Are you aware there are THIEVES In Your Business?
It makes my day when I get a call from an on-fire customer!
This past week I heard from a special client named Charlie, wanting to give me an idea for one of my blogs.
You see, Charlie owns one of three companies we’ve been working with; all from the same non-print industry. The owners know each other very well.
Charlie has been encouraging Ted, one of the other owners, to keep up with his systems software training. Charlie’s convinced that, in short order Ted can reap the benefits of systemization for his company, just as he did.
At the risk of offending Ted, Charlie asked him, “Do you know you have a THIEF at work in your business?”
Ted must have thought, “Oh my, I have a thieving employee in my business. Charlie knows who it is and he’s trying to give me fair warning.”
Overcoming “criminal” business practices
Our client, Charlie, has been systemizing his company for over two years, and has seen MANY benefits and rewards. He’s become pretty vocal in helping others overcome what seems criminal to him now in so many businesses.
Charlie often calls me to share some encouraging news, something we all need in these times. A few days ago, he forwarded an email to me that he had received from his corporate headquarters. It commended him on his rating of ZERO “Exceptions,” a report Corporate sends out on all jobs as needed.
An Exceptions Report details errors or mistakes on a particular job. Corporate was especially impressed with Charlie’s work on a really large job.
Before Charlie systemized his business, he had become discouraged by (but, almost resigned to) receiving multiple Exceptions. His line of work has many more processes to deal with, because all the company’s assignments are OFFSITE.
You can imagine how frustrating his work had become! He would send large crews out to do jobs that entail hundreds of processes, expecting they would be completed without fail. Then he would receive letters from Corporate and clients giving his company failing marks for all their hard work. His reviews often included so many “exceptions” that job payment might be delayed for months. In Charlie’s industry, TOO many exceptions leads to the loss of a lot of work, and can lose a franchise owner his or her license.
The GOOD news is, over the past two years Corporate has been delighted to witness Charlie’s achievements. Management is now quick to give him commendations for saving the organization TIME and MONEY. His “No Exception” reports have also allowed him to get paid quickly for his company’s efforts. To be sure, his customers are also more than happy!
So who are the thieves?
“TIME and MONEY are the thieves!” Charlie had told his friend Ted. “Those are the THIEVES that rob a company that doesn’t have good operating systems. Poor performance and the subsequent rework lead to Exception Reports from headquarters and not getting paid in a timely manner. It also results in a loss of personal peace and time with family.”
Do you deal with these thieves in YOUR business? If so, what are you going to do about losing time and money?
You COULD continue to tell yourself, “It’s just part of doing business in our industry.” Or, “We tried systems and they just don’t work for us.”
You can continue to put up with these THIEVES. Or, as my client did, you can record their system-busting actions, arrest them, lock them up permanently, and throw away the key.
My friend Charlie now warns all his friends and colleagues who show signs of having these “thieves” in their own businesses, that he knows how to help them lock the thieves away for good.
Well-planned business systems really are CRIME STOPPERS!
Did I mention? Great systems work!
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