Project risk management is the act of proactively identifying and mitigating risk. Imagine that your team is working on developing new software for a client and you have allotted six months to complete the project....
A team that works well together will be more productive, successful, and will be much easier to work with. But the minute you suggest trying out a few team building games you will probably be...
Every day, your customers interact with your company in some large or small way. This interaction may occur when that person uses your product or service. They may also engage with your company through a...
Once your new project is approved by management, it’s time to get to work. You’ve got a good idea of what work lies ahead, and all you have to do is get the team together....
A workflow is, essentially, a series of repeatable steps needed to take to achieve some sort of business goal. Without the right software, however, workflows are nowhere near as effective as they can be. Digital...
In a business environment, the most successful teams are the ones that have learned to work through problems and make decisions together. But as a team leader, facilitating successful team decision making is no small...
As a sales manager, you are responsible for leading your team to reach their quotas and generate more revenue for the company. Sales management can be broken down into three main areas… Developing & Implementing Sales...
Disregarding the type of business you run, or the industry you’re in, you should probably be aware of what the buying process is & how to take advantage of it. What is the Customer Buying...
During a project, a change request can often be met with dread. But the fact is, they are a reality in the business world and often, change requests are submitted for legitimate reasons. In our...
In every company, there are those employees whose jobs mainly involve acquiring and using information in a creative way. Peter Drucker referred to these individuals as knowledge workers in his 1959 book, Landmarks of Tomorrow....
Have you ever wondered how long you should wait before following up with a potential customer? Following up too soon might make you seem pushy or unprepared. However, if you wait too long then you...
A performance improvement plan can be a bit of a controversial topic. A lot of employers think it’s something too formal, and very unlikely to work. While it may be a foreign concept to some,...
Roughly 50 million startups are born each year with the intention of eventually becoming profitable businesses. Many entrepreneurs dream of beginning their startup with next to nothing in the bank and growing their business to...
Choosing to implement Six Sigma into your business is not a task for the faint of heart. Implementing Six Sigma is a huge undertaking and the reality is, most Six Sigma projects will fail to...
Recently, the term “workflow” has become a bit of a buzzword in the business community. And while most business owners can intellectually understand why workflow is important, it’s hard to truly wrap your brain around...
In most companies, there is a large amount of knowledge about products, customers, and processes that are only known to certain employees. This information is called tribal knowledge and it is a problem that many...
You already know that a lot of time, money, and energy goes into signing a new client. So the last thing you want to do is sign a new client and then lose them due...
In the business world, there has been some debate when it comes to Lean vs Six Sigma. Most people have strong opinions about which method is more effective for cutting costs and eliminating waste. Lean...
In order to understand the sales handover process, it is helpful to imagine it as a relay race where the marketing and sales teams are working together to bring in new business. The marketing team...
Launching a new product is an exciting time for any company. Whether it is your first product or an addition to already existing products, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the excitement and...
Peter Drucker is an author, teacher, and consultant who is well-known in the business world. He is often referred to as the Father of Modern Management and is known for his high standards and genuine...
The term “office politics” makes many people cringe because it often carries with it a negative connotation. And while it may bring up unpleasant work memories for you, office politics is really just about learning...
Many businesses spend a lot of time and money on marketing campaigns to attract new clients. Marketing is important but it is only the first step in the client conversion process. The path that you...
You start your company with a fantastic product that customers want and are willing to pay for. And as your business continues to grow, well-meaning people begin telling you that you need to find ways...
As a business owner, you are probably very familiar with employee workshops and understand the value of organizing one for your own employees. Fostering an atmosphere where employees can gain new skill sets and you...
Imagine that you are a business owner and a fitness enthusiast who wants to open a brand new gym in your hometown. As you start building the facility and preparing for opening day, you want...
Many people are familiar with Six Sigma, a set of management techniques that helps companies minimize the likelihood of errors and improve the customer experience. Your company may have even chosen to implement Six Sigma...
If there is one subject that most people love to talk about, it’s goal setting. Endless podcasts, articles, books, and newsletters are created every year just around the topic of goal setting. People want to...
Anytime you achieve a goal it is usually through implementing some sort of project. The development of new software, the construction a building, and designing a new website are all examples of projects. A project...
Take a moment to think about the steps your customers go through before they even make their very first purchase from your company. Perhaps it begins when a potential customer opts-in to your company newsletter...
Have you ever wondered how long you should wait before following up with a potential customer? Following up too soon might make you seem pushy or unprepared. However, if you wait too long then you...
Six Sigma is a framework that was designed to eliminate waste and improve the customer experience. It was introduced to our mainstream business culture in the 1980’s when Bill Smith, an engineer for Motorola, first...
Before we delve into Business Process Management – what is a business process? A business process is more than the ideal set of work steps captured in formal process documentation. Rather, it is the actual...
Business processes should be viewed as an asset that is diligently managed, maintained and improved upon. This is because even the very best business plans will fail without process consistency. The need for consistency may...
Client onboarding is the process of welcoming new clients into your business, addressing their questions and concerns, and ensuring they understand the services available to them. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your current customer...
Customer retention is the actions companies take to get their customers to continue using their services. Surprisingly, it is not a high priority for most businesses. According to Forbes, as recently as 2012 many businesses...
Outsourcing has proven to be an effective model for companies looking to save on overhead and labor costs while improving efficiency. It is a model that can be scaled while still giving companies the option...
Workflow automation is a created series of automated actions for the steps in a business process. It is used to improve everyday business processes because when your work flows, you can concentrate on getting more...
In the past ten years, companies have increasingly begun to look to hire outside of their company. This is commonly referred to as “outsourcing” and can be an opportunity to minimize payroll expenses and decrease...
Growth in any company is exciting because adding new employees can bring a sense of fulfillment to everyone involved in the organization. However, the first 90 days of onboarding a new employee are critical. Failing...
Every time you contact a client, develop a new product or deal with a customer complaint, you likely follow a certain set of steps. These steps are known as business processes and they not only...
To remain competitive in today’s business environment it is necessary to utilize continuous improvement tools. Continuous improvement tools help to enhance business processes. They do this by providing small improvements over time or a breakthrough...
As a business owner, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and like you are being pulled in many different directions at once. You are not only in charge of day-to-day operations but any other issues that...