BUSINESS TIPS - Being Your Own Boss - Part 1

BUSINESS TIPS

Being Your Own Boss – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009

I have, over the last couple of months, had to field a number of questions around this topic. Questions such as where do I get money to fund the business, to how do I market it and what do I do and where do I go to get it off the ground and started.

Firstly, you have to find your own focus and decide exactly what it is that you want to achieve. Look at what it is that you are passionate about and then think about what your intention is, what your goals are and then what your purpose is. Write this down and make sure that you see it on a daily basis. Read it, digest it, believe it, live it – it is what and who you are.

Remember that for every “ying” there is a “yang”, so for every internal intention, there is an external one too.

Your ‘Internal’ intention dictates what ‘you’ will get out of the business, so it is about your gratification. What the business means in terms of what you accomplish in your life – this can be financial independence and success, notoriety etc.

Your ‘External’ intention is about what your business does, in terms of benefits, to others. So how does your business make a difference to people? No matter whether your business is about the sale of products or the sale of a service, how does that service and/or product impact on others? How does it help or assist or be of benefit to people.

Write down your internal intention and then share it with everyone – not just friends and family, but pretty much everyone that you encounter on a daily basis. Watch how people react when they understand your objective and what you want to achieve on a personal level. Your passion and drive will make them want to help you in anyway that they can – they can’t help themselves, it’s human nature. You, in turn, become animated at their enthusiasm and their desire to assist and this, in turn boosts your confidence and gives you validation in terms of understanding that you are going in the right direction. And so the wheel turns . . .

Write down your ‘external’ intentions. Then again tell people how it is that your product and/or service will benefit them or others. Again, don’t just tell your friends and family, but tell everyone who cares to listen. As people hear how what you sell will ultimately benefit others, they will begin to react. You see people relate in a personal way to benefits and once they relate to what you are doing they will start giving you advice on how to improve your product and/or service. People who are so fired up about giving you new ideas and being a part of what you started also won’t be inclined to question the validity of your product and/or service. They just want to see you succeed – especially if you like their ideas enough to use them.

So what happens if there is someone else who has a business that is similar to yours or who wants to start a business that is similar to what you have done? Well nothing actually!

You see, your true intent is like your fingerprint – it is unique to you and besides that, there is an abundance out there – more than enough for everyone in fact. Just continue to focus on your stuff, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.

Make sure you have your own true focus though and you will inspire those around you before they can be engulfed with their own self doubt.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

MOTIVATION - Stand Up and Be Counted

MOTIVATION – Stand Up and Be Counted


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

Isn’t it really wonderful, that no matter how much we like to complicate things – the fact of the matter is that life is really quite simple. As much as there is something like 256 different shades of grey, there are no grey areas in life itself.

You see for every issue that we have to deal with as a society, life only gives us three responses. Our response then dictates the results that we have to live with as a society.

Here’s the thing – we are either for something or against it or we do not have an opinion. Not having an opinion is often called “sitting on the fence” or as I like to call it “Splitting the difference”.

Having any one of these three opinions will result in one of two effects. That is either a positive or a negative effect or outlook.

Now, here’s the problem. Not having an opinion either way usually tilts the scales in favour of the negative effect – not so good hey?

So, waiting for someone else to make a decision for you will in all probability result in the negative occurring.

Therefore, if you want a positive action or reaction, don’t wait for other people to make the decision for you. Stand up yourself and be counted. Make a stand for what you believe in and what you know is the right thing to do.

Show the world that you have the courage of your own convictions.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Staff Don't Bring a Doctor's Certificate

ARTICLE 23

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Staff Don’t Bring a Doctor’s Certificate

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

As entrepreneurs and small business owners, I am sure we have all experienced the same problems with our staff, particularly around the issue of doctor’s certificates, when staff are off ill or when staff with babies or small children are off ill.

Much of the aggravation can be avoided by having a proper Letter of Appointment in place. Some of the issues that need to be documented are (but not limited to):

- During the first six months of employment you are entitled to 1 day sick leave for every 26 days worked.
- Thereafter you are entitled to 36 days (if you work a six day week) every 36 months or 30 days (if you work a five day week) every 36 months.
- Sick leave cannot be accumulated
- Sick leave cannot be paid out.
- Sick leave (or indeed any leave) can only be taken in accordance with Company Rules and regulations. (This would include things like (but not be limited to, sick leave forms that would need to be completed and when doctor’s certificates are required etc.)
- If a staff member is off for two consecutive days or on a Friday (or Saturday) or Monday or before or after a public holiday, a certificate must be submitted together with the leave application form, from a registered practitioner.
- A Medical Certificate can also be requested by law and in compliance with the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act), if your staff member is absent for more that one day every 8 weeks.
- Medical appointments, unless in the case of an emergency, should be made first thing in the morning (and where applicable the staff member should then go to work) or last thing at the end of the day, so as to disrupt the work flow as little as possible.
- Failure to produce or submit a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner, where applicable may result in unpaid leave.
- As an employer you are not required to pay an employee if they don’t submit a doctors certificate where required.
- The certificate must be from a registered medical practitioner. If the doctor/traditional healer/herbalist (insert whatever you like here) is not registered as a medical practitioner you are not obliged to accept the certificate.
- As an employer, you are entitled to verify the authenticity of the certificate by phoning the doctor to verify that the employee is/was in fact under treatment or that they did in fact visit the doctor for treatment.

Remember though – your staff are entitled to confidentiality so you are not entitled to know the details of what is actually wrong with them or the nature of the treatment.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

EARLY WARNING - Roadblocks

EARLY WARNING

Roadblocks.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

I don’t know about other motorists on the road, but I for one don’t particularly enjoy going through one of the many roadblocks that seem to be taking place at the moment. Not because I have any outstanding fines, although I can imagine how that would and could be the cause for concern, but because, well they are just a pain in the rear end. They waste my time and usually mean that I have to deal with some individuals who want nothing more from me than an offer of a bribe.

The last couple of times that I have been stopped is because I appear to have put my license disk on the wrong spot on my windscreen. I keep getting told that to have it behind the rear view mirror (from where I am sitting as the driver) is illegal and that by ‘law’ it is supposed to be in the bottom right hand corner of the windscreen. Of course no-one can show where it says this in the law, but that is another story for another day.

For others who have outstanding fines and what have you, a roadblock can be an absolute nightmare. Tales of people being locked up often has people paying up on the spot, irrespective of whether the metro office has produced a warrant of arrest or not.

Here’s the thing though – according to Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson, Superintendent Wayne Minaar, this practice is unlawful.

The fact of the matter is that the only time you can be forced to pay a fine on the spot is if there is a warrant for your arrest.

The traffic police, in an attempt to collect revenue try and scare you witless and in so doing force you to pay the fine immediately and we seem to fall for this time and time again.

In fact, if the truth be told, a fine is only valid for two years and then it becomes stagnant and is supposed to be deleted from the system.

Here’s how the whole thing works.

- Firstly, you should receive a notice advising you of the offence. This notice should include (but not be limited to) the nature of the offence (it needs to say for example that the vehicle was traveling at a speed of 81kms in a 60km zone or that the vehicle went through a red robot etc.), the exact location of the offence (again ‘somewhere near’ doesn’t count) the date and exact time of the offence (approximately doesn’t count), the amount of the fine and the payment date. The notice is then sent to your residential address and it should be paid within 30 days from the date that the notice was issued.

- If you don’t pay the fine by due date a second notice should be sent out and you then have another 30 days in which to make the payment.

- If you still don’t make payment a third notice will be sent out. This notice will be completely different from the other two in that it ‘looks’ like a summons, but isn’t. You will see that it is in fact an “Intention to Issue Summons.” This will give you a further 30 days to pay the fine.

- Should you still have failed to pay, it is only at this stage that a summons is issued. The summons is usually delivered or ‘served’ by a summons bearer and should be signed for by yourself and/or someone older than 16 who lives on your premises. So making your gardener, who works for you one day a week and lives next door is illegal. The summons will have a ‘court date’ on it and you will still have an opportunity to pay the fine prior to the court day. If you still don’t pay and you don’t attend the court appearance to attest the fine, a warrant for your arrest is then processed.

- Now if you are caught in a roadblock and there is a warrant out for your arrest, the traffic officers have the right to arrest you if you don’t pay the fine immediately. Be aware though, that you will also be liable to pay an additional (currently at this time) R300.00 for being in contempt of court.

Remember though that a fine is only valid for two years. So if you haven’t paid the fine and have managed not to get caught in a road block, you are free and clear. The fine is then supposed to be cancelled.

Don’t let yourself be bullied into paying something that you no longer have to.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 106

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 106

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Do be visible and well liked.”

In all honesty, this one had me in stitches! You see many people are somewhat taken aback with my ‘no nonsense’ type attitude and some are even a little ‘scared’ of me (although that also makes me laugh), but that said, most respect me because if they ask a question, they are sure to get an answer even if that answer is not necessarily the one that they wanted to hear. I often tell people that if they don’t want to hear the answer, then perhaps they should refrain from asking the question!

Being visible for me, is not dressing up like a turkey, although in all fairness to myself, I do love bright colours (I think everyone should add colour to their lives) and wear bright t-shirts and shorts. Being visible means that every time that someone goes onto the internet they find me, every time they sign onto a Networking site, they find me, every time they go to a Networking event, they see me or hear about me. That for me is what is being ‘visible’.

So get in there, write a blog, get a website, write some articles for the newspaper or magazines. Give of yourself, your experience, share some of the things in life that you have learnt.

As for being liked – well I would rather be ‘respected’ and quite frankly, as it is said ‘other people’s opinion of me are none of my business’ and that I truly believe.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.hirs.co.za

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

OHSA - First Aid Boxes in the Workplace

OHSA

First Aid Boxes In The Workplace


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

There seems to be quite a few questions on when a First Aid Box is required in the workplace and what is even more confusing is what exactly is supposed to be in the box. So I did a little research and this is what I found.

Please take note that these are the basic requirements and logic must prevail. If you are not sure – go to the OHSA (Occupational Health & Safety Act) or contact the Department of Labour.

When is a First Aid Box Required
The Act states that “First Aid Facilities must be provided where more than 5 (five) employees are employed at a workplace.”

Now let’s be sensible about this, if you are working in an office where the extent of your machinery is limited to a stapler and a punch, the above refers specifically to you. If you work in a workshop where you are surrounded by machines, all of which could do you grievous bodily harm, logic must surely tell you that irrespective of whether you have 1 (one) employee or 100 (one hundred), you need a First Aid Box.


The Act further states “The employer must provide a First Aid Box or Boxes at or near the workplace, available and accessible for the treatment of injured persons at the workplace.”

So, that means, you guys who have teams of workers out in the field or on site somewhere – the site boss or supervisor or whoever is in charge should have a First Aid Box in the car/vehicle or if there is a lock up facility on site, you could keep it there.

Then the Act says “An employer shall take all reasonable steps that are necessary under the circumstances, to ensure that persons at work receive steps that are necessary in case of injury or emergency.”

The emphasis is on “Reasonable steps” – and this includes but is not limited to the training of employees in first aid skills by a recognised training institution. This training might very well be specific to the job or business that you are in. For example training the staff at a nursery school would be similar but very different to training staff at a workshop. The nursery school would need to include training on treatment for children and infants as well as training on treatment for adults.

The bottom line is though, that your staff are entitled to receive first aid treatment promptly and without unnecessary delay.

What should be in the First Aid Box

The quantities of items that should be in the First Aid Box, would depend upon the number of staff and also the activities performed at the workplace. I would suggest that in order to ascertain your exact requirements, you need to go to the OHSA and do some more research.

The basic requirements are (but not limited to):

1. Wound cleaner
2. Swabs (for cleaning wounds)
3. Cotton Wool (for padding)
4. Sterile gauze
5. A pair of forceps (tweezers for splinters)
6. A pair of scissors
7. A set of safety pins
8. Triangular bandages
9. Roller bandages (small)
10. Roller bandages (large)
11. A roll of elastic adhesive
12. A roll (box) non allergenic adhesive
13. Packets of adhesive dressing strips (it’s a good idea to get a quantity of assorted sizes)
14. First aid dressing (small)
15. First aid dressing (large)
16. Two straight splints
17. Large & medium disposable latex gloves (it’s a good idea to have more than two of each)
18. CPR mouth pieces or similar devices (again it’s a good idea to have more than two available.)

Here’s the thing though – don’t be putting headache tablets and cough mixtures and the like into your box – that’s considered illegal and if you are caught with anything other than what is listed above, you could be in for a hefty fine. Think about the consequences of giving a tablet to someone who turns out to be allergic and that someone has a stroke or dies as a direct result of something you have given them – how are you going to feel about that, never mind the legal implications!

The articles from your box, that have been used must be replaced as soon as possible and as the employer it is your responsibility to ensure that your box(es) always carry the minimum requirements and that items that have gone past their expiry or ‘use by’ date are discarded or destroyed and replaced as soon as possible.

It is also a good idea to have a register of sorts to record every time an incident resulted in the use of the First Aid Box. This would also be good in case of insurance or legal claims and the like.

The name(s) of the staff who have been trained to provide treatment should also be kept in or near the First Aid Box for ease of reference.

Remember though, if you are in any doubt with regards to the requirements – contact the Department of Labour or if you are in any doubt re treatment - call for professional help!

Prevention is always better than cure though – so be safe at all times.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

MOTIVATION - Getting Closer to the Top

MOTIVATION – Getting Closer to the Top


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC- March 2009

H Norman Schwarzkopf says “You can’t help someone get up the hill without getting closer to the top yourself.”

Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. Everyone needs some sort of assurance that they are going in the right direction or that they have made the right decision from time to time. This is more so of a need in the SMME (Small, Medium, Micro Enterprise) arena that anywhere else. Why you may ask? Well quite simply, small business owners often feel that they are all alone and in some extreme cases even feel ‘lonely’ in business. Strange as that may seem, that is exactly the reality that some people find themselves in.

Little wonder then that Life and Business coaches are in abundance or that mentorship programs are offered up on silver platters.

Ever thought seriously about why that is? Sure there is a financial reward and sure they will have a bevy of extremely grateful clients who will hang onto their every word. But what’s the ‘what’s in it’ for them? What is the ‘pay off’ for them?

Quite simply it is also what they get out of the relationship. It’s about how they grow from the experience. It’s about what they learn from the person that they are in fact teaching.

In the laws of the Universe, it is about ‘getting what you give’ or ‘playing it forward’.

Remember though, you have to ‘give it’ first before you will ‘get it’ back.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

WHAT TO DO WHE. . . . You Need Your Staff to Work Overtime

ARTICLE 22

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Need Your Staff to Work Overtime

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

We haven’t visited with my favorite protagonists for some time now, so let’s re-introduce them.

We have George who is a Salesman at a retail store and Mike who owns the retail store.

Mike wants to do a year end stock take after hours so as not to interfere with the daily turnover and he therefore asks all the staff to make themselves available to work overtime on the Sunday afternoon, after hours to do the stock take.

George has decided that he will not work overtime. Mike is furious and wants to discipline George.

We’ve all been there I am sure.

Here’s the thing though – you cannot force a staff member to work overtime, unless there is a documented and signed agreement in place and this is accordance with the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) Section 10(1)(a).

When reading the BCEA, you will note that they have made provision for a certain number of hours of overtime. The Bargaining Councils have also made this provision but that doesn’t mean that you can force someone to work overtime. You still have to get the consent of the employees.

So how do you get around this problem, I mean realistically speaking, no-one wants to have to rush around to all the staff with Letters of Consent, every time that you want them to work overtime.

It’s actually quite simple – you put a clause in the Letter of Appointment/Contract that stipulates that they agree to work overtime from time to time. If this clause is not in your Letter of Appointment/Contract, as a standard requirement, what you will have in fact is a work force who will have a lot of leverage over you.

Why do I say that – well here is another scenario. Let’s go back to George and Mike. Let’s take the same setting. Now all the staff see that George has refused to work overtime and they now know that they are not obliged to work overtime and they also know that being year end, Mike has no option but to do the stock take, for the year end figures. If Mike does the stock take during working hours it will impact on his turnover as well as his year end figures and if he doesn’t do the stock take by close of business on the last working day of the year, this will also impact on his figures.

What do they do, well George and his fellow workers go into ‘demand’ mode. They demand additional overtime pay, they demand a ‘food’ allowance, they demand an additional ‘travel allowance’ and they also demand ‘time off for time worked’.

Mike is in no position to do anything but agree to their conditions, because the reality of the situation is that it would cost him more in the long run if he didn’t do the stock take on time. There would be costs on time lost as well as the time it took to adjust figures and a whole bunch of other issues to be taken into account.

So putting this clause as a standard into your Letter of Appointment/Contract could save you a huge amount of headache and money in the long run.

Remember though, if this clause is in your Letter of Appointment/Contract as a standard and it is agreed to by the employee when they start work and/or during the first three months of their employment, it lapses after one year. Once re-negotiated with that employee however, it then does not have to be negotiated again.

As always, if you are not sure about what to do, contact a reputable Labour Attorney to assist you.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

EARLY WARNING - Tow Truckers 'jam' Cellphones at Accidents

EARLY WARNING

Tow Truckers ‘jam’ Cellphones at accidents.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

This is one of the most disgusting stories that I have found the need to tell! A recent newspaper article penned by Natasha Joseph has revealed that apparently some of the tow truck drivers in Cape Town are using some sort of electronic device that jams the signal to and from a cellphone. Apparently they are doing this to make sure that people who have been involved in accidents cannot phone alternative tow truck drivers.

Now here is my opinion – that, in itself is not the end of the world although I am a firm believer in free enterprise and all that that goes with. The problem however is that this typically means that the person involved in the accident or even witnesses or passengers or passers by also cannot contact an ambulance or the police or family or friends for assistance.

How terrible is that? I mean what if someone actually dies as a direct result of no-one being able to summon assistance? Who then becomes responsible? How would you feel if you found out that your loved one passed away because nobody could dial out to get hold of help, because someone jammed the signal? I mean, what kind of people do this? Do people actually have nothing better to do than to think up things like this? Clearly making money is more important than a person’s life!

You do understand of course, that if this is happening in Cape Town, chances are that it is also happening in Gauteng and probably Durban and well . . . . anywhere where there are tow truck drivers.

Apparently though – there is a way around it – if you move some 30 meters or so from where you are trying to call, and try again, chances are that you might then be able to make the call – provided of course that they then don’t get electronic devices with a longer range.

Satra (South African Towing & Recovery Association), chair Andre Van Der Merwe ‘has urged anyone who has had this problem at an accident site to report this to Icasa’, writes Natasha.

Quite frankly, I wouldn’t just report them, I would lay a charge of sorts against them as well.

Stories like this make me despair of the human race!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 104

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 105

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. March 2009

Being able to have a ‘one on one’ discussion with someone that I have met, very briefly at a Networking meeting (or anywhere for that matter) is of the utmost importance for me.

Think about it for a minute – at a Networking meeting, chances are that you have had about 30 seconds (if you are lucky) to tell people who you are and what it is that you do. In the instances where you have tried to engage in conversation with someone, that conversation has been interrupted – several times, by people wanting to give you their business cards or wanting to give business cards to the person that you are trying to engage in conversation with. If the truth be told the whole vibe is frenetic. People are pumped up with the possibility of doing business and all the opportunities that abound – everywhere. For me, whilst this is all very exciting, it’s just not conducive to doing good business.

I need to have a ‘one on one’ meeting with the individual where we can sit quietly and I can find out who they are and what it is that they do. Where I can have a glimpse of the persona and get a ‘feeling’ of the person. You see at some point I will most probably be referring this person to the people in my data base or referring people in my data base to this person, which ultimately means that my credibility will also be on the line.

People have often likened this meeting to an interview and I suppose on some levels it is, except that we are both ‘interviewing’ each other. We both get to tell the story of who we are, what it is that we do, what our passion is and where we could possibly fit into each others networks.

Quite honestly you will be amazed just how much synergy people have with each other irrespective of how little it would appear to be at first glance.

Actually, if the truth be told – when people show reluctance to meet with me or constantly ‘forget’ our appointment, it is a clear indication to me, that they have no idea about the concept of networking.

As they say in the classics, ‘every picture tells a story’ and in Networking this picture is crystal clear.

So the next time someone asks to set up a ‘one on one’ meeting with you – take the challenge and meet with them, you’ll be amazed at what comes out of that meeting.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS - Leveraging Off Your Customer Capital

BUSINESS TIPS

Leveraging Off Your Customer Capital

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

Everywhere I go these days, be it to Networking meetings like Women in Finance (http://www.womeninfinance.co.za) or onto FaceBook or Destiny Connect (http://www.destinyconnect.com) or any of the many other sites that I contribute to, I hear the same story over and over again. The story of “I have this brilliant concept, but I need funding – where can I go for funding?” Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

So why is it so difficult to raise funding for your brilliant new business/concept/idea/product/service (insert whatever you like here)? Well apart from the fact that you probably haven’t done your research properly or perhaps you haven’t done a Business Plan and often you don’t have any collateral, one of the biggest things is that you are trying to raise capital for your business before you have any paying customers! Actually it is as simple as that.

The reality of the situation is that investors won’t be interested in your business or your ideas until such time as you can show them that you have got clients who are willing to buy and pay for whatever it is that you are trying to sell – until you have buying customers in place all you have is an idea or a dream and investors are in the business of business not pipe dreams.

Think about it logically for a moment and without emotion – you can theorize and pontificate to your hearts content about whether your idea/concept/product/service (insert whatever you like here) will make you the next billionaire in 5 seconds flat, you can do the sums on a piece of paper evidencing what could happen when it sells, the bottom line is that it is still a dream and it is still only a bunch of numbers on paper. But when the first customer buys whatever it is that you are selling and then the next one buys and the next – nobody can argue with that – because sales are facts and facts are what the investors want to see. Sales fact will give you leverage when you are looking for funding.

Every Rand that your business earns from your customers is worth it’s weight in gold, because it demonstrates the fact that people are prepared to pay for whatever it is that you are selling and this makes it less of a risk to the investor and tells them that you are serious about your business and that you are in the business of business to make money.

Facts, not dreams are what investors are looking for, so find some paying clients before you start looking for funding, it really will make your life a whole lot easier.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

MOTIVATION - So What!

MOTIVATION – So What!


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. March 2009

Let’s face it folks, there are always going to be people who don’t like what we do, what we are, who we are (insert whatever you would like here). The bottom line is that no matter what we do, what we are or who we are, someone is going to have an opinion that differs from ours. The real challenge here is not ‘what are we going to do about that’ but rather ‘how we react to that.’

One of my favorite moments in time that explains this so succinctly is this little story about Madonna. Now love her or hate her, she has a certain style and in my opinion the lady can sing. For those of you who don’t know the story of Madonna, she arrived in New York (I think) penniless, homeless and friendless. Her bags were stolen on the first night that she was in town but this little woman never gave up on her dream. She did what she had to do to get by whilst edging ever forward towards her goal. One of those ‘things that she did’ was posing nude for Playboy (or one of those magazines).

Several years later, just as she was ‘discovered’ and suddenly the whole world was in awe of Madonna, little girls wanted to be her or be just like her, the headlines hit the newspaper “Madonna poses naked!” Good grief! Shock! Horror! Everyone that I knew was asking “I wonder how she is going to explain this away?” We all waiting, giggling nervously. Would this be the end for this icon?

To be quite honest, I almost wet myself laughing the next day when the newspaper headlines said “Madonna says ‘So What’!” That was the end of the discussion as far as she was concerned. You see Madonna didn’t care if people put labels on her, she knew what she wanted, she focused on it and she went for it. I have no doubt that there are possibly things that she has done that she has regretted – but I doubt that that is one of them. Either way, the only person that will lose any sleep over what she has or hasn’t done – is Madonna herself. We don’t have the right.

This brings me to a poem that I believe was found in one of the Reader’s Digest magazines. It goes:

“People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered . . . Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives . . . do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will make false friends and true enemies . . . succeed anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable . . . be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest of people with the smallest of minds . . . think big anyway.

People favour underdogs but only follow the top dogs . . . Fight for some underdogs anyway.

What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight . . . build anyway.

Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth . . . Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.”

Listen to your heart, think with your mind, focus on what you want to achieve and be the best that you can be. That will always be enough.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Attendance Registers

ARTICLE 21

Attendance Registers

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

I am often astounded by people’s reactions when I tell them that it is a legal requirement for staff to complete and sign in, in an attendance register. The usual response is something along the lines of “well George has been with us for a number of years now and he is like part of the family and we don’t want to change that in any way, so we don’t want to implement an attendance register.” Fine – if that’s the way you want it, my job is merely to tell you about it, whether you listen or heed that advice is of course, your prerogative.

So why is it then, that 9 out 10 people who react like this when I tell them to implement an attendance register end up phoning me to assist them with a CCMA case several months or even years down the line? Well that’s really quite simple. You see, George (who was ‘like part of the family’) has decided to leave the company for greener pastures and when he left he wanted and was entitled to have his leave paid out. The problem of course is that there was no record of the amount of leave that he took, so you guessed it and paid it out to him in good faith. He on the other hand, was only part of your family because it suited him at the time and now he wants his pound of flesh, so to speak – and he knows that there is no record of when he was on leave and so he will claim as much as he can, going back for as long as he can and there is pretty much, nothing that you can do about it.

Having an attendance register in place, and insisting that the staff abide by it, means that you have taken the emotion out of the situation. Now no-one can get hot under the collar because they were sure that they were at work on that day and you were sure that they weren’t. The attendance register will prove who was at work and when.

Remember though, the attendance register must be signed EVERY day when the employee comes to work and not months in advance and/or months in arrears. Even your domestic worker who comes in once a week or your gardener who comes in once a week should be signing the register. In fact my rule is – if the attendance register has not been signed, it means that you were not at work and if you were not at work, then you will not be paid.
It’s quite simple isn’t it?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Attendance Registers

ARTICLE 21

Attendance Registers

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

I am often astounded by people’s reactions when I tell them that it is a legal requirement for staff to complete and sign in, in an attendance register. The usual response is something along the lines of “well George has been with us for a number of years now and he is like part of the family and we don’t want to change that in any way, so we don’t want to implement an attendance register.” Fine – if that’s the way you want it, my job is merely to tell you about it, whether you listen or heed that advice is of course, your prerogative.

So why is it then, that 9 out 10 people who react like this when I tell them to implement an attendance register end up phoning me to assist them with a CCMA case several months or even years down the line? Well that’s really quite simple. You see, George (who was ‘like part of the family’) has decided to leave the company for greener pastures and when he left he wanted and was entitled to have his leave paid out. The problem of course is that there was no record of the amount of leave that he took, so you guessed it and paid it out to him in good faith. He on the other hand, was only part of your family because it suited him at the time and now he wants his pound of flesh, so to speak – and he knows that there is no record of when he was on leave and so he will claim as much as he can, going back for as long as he can and there is pretty much, nothing that you can do about it.

Having an attendance register in place, and insisting that the staff abide by it, means that you have taken the emotion out of the situation. Now no-one can get hot under the collar because they were sure that they were at work on that day and you were sure that they weren’t. The attendance register will prove who was at work and when.

Remember though, the attendance register must be signed EVERY day when the employee comes to work and not months in advance and/or months in arrears. Even your domestic worker who comes in once a week or your gardener who comes in once a week should be signing the register. In fact my rule is – if the attendance register has not been signed, it means that you were not at work and if you were not at work, then you will not be paid.
It’s quite simple isn’t it?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

EARLY WARNING - Stolen Identity

EARLY WARNING

Stolen Identity.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

Imagine trying to prove who you are, when your identity has been stolen by someone else.

Ok let’s put it into perspective. You have a bank account and in that bank account you have several hundreds of thousands of rands. The bank has decided that they have to ‘freeze’ your account because you are not ‘FICA’ compliant and now you have to prove who you are all over again. Problem is though, someone has stolen your identity and the identity number that you have, have always had and should always have, now belongs to someone else, so the bank won’t allow you access to your funds, you cannot open a new bank account – in fact your drivers license is also affected and you cannot get a new passport either. Gives everything a completely different slant doesn’t it?

A recent report in the newspaper tells of a disabled woman who is living on handouts because her identity has been stolen and she cannot access the disability grant that she is entitled to because of this.

In this instance, this poor woman, has no income and because of her disability is not able to work to provide herself with an income and whilst she is destitute, hungry and cold, someone else is cashing in on her grants. The authorities appear to know all about it, but have done nothing – a case of fraud has been opened, but nothing has happened and she in the meantime has lost her right to a dignified life.

So here’s the thing, don’t give your identity number to just anyone, in fact don’t give out any of your details to just anyone. If you call a bank or somewhere where they need to identify who you are, then that is fine – you have made the call to the relevant institution – but if someone calls you, telling you that they are from the bank or the insurance institution or MTN or Vodacom or Cell C or whoever, you are not obliged to give them any information at all – not over the phone and not when you have not made the call.

Never, ever give your pin number out to anyone – not even a bank official, if you are having a problem give them everything that they need until it is time to enter the pin number – this you must do whilst they have their backs turned to you.

Never ever give anyone your credit card and/or ID details on line unless it is a secure site. A secure site will always have a little ‘lock’ in the corner. The little lock in the corner is put there by the credit card merchant only.

Take care of your identity and report any thing that may be suspicious. All of the banks have a ‘fraud division’. Always get a reference number when making a complaint so that you can follow it up.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 104

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 104

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2009

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Be authentic. Choose to be consistently YOU.”

This is also something that everyone should be aware of. It’s very easy to play a part or to try and portray the persona that you would like people to see and relate to. The problem with this of course is that like most lies, it will eventually come out and when it does the damage that will have been done, in all probability will be irreparable.

For me it is just easier and a whole lot less complicated to be me – warts and all. At least that way, I don’t have to remember what I said to who – no matter how often I tell you the tale or the story, it will be the same story because it is the truth. No matter how many times you meet me or engage in conversation with me, it will be the same me – a few days older, perhaps a little grumpier, sometimes busier but all the same me.

Credibility is built on trust and consistency and believe me if you are not consistently who you are, your credibility will be found to be seriously in need.

Besides which – and here is the million dollar question – why would you want to be anyone other than who you are?

Be all that you can be, but be you!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.hirs.co.za

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS - Firing a Client - Part 4

BUSINESS TIPS - Firing a Client – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

The next client has got to be of the worst kind. They are the clients that are really stressful to work with. In many ways they are the most fabulous clients to have – they pay on time, they don’t quibble about the price, there’s always work coming in and the work itself is exciting and it stretches your mind. It’s challenging and a pleasure to do. So what’s the problem, I hear you asking? Well for me it is when I don’t particularly like the client as a person. They are usually unpleasant, difficult to work with, rude and over bearing. They have no respect for what you do, yet would not be able to do it themselves, which is why they hired you in the first place. They impose ridiculous deadlines and feel that they have the right to call you any time of the day and night and that you should be at their beck and call. Quite simply put they are exhausting.

When you are caught up in this merry-go-round, you will need to think very carefully about whether or not you want to continue this relationship – if you do, you will need to set very firm ground rules. One of my colleagues does it by charging double time for anything that she has to do after hours and that includes taking telephone calls. They soon learnt not to call her after hours.

Whatever the reason – before you fire a client, you need to sit down and ask yourself some questions. Are you ok about losing the client? Would you be able to work with them again if you had some sort of break with them? Would you consider doing any future work with them?

The answers that you give yourself would clearly make a difference on how you went about actually firing the client.

Here’s the thing – screaming and shouting, swearing and slamming the phone down, storming out of the office and saying things in the heat of the moment, is not the way to do it – remember you are supposed to be a professional person.

Not returning messages, phone calls, e-mails and just ignoring them until they go away is just plain rude – also not the way to do it.

Then of course you are just too busy and you will be too busy for the rest of your natural life. For me this is also not the right way to go about it. For me it’s about being upfront and honest about it. It’s about being professional and dealing with the problem in a mature manner. Let’s be honest, often the client will not even know that they are being a royal pain in the butt. If you show them and explain to them what the problem is, and they are equally mature about things, there may even be a way to salvage the relationship.
If you can’t, or if (as in the case of a friend who ended up being threatened by the client) they don’t want to or you realize that you don’t want to keep them either – then it’s time to walk away. Don’t walk away angry – learn from the experience and just walk away. Remember the Universe is a funny old place and as one door closes, somewhere another opens.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

MOTIVATION - Directing Anger

MOTIVATION – Directing Anger


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

William Arthur Ward says “It is wize to direct your anger towards problems – not people; to focus your energies on answers – not excuses.”

How true is that? I don’t know if it is that time of my life for me, or if it is because we are now well and truly in the “Age of Aquarius” or if I am just becoming cranky with old age, but I seem to have lost the ability to have patience with the masses and salespeople in particular.

The level of service in this country (and I suspect all over the world) just seems to be non existent and added to that the use of call centers that may or may not be in this country at all, serves to crank up the crankiness for me. Much of what goes on in a call center is about power – well that is how it comes across, especially when you ask to be put through to a supervisor because the half wit that you are dealing with has about as much brainpower as a paper clip. Getting the run around (come on now we have all been there) because “no-one is available right now” and being given another number and then another number and then the number that you started off with as they shunt you from pillar to post, with no-one actually taking responsibility for what they are doing.

For me on a personal level, solving problems is what I love to do. In fact it could be said that that is what my business is all about – so how then do I deal with the problem, if the problem is the people? For me it is an easy solution – you see in my business I don’t have any staff, probably because I deal with problem people all day long. My clients often have really problem people and there are several ways to deal with those – it is after all what I do. Trying to talk to someone who has more than half a brain cell, in a call center though – now that is a challenge.

How about I give you the solution to that one too. Well what I do is that I document what I have said (whether or not they tell you that the conversation is being taped or not) and I request a reference number and of course, I take down their details. I get the details of the so called supervisor, who is never available and I start sending out e-mails and letters and I keep a record of who I spoke to, the time of day that the conversation took place, the problem that I was trying to resolve, the reference number that they have given me and of course the all important e-mail address of the supervisor. Sooner or later I actually get a call from the supervisor or someone pretending to be a supervisor, and at this point my problem gets resolved.

I have noticed though, that no amount of shouting and screaming at the half dead individual on the other end of the phone, at the call center will help to get the problem resolved, it will just increase my blood pressure and I promise it does not make me feel any better afterwards either. So what’s the point.

Does this mean that all queries or complaints should be handled in this way – of course not. But then life is full of shouldn’ts and won’ts and we just have to find a way to get to the should and can. Documenting it also, in some ways makes me feel better and I also have proof what happened, when it happened and how it happened, when that little tape that they recorded suddenly is missing and for the record, sometimes the getting even is worth the time that it took to write the letter or e-mail in the first place, especially when the apology is backed by a little freebie too.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

A Web Presence

Good Morning All

My friend Meryl from Pixelmagic (http://www.pixelmagic.co.za) has just finished Phase One of my new website (http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za - check it out, sign up for free, and feel free to comment).

Because of all the business I have sent her way, and because I understand how important it is for everyone to have a web presence of sorts, I put some serious pressure on her to give back to the community and I have negotiated, what I believe to be a fantastic deal for all Start Up Businesses, for all Small Businesses and even Very Small Businesses.

Here's the deal:

Meryl will build a one page, functional web page for anyone here on Blogspot.com, for a cost of R1000. Can you believe it? Only R1000 to build a website! I must say I am very proud of my negotiation abilities!

Here's the thing though - You have to mention my name - so contact Meryl on her website or on meryl@pixelmagic.co.za, mention my name (Nikki Viljoen) and she will build you a one pager website for R1000.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

st

Good Morning all
I am having a workshop on the 18th March in Bryanston - It's my "A Basic Practical Guide to Starting a Business" Workshop and you can see what it covers, the cost etc by logging onto my website http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
I know that many of you are really keen to start something on your own and for yourselves, but that there are many questions that you don't know where to find the answers to - this workshop will answer many if not most of your questions as well as give you answers to many questions that you had not thought to ask yet.
I look forward to hearing from some of you soon.
RegardsNikki

WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Staff Have Accumulated Leave

ARTICLE 20
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Staff have accumulated Leave

This can be a real nasty! Clearly it is in your own best interests to have the correct wording for what you want, in your letter of appointment.

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act says that the staff member is entitled to a minimum of 15 working days leave per annum. It also states that the staff member cannot ‘sell’ you their leave.

Here’s the problem – there’s nothing in there to stop staff members from accumulating leave and this is where you will ultimately have a problem, one way or another.

Obviously prevention is better than cure, so let’s put down here some of the things that you should have in your letter of appointment:

The 15 days per year as per the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. Now if your company closes over the December holiday period, your staff will only accumulate 3 maybe 4 days per annum, which means that they should still take those days during the course of the year. I would suggest that you have a clause that says something along the lines of – leave cannot be accumulated. At least 80% of the leave must be taken within the course of the year, the balance of 20% must be taken by no later than 31st March of the following year. Leave accumulated and not take at this time will be forfeited and lost. Remember though that if the employee resigns or is dismissed, the leave that has not been taken (unless it was forfeited and lost) has to be paid out at this time. If your company closes down in December, but the staff member wants his/her full leave during the course of the year. Your letter of appointment should state clearly that taking leave during the closure of the Company is mandatory and that any leave not taken at that time must be taken during the course of the year. Staff will only be granted at a time that is convenient to the Company. There is nothing in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act that states that staff can take leave as and when they feel like, it has to be at a time that is convenient to the Company.

Then of course, you will have the odd members of staff who will phone you on a Monday morning and say ‘Oh by the way, I’m not coming in today because I am taking leave.’ Not nice!

So in your letter of appointment, you should state that – leave must be applied for at least a week/month (whatever is convenient to you as the employer) prior to leave being taken. This will give you a chance to put measures in place to accommodate being short staffed. If the nature of your business means that everyone is under extreme pressure during certain times of the month this can also be factored into the Letter of Appointment along the lines of – Leave will not be granted during the period between the last weekend of a month and the first weekend of the following month.

If you follow these simple guidelines, the only time you will have a problem is if a staff member has applied for leave and you as the employer has denied them that leave for whatever reason.

If the employee then resigns or you dismiss them, you will have to pay them out. Don’t do that and believe me you will be paying out – big time.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

SALES - Be Realistic About the Outcome

SALES

Be Realistic About the Outcome.

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

There is a huge difference between having an outcome that we want and the outcome that we usually get! Not achieving what we want, in terms of sales can be devastating. Our confidence goes for a ‘ball of chalk’, we feel depressed and worthless and worst of all is our motivation takes a leave of absence and we have to ‘kick start’ ourselves every morning just to get going.

Cold calling and the difficulties associated with the constant rejection that is the reality of this method of sales can be very draining and soul destroying, particularly if our expectations are not in line with reality.

Here’s the thing though – even the top sales people on the planet are rejected on a regular basis. That’s the truth.

Think about it logically for a moment, what are the chances that the person that you want to speak to, is available to chat to you, when you are available to chat to them? How many times have you phoned a friend and had to leave a message because they did not answer the phone? When that happens how do did you react? Did you feel rejected and unloved? Of course not. Usually you would just leave a message, understanding that the friend is not available and then go on about your business. So how about using that tactic when you ‘cold call’ a company. Just leave a message for the person to contact you and go on about your business.

Then there is the person that you actually get hold of and for whatever reason, they don’t have the problem that your particular product and/or service can do anything about. Once again you feel rejected. Go back to the scenario of your friend. You need to borrow a drill from a friend and you phone the first one that you think may have one, but he doesn’t – so now you have the sulks! Of course not – you probably have a laugh about it and then phone the next friend who may have one. You go about your business – you need to do the same thing here. So this particular prospective client does not need your product or service – ok, but there are still thousands who do, so instead of sitting there feeling sorry for yourself, move forward to the next one.

Now what about the person who does have a problem that your product and/or service can definitely sort out, but he is currently busy with someone else or something else and cannot discuss anything with you right now. So what do you do – it’s your choice you know. Some will sulk and get all bent out of shape, some will try and force the conversation and the sale and of course, some will make a note to phone the prospect again. Just a word of warning here, if you are the one who tries to force the conversation and the sale, all you end up doing is killing the sale even before you have started. There is nothing more irritating than a salesperson who won’t listen. They very seldom make it through the door a second time.

Each time you phone a prospect, you should have understand that there are several outcomes that could happen. Be prepared for each one. In fact, write down on a piece of paper all the different types of answers that you may get and understand that you may not get the one that you want. Don’t hype yourself up and get yourself expectations that are so far from reality that they are preposterous. The only person you will hurt is yourself. Don’t take it personally – some times things are just what they are, and they are not always about you. Your prospects also have lives that they are busy with and their priorities will be different to yours. Understanding this will go a long way towards you reaching a realistic goal.

Setting yourself unrealistic goals and not achieving them is setting yourself up for failure all round. Setting yourself realistic goals and then achieving them will only boost your confidence.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 103

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 103

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

For many of us, Networking is not an easy thing to do and for introverts especially, the next part is extremely difficult. Getting your mind set right is of vital importance.

Getting you and your business visible, credible and profitable means that even the shyest of us need to crawl out into the open and get busy. We have to make sure that we create a certain skill set and what have to get out there and meet and mix with people.

Get yourself to as many networking meetings as you can find, even if it means attending meetings held by your local Chamber of Commerce. If you are able to, get yourself writing a regular column in your local newspaper, start a blog. Get onto other people’s and/or networking websites. Participate in discussions and share experiences or information.

As you become more and more visible in the business community, your own credibility will begin to develop. Don’t be shy to ask for testimonials and post them onto your website.

Once people start recognising you they will understand that your are here for the long haul and before you know it you will start receiving quality referrals.

Make sure though, that you always deliver. If the message on your phone says that you will call back, they make sure that this is exactly what you will do. If you make a promise – make sure that you deliver more than the minimum.

Build your reputation so that no matter where you are, someone will have heard of you and someone can vouch for you.

Whatever you do, do it with reliability, integrity and credibility.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS - Firing a Client - Part 3

BUSINESS TIPS

Firing a Client – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting March 2009.

We all agree, at some point in our lives, that there are clients that we just have to get rid of or we ourselves will suffer a slow and agonizing death. Here are a few more reasons for you to look at, to know and understand, that now is the time to fire these clients.

At some point in our lives, we have all done work that has been boring to the point of screaming inside ourselves, ‘if I have to do this one more time I am going to kill myself’! Often we hold onto it because of the financial implications – it puts food on the table. The problem is, what it does to our ‘souls’. It can go a long way to destroying the entrepreneurial spirit, or it crushes our self confidence. Sometimes we do it to ‘add’ to our portfolio’s or so that we can show that we have worked for a plethora of interesting clients – my suggestion to you though, is get rid of them as soon and then as fast as you can. They will rob you of the essence of who you are faster than you can blink!

Then of course there is the client that you have had since before ‘pa fell off the bus’! Let me tell you a story. When I first started my business almost 6 years ago, one of my first clients was also in the retail game. They had little in the way of policies and procedures and they also had a host of hungry shark type suppliers following them around. Several months into our relationship I discovered suppliers stealing from them and I mean stealing goods – actual goods going missing and stealing money in over charges and the like and then the fun started. To cut a long story short the claims and the court cases amounted to several million rand – nothing to be sneezed at.

Once the main hurdles had been jumped, although there was still a lot of work to be done and policies and procedures to be implemented – my weekly obligation was suddenly cut from 3 days a week to 1 and then just as suddenly, only when they needed me. I weathered the storm understanding the lessons that I had to learn and got on with my life. Almost a year went by and suddenly, out of the blue, I received a call to please come and assist them with their shipping documents – it appeared that the new supplier was also over charging them. It was the 2nd week in December, my diary was full and I was handed the shipping documents for the entire year to check and go through. I ended up working through the night every second night and at the end of the exercise I even gave them a 15% discount – they’re “old” clients after all.

This is where it gets interesting – they paid, but asked me to reduce my fees even further as they could not afford me. Here they are, both partners driving in the latest Merc’s, wearing the height of fashion, going overseas on holiday several times a year – money seemed to be of no consequence, yet here they were asking me for a ‘better rate’ – never mind that they had not given me any work for an entire year, never mind that I had to work through the night every second night for almost 3 weeks – none of that seemed to matter in the slightest. You see they had given me one of my ‘first breaks’! Here’s the thing though – I had worked like a dog for every cent that they had given me and it wasn’t as if I had not delivered.

My reply – well it went something along the lines of “my hourly rate is RXXXX. If you are willing to guarantee me, in writing a minimum of Y hours a month, I am prepared to give you a 5% discount, on anything over the Y number of hours that I work.”

Did I get any more work from them? Of course not. Was it sad to see them go? Of course it was, my relationship with one of the partners spanned more than 15 years and we have now seemed to have gone our separate ways. Has it made any difference in my life? Of course it has – I found a bunch of other clients who are willing to pay the full price and who don’t dump things on me at the last minute and who don’t expect me to work all hours of the night and day because they are not organised.

Don’t be scared to walk away from something that does nothing but build up resentment in your heart – it’s just not worth it. By walking away from something that is harmful, you are opening up the door for something a lot more worthwhile.

Next week we will have a look at some additional reasons on why to get rid of some of your clients.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

MOTIVATION – Doing, Not just Talking


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Towards the end of 2008, I was invited to the Launch of the Soweto Project at the Ubuntu Kraal in Soweto and one of the things that became absolutely apparent was that people are tired of the ‘Talkers’. One after the other people stood up and said “We have heard this ‘Talk Show’ before, when are we going to see the ‘Do Show’?”

I was amazed!

You see, lately (and I suspect for some time now) I have become more and more irritated with the number of ineffectual, time wasting individuals who are puffed up, like ‘hot air balloons’, with the amount of worthless gas and uninspired drivel that they seem never to run out of, as they stand up on their public platforms, and pontificate.

From politicians (who seem to be outdoing themselves at the moment as the political race to the finish line gets going), to trainers and coaches, from small business owners to the large corporate giants, they all have a story to tell and it seems to be the same story! From the banks who tell you how serious the are about your money, or how motivated they are to the government bodies who are there, supposedly to assist you in growing the economy – the story is all the same. It goes along the lines of “We are wonderful, we care about you so much that we will . . . .” (fill in the blanks yourself), and at the end of all the sprouting and erupting, all the pontificating and posturing they deliver exactly . . . . nothing!

I am sick and tired of people who tell me what wonderful leaders they are, yet they couldn’t find the paper bag, let alone lead themselves out of one.

I’m sick and tired of the personal and life skills coaches, who tell you how you should live your life, yet should probably be committed to some sort of institution because of the mess that their lives are in.

I’m sick and tired of the politicians who talk about morality and ‘doing the right thing’ whilst groping in my pocket for my last cent!

I’m sick and tired of the ‘talkers’ who never deliver and who usually do the exact opposite of what it is that they are telling me to do!

Talk is cheap and it looks like it is getting a lot cheaper!

I want to find the people who ‘walk the walk’. I want to find the people who DO what they say they will do, when then say they are going to do it and in the manner in which they say they are going to do it.

I want to find the people who do things themselves, in exactly the same manner as they tell me to do them.

I want to find the people who do what they say they are going to do, who consistently and deliberately take action on their promises.

I want to find the people who not only commit to things but who also make good on their commitments.

Those are the people that I want to follow and respect. Those are the people that I want as my ‘role models’.

Those are the people who I want to mix with and do business with and refer to my colleagues, my clients and my friends.

Are you someone that I want in my ‘circle of influence’?

Are you a person who will be judged by what you do or are you just like them or are you just another bag of hot air that emits pollution into the atmosphere.

I know which person I want to be – do you?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za