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APPROACH
There are five key commercial elements in the make up of a company: Products (goods or services) and
People (the greatest asset);Unique Competitive Advantage (memorable service is a guarantee to sustained growth); Customer Profile and Relationship (all customers must be loved and cherished); Mission
(the purpose of the company); Strategy (the road to growth).
The conventional approach starts with Mission. We start at the other end, with what already exists - the
quality and momentum that makes the company special. We build for growth on the true business talents, using skills that already exist within the company.
When we examine the opportunities for growth, we start with Products and People
and end with a Strategy based upon the Human Resource. Our focus is to concentrate on three main areas:Finding distinguishing qualities of the products and services on offer;Identifying the particular
talents of key management;Creating a unified Mission Statement that can translate into a new and aggressive platform for growth.
Products
All products are examined to establish their distinguishing qualities;
Opportunities for new products are identified; The packaging and marketing of all products is assessed, related to researched and defined customer need; Judgement is made on whether marketing,
merchandising, promotions, advertising, and public and community relation programmes portray the strategic intent that adequately reflects the character and culture of the company.
People
How well known are the full talents and ambitions of each manager, particularly
those in the top echelon? Are those talents being fully used? Is there an active motivational succession plan? Are performance review procedures inspirational? Is career planning standard procedure for
every manager? Are procedures in place to build company loyalty? Are management benefits competitive? Are graduate recruitment and training cost-effective and mutually rewarding? Does every manager and
staff member have personal operating goals? Is reward for achievement of goals adequate? Is there a good balance of abilities between functions? Do managers work as a unified team? Which managers need
coaching?
Sustainable growth is only achieved when Human Resource skills are fully utilised.
Unique Competitive Advantage
The definition of unique competitive advantage should emerge from the work on
products and people. The essential guideline is that it must be real, sustainable and provide advantage to the customer. If it does not emerge from prior work, it must be created and geared directly
toward the customer target group. This may need to be established by focussed research.
Customer Profile and Relationship
Are your customers specifically known as to type, lifestyle, age, sex, income etc
?; Are their positive needs studied and acted upon?; Are their negative reactions noted and remedies applied?; Are community relation programmes active and effective?; Does company styles engender
customer loyalty?;
Customer loyalty is dependent on their experience of the company and whether or
not they believe what you tell them. There is therefore a need to: Ensure that public / customer communications reflect company culture and practice; Build memorable customer communications which promote
your strategic intent; Ensure that you are at the forefront of web site communication and sales practices.
Mission
The Mission Statement is the simplest form of words explaining the purpose of the
company. It describes its culture, from which all strategy springs and plans are formed.
Strategy
The overall strategic plan grows out of the mission and breaks down into four
parts, each of which requires constant audit and revision:
Competitive Framework: To achieve a lasting competitive product advantage
requires an understanding of the nature, style, operational design and customer perception of the competition.
At the macro level, competition is for the funds available to the customer.
At the operational level it is companies of similar type, although operational
definitions are becoming blurred by the growth of multi-purpose companies.
The effect of the growth of multi-purpose companies must be considered, including
assessing the use and success of new computer based technology and innovative communication practices on the Internet. An analysis must be undertaken to maximise the advantage of these technologies.
Business Plan: Whilst plans exist in most companies, the best provide
operational blueprints for managers. They are aimed at growth, and take into account products, people and the company's unique features. They recognise actual and desired customer profile. They
reflect the Mission.
Every profit and cost centre should produce a business plan which serves as an
immediate operational blueprint, while providing direction for the mid and long term.
A good working document will be created by all operating line managers and
include: Total corporate needs; Attainable management challenge; Discussion of contingency plans to cover positive and negative performance in unforeseen circumstances; Set out operating objectives for
every contributor; Transform strategy into operational reality; The vital marketing plan which projects the company and it's products as items of value; A demonstration of the character and culture
of the company.
Structure: The organisations structure must be built to support the Mission
as enlarged and developed in the business plan process. It must ensure that areas of authority are clearly defined and assuming the existence of a profit and cost centre structure, authority and
responsibilities must be clearly stated.
The structure will provide the career pathways for the individual development of
key management.
Human Resources: It is fundamental to fully understand the skills and
talents of all staff and to give them pride in personal development. The task of the HR function is to ensure that every manager knows his own development programme, believes he can reach his optimum
level with in the company, is constantly and consistently appraised, understands his goals and is given responsibility and authority to achieve them. Developing loyalty programmes is an essential
strategic objective. It should be the aim of the HR manager to create pride in the work force, out of which springs higher output and increased growth.
All of the above factors and more, make forward planning an imperative.
Properly managed, they can be harnessed to provide growth. Ignored, they will cause a growth downturn.
For further information contact JWTurnbull@bmc-ltd.com
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