The essential ‘communication factor’…

I firmly believe that in any business environment, communication is one of the most important factors. Be it internal communication, or external, to your clients and suppliers, it is imperative that you build a strong verbal bond to increase business output and unity amongst your employees and your customers.

Staff Communication
Do not underestimate how important staff communication is. These are the people who help you run your business. These are the people who look to you as a manager or director, for guidance and verbal stimulation in the work environment. Make sure your messages are articulate and clear in the minds of your employees and communicate on a regular basis. Inspire your staff by words and actions.

Client Communication
For your business to be a success, it is essential that you have constant communication with your clients. Your clients look to you, as an expert in your field, to guide them and to relay information to them on a regular basis. In the design industry, I have found that a simple email or a phone call can be the difference between a mediocre agency and a great agency. In a world where there are many companies doing what you do, the communication factor could be the deciding element when creating a business relationship.

With technology progressing the way it is these days, it is possible to stay in contact with clients and suppliers even when you are out of the office. With the additional option of checking email on your mobile phone, you can be sure not to miss any business communication be it; client issues, potential leads or supplier demands.

Stay in touch, and build a strong creditable bond between you and who you work with.

‘Excellence’ in business…

I regularly check in with a talented entrepeneur and inspirational writer Andy Liu. His website/blog – ‘Inspired Startup’ is a great source of inspiration for anyone who has started their own business.

One of his articles ‘excellence’ is a great little piece about fine tuning your business ethics, which may help elevate your company to the next level.

First, Andy touches on ‘operational excellence’ which questions whether you know all the ins and outs about your business and it’s daily operations. It is important to be aware of every little detail and to be on top of everything if your business is to run smoothly.

Next is ‘service excellence’. This, to me, is a fundamental priority if your business is to achieve greatness. Looking after, and indeed, exceeding customer expectation is imperative if your business is to gain a good reputation amongst your competitors. Your customer service is your bread and butter. Without customers, you have no business.

He then talks about ‘HR and cultural excellence’. Currently I am working in Thailand, which is very relevant to this subject. There are many cultural differences as a westerner working in Asia, and it is important to understand those differences and apply them when working with or working for Asian people. Creating a working environment where staff are driven, but are also happy in the workplace can have a huge affect over your output. Respect both ways is something which will benefit your business long term.

‘Product excellence’ is another interesting point. Does your product stand out from the rest? Do you put in that extra mile to get that product perfect for the customer? That extra effort can set you aside from your competitors.

Lastly he mentions ‘communication excellence’. One of the most underestimated centers of excellence a company must have is communication. Keeping staff and clients up to date and making sure all avenues are clearly understood, is of mass importance to your business.

Andy Liu posts regular inspirational pieces for all you budding entrepeneurs, check out his site here: http://www.inspiredstartup.com