The Really Bad News about Bad Customers
It's nice to grow your client list, but if you're filling it with clients who don't line up with your company's goals and mission, you may find yourself in t... Read story
Rebecca A. Morgan
Before You Even Think of Relocating…
Moving or expanding your business can seem to make a lot of sense from some angles. But it’s too easy to overlook some potentially disastrous issues, such ... Read story
Get Help Running Your Business, Virtually
The latest trend in outsourcing is "virtual assistance," and it can help you be your most productive while assigning time-consuming, non-critical tasks to so... Read story
The Power of Purpose
How can a statistician working in Japan over fifty years ago help your business? You'd be surprised. Read story
Improve Your Operational Style
It's not hard to find statistics about the number of businesses that fail in the first five years. Just ask a banker for a new business loan; he will rec... Read story
Does Discipline Squelch Flexibility and Creativity?
You always said things would be different when you were in charge. Now you are. As your business grows, new situations arise that require new decisions. ... Read story
Getting the Laundry Out
Why do so many businesses find it so difficult to provide good quality to their customers on every single transaction? Read story
Is Your Business Terminally Unique?
Your business is special. You work hard to make sure that it is. You strive to give customers a reason to buy from you instead of from someone else. It m... Read story
Can You Afford the Lowest Price?
"Low price" may sound appealing, but you'll do better to think of the total cost of ownership (TCO), which could include hidden costs down the road. Read story
Cleanliness Is Next to Profitability
In many homes, the refrigerator is covered with schoolwork, pictures, and a schedule of social obligations. Unfortunately, when an important phone call c... Read story
Inventory: Friend or Foe?
Poor inventory management is the bain of profitable businesses, leading financial auditors and bankers to cast a wary eye. You should too. Read story
Finishing Strong
Giacomo won this year's Kentucky Derby, leaving tired but highly favored horses in his dust, because of a strong finish. Danica Patrick finished fourth i... Read story
Technology Strategies: From Pleading Edge to Bleeding Edge
I had lunch with a young man who had turned a deaf ear to his father's pleas to rejoin the family accounting firm. The firm's second generation would ap... Read story
Am I Making Myself Clear?
You were in the meeting. While you admit your concentration might have wandered a bit, when reading the minutes the next day, you have to ask "Were we i... Read story
Measures Matter
Isn't it ironic? As children, some of us suffered from math phobia; more simply didn't like the subject. Students complained "but we'll never use this ... Read story
Delivering Effective Customer Service
No matter what horrible, maddening customer-service experience I might share with you, you could no doubt match it with several of your own. Who hasn't f... Read story
When Disaster Strikes
While the towers still smoldered, organizations began to scramble. The personal toll was overwhelming. Efforts to limit the economic impact had to begin ... Read story
Hunting and Holidays
I've never understood sitting in a cold tree waiting for the chance to see an animal walking by. But I do understand that many people miss work this time... Read story
Maintaining Your Company Figure
EDS announced they would be cutting 15,000 to 20,000 jobs over the next 2 years. Gateway announced plans to continue their job cuts, resulting in an over... Read story
The 22% Disadvantage
Michael Phelps won the gold medal in the 100 meter butterfly at the Athens Olympics. But what if, while Phelps focused single-mindedly on his race, the U... Read story
The Missing Link?
You believe in your business strategy, and in your sales and marketing strategy. The folks in operations are working hard to deliver. Yet, there are deli... Read story
Smooth Operations = Happy, Productive Employees
The owner of a small company recently complained to me that his employees were the source of most of his company's problems. They are not motivated, not ... Read story
Bringing About Change
Ever walk out of a meeting just shaking your head? Wondering, how can they find so many reasons why your recommendation won't work? We know that people a... Read story
How to Know What They Will Buy
Forecasting demand is never easy; here are some tips for making the process work for you. Read story
The Hard Questions About Outsourcing
Should you do it yourself, or should you pay someone else to do it for you? That is the fundamental question of outsourcing. The question assumes that yo... Read story
What, Exactly, is ^^comma^^ Partnering^^comma^^ ?
In my good old days in purchasing, we knew that the vendors were all out to get us. It didn't matter if we were buying expensive tooling, cleaning servic... Read story
Partnerships that Work
Plus: Free Interactive Partnership Spreadsheet Last week I described the trend toward developing supply chain partnerships. Let's lo... Read story
Are You Ready to Improve?
Business is not easy. Increasing globalization, rapidly changing technology, increased mobility of people, continually changing regulations - all of thes... Read story
Making Software a Good Investment
The salesman describes the software as the perfect solution. If you write the check for the new software package and for consulting, will your problems g... Read story
