral out of control so that in a worst case scenario the Supplier is forced to keep “trading” with the errant Customer for fear of realising a bad debt. Think of the parallel to the current Greek situation – it is a slippery path.

Take a long hard look at your accounts receivable – are you happy to see 30 days drift into 60 and beyond? What damage is being done to your company’s financial position?

Ask yourself “who is picking our pocket?”

It may well be that you conclude that an overall appraisal of your business is overdue - this is where I can help.

Why not get in touch with me at gordon.blackburn1@btinternet.com and together we'll get back the control

Inertia is not an option

The macho mantra “failure is not an option” is widely heard these days. I think a more relevant maxim for these times would be, “Inertia is not an option”.

Very few companies implode like a supernova. The distress signals are visible for some time before the flame out.

When faced with mounting problems it is obvious that the solutions will of necessity be painful. However, radical and decisive surgery is often the only way to ensure a patient’s survival.

Many companies adopt the Mr Micawber attitude that “something will turn up”. In the overwhelming majority of such cases the only people likely to turn up are the administrators/liquidators. Be it merely inertia or fear of addressing the issue the outcome will remain the same.

Collect some Golden Apples

How do we boost the bottom line? – without doubt the most hackneyed question in business. There are 2 obvious solutions, (a) Cut operating costs and (b) Boost Revenue. If you’re the FD you’ll probably aim for the double.

The Sales Director only has one shot in his/her armoury namely increase sales. Sales targets can always be raised but a sense of commercial realism also needs to be applied.

If you are marketing a totally unique product or service the task is easier but for the most part there are many companies offering a similar range of products in a broadly similar price range.

If Sales people are required to shake the tree and collect the Golden Apples then it is vital that they are not only supported with a superb product but an equally impressive after sales service.

Deckchairs on the "Titanic"

How often do we ignore the obvious and subsequently ask ourselves “why did that go wrong?”

A large number of companies fail to address problem issues early enough to avoid an oncoming crisis.

The signs of a troubled business are all too apparent – these include lack of controls, lack of strategic vision, a demotivated workforce and obsolete or valueless stocks etc

Instead of grasping these nettles, often the preferred option is to engage in a totally pointless exercise such as a rebranding exercise or the launch of another product range destined to fail for the above reasons.

The operating style of many doomed companies can be likened to the exercise of rearranging deckchairs on the “Titanic”

Your customer needs you!

Over recent years rapid advances in technology have transformed the way we do business. Our everyday business tools would have been regarded as flights of fancy not so long ago.

With the unstoppable rise of e-commerce come challenges. Perhaps the biggest danger is the lack of personal contact between a company and its customers. Obviously this is not an issue for an online retailers selling products over the net and being paid via a Debit Card or Pay Pal etc.

However, there is an increasing tendency for B2B sales to be concluded by email or even SMS. The personal element has been lost and so has the identity and customer relationship. The surest way to avoid problems is by knowing your customer and understanding their business. This relationship and mutual understanding is not possible to maintain thru a key pad and email ordering system.