Welcome to The Business Improvement Experts (new name - expanded service)

 Pre-engagement Assessment / Due-diligence

Growth and Expansion

As a J Nelson Enterprise, LL- company The Business Improvement Experts (TBIE) consists of experienced executives and subject matter experts (SMEs) versed in rapid and significant improvement in both top and bottom line performance.  Whether you offer products or services, we offer you experienced senior leaders with a history of successful delivery including Operations, Sales and Marketing, Finance, IT, Human Resources and Organizational Development, Supply Chain, Quality, Legal Support, and Product Development.  

Additionally, we have access to resources dedicated to key areas such as branding, pricing, and product testing as well as to other external resources such as CPAs, and intellectual property experts. TBIE also has the unique capability to bring in an American Sign Language certified translator so that communications to/from your customers, clients or employess can proceed flawlessly

We offer customized project support, leadership training and coaching with flexible duration and intensity. It is based on client's need; not on a pre-determined set of programs.

Covering most industries, we differentiate ourselves in the following manner:

• Fees can be tied to the delivered improvements.
• You get more than one or two consultants: you get access to the cross-functional leadership skills responsible to deliver; not to leave you with a list of things to do and no way to do them.
• We help access local, state and federal grants as a means to co-fund training and investments.

ASK AN EXPERT: Submit a question via 'Contact Us' and a member of the consortium will post a reply.

QUESTION:

What's the deal about ISO certification?  It seems like a lot of bureaucracy.

ANSWER:

It's almost as deceptively simple as 'If you know what you're doing, you should be able to write it down so everyone can do it the right and same way'.  But I said 'almost'.  The additional value of ISO is that your procedures for doing business include common, critical elements, such that if a customer is seeking a  supplier, and that supplier is ISO certified, they can be certain that the key and critical aspects of managing the products and/or services of a customer are a)  covered b) documented and c) complied with in the way the supplier says they are to be done.

Companies that have obtained ISO certification essentially unilaterally agree that it brings not only operational value but marketing value. There are a  variety of ISO certifications, with the most common being 9001:2008. (with 2008 designating the year, and 9001 the standard).  There is a 9001:2015 in the  works which will add an overlay of  'risk' management' to the critical areas of attention.  However, those companies who are, or have begun the process to be, ISO  9001:2008-certified before the 2015 standard kicks in (not a specific date as yet, but is planned for sometime next year), will have their full, 3-years of  certification at the 2008 standard and not need to include the 2015 changes and requirements until their certification runs out.

Janet Nelson

QUESTION:

How does one know if their telemarketing calls are working?

ANSWER:

If you’re a businebusiness owner, you know the simple truth. When you strip away all the rhetoric and analysis, your business is ultimately supported by one thing: sales. Whether you're running ss owner, you know the simple truth. When you strip away all the rhetoric and analysis, your business is ultimately supported by one thing: sales. Whether you’re running a small home-based business or a multi-million dollar corporation, sustainable sales require sales-related phone calls.

Sales calls aren’t sexy or fun – they’re difficult and sometimes hard to measure.

Ultimately, the decision is driven by your perceived value. Why perceived? Because telemarketing is an investment and all investments are subjected to a cost-benefit analysis. A cost-benefit analysis only works if it’s comprehensive and this is where most business owners make their biggest mistake. I’m here to help.

Ask yourself these four questions to make sure you’re assessing the true costs and benefits of a telemarketing campaign:

1. Who is making my sales calls right now? If I’m making them, what owner-specific activities am I giving up in order to make these calls? As the owner is this the best use of my time? There are activities that only you, as the owner, can do. Lead generation sales calls aren’t one of them.

2. Do I have the expertise to maximize the effectiveness of a telemarketing campaign? A truly effective campaign requires thorough staff training, experience and a top-notch database. It takes hours of invested time to be able to honestly answer “yes” to this question.

3. Are my sales calls happening consistently with regular follow-through? Anyone who has tried to lose weight will tell you–sporadic, yo-yo dieting doesn’t work. Telemarketing is no different. A surge here and there does not create the momentum you need for consistent, reliable results.

4. How much money am I saving by doing my telemarketing in-house? Let’s say it costs $30,000 to outsource your telemarketing needs. But it only costs $20,000 for a full-time employee to do it in-house.

You’re saving money, right? Wrong. Don’t forget to factor the true cost of an in-house employee. You have to spend time hiring, training, and managing. You have employee maintenance costs in their payroll, taxes, benefits and compensations. And don’t forget about turnover costs. I hate to be blunt but it’s time for the adult conversation: if the time it takes you to do all of this is only worth $10,000 then you don’t have enough respect for the value of your time and even less for that of your staff.

No doubt, these are tough questions. The answers make you realize that yes, managing your own lead generation telemarketing is a waste of your time and money. Outsourcing is the smart answer.

Bottom line: spend your time closing the sales on qualified leads because when you outsource you will have more of them to handle. And that’s what you ultimately want − right?

Michael Krause

QUESTION:

  What are some of the biggest problems in managing a merger?

ANSWER: 

The over-arching problem faced in managing a merger is to overstate the benefits and understate the difficulties.  Everyone can find the resources to help navigate the mechanics of the merger: tying the IT systems, physically moving sites if that is appropriate. But the many (or even few) others can harm the company.

First and foremost; assume that a percentage of the acquired customers will leave.  There is rarely at 100% retention rate. The cost of switching is perceived by some customers as too high; but in as much as in their eye you have forced them to switch they will continue the switch but in the direction they decide.  This will be a vulnerable time and to the extent you competitors find out (and they will) they will be even more aggressive in pursuing the sale. Over-plan and perform flawlessly.  It is critical that no single order be missed.

In spite of the best intentions things just take longer than planned.  Do not underestimate nor understate the time and activities needed for the merger to take place.  Plan realistically and then put in a safety factor. Plan your safety stock, coverage, etc to this expanded plan. If you are availing yourself of external resources or experts, ask for their input as to historical experiences of plan-versus-actual.

Further, do not underestimate the hurdles to be overcome on the 'soft' side of the merger.  Employees will be running scared and key employees will need attention if you want them to stay.  If there is a name-change as part of the merger, losing it can be very hard for employees especially if there is high loyalty and/or the company has been around a long time. Productivity will take a hit. Ensure your HR functions and your management team addresses the emotional aspect of the merger and communicate, communicate, communicate.  Recognize also the impact of any name-change and of losing employees will have on the acquired customer base. This could further impact retention.

Lastly, and as mentioned above; Communicate!  Communicate honestly and constantly. You and your team see the whole picture and the benefits. Your employees and customers will not, and will fill in any missing voids of information with their own thoughts. Most often they are not positive ones. It is too late to try for damage control; plan to avoid it.

Janet Nelson