What’s a business plan?

In today’s technological landscape, with start-ups launching every minute and venture capital seemingly being pumped into any and every idea, the importance of a business plan has become somewhat disrespected. Yes, the main purpose for creating a business plan is to secure funding – but that is not its only purpose.

You require a resume – which you’ll fact-check – from a job candidate, but what will you give them in exchange?

It’s standard operating procedure for employers to use social media to screen candidates before a job offer. Current estimates put the number of organizations doing this at 70 percent or more. Nearly half are looking for insight on a candidate’s public persona (are they professional?), and almost 40 percent want to find out what peers are posting about a candidate.

If done correctly, employee referrals can drastically change your business.

The secret to finding valuable, high performance employees is to seek out your current valuable, high performance employees and attempt to pull from their network. Chances are the talent within your organization is connected to other great talent – whether from a mutual professional organization, personal friendship, or even a university alumnus. Of course, getting these employees to recommend their like-minded friends is easier said than done.

The need for the right training and mentoring for employees

You’ve made good hires and you have a strong workforce. But is there nothing left for employees to learn, no need for them to grow? Take what’s good and make it even better through the right training and mentoring.

The start of 2018 got us thinking about the purpose behind AHA! Business Consulting – to help retail service businesses succeed. Business owners understand more than anyone the challenges to achieving and sustaining growth. That is the reason our why is built around giving business owners the support they need to take control of your service business – rather than their business controlling them.

Truly interested candidates will take the time to demonstrate why you should take the time to interview them.

Your business has caught the winds of success, and you’re unfurling your sails to gain speed and foster growth. That means hiring more people for your team – which means you’ll soon be looking at a lot of resumes.

Why cashiers, customer service reps, and guest services should know how to sell.

Frontline personnel in a store or restaurant – guest services, customer service and cashiers – are among the most important people in any business. They can mean the difference between a business succeeding or failing. Their level of service, professionalism, and efficiency are key factors of customers having a good experience or if they leave thinking, “I’ll never go back there again.”

From prospective employees to sales and management, workplace assessments can enhance engagement and productivity.

In an ideal workplace, your employees are happy, engaged, and challenged. They’re well-managed, well-trained, in the right job now, and are being groomed for future responsibilities. Whether through teamwork or individual contributions, your employees give their best to the company. Productivity is high and turnover is almost non-existent. Sounds great doesn’t it? Does this describe your workplace, or do you suspect you could do better?

A business plan is typically developed before your business is up and running, when you have few if any employees to weigh in. But it’s important to remember that a business plan is a living document that should be updated and evaluated as you develop your strategic and marketing plans for the coming years. At this stage, it can be extremely beneficial to share your business plan with your employees.