Business Strategy | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Telecom Marketing Content Writer

Taking Manufacturing Into Your Own Hands

May 31, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Manufacturing

When you own a small business, you’re likely to outsource a whole lot of your work. After all, you’re only one person and it would be impossible for you to have specific and in-depth knowledge of every single process that needs to be carried out in order to keep your company afloat. Outsourced work often includes web design, market research, IT, and product photography. However, no matter how much work you put into your company’s design and set up, you need something to sell and this is where manufacturing comes into play. Now, many businesses outsource their manufacturing process, as they don’t want to commit to buying expensive machinery and specialist equipment. However, as your business progresses and expands, and you become more certain that there’s a market for your products out there, this is a process that you should seriously consider bringing back in-house. So, let’s take a look at what you should focus on when bringing manufacturing in-house and how you can expect to benefit from this clever business move.

Having the Right Equipment

When you bring things in-house, you need to make sure that you have the right equipment to complete the work to a high standard. This is likely to involve a fair amount of investment. You want top end machinery to get the job done right first time around. This is likely to include product-specific machines, as well as equipment such as an Industrial Touch Screen Monitor to control them. You should try to get the hardiest and sturdiest options possible, as manufacturing is often an Industrial job and the equipment is really going to be put to the test to keep up with production deadlines.

How You Will Benefit

While outsourcing your manufacturing may take a weight off your shoulders, you lose a whole lot of control over the very products that you are going to be selling. By bringing manufacturing in-house, you can keep an eye on proceedings. This improves quality, as you can alter the process to ensure that everything is exactly what you want. You also gain immediacy – if you need a certain run of items produced quickly, you can focus on them and ensure you get them out on time. Third parties will have other orders to keep up with, so will only be able to produce your items in the time originally stated in your agreement. You also know the exact working conditions that your products are created in, as you provide the working environment and you’re the one managing the staff. This means that you can be one hundred percent sure that everything is responsibly and ethically sourced and crafted.

As you can see, as long as you are sure that there’s a steady market for the products you’re selling, bringing manufacturing in-house is an extremely logical decision. Not only will it give you more control over your wares, but it also helps you to keep up with demand. So, make sure you have the right equipment and know how to operate it, and you should be good to go!

A Second Location: Moving Onto The Next Stage Of Expansion

May 31, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

You’ve done well by thriving in your first location. Business is well you’ve got heaps of customers and you have a loyal consumer base that sees your products and services on par with large companies. Momentum is like a rolling boulder in business. Taking so long to move when you are finally gathering some pace, it feels like you’re unstoppable. But now that your business is thriving in one location, it’s time to expand and open up another location so you can meet the increase in demand. The consequences of not expanding could be both irreversible and a missed opportunity that may not come around again. For one, an increased demand means you have to service much more customers that you may have planned for. When you cannot fulfill the needs of consumers, your reputation will be damaged permanently. You’ll be forever seen as unreliable and taking on more than you can handle. On the other hand, a perfect location may only be available for an unknown period of time since other businesses may move into those spots.

Expand your line

Could you simply copy and paste your existing business from one location to another? Sure, you can. Would this wise? Not when you have a chance to shine. Just because you’re expanding your business to a different place where you may only be slightly heard of, it doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels. Just as you’re going to open up a new spot, expand your line of products and services. This takes obvious planning and releasing them at the precise moment you do expand. However you have a new lease of life as a business that gains popularity but doesn’t innovate, goes through a classic boom and bust cycle. Presumably, you have been noting all the customer feedback you’re getting and once you have a clear picture of what needs to be improved, you can design a new product or service that plugs that gap. At the new location, you also have an immediate connection with new customers as they will be more likely to be accepting of the new additions.

Financial momentum

Growing a business cannot be easily done if you don’t have the appropriate funds. It’s one thing to utilize a piece of your revenue but then you would be exposed in an emergency. If a financial crash were to occur, then you wouldn’t have a revenue well you could dip into for a prolonged period of time. So to expand you might it in your interest to get a small business loan like the type offered by SummitFR. They come in and observe your business practice and take a look at your business model. Obviously, when you’re expanding you are showing you are not only thriving but moving onto the next stage of growing your company. They target businesses that are looking for rapid growth. With their loan, you can capture a market share which is what you can do with a new line of products and services.

Expanding a business is all about making a strong decision to move your business to the next step of your journey. The financial wave will smooth over any speed bumps you run into and new offerings to consumers keeps your business relevant while you expand.

And The Key To Productivity Is… Spring Cleaning?

May 31, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Ask any reputable business person about productivity, and they will say things such as technology and teamwork. A company is only as strong as its weakest link according to conventional wisdom. No one in their right mind would say that spring cleaning is an essential aspect. Isn’t that something we only do at home to keep our significant other happy? There is too much going on in the industry to worry about dusting the surfaces or mopping the floor. Running a company is about working hard and investing in the brand and product.

Well, the following reasons disagree. In fact, they think that spring cleaning has a massive role to play, and here’s why.

Employee Mentality

If you believe YouGov, 45% of workers like their job. Although this is a relatively high figure, it isn’t a majority. On the flip side, 20% of people in the same poll said they neither liked nor disliked their job. They tolerated it, which isn’t a positive attitude regarding productivity. Employees work for a steady paycheck, and lots have days when they can’t stand the thought of going into the office. Hiring Office Cleanz to remove mess and dirt can change their opinion. Granted, a lot more will have to change but a tidy office is a start. Output revolves around the surroundings.

Office Distractions

Of course, some people love their work and wouldn’t change it for the world yet are unproductive. Why? It’s because there are too many distractions in the office. As much as they want to complete their tasks for the day, they can’t help but stare at a screen. And, human eyes are always drawn to TV sets so this will happen 100%. A spring clean is an excellent way to remove the junk that is stealing the office’s focus. Merely ask yourself a question: is it necessary? When the answer is no, throw it in the trash.

And Insight

Let’s look at spring cleaning from another angle. There you are, tidying away clutter that you think is a distraction when you stumble across an anomaly. It’s something that has zero meaning whatsoever, yet that the office wants to keep. Is it because it has sentimental value, or maybe they don’t like the idea of throwing it in the bin? Nope, it’s because it acts as a vehicle for output. Yep, cleaning the office can raise awareness of the tools that you didn’t know where useful. With this info, you can tweak the workplace to increase productivity.

Memory Loss

Don’t worry; clutter isn’t a leading factor in the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Memory refers to work memory, the part of the brain that deals with processing information. As you can guess, a dirty, cluttered office can impact the brain’s ability to digest data. As a result, it gets harder to complete a task that was once a walk in the park. In short, physical mess turns into mental clutter and that is why spring cleaning is critical to productivity.

What is your view on the impact cleaning has on output?

Going Global With Your Business

May 31, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Global Business Growth

It’s always necessary to keep on trying to grow your company, but there might come a time when you have nowhere else to expand into in your national market or industry sector. Don’t worry if you hit this point; it’s actually a very good sign. It means that your business is now ready to go global.

Going global and reaching out to international markets is a big deal for companies. After all, it gives you a lot more customers to target and the chance to make even bigger profits. However, before you do start to move into some foreign markets, it’s important to remember these following pointers.

Carry Out Plenty Of Local Market Research

It’s really important that you think carefully about which international market you are going to expand into. You will find that your company will be a bigger success in some than in others. The best way to figure out which markets to aim for is to carry out some research. Ideally, you should get a local market research firm who are based in your target country to carry this out as they will come up with some better results than a firm in your home country.

Find A Local Mentor

It’s a good idea to team up with a local mentor who has plenty of experience in the industry and market that you are planning on expanding into. They will have all the best advice for you and can even help you deal with some of the cultural differences that you will face in this new territory. They will even be a great help when it comes to increasing your professional network in the foreign country as they will be able to introduce you to all of their contacts.

Business Mentor

Get Ready For Language Differences

If you are expanding into a country that speaks a different language to your own, then you will need to be prepared to overcome the various hurdles that a language barrier could bring. Thankfully, English is still very much the language of business, but you might still find that there are times when you need to arrange translations and book interpreters. It’s also a good idea to start hiring multilingual employees now so that you are all ready once you do start operating in your target country.

Consider Extra Financial Support

Are you sure that your business will be able to cope with international expansion? Firstly, you need to consider whether you can hire more employees to handle all the extra work that you will get once you do expand. You might also need to start renting a new office in your target country. All of these things cost money, so you need to know for sure that you can afford it. If you aren’t too sure, it’s worth looking for some new investment or seeking a business loan.

Once you have considered all of the above, you should be in a good position to expand into a new global market. Good luck!

4 Non-negotiable Construction Site Essentials You Need Right Now!

May 30, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Running a construction company is pretty intensive, and you need to make sure you aren’t overlooking important areas. When you are working in construction, you need to be aware of the fact that health and safety is paramount because things can get dangerous if you aren’t careful. This is why you have to make sure your site takes care of what matters.

There are certain things you have to ensure you have as a construction firm. Certain essentials for any site that you need to make sure you have in order to be a success. If you can nail the basics, and keep your site running effectively, success will follow quickly behind. These are 4 of the non-negotiable you need to make sure are playing a huge role in your construction site day to day.

#1. Have an Office

Even as a construction firm you still need to try to be as professional as possible and have offices to work out of. There need to be areas where you can meet with the team, speak with clients, and look over plans, and an office is the perfect place to do this. US Construction Trailers offer purpose-built mobile construction offices that would be ideal for your site. Always have an office where you can conduct business – your site will benefit from it.

#2. Hire Experts

Running a construction business involves a lot of hard work, and there is very little margin for error. You have to make sure you do as much as you can to hire the best people for the job. Securing experts for your site who are skilled and have experience in construction is so important. You are going to be trusting your workers with expensive projects, sometimes in the millions of dollars, and you don’t want mistakes.

Furthemore, it’s important that you do not overestimate your employees by presuming that they are aware of all health and safety protocols on the first day of their job. While they may already have decades of industry experience under the belt, regulations and government guidelines are constantly changing – and the introduction of new machinery can further complicate matters. As a result, you should ensure that all employees – from the experts to the apprentices – receive thorough health and safety training before they start work. The importance of health and safety measures in the construction industry cannot be overstated. Construction is well-known as one of the most dangerous industries to work in, so doing all you can to protect everyone on-site is vital. You may find it helpful to purchase your own copy of the industry standards at store.standards.org.au to ensure your business is fully compliant.

You may also want to ensure that those in supervisory positions undergo additional training – such as OSHA Training courses. These classes, which take just 30 hours in total, ensure that all students will obtain a greater understanding of occupational safety and health standards. This means they can help keep your construction sites safe and secure for everyone involved.

#3. Have the Best Equipment

Having the best equipment is also hugely important because you mustn’t cut corners. You have to make sure you are using the very best tools and machinery to get the best possible result for your projects. This means working out what you’re going to need to complete a project and making sure you have it on site. It is also important to ensure that there you are using quality equipment to guard against accident or injury.

#4. Security

Security is a major concern for a lot of construction sites, and yours will be no different. You need to make sure you are doing what you can to ensure the best possible environment for your workers. This means carrying out health and safety procedures, testing equipment and machines, and making sure everyone is wearing a hard hat. You also need to make sure you are storing gear away securely after use, and that the site is secure and safe when you go home for the night.

Running a safe and successful construction site is hugely important in developing a strong reputation. Even if you are a small construction owner, you still need this advice to help you make your site the best it can possibly be. This is the best way forward, and you need to make certain you’re doing what you can to prepare your construction site in the best way you possibly can.