tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.comments2011-03-03T22:17:06.824-05:00Ron Meledandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05458104421980254311noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-70076592659195059702011-03-03T21:52:28.172-05:002011-03-03T21:52:28.172-05:00This is so true. Recently I took a job with a company as a regional sales manager, and when I was told what my sales taget was for my territory for the next year I was shocked. I asked how did you get that number? What is your market analysis? Do you have a Business plan that shows this is possible. The answer was even more shocking? He said he did not have a business plan, he operates like a street vendor. Little did he know that I knew some street vendors that make a lot of money and they have a business plan. It Is So Sad!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-74679014650248215822010-11-22T09:00:15.918-05:002010-11-22T09:00:15.918-05:00Not easy to think like the great men of the past and present unless we really make it a point to study them and their work.Vivienne Quekhttp://www.versacreations.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-12381825038002055482010-11-07T12:39:09.594-05:002010-11-07T12:39:09.594-05:00Cathy,<br /><br />I would advise you to consult your attorney as to whether your state may have such a law or whether your industry may be reuguated in such as manner as to require distribution of specific employee rules and policies. I personally believe, as I stated in my posting, that a copy should be given to the employees with a page that the employee signs and returns stating that they &quot;received, read and understand&quot; the manaul. This will emphaize to the employees how important the content of the manual is to your business.Ron Meledandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05458104421980254311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-77612502392563769882010-11-06T16:29:36.174-04:002010-11-06T16:29:36.174-04:00Is there any law out there about policy manuals and if they can be kept in house or must be distributed to each employee?Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05024647411094872023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-13324919137196505782010-09-09T23:41:20.194-04:002010-09-09T23:41:20.194-04:00Performance evaluations of employees is to provide fair and equitable compensation based on performance and to facilitate the testing and validation of selection tests. It also provides information to make decisions about layoffs and contraction and suggest changes in the behavior of employees, where appropriate.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hotline.co.uk" rel="nofollow">promotional pens</a>janysekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269063278880644532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-12657048696387848932010-08-28T11:57:03.863-04:002010-08-28T11:57:03.863-04:00<a href="http://money-maker-4free.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">That</a> <a href="http://free-offshore.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">is</a> <a href="http://allmoviesstreaming.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">great</a> <a href="http://comedystreaming.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">post</a>Aniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02571619275450524704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-26791601194744969172010-08-27T12:40:00.171-04:002010-08-27T12:40:00.171-04:00Nice article,simple languageMohininoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-49235306412642022352009-12-01T13:19:07.819-05:002009-12-01T13:19:07.819-05:00Very well said Ron! I couldn&#39;t agree with you more, but sadly, history proves we DO NOT learn from the past; we simply redo the same mistakes. Crash in 1987, Russia not making good on debt in 1997, dot.com bubble, real estate speculation.<br /><br />My thoughts on the next bust? Perhaps the &quot;social networking sites&quot; and the valuation that comes with those IPO&#39;s. Ride the market on them up, short them near the top and ride them to the bottom.<br /><br />Hope your holiday was a good one and hope to see/hear from you soon!<br /><br />ChristianAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-58470090612131099032009-09-05T15:18:24.422-04:002009-09-05T15:18:24.422-04:00Thank you for your knowledge sharing! <br /><br />I&#39;m a business student studying my last-year bachelor progam in Singapore. I gained a lot of useful information from your blog. <br /><br />-Tiffany-Foolerynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800992894769129878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-60089077944002865132009-04-08T08:27:00.000-04:002009-04-08T08:27:00.000-04:00"Sometimes losing money on a sale is necessary for future sales. But be careful you don't sell at a loss because the customer "promises" future purchases." - Very good point.That's where relationship, trust and good business acumen come handy.Vivienne Quekhttp://www.versacreations.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-31962354498255799492009-04-08T08:15:00.000-04:002009-04-08T08:15:00.000-04:00Ron, very good article. Something even marketers will miss out while strategizing. So ad agencies, design houses and PR firms' competitors may not be their same kind, but the clients themselves! In this economic winter, many business owners chose to put on marketing caps. :)Vivienne Quekhttp://www.versacreations.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-45612522968065558392009-03-25T18:13:00.000-04:002009-03-25T18:13:00.000-04:00I am not familiar with ING Direct's practices. I would add that having a demanding customer is not necessarily a bad thing .. IF .. the customer is willing to pay extra for his/her demands. I had an EXTREMELY demanding customer many years ago in a former business. He often bragged about how demanding he was. However, he was willing to pay top dollar for his demands and he always paid on time without the slightest complaint beause we satisfied his demands. He was a very profitable customer.Ron Meledandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05458104421980254311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-4127300506676898052009-03-25T17:01:00.000-04:002009-03-25T17:01:00.000-04:00Interesting post, Ron. I'm reminded of something I read once about ING Direct; their CEO Arkadi Kuhlmann remarked that they do in fact fire customers who are too demanding. Are you familiar with their practices?Amyhttp://www.thehiringsite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-39766494948115992472009-03-20T08:29:00.000-04:002009-03-20T08:29:00.000-04:00I agree with what you discussed. There were times when I was manager at Wendys that I wanted to FIRE a bunch of customers,(regular customers) because they thought we should wait on them hand and foot. If some day I own my own business this will be very helpful. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-19486372009320392352009-03-15T16:04:00.000-04:002009-03-15T16:04:00.000-04:00Hello Ron. I really enjoyed your article about the Business Scoreboard. I am the founder of www.yes941.com and I am urging my entrepreneur group to utilize scoreboards in their businesses. The scoreboard that you talked about it probably the most important tool in any business. JohnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-7267383836610272002009-01-04T10:46:00.000-05:002009-01-04T10:46:00.000-05:00A great businessman should always answer yes on the question whether his business be better or worse regardless of the year. As a saying...if door closes, we can always open the windows.vichttp://businessaccent.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-28745480143968441612008-12-21T18:41:00.000-05:002008-12-21T18:41:00.000-05:00Banks lend you money when you don't need it... the prettiest girl wants to date you after you get engaged.<BR/><BR/>Some more of life's little idiosyncracies that drive me nuts.<BR/><BR/>You are SO right, Ron. We get stuck in the day to day grind and forget to stop, look around, take some notes and do things to ready ourselves for the future, whether it is tomorrow, next month, next year or next generation.<BR/><BR/>Like the Boy Scouts Motto, "Be prepared!"<BR/><BR/>Merry ChristmasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-86488479231955763042008-12-10T21:31:00.000-05:002008-12-10T21:31:00.000-05:00We have to be flexible to adapt to the flows and ebbs of water. Darwin's Theory is made so real in this financial tsunami. With our clients scaling down their budget in marketing, we have to be creative to cater to their needs while watching out our bottom lines. Creativity and versatility in marketing, payment and client relationship are all called for.Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-55541276560482811182008-12-10T21:26:00.000-05:002008-12-10T21:26:00.000-05:00Assembling a board of director, think tank or mastermind group to leverage is great. We can learn and support each other, and thus reducing a level 10 problem to a level 1 challenge. However, what I found most challenging is to find like minded and committed members to sit in such bodies. Many petered out after a few months. :(Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-76527707738804323672008-12-10T21:23:00.000-05:002008-12-10T21:23:00.000-05:00"I know that" are 3 dangerous words. They kept us from learning. Like a plant, we start dying when we stop growing.Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-67980205811258749612008-12-10T21:20:00.000-05:002008-12-10T21:20:00.000-05:00Your post reminds me of Domino Pizza. Very few said their pizza is great but the promise of delivering within 30min stuck to people's mind even until today.Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-60317811279460962182008-11-24T17:00:00.000-05:002008-11-24T17:00:00.000-05:00I couldn't agree more! Employers believe they are doing a good thing by offering bonuses but most of them get it wrong and it becomes a failed system within their company- usually joining other failed systems that have piled up along the way. <BR/><BR/>If a company is going to offer bonues they must have clear expections, measurable progress, and a trusted overseeing body. <BR/><BR/>And, while I'm on the subject. Let's think about what bonus your employees should get. They are not only monetary. Get creative. Get to know your employees. What is it that they would most appreciate from you? <BR/><BR/>Happy Holidays!<BR/>Lisa Spahr www.spahrconsulting.com <BR/>Your Life Coach for Better Living!Lisa Spahr- A life coach for better living!http://www.blogger.com/profile/12666999431146198121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-37210163029234791732008-10-24T22:55:00.000-04:002008-10-24T22:55:00.000-04:00Hi Ron, Your #6 reminded me of my own post on elevator speech. :)<BR/><BR/>What I do when I go network is I'll write something at the back of the name card. The date, venue and even time I met this person. If necessary, a comment on the person or how I think we could leverage on each other. It helps a lot as I cannot trust my brain to remember distinctively every stranger in a networking session. <BR/><BR/>Of all, your #10 is the most valuable advice. NATO is not the way to go.Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-37598313955057743762008-10-24T22:49:00.000-04:002008-10-24T22:49:00.000-04:00Just sharing ...<BR/><BR/>When I was a rookie in an ad agency many moons back, I thought brain-storming session was a waste a time. There were 5-7 of us talking from anything to everything in the room for 3-4 years. Some ideas were so far fetched and ridiculous that I zoned out. Only when the big idea came did I realized that one idea leads to another yet to another and so forth, until the bright light. After that enlightened moment, I gleefully stayed on each and every brain-storming session no matter how absurd some of the ideas were. I knew something will come out of nothing. The tough part is to get everything to think out of box, without restrain, without boundaries imposed by ourselves or the client. Only when ideas flow freely, will the mother of all ideas come.Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2806064326499860821.post-67874472282096578562008-09-18T22:00:00.000-04:002008-09-18T22:00:00.000-04:00You are right that small business owner wears many hats. That's probably what wore him down eventually too. Outsource is a smart way of leveraging other people resources and strength.Viviennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05536161030429191206noreply@blogger.com