Inspiration - Teachers

 Inspiration -  Teachers

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

The quote today comes from William Arthur Ward who says:  

The mediocre teacher tells. 

The good teacher explains. 

The superior teacher demonstrates. 

The great teacher inspires. 

I know that from a personal perspective, I have always had the most out of someone (teacher or not) who inspires.  People who “tell” me things get my interest, but that is about all and yes it is great when people can explain things to me, especially if I do not understand the concept.  It’s good to explain so that you can get a ‘buy in’ and certainly the teacher, who demonstrates, will also get my attention, but usually just until the demonstration is over.  For me, the bonus is a teacher who can do all of the above – man oh man, that is pure inspiration!

A teacher can tell you about passion, a teacher can explain what passion is all about.  I dare say that, on occasion, a teacher can even demonstrate what passion is, but for me, my mentor, inspires the passion in me.

Some time ago, I wrote about my mentor – she inspires me.  She challenges me to be all that I can be and then some more. 

We are all, in one way or another, ‘teachers’, whether by formal training or not.  We teach our children, our animals, our staff, our friends and acquaintances – most of all we teach ourselves as we learn about life.

So pretty much like I always say “Be the Leader that you want to follow”, I’m also going to say “Be the teacher that you would want to inspire you!”

What kind of impression will be your legacy?  What kind of teacher are you?

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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Always Seem To End Up At The CCMA

 HR 101 – What to do When . . .  You Always Seem To End Up At The CCMA

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations, The Basic Conditions of Employment Act and Best Practice requirements.

At a workshop that I was giving the other day (A Basic Practical Guide To Starting A Business), one of the delegates made a statement that went something along the lines of “I don’t want to hire any staff because they are so difficult to get rid of and then you always end up at the CCMA and then end up having to pay huge fines – it’s all about the employee!”

To say that I was stunned, would be an understatement!  Then it hit me – apart from the “mindset” out in the marketplace that the Labour Law only takes care of the employee and the employer just has to keep paying, there is also the mindset of “how difficult can it be – I can do it myself”!  Wrong, Wrong and Wrong again!

SMME’s (Small, Medium, Micro Enterprises) also seem to operate from the back foot.  They always seem to do things as a reaction to something.  Quite honestly it frustrates the hell out of me and what it does is add to the bottom line – the reality is they always end up paying through the nose and then they sit back and play the victim.

Here are some of the ways (but not limited to) in which you can avoid ending up at the CCMA or paying huge fines and penalties.

• It is widely recognized that the quickest way to end up at the CCMA is, not to have procedures in place!  Having the correct HR, Administration and Operational Policies, Procedures and Templates will ensure that staff know exactly what it is that is required of them, they understand that there are consequences and they know what those consequences are.  Make sure that your procedures are within the letter of the law.

• The next problem is that employers, in an attempt to save money, try and chair disciplinaries themselves.  That’s just not a good idea – to chair a disciplinary, you would need to, at the very least, have an idea of what the BCOA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) and the Labour Relations Act says.  It’s like being your own lawyer in a court of law!  The reality of this is that it ends up costing you an arm and a leg, as you end up having to get legal advice anyway and it leaves you feeling like a victim of the law.  Don’t do it!

• Many business owners think that the law is there to make life difficult.  Nothing can be further from the truth.  My take on this is that the law (and also policies and procedures) are legislated and implemented to protect us from our own stupidity.  Now, as you can imagine, I am often given quite a hard time by people when I make this statement.  The reality though is that laws are passed and procedures are implemented as a result of something that has happened.  Nobody sits around all day, trying to think up ways to make life difficult.  People usually try and prevent something from happening again and again and they do this by means of either legislation or the implementation of Policies, Templates and Procedures.

• Having an inexperienced Chairperson can also cause untold problems.  A Chairperson who is not competent or who cannot make a decision based on the facts, rather than the emotions – or who must report into an HR department or business owner, prior to “making a decision” is going to cost in the long run, when the employee goes to the CCMA.  So make a decision to get the right person in to chair the disciplinary.

So here’s the thing then – yes Labour legislation is 100% in favour of the employee – that said Labour legislation lays down the correct procedures for employers to dismiss staff legally.

So make a decision now – get your policies and procedures correct and make sure that they are properly implemented, get the right people in to do the disciplinaries and even if you do end up at the CCMA, chances are that the case will be dismissed.

It’s your choice – how you make it will mean the difference to your business.

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 – Credit Card Fraud

 Early Warning – Credit Card Fraud

By Nikki Viljoen – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

We seem to still be on the whole Credit Card experience – this was also received from a colleague.  Again, how true it is, I couldn’t vouch for – but it does seem plausible and for me forewarned is always forearmed.

“Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in.  I paid using my Visa Cheque Card, which of course, is linked directly to my current account.

The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure.  While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing.  I noticed the phone because it was the same model as I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Then I heard a “click” that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture.  He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.  Meanwhile, I’m thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on.  It then dawned on me - the only thing there was my credit card, so now I am paying close attention to what he is doing.

He set his phone down on the counter, leaving it open.  About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved.  Now I’m standing there struggling with the fact that this youngster just took a photo of my credit card.  Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.

Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlour.  All I am saying is to be aware of your surroundings at all times.  Whenever you are using your credit (or debit) card, be cautious and don’t be careless.  Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing as you use your card.”

The bottom line as always, be aware, be safe and take steps to ensure that you don’t become a victim.

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 

Networking 101 - Don’t Confuse Networking with Friendship

 Networking 101 - Don’t Confuse Networking with Friendship

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

“Don’t confuse networking with friendship.”

Actually, whilst we are on the subject, don’t confuse business (of any kind) with friendship either – they are two different issues that should inhabit two different spaces in your life – if they don’t and if you confuse or blur the line the result could mean the loss of business or the loss of the friendship – so be careful about what you are doing and make sure that the lines and boundaries are very visible and very clear to all parties concerned.

Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with social networking, in fact, you can make some really great contacts and even do some really good business on places like LinkedIn or even Facebook but I wouldn’t rely on them as the sole focus of my networking commitments.  I would use them rather as tools to enhance what I already have.

There are a huge number of other Networking opportunities out there both from a local perspective as well as internationally. There will always be some that feel a whole lot more comfortable than others – it’s a matter of choice.  I would not say that one is necessarily better than the other – it’s about what works for you at the end of the day.

Having said that, however, you need to take the first step and actually get onto the site or get to a meeting and get going!   Networking takes work, it doesn’t just happen!

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

Business Tips – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 7

 Business Tips – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 7

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Legislation and Best Practice requirements.

So far we have looked at:-

1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;

2. Your Purpose:

3. The People around you and

4. Your Personal Footprint.

5. Knowledge & what you do with it

6. The Generosity of your Spirit 

7. The Role of Technology in your Business

8. Self Confidence

9. Creativity

10. Focus

11. Vision

12. Result

13. Networking

14. Leadership

15. Management

Believe it or not, there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Problem Solving

I doubt that there is a single business owner or entrepreneur out there who can honestly say that there is a single day that they don’t have to solve some sort of problem or another.  You have to be able to think outside of the box, change your mindset or your perspective and even think laterally.  Remember each problem that you solve successfully brings you one step closer to your ultimate goal and your success in the long term.

2. Being Innovative

In keeping with the previous point, all small business owners are innovative in one way or another – yes all of them, even the bookkeepers and accountants.  They have to be in order to compete.  Each business owner or entrepreneur has to find a “different” way to do things.  They each have to make what they offer different to what everyone else offers (and I am not suggesting that anyone does anything illegal here okay!) The more unusual your offering or product, the more likely your company will become valuable.

3. Teamwork

A task/problem shared is a task/problem halved . . .  There is nothing truer than that, provided of course that you have the right team in place. Even though every team has a leader, someone who carries the ultimate responsibility and accountability, the reality is that a team where everyone contributes to ideas, as well as the tasks, works better together.  A team where everybody is part of the decision process is stronger as they are all working towards a common goal. Make sure that you have such a team!

4. Strategy

Winning the Lotto is by chance (provided of course that you have bought yourself a ticket).  Winning in business is because you have planned properly and you have a strategy in place.  Beware that your strategy and planning don’t stay in that stage, remember you need ‘action’ to get the work done and succeed.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

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 

<<

Part 1

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/02/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-1/

Part 2

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/03/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-2/

Part 3

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/05/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-3/

Part 4

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/11/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-4/

Part 5

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/11/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-5/

Part 6

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2013/01/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-6/

>>

Part 8

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2013/03/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-8/

Part 9

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2013/04/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-9/

Inspiration – The Basics To Succeed

 Inspiration – The Basics To Succeed

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

I am often asked, “what is the recipe for success?”  Well at the risk of upsetting a huge bunch of the population, let me say this – success for each person means different things.  So how you, as an individual would then achieve that success would also then vary from individual to individual.

In my opinion, though there are certain elements that are necessary, irrespective of what your idea of success may be.

These are (but are not limited to) having the right attitude.  Your attitude must reflect who you are as an individual.  So if you feel that you are lost and on a road to nowhere that is exactly what will be reflected in your attitude.  Clearly, the best attitude to have is a “Winning Attitude”.  If you think of yourself as a winner, as someone who can do what is required or necessary, then this will be reflected in the way that you conduct your business.

Don’t get me wrong – you still have to have fun with what you are doing, otherwise – what’s the point?

But getting things done, efficiently and effectively and treating people in an open-minded manner will show that although you mean business you are still open to the point of view of others.  It’s all in your attitude.

Common sense, although in very short supply, in my opinion also counts for a great deal in having the right attitude as does those who are willing to go the extra mile.

So have a good look at your attitude, the way it is rather than the way you think it is.  Be honest with yourself and if you feel that you need an attitude adjustment  - there is no time like the present!

What about belief? Do you believe in yourself?  Do you believe that you can be a leader or that you can be true to yourself and that you can make a difference in the lives of others?  You see, if you cannot believe in yourself – how is it possible that you think that others would believe in you.  

Stands to reason don’t you think?

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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Need To Retrench a Single Person

 HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Need To Retrench a Single Person

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice. 

So let’s bring in the protagonists.  Mike owns a large factory that makes furniture with over 1000 employees and George is one of the workers.  The credit crunch hasn’t quite hit Mike’s business yet, but he does understand that he needs to tighten things up.  Mike does his research and he finds that there is one employee who is really not pulling his weight, who is constantly late and who is just generally difficult to work with and that is George.

Mike decides to use the current economic situation to ‘retrench’ George for operational reasons.  George is called in and Mike goes through the whole ‘retrenchment’ process and George is subsequently ‘retrenched’ for operational requirements…

Here’s the problem – if, as is the case here, there are many employees, then the retrenchment process should have been done with all of the staff or at the very least all of the staff in the same department.  Although Mike followed the procedure, he only followed it for a single staff member instead of all of the staff.

In this particular instance – George decided that he would take Mike on as he decided that he thought that he had been ‘unfairly dismissed’.  Section 191(12) of the Labour Relations Act offers ‘a single employee who was retrenched a choice to refer a dispute to the CCMA for arbitration or the Labour Court for adjudication.”

Labour court cases usually cost a huge amount of money and so the rationale behind this choice was to give those who could not afford to take their cases to Labour court a chance to be heard.  It only accommodates, however, instances where “i) a single employee was consulted and subsequently dismissed; ii) the dispute related to whether the dismissal was substantively fair.”

So George is able to take his case for arbitration since he was the only employee that was consulted and dismissed.

Be careful people, when it comes to retrenchment, it is better to consult to all and not to just single out one person.  It could become a really costly affair.

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 - Credit Card Theft

 Early Warning - Credit Card Theft

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

I received this mail from a colleague and now pass it on in an attempt to halt this particular type of theft. The article does not specify where exactly this took place but it sounds plausible and of course, as usual, prevention is far better than cure.  So please be aware and be present and don’t let these people get away with it.

“A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along with the receipt.  Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.

Funny enough though, he actually took a look at the card and “lo and behold”, it was the expired card of another person.  He called the waitress back and she looked perplexed.

She took it back and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man.  All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.

No exchange of words . . . nothing!  The waitress took it and came back to the man with an apology.”

Verdict!

Make sure that the credit cards in your wallet are yours.  Check the name on the card every time you sign for something or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.

Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, assuming that it has to be theirs.

For your own sake, develop the habit of checking your credit or debit card each time it is returned to you after a transaction.”

Good advice, whichever way you look at 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 

Networking 101 - Grabbing Opportunities

 Networking 101 - Grabbing Opportunities

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

“Remember!  Opportunities present themselves to be grabbed with both hands, or be relinquished forever.”

Whilst I do believe this, I also believe that the minute you “miss” an opportunity, it becomes “open season” on that opportunity for someone else.  If you don’t take that opportunity, it will become someone else’s and then don’t cry!

In my opinion, one of the biggest tragedies facing the Small Business Owner (and the large one for that matter) is their failure to recognize an opportunity when it comes a-knocking.  You see some opportunities are around for a while and some are here for just a fleeting moment!  You need to be constantly aware of what is going on around you.

Opportunities are, for me, in some way like people – sometimes the timing is also not quite right and you have to learn to “let go” too.  Not every opportunity that you seize with both hands is going to be the right one.  That is why, not every deal that you think you might like to make always works out – some basic chemical is missing somewhere!  Chasing an opportunity that is just “not right” can also be costly and time consuming for little or no reward.  

So you need firstly recognise that there is an opportunity and grab it, once you’ve grabbed it, you need to ascertain if it is the right opportunity for you and if it isn’t, you need to let it go, or pass it onto someone else.

Remember though, you cannot “let it go”, if you haven’t first grabbed hold of it, to understand what it is.

Happy Hunting!

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

Business Tips – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 6

 Business Tips – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 6

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Legislation and Best Practice requirements.

So far we have looked at:-

1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;

2. Your Purpose:

3. The People around you and

4. Your Personal Footprint.

5. Knowledge & what you do with it

6. The Generosity of your Spirit 

7. The Role of Technology in your Business

8. Self Confidence

9. Creativity and

10. Focus

11. Vision

12. Result

Believe it or not, there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Networking

One of the quickest ways to get to people who have more knowledge and more experience than you do is to network.  There are many SMME (small, medium, micro-enterprises), entrepreneurial or start-up networking groups out there for you to choose from.  Some leave you to your own devices, some are semi facilitated and some are fully facilitated – find one that suits your requirements and get networking.  Networking is also a great way to build relationships with like-minded people who often become suppliers and even customers and you will find people who will be willing to assist you by sharing their knowledge and experience.

2. Leadership

Every company needs a leader and as a business owner that is who you are – the leader.  Quite honestly, your business success (or failure for that matter) is intrinsically linked to and dependent upon your capability as a leader.  You will need to inspire your staff, you will need to gain the trust and respect of your staff and you will need to commit to them if you want commitment from them.  If you are not a natural leader or are unsure of your role as a leader, I would suggest that you get yourself off to some training as soon as possible as leaders are not necessarily born but they can also be made. Remember . . . always be the leader that you would want to follow!

3. Management 

Every business needs to be properly managed.  Whether you are on your own or you have staff, your business still needs to be managed and this is achieved by having some sort of plan in terms of the operation of the business.  What are you going to do with regard to sales, delivery etc. and how are you going to achieve that.  You have to know where you are going and how you are going to get there in order for you to succeed.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

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 

<<

Part 1

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/02/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-1/

Part 2

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/03/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-2/

Part 3

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/05/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-3/

Part 4

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/11/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-4/

Part 5

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2012/11/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-5/

>>

Part 7

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2013/02/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-7/

Part 8

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2013/03/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-8/

Part 9

http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2013/04/business-tips-from-employee-to-entrepreneur-part-9/

Inspiration - The Doer

 Inspiration – The Doer

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Vince Lombardi says “It is time for us to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever and the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it.”

I don’t know how you guys feel, but quite frankly I am sick to death of the whole debate (or even non-debate) around the state of the economy right now.  I was at a client last week and his phone rang.  Before he even asked the caller “how are you” he answered a question with “ja I know, this economy and the credit crunch is getting to all of us.”

I was gobsmacked!  We are getting like the Capetonians and their weather!  You cannot have a conversation without it coming up.  Yet look around you, every single road you turn down is having some sort of construction being done to it or a building going up in it.  Now, what does that tell you?  Well, it tells me that the economy here in South Africa is not as bad as it might be elsewhere.  Every time you look at a newspaper there is another story of someone having stolen millions – now if there are “millions” to steal, then there must be money somewhere.

Then of course there are the conspiracy theories, and I must admit I do enjoy these a whole lot more than the usual moaners and groaners.  At least these have a story that you can relate to or even find so far fetched as to render them completely funny!  

Personally, I am of the opinion that if we spent as much time getting things done as we spend moaning and groaning about whatever it is that we can find to moan and groan about – we would be gazillionaires!  All that hot air and energy that goes to waste all the time could be utilized for a far better purpose I am sure.

Then, not only do we moan and groan about the economy/weather/government/taxes (insert whatever else you would like to here) when we see someone else doing well, we moan about that too!

Instead of finding out why it is that they are being successful and trying to emulate their particular formula, we sit down and moan about how lucky they are and how unlucky we are and . . . .  there we go again.

Let’s change our mindsets shall we, let’s find at least one person every day that we can say “Well done! You’ve done a great job!” to. Let’s find one person a day – I mean how difficult can that be – to congratulate on achieving something and really be pleased for them.  Let’s find one person who has had a thought about doing something differently and pat them on the back and give them encouragement to go forward.

And then, whilst we are doing that – how about we give ourselves encouragement and congratulations and even a pat on the back for finding something right with our day and not always focusing on the bad.

Just one thing, one person, one day!  We can do 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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . Staff Need to be Dismissed Fairly

 HR 101 – What to do When . . .  Staff Need to be Dismissed Fairly

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and Best Practice requirements.

So what does actually constitute a “fair dismissal”?

The CCMA usually looks at two specific aspects of what a fair dismissal is by looking at either whether the dismissal is “substantive” or “procedural”.  This means that a commissioner would look at the charges and the evidence and then decide whether the employee was dismissed substantively and procedurally fairly. 

Substantively fair would mean “does the punishment fit the crime”?  For example, if an employee was dismissed because he reported to work five minutes late for the first time in two years – this would be considered a “substantively unfair” dismissal.

Procedurally fair would mean “were the correct legislative and company procedures followed”?  For example, if the employee took money out of the till for taxi fare and was caught and just dismissed there and then, without a formal disciplinary hearing taking place – this would be considered a “procedurally unfair” dismissal.

Also on the table is whether the employer is consistent in the manner in which the discipline is metered out.  Gone are the days when some staff can be disciplined and dismissed for a specific transgression and others, committing the same transgression, go unpunished or punished to a lesser degree.

So remember discipline must be the same across every sphere – be it senior management, middle management and right down to the general worker.  Being consistent is an absolute must.

Procedural fairness ensures that the manner in which the disciplinary action has taken place together with the compliance of the disciplinary policy within the company is correct and fair.

Many CCMA cases are awarded to the employee, simply because the correct procedures were not followed or enforced.  It is therefore in the best interests of the employer to ensure that their policies and procedures are both compliantly correct and procedurally fair.

According to the Labour Relations Act, the consequence of not following procedure and issuing a procedurally unfair dismissal is financial compensation to the employee.  The compensation is limited to a maximum of 12 months of the employee’s salary.

The consequence of a “substantive” unfair dismissal is either financial compensation to the employee or the employer will be forced to reinstate the employee.  In the instances where the employee is reinstated, the employer will have to also pay the employee from the time that they were dismissed up to, and including, the time that they started working again.  Again the compensation (if they remained dismissed) would be limited to a maximum of 12 months of the employee’s salary.

 The value of the compensation is governed by the severity of the unfairness of either the procedure or the substantive nature of the employer.

In other words, the less the employer follows the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) and the Labour Relations Act, the greater the amount of compensation that will be awarded to the employee.

The high number of cases where the employee is awarded compensation, together with the value of the compensation, evidences that employers are not following the correct procedures and this means that they are then obliged to pay huge fines or penalties.

Losing great sums of money in this manner, in my opinion, is like committing financial suicide.

The bottom line, therefore, is quite simple.  Ensure that you have the correct policies and procedures in place.  Not only will this ensure that you are in compliance with the law, but it will also remove all the emotion from the workplace and the situation.

Should you require assistance with obtaining templates, procedures or policies at affordable prices, please contact Nikki Viljoen.

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 

Customer Service 101 – Tips on Handling Difficult Customers – Part 4

  Customer Service 101 – Tips on Handling Difficult Customers – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

So far we’ve looked at:-

1. Salespeople trying to sell you stuff that you did not ask for;

2. Salespeople not listening to what you ask for.

3. Listening to what the customer is saying.

4. Remaining calm and

5. Don’t take it personally.

6. Allow the customer to vent

7. Handle the problem immediately or later

Today we are going to look at the last four tips, which will bring this series to an end.

1. Never tell the customer that they are in the wrong!

Unless there are grounds for making this a legal battle in court, never ever tell the customer that they are wrong!

It is your job to give them the attention that they deserve as prospective customers, but only in a professional manner.

You are entitled to give them your professional viewpoint but you are not entitled to tell them that they are wrong!  That will just lead to an “I’m right and you’re wrong” type of battle and this will just result in both the loss of the sale as well as the loss of the client, not to mention a whole lot of “mud-slinging” on social media and that is never good for the Company.

2. Request their Assistance

At some time or another, in their lifetime, most customers have encountered a problem when purchasing products or services.  Either it’s a faulty product or it is bad service or on occasion, both! Most customers have an opinion on the problem as well as the solution.

An angry customer can often be placated with the question “What can I do to help solve the problem?”

What you are doing in effect is asking for their assistance.

It may be something that you have thought about or even know about, but once the problem is solved, it leaves the customer feeling that they have changed something about your business for the better, that they have been heard, and that they have made a difference.  That makes for a happy client and a happy client makes for a happy business!

3. Have a Plan B: Find a solution

But what if . . . your client does not have a solution, or worse yet, it is a solution that is completely outside of your policies or procedures, or worse yet, outside of the law?

Clearly, it is a “must” to have a solution of your own ready before you engage with an angry client.

This is important so I will say it again . . . it is a must to have a solution of your own ready before you engage with an angry customer.  The backwards and forwards between you and the angry customer does not help the situation in any way at all, so make sure that you have a solution of sorts.

Finally

4. Know the boundaries and do not cross the line!

No violence or threats should be allowed under any circumstances, not from the client and not from the staff.

This is one boundary that everyone should respect.

So that is the end of this particular series.  I hope that these tips have been of some use.  Next time we will tackle a different topic.

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

<<

Part 1 - http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2021/11/customer-services-101-tips-on-handling-difficult-customers-part-1-november-2021/

Part 2 - http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2021/11/customer-service-101-tips-on-handling-difficult-customers-part-2/

Part 3 - http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za/2021/12/customer-service-101-tips-on-handling-difficult-customers-part-3/