A Wealth of Learning Opportunities – and Resources – at Your Fingertips
Knowledge is power. Imagine what you could do with 24-hour access to a powerful learning community to help you stay up to date with the latest trends, insights, news, and best practices to share with your valued clients. XPX’s exclusive Knowledge Exchange is the one place where you can exchange knowledge with some of the industry’s most successful professionals with expertise in a wide variety of areas. Here are recent posts from our chapter activities and members:
News & Posts
Can you Offer Too Many SKUs to Your Customers? The short answer is YES! A SKU, or Stock Keeping Unit, defines each different product version that you sell and keep inventory of. There may be different SKUs of the same overall item based on size, color, capacity (think computer or cellphone memory), features, and many other parameters. For build to forecast businesses, that number of variations can quickly explode and become difficult to manage. Your customers are busy and want ordering simplified. Of course, they may need (or want) more than one variation of a product. That is reasonable and a common aspect of business – one size does not fit all! But there is a point where too offering too many SKUs is not value added either for your customer or your business. In his April 30, 2013 article “Successful Retailers Learn That Fewer Choices Trigger More Sales” in Forbes, Carmine Gallo discusses his experience and a study about “choice overload” by other authors. He writes about a retailer that “has discovered that giving a customer more than three choices at one time actually overwhelms customers and makes them frustrated…when the customer is faced with too many choices at once, it leaves the customer confused and less likely to buy from any of the choices!” Choice overload is well-documented in consumer studies but can apply in B2B as well. While customer satisfaction is important, another key concern is the often-hidden costs associated with a business offering and managing a large number of SKUs for a given product type. These costs include holding inventory, S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) team time, small production runs, and scrapping inventory. Holding inventory takes up space, which may come with a cost or utilize racks that could be used for other products. Scheduled inventory counts take up employee time and may result in blackout periods when the warehouse is not shipping product. The more SKUs there are, including extra SKUS, the greater the potential impact. The Sales team’s forecasting and the Operations team’s purchasing reviews that are part of the S&OP process can occupy more of their valuable time if they need to consider these times. If small orders or forecasts require a new production run, this could be costly and create excess inventory. Whether from this new production or past builds, eventually it will make sense to write off and scrap old inventory, another cost impact to the company. How do you know which SKUs to focus on if you wish to look at reducing your total number of SKUs? Start by examining SKUs that have: Low historic sales over a period of time Small variations between SKUs that customers do not value Older technology or model when newer option SKUs are available This requires a true partnership between Sales and Operations. It starts with educating both teams on the costs involved – neither group may be aware of the money and time impact to the company. Periodic (such as quarterly) reviews of SKUs that meet the above descriptions should become a fixed part of the calendar. A review of the data and other available for sale options should result in the identification of SKUs which may not be needed. At that point, it is helpful to have a customer friendly EOL (End of Life) Notice process by which you inform customers of last time buy requirements for this SKU and alternates available. It is usually best to provide some time for the last time buy in the interest of customer satisfaction, although that may not always be necessary. At a company that designed and sold electronics, a robust SKU rationalization process was implemented to help address these issues. A representative from the Operations team analyzed SKUs that met a version of the above criteria and suggested candidates for the EOL process. Next, a member of the Sales team reviewed them and, where appropriate, issued product change or EOL notices to customers, providing them time for last time buy orders when needed. These steps helped reduce the work involved in maintaining these SKUs while not leading to any customer complaints. A final note – sometimes it makes sense to continue offering low selling SKUs – to support customers buying other items (hopefully in larger quantities). It may be worthwhile to encourage them to keep coming back to you for all of their product needs and this may be a way to accomplish that. But it helps to understand that this is truly the case and not assume that this customer would not be equally happy with another, more popular, SKU. Steven Lustig is founder and CEO of Lustig Global Consulting and an experienced Supply Chain Executive. He is a recognized thought leader in supply chain and risk mitigation, and serves on the Boards of Directors for Loh Medical and Atlanta Technology Angels.
I wrote earlier about the value a closed loop employee suggestion program can provide. These do provide significant benefits, but there is no need to limit continuous improvement suggestions to those inside the company. Customer and supplier surveys can provide great insights into such opportunities while also enabling the company to collaborate better with key partners. However, like employee initiatives, if they are not managed well, they can leave you worse off than if you never asked your suppliers and customers for their help. Designing the survey is important – this is not the time to ask leading questions or pressure the recipients to provide high numerical scores because somebody’s annual performance review or bonus depends on it. If you want to obtain honest answers, understand what the customer or supplier values, and receive useful responses on what is working well and what is not, objective survey questions are needed. It is great to ask about their level of satisfaction with relationship-specific functions. For a customer survey, this could include asking about responsiveness, on-time delivery, quality, etc. For suppliers, this may involve questions about purchase order and other documentation accuracy, on-time payment and more. You may also wish to ask some higher-level questions, such as: What is one thing that we are doing that we should keep doing the same way? What is one thing that we are doing that we should improve? What is one thing that we are not doing that we should do? What is one thing that we are doing that we should not do at all? The quickest way to turn this into a negative experience is to ask customers (especially) and suppliers to spend time completing these surveys and then nothing is done with the results. They will have an expectation that their time and opinions are being valued. Failure to respond will create frustration – I have seen this firsthand. Similar to the best practice for employee suggestion programs, before you send out surveys to customers or suppliers, it is critical to commit the resources to: reading, evaluating, and consolidating the responses developing and executing improvement initiatives based on those comments promptly responding to the survey respondents on what actions are being taken based on their survey participation Depending on the actual responses, it may be necessary to also diplomatically explain why certain requests are not being acted on – we can easily imagine a customer utilizing the survey answers to ask for unrealistic price decreases or other concessions. Surveys can be periodic (quarterly or annual) independent events or incorporated into Quarterly Business Reviews or other meetings. Some suppliers may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with customers requesting their honest feedback. Their past experience with other customers (and even with your own company) may be limited to customers telling them what to do better and never asking for their insights. They may be afraid that if they provide honest continuous improvement feedback it will not be well-received and may even be held against them. It may take assurances and several iterations before they trust the process. It is essential that your company receive these suggestions as they would acknowledge ideas from the customer, demonstrate that they appreciate them, and act on them as appropriate. Once that level of trust is established, suppliers can be key partners in improving how you enable them to support you. I have had to work with suppliers to help them get comfortable with what to them was a novel request so don’t accept the response that everything your company is doing is great. I recall one occasion when I was responsible for combining the best New Product Introduction processes between two different divisions of the same firm. Aside from taking the time to understand each group’s steps, I found it valuable to ask the shared external manufacturing partner for their input on which of those differing steps best assist their ability to support our needs. Of course, showing where their advice was used to implement new standard processes or explaining why certain suggestions were not utilized was important to this closed-loop process. Your key customers and suppliers can be some of your strongest allies in your quest for continuous improvement. A robust closed-loop survey process can be an effective tool in this effort while simultaneously creating a stronger, more collaborative relationship with those external partners most critical to your company’s success. Steven Lustig is founder and CEO of Lustig Global Consulting and an experienced Supply Chain Executive. He is a recognized thought leader in supply chain, manufacturing, and risk mitigation, and serves on the Boards of Directors for Loh Medical and Atlanta Technology Angels.
During my first visit to one factory, I quickly noticed on a wall in the lobby a collection of cards with employee suggestions – normally a good sign of a facility’s commitment to continuous improvement and employee engagement. A closer look revealed the opposite – improvement ideas that were months and even quarters old without any response or follow up. While creating that program was a good idea, the lack of follow through likely discourages employees from contributing further suggestions. Unfortunately, that company is not alone. This all-too-common practice is highlighted in the article “Companies Often Solicit Employee Feedback but Seldom Act on It” (in the May-June 2024 issue of Harvard Business Review) which discusses a 2023 Gartner white paper “Employee Engagement: Close the Action Gap to Drive Business Outcomes” by Jen Priem. Employees want to help. In fact, “40% of survey respondents said they would rather have difficult processes fixed than receive more career development opportunities”. That interest is not always matched by a company’s efforts. Aside from the missed opportunities in quality, cost, efficiency, and safety improvements, this also negatively impacts employee engagement: “only 34% said they thought their companies would act on feedback they provide” so why would they take the time and effort to participate? Setting up an effective employee suggestion program is more than placing a box for suggestions or creating an internal software tool. To be successful, the company needs to dedicate management effort and commit to a timely, closed-loop initiative. A cross-functional management level team should be established to review the qualifying ideas. This does not need to be top management but should be leaders high enough such that they can approve and implement many ideas themselves and have ready access to higher level managers to discuss larger improvement suggestions. A coordinator, perhaps someone from the quality department or in an administrative role, can be designated to facilitate the program – helping create the methods for employee suggestions, collecting the inputs, and maybe conducting a first level sort of ideas (the entire review team does not need to spend time on the suggestion to paint the bathroom a different color!) This team should meet frequently (perhaps monthly) to evaluate and prioritize the employee suggestions that were submitted since the last meeting. Plans to implement or investigate the most valuable ideas should be developed. Someone on the team should be designated as a sponsor of each such idea to obtain updates and ensure progress even if the responsibility for investigation or execution is handed over to a functional area leader. Often, a team of employees from the impacted area(s) will be created – this helps make use of their more detailed knowledge and improves buy-in to the solution. Whenever possible, the employee who suggested the improvement should be included on this implementation team. There are different ways to celebrate the improvement ideas that were selected for implementation – monetary and non-monetary awards, inclusion in the employee’s performance review, public recognition, plant competitions, etc. The choice will depend on the company’s and location’s culture. Communication is key to a successful employee suggestion program. Leadership should consistently share its enthusiasm for the improvement idea program and what type of ideas are desired (not that bathroom color suggestion!). Leaders can also show their support by attending events associated with this program. Regardless of whether a valid improvement suggestion was approved for further action or not, it is important that a member of the team (for example, the facilitator) always provides prompt feedback to the employee on the decision and why that was the determination. This closed loop aspect is essential if the firm wants to continue receiving, and benefit from, employee ideas. Are there other sources for great ideas beyond your employees? Stay tuned…. Steven Lustig is founder and CEO of Lustig Global Consulting and an experienced Supply Chain Executive. He is a recognized thought leader in supply chain and risk mitigation, and serves on the Boards of Directors for Loh Medical and Atlanta Technology Angels.
Wealth managers and financial industry observers have pointed out that we are in the midst of a
In our first blog in this series, “Selling My Business, What Should I Expect,” we talked about what to expect in the sale process to a third party. If you haven’t read it, I’d suggest reading it to set the stage for this discussion on business valuation and how it fits into exit strategy. If you did read it, give it a quick reread: “A complimentary hour with David David Shavzin, Exit Strategist / M&A Advisor Value Creation, Exit Strategy, Business Sales Founder and President, Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta 770-329-5224 // david@GetOnTheValueTrack.com //
In the ever-evolving work landscape, the rise of remote environments has ushered in a transformative era for organizational culture. According to the latest
What is the role of a company’s board directors? There are many possible, and valid, answers to this question. Guidance, oversight, succession planning, and executive compensation often are mentioned, and rightly so. But at the Private Company Governance Summit 2024, speaker Jon Wells of Midmark Corporation shared a different answer: to be a ‘professional question asker’ There is a quote often attributed (properly or not) to Albert Einstein: “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” It is tempting to jump into solving the problem, especially in our fast-paced world. But you do not want to solve the wrong problem! Asking the right questions can help the board director, his or her fellow directors, and company executives think about the issue, sometimes in a different way. This is not about questions to find fault or trip someone up, but questions to help everyone understand. With this in mind, the team is now better prepared and ready to start thinking about how to answer those questions and solve those problems. Asking the right questions helps all involved consider alternatives and different perspectives, such as those of customers, suppliers, investors, employees, and other stakeholders. “What” questions are a good start to understand the situation or the proposal, but eventually it is time to move on to “why” and “what if”. “Why” did something positive occur – was it a repeatable process, chance, market conditions, or something else? What can we learn to take into the future and build on that success? In the case of a negative situation, was it preventable and how can that be used to reduce the chances of similar occurrences in the future? We get better by taking the time to understand the good and the bad. For a strategy review, budget review, or other proposal, there are a lot of great “why” questions to ask about assumptions used. As appropriate, think about the “5 Whys” approach developed by Toyota, intended to create an understanding of the root cause(s) of the situation before looking at solutions and lessons to learn. “What if” scenarios are great for bringing risk into the discussion. Risk was a key topic at the Private Company Governance Summit 2024. Board Directors may have various perspectives, experiences, and expertise which enable them to consider different threats, opportunities, and future states. These can help all involved more thoroughly consider and address potential risks to the status quo and proposals. This line of questions can be extended to include ones about what the long-term impacts are of proposals and decisions. I recall a recent dinner with three start-up co-founders who wanted to meet to ask for advice. We had a great discussion and a nice meal, but I am not sure I provided them many suggestions. Instead, I posed a number of questions, which they said were important for them to consider as they continue their efforts. I asked “why” questions such as “why would someone use your product instead of the competition?” and “why would someone pay you for this service?” I think (and hope!) these provided them a path to better address opportunities and risks. Of course, board directors provide value beyond just asking questions. With a better understanding of the issue or proposal, they are now better positioned to also share their knowledge and experience, allowing them to contribute toward answering those questions.
Unlocking Retirement Savings to Fund a New Business Many people have dreams of starting a business but lack the capital or funding needed to launch their new business ideas. It’s true: It costs money to start a business. The
Onboarding isn’t just about shaking hands on day one or drowning your new hires in an ocean of paperwork and procedural manuals. FIREPOWER Teams is here to help you find and grow the right team to fuel success and sustainable growth in your small business. Reach out to Maria Forbes and discover the potential of people-powered change in your organization.
Unleashing the Power of Collaboration Today, we’re diving deep into a powerful quote by
Do You Need a Virtual CFO? Every company must find an efficient way of handling accounting and bookkeeping functions. For many businesses, an
ERTC Enforcement and Withdrawing a Claim The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a tax incentive for businesses to keep employees on their payroll.
Introduction Running a small business is like navigating through different seasons – there are sunny days full of triumph, and then there are stormy days that test our resilience. One key factor that can make a world of difference in weathering any storm is having the right team members by your side. Just like bad weather always seems worse when viewed through a window, hiring the right individuals can help us see beyond the obstacles and propel our businesses toward success. 1. Weathering the Storm When it comes to building a successful team, it’s essential to understand that every business faces challenges. The key to success is to hire team members who not only have the necessary skills and qualifications but also possess the right mindset to weather any storm. Look for candidates who have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in their past experiences, as they are more likely to navigate through tough times with you and with grace and determination. 2. The Power of Teamwork Remember, when you hire a new team member, you’re not simply adding an employee – you’re gaining a partner who can help you face challenges head-on. When the storm clouds gather and the sky looks ominous, a strong and cohesive team can work together to find innovative solutions, brainstorm ideas, and provide the support needed to overcome obstacles. The right team will transform challenges into opportunities for growth and improvement. 3. Going Beyond the Surface The journey of hiring the right team members extends beyond reviewing resumes and conducting interviews. To choose individuals who can truly thrive in your organization, it’s important to look beyond the surface-level qualifications. Consider their values, work ethic, and their ability to fit into your company culture. Seek out candidates who demonstrate a genuine passion, drive, and willingness to go the extra mile – these are the qualities that will shine through, even when you have to face the fiercest storms. 4. Embracing Uniqueness Don’t be afraid to embrace the uniqueness of each team member. Just like different weather patterns bring a variety of experiences, having a diverse team can lead to fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Encouraging collaboration where everyone’s ideas are valued will create a team that is equipped to tackle any challenge that comes their way. 5. Building Trust and Resilience Trust forms the foundation of an effective and cohesive team, allowing everyone to rely on each other when the going gets tough. Foster an environment where open communication, transparency, and mutual support are valued, and watch as your team weathers even the strongest storms with unwavering determination. Conclusion Just as bad weather always looks worse through the window, the challenges we face in our businesses can seem insurmountable when we don’t have the right team members to support us. Together you can change your perspective, navigate through any storm with confidence, and emerge stronger on the other side, ready to embrace the sunny days of success that lie ahead. Remember, FIREPOWER Teams is here to help you find, nurture, and grow the right team to fuel success and sustainable growth in your small business. Reach out to Maria Forbes and discover the power of people-powered change in your organization. Let your business thrive and watch as the storm clouds dissipate, leaving a bright future full of possibilities.
As we noted in Glassdoor identified that companies with a well-structured onboarding program improved new hire retention by 82% and outlined the following successes: 91% felt strong connectedness at work. 89% felt strongly integrated into their company culture. 49% reported contributing to their team within the first week. Employees were 18 times more likely to feel highly committed to their organization. In contrast, organizations without an effective onboarding process experience a 31% higher employee turnover rate within 6 months, and more than half of employees who received ineffective onboarding (52%) also felt negatively about the organization as a whole. The Impact of Poor Onboarding When employees leave within the first few months, it creates several notable problems: High Recruitment Costs Recruiting new employees is expensive. It involves advertising job vacancies, screening resumes, conducting interviews, and training new hires. When employees leave within a short time, you will incur these costs again, increasing your recruitment expenses. Loss of Productivity New hires take time to adapt to their new roles and responsibilities. When they leave within a few months, they have not completed their learning curve and are unlikely to have made significant contributions to your business. They have also taken time from peers and others on training. This loss of productivity slows your business operations. Negative Impact on Morale High employee turnover rates can affect morale among the remaining team members. When employees leave without being replaced, other team members must pick up the slack and work longer hours. This can lead to burnout and decreased job satisfaction. Jeopardized Business Exit Strategy When you plan to sell your business, potential buyers look at various factors, including employee retention rates. A high turnover rate is a factor in the perceived value of your company, making it less attractive to potential buyers. Benefits of a Proper Onboarding Plan New hires should be provided with a comprehensive onboarding plan outlining their role’s expectations and responsibilities. This plan should include an introduction to the company culture (i.e., shared values, attitudes, behaviors, and standards that make up a work environment), a detailed role description, and training timelines should be completed. A well-designed onboarding process will help your business in several ways: Increased Employee Retention An effective onboarding program can significantly improve new hire retention rates. When employees feel welcomed and supported, and their time is structured during their first few weeks on the job, and they have scheduled progress checks with supervisors, they are more likely to stay with your company. Enhanced Productivity A proper onboarding plan accelerates new hire productivity. When employees clearly understand their roles and responsibilities and receive proper training and support, they can start contributing to your business operations sooner. Additionally, new hires should be given access to the necessary tools and resources to succeed in their role. Improved Employee Morale A positive onboarding experience can boost employee morale and job satisfaction levels. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be engaged in their work and motivated to achieve their goals. Favorable Business Exit Strategy When you have a well-structured onboarding process in place, you demonstrate to potential buyers that you have a stable and committed workforce. This can increase the determined value of your business, making it more attractive to prospective buyers. Conclusion A proper onboarding plan is crucial for retaining employees, achieving business success, and increasing the perceived value of your business in preparation for a business transition or exit. Investing in a customized onboarding program designed by FIREPOWER Teams is critical to achieving long-term success for your business. Contact Maria Forbes at maria@firepowerteams.com today.
“I’m planning on selling my business, where should I start?” We get this a lot. Almost every company has gotten the call “I want to buy your business”. You need to step back, think, and plan. You need to understand the process and what lies ahead – before you act. Your business is likely your…
Contact & Connect
Chapter Events
Gold Sponsors
you or your client needs a video solution hyper-focused on the right results.
You need a new story that gets your customer and the world to know just how awesome, different and valuable your business or organization really is.
you need accounting and tax assistance with your next transaction. Our team of dedicated transaction advisory specialists focus on middle market and lower middle market space. We perform services on both the sell and buy side.
you find a B2B professional who needs help with business development, their value proposition, and pricing their services
Silver Sponsors
Wise and experienced counsel is needed, particularly in respect to ongoing business operations, or future acquisitions or sales.
You need more than a traditional wealth manager. BIP Wealth is constantly working and consistently innovating to make your money go further.
You need to assist owners and key decision makers in defining roles and engaging talent as part of business growth and transition planning. Convert people strengths into business performance.
your client wants to reduce taxes and give back as part of the exit process.
Neri Capital Partners are experts in assisting lower-middle market Business Owners to Determine, Build and Realize the value of their companies.
you want to sell your company, understand the sale process and understand value.
Bookkeeping, technical accounting, outsourced controller, compilation, reviews and advisory services to accounting firms.
You want a seasoned attorney to assist with any franchise related business, be it a franchisor or franchisee. I love helping start-ups!