No matter the size of the company, managing well means managing the processes, the employees and the time of the execution of the activities in the best possible way. Here are some tips on how to better manage the various aspects of a business to make your business more productive. Zoetalentsolutions.com will provide you all management courses.
1. The first thing is to be aware that being an expert in a business is not necessarily going to make you ready to run a business. You will need help to get customers to come to you and your sales flow. You will need good communication and administration, at a minimum.
2. One tip for setting up your team is, for example, to fill in the gaps in fields where you have less knowledge, surrounding experts in each area.
3. Here is another tip. Not always the most appropriate people for the team will be your friends or relatives. Most of the time, in fact, this is not at all suitable for the smooth running of the business.
4. Be prepared to take risks in managing the company. Do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone, especially if you are facing fierce competition, which is very common these days.
5. For more security in decisions, always take into account the practical effects of what your company does. If you are able to anticipate the consequences of action then you will be better equipped to deal with them when an eventuality happens.
6. Do not make decisions right now. Having a planning strategy is key. Put your ideas on paper and always have your real business indicators as a basis.
7. Monitor and measure your progress. In large companies, the results, sales, technology, human capital, etc., are constantly monitored. Thus, managers can be aware of what is wrong and make corrections. The same should be applied in SMEs.
8. It is essential that the manager closely monitors the company's cash flow and financial processes. If you do not already have a business management system (ERP), maybe it's time to get one. With an ERP system, the entrepreneur can optimize the work of analyzing spreadsheets and reports, also facilitating the collection and recording of information that will provide more agile decision making.
9. Stimulate the loyalty of your team. Employees are more committed to the company when they have a sense of loyalty.
10. Remember: As in personal life, problems will arise at every stage of the company's development. The manager's mission is to think of solutions. To do this, you need to stay focused and work together to solve the most pressing problems of the moment. To do so, it is necessary to set goals and stipulate processes and deadlines for results to be achieved.
Chatbots are now widely used because getting quick feedback is essential to today's customers. Many businesses have recognized this fact and are deploying chatbots to assist the customer service team to drive customer engagement and interaction.
This, in turn, will impact the Net Promoter Score (NPS), thus making customers more loyal. This said, here are 5 ways chatbots add value to the buying experience of customers.
1. 24-hour customer service
Your customer service representative can sometimes be overwhelmed and cannot respond to all requests. This is where chatbot comes in. Because they use artificial intelligence to process information, they can respond and reply accurately to inquiries and queries at any time of the day.
2. Seamless live chat
The clarity of the response of a chatbot has made so many people think that they are actually chatting with a customer rep. Unknown to them, they are talking to a chatbot. For example, you can use Jumia Bot from the stables of Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination to make inquiries about your shopping preference and resolve complaints.
3. Allows you to personify your brand
With chatbot, you can easily personify your brand depending on your brand vision. Chatbot can feature with various conversational styles that range from being friendly to helpful and playful. These different personalities will ensure that customers keep coming back.
4. Can handle endless queries
Chatbots have been set up to use human intelligence to sort out customer queries. As a result, chatbots can handle endless queries with little or no mistake. Despite the fact that chatbots can do the job, it doesn't mean you should remove the human touch.
5. Smoother purchase journey
Chatbot can do so many things that will ensure that the consumer's purchase journey is smooth. The bot can offer relevant information, video content and even voucher code. In addition, chatbots can also assist customers with aggregating information like the item they desire to purchase, the method they want to pay for the order, and how they want the order shipped.
As with most businesses, one of the biggest problems facing a laundry business is getting (more) customers, either from other existing businesses or from customers who prefer to do their laundry the old-fashioned way, or even from those with a washing machine at home and don’t see the need for a laundry service.
Outlined here are a few ways a laundry business can attract more customers to patronize their services.
1. A memorable Introduction
“First impressions last longest” so the saying goes. Clichéd, but with some truth in it, a memorable opening that grabs the attention of prospective customers can bring your company to mind when they have any laundry needs.
2. Increase Your Social Media Presence
We live in a world where the quickest way to get information out to a large number of people in a very short time period is the internet, specifically social media. The advent of social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc. has made getting and sharing information very easy indeed that the hardest part in getting customers off social media is to establish a vibrant social media presence and avoid getting your brand associated in any way with controversy.
3. Discounts and Loyalty Rewards
With the cutthroat nature of business, a way to convince customers they’re making the right choice in patronizing your services is to put in place loyalty rewards and discounts for the most active customers. Also, discounts like one item to be washed for free for every ten clothing items paid for goes a long way towards encouraging customer to try, and stick with your business.
4. Quality of Service and Customer satisfaction
One of the most underrated parts of business nowadays is word of mouth referrals. If the customer is getting quality service, on being asked where they get their nice looking clothing items laundered, they’ll be sure to refer you. Also, with so many laundromats around, people would rather go to where employees treat them well, and with respect as well as having a high quality of service.
5. Extra Hours
Opening at times when competitors usually don’t, such as late at night and Sundays usually means a lot to customers who’ll know that your laundry services are there at any time they need to use them.
6. Delivery Services
Optional, but very important. While some people are ready to make use of laundry services, the added benefit of a delivery service makes it even more attractive, especially for people who are either too busy to pick up their items themselves, or those who choose not to.
7. Entertainment
It is very important to have something to entertain customers who come into the shop to do their laundry themselves or to pick up their laundry with. Subscribing to a mixture of sports, news, fashion and lifestyle channels as well as some kids channels for those with children ensures that everyone who comes into your place of business is sufficiently entertained.
8. Be a part of the Community
A great way for a laundry to get more customers is to attract customers by holding events like a fundraiser or a charity event for a good cause. Apart from it actually being a good cause, it encourages members of the community to come out and support your business.
9. Get registered in a Physical and Virtual Directory
When customers want a good laundry service, ensuring that your company is among the listings for reputable laundry services also goes a long way to making sure that more customers are directed your way. Registering your laundry business on VConnect will help you get more customers looking for the service you offer online.
10. Location
Opening your store in an area where there are few (or even none) laundry services ensures that with good service, you have a near monopoly on the laundry needs of the area, ergo, more customers for you.
These, combined with a good work ethic will make your business a successful one.
All the best with your business endeavors!
Funding is arguably one of the biggest challenges small businesses in Nigeria face, the problem is, however, not unique to Nigeria alone. The World Bank estimates that “50% of SMEs lack access to finance, which hinders their growth”.
This does not mean there are no places and organizations small businesses in Nigeria can raise capital, here are 9 of such organizations.
1. Bank of Industry
Bank of Industry Limited (BOI) is arguably Nigeria’s largest successful development financing institution. Providing financial assistance for the establishment of large, medium and small projects.
Its programmes include matching funds and managed funds, many of which target small and medium scale enterprises. An example is the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) Cottage Fund.
2. Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme
The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme is a 12-month programme that will occur every year for the next 10 years.
Each programme cycle begins with applications from January 1st until March 1st. The application portal opens and ushers in a new year for the programme and for prospective start-ups.
Applications are from various sectors including but not limited to;
Agriculture, ICT, Housing, Media, Education, Transportation, Textiles, Manufacturing.
Find out more about the programme at http://tonyelumelufoundation.org/teep/
3. Dangote Foundation
Dangote Foundation in conjunction with the Bank of Industry (BOI) provides a 5 billion Naira matching fund, which could be accessed by Enterprises and Limited Liability Companies engaged in the Manufacturing, Agro-Processing and Merchandising sectors for made in Nigeria goods.
Click Here for more information on getting funding from the Dangote Foundation.
4. EchoVC
EchoVC partners provide a capital fund to leading technologies, teams and businesses in sub-Saharan Africa, North America and south-east Asia.
Average investment size ranges from $25,000 to several million dollars depending on the stage of opportunity and capital needs of the business.
Go to http://www.echovc.com/ for more information
5. CCHub
Besides providing a co-working space, CCHub also has in partnership with the Tony Elemelu Foundation, a program since 2012 to award pre-seed grants of $5,000 to 20 technology ideas/ventures targeted at typical social challenges in Nigeria.
Furthermore, it provides in partnership with Omidyar Network, Bank of Industry and Venture Garden Group a 1 billion naira social innovation fund.
Find out more at http://cchubnigeria.com/
6. Central Bank Textile Intervention Fund
The Central bank of Nigeria in conjunction with the Bank of Industry earmarked 235 billion naira intervention fund particularly for refinancing and restructuring of
banks’ loans to the manufacturing sector.
The funds meant for the development of the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy by improving access to credit to manufacturers,.
More information HERE.
7. Seedstars Africa
The Switzerland company invests up to 1 Million dollars in emerging market startups through its exclusive startup competition in over 65 countries. The last competition held in Nigeria was for young Startups (less than two years old) with a working product, and have raised less than $500,000.
More here: http://www.seedstarsworld.com/
8. Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)
SMEDAN is charged with stimulating, monitoring and coordinating the development of the MSMEs sub-sector.
It also helps facilitate access to loans from her partnering financial institutions and from other specialized microfinance schemes.
Check http://www.smedan.gov.ng for more information.
9. African Women’s Development Fund
The African Women’s development fund AWDF supports local, national and regional women’s organizations.
The organization provides funds for work related to any of it’s six thematic areas; women’s human rights’, HIV & AIDS, Health & reproductive rights, governance peace & security, arts, culture & sports and economic empowerment & livelihoods.
It also has a Small Grants Programme operating in Ghana, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria that supports small, grassroots African women’s groups.
Proposals are made online HERE
Ask anyone running a small business in Nigeria and they will let you know it is only ‘small’ in name, the challenges are enormous.
The hoops business owners in Nigeria have to jump through seemingly endless, it takes grit and determination to build a successful business in these conditions.
However, some of these challenges are not insurmountable, Colossus Gists shares about 5 of some basic challenges many Nigerian businesses face, and how they can be defeated:
1. Insufficient funds
There’s no way around it; small businesses need funds to grow from a small business to big business and to even multinational funding.
Unfortunately, most small business owners in Nigeria have no idea where to get the funds they so badly need. So what can Nigerian small business owners do? You can explore various ways of funding your business yourself or check these different organizations that offer funding to small businesses and see if they are eligible to receive any of these funds.
2. Poor web presence
Online presence isn’t just for big businesses, doing business online is for just about everyone.
However, small businesses in Nigeria are not taking advantage of this, probably because they believe the endeavor to be a complicated and costly endeavor.
There are cheap and easily accessible ways for small businesses in Nigeria to get an excellent online presence.
3. Poor Marketing Skills
Most small business owners in Nigeria do not have the time to study the ins and outs of marketing. What with the many things they have to juggle, there is little time for them to learn these skills. Nevertheless, getting the word out about what you do is essential for every business.
What you can do is to subscribe to Nigerian entrepreneurial blogs to stay up-to-date with the latest industry news and trends. We compiled a list of excellent business blogs in Nigeria, check them out.
Also use business engagement tools, to help you target specific target markets.
4. Getting new Customers
Every business needs new customers, but the customers that count are the repeat customers. Why they are so important? a repeat customer is likely to spend 67% more than a first-time buyer.
What to do? Price your products and services competitively. Do your market research to get an idea of what you should be charging. Follow up with your customers and encourage them to come back with incentives like special discounts and even memberships.
5. Seeking Rapid Growth
It is important to put parameters in place that will help you scale to meet demand while maintaining a high level of quality.
You need to develop a company culture that values quality just as much as you do. Prioritizing this value in your training and team building will allow your company to grow as a unified brand that you can be proud of.
Do your best not to micromanage. If you have competent and trustworthy staff, you should be able to delegate tasks and projects to them while keeping a watchful eye. This will allow you to focus on important tasks of your own, like growing your product line or expanding into a new market.
Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi is recruiting for fulltime Director Of Health Services.
JOB DETAILS
Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Borno - Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the vacant position below:
Job Title: Director of Health Services
Location: Makurdi, Benue
JOB REQUIREMENTS
MIN REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: 15 year(s)
MIN QUALIFICATION: Bachelor's Degree/HND
DESIRED COURSES: Not Specified
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Requirements
The Candidate must possess a degree in Medicine from a recognized institution and registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), with at least 15 years post-qualification experience, 5 years of which must be as a Deputy Director and must be a Consultant.
Age: Applicants must not be more than sixty (60) years of age at the time of appointment.
Health: Applicants must enjoy good health to be able to endure the rigors of the duties of the position.
Duration of Appointment: The appointment shall be for a single term of Five (5) years.
Conditions of Service: These are approved for Federal Universities in the country and as may be modified from time to time by competent authorities.
Method of Application: Interested and qualified candidates should forward their Applications in 12 copies with photocopies of their certificates and detailed Curriculum Vitae indicating:
- Full Names
- Date and Place of Birth
- Permanent Address
- Marital Status
- Nationality
- Number and Ages of Children
- Educational institutions attended with dates and qualifications obtained, including membership/fellowship of relevant professional bodies.
- Work Experience and Positions held with dates
- Present Employer, Post and Salary
- List of Publications, if any
- Other relevant activities outside current employment
- Major professional achievements, contributions, including awards received if any;
- Names and Addresses of 3 Referees - one of whom should be professionally competent to assess the applicant. The referees should be requested to forward their references direct to the Registrar, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
All applications should be addressed and sent to:
The Registrar,
Federal University of Agriculture,
P.M.B. 2373, Makurdi,
Benue State,
Nigeria.
Note: Only applications of those who may be shortlisted for interview will be acknowledged.
Heritage Bank Plc has stressed the need for sustained collaboration between banks and financial technology companies (fintechs). This will support Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) drive for financial inclusion and promote economic growth.
Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, said this while delivering a goodwill message at the 2018 Annual National Conference of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) held in Lagos, recently.
Sekibo, was represented at the event by the bank’s Divisional Head, Corporate Compliance, Mr. Wumi Adeniyi.
Sekibo, pointed out that over the years, Heritage Bank has developed solutions to promote financial inclusion.
He said Heritage Bank had taken bold steps to boost the CBN’s initiative of reducing the numbers of unbanked Nigerians the country, by offering financial services to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria thus providing access to the under-served markets.
“We all agree that our target is to achieve acceleration of financial inclusion. Those who are financially excluded are majorly technologically excluded.
“That means that we cannot push financial inclusion if we do not also push technology inclusion. We believe that by partnering fintechs, the financial services industry will push for inclusion and improve the economy. “That is because the financially excluded persons actually constitute a gap in the financial system and there is no way we can create a perfect economy except we bring all these people on board.
“Another issue is that the older generation is averse to technology because they have not been exposed to it and the fear of fraud. The CBN and the banks will continue to improve on our technology space.
“We might still have issues, but with the creation of the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN, the customers are sure of protection.”
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