Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
5 Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn From the BP Oil Spill
Thursday, June 10, 2010 by Matt Hymel
On April 20th, an offshore drilling rig exploded in
the Gulf of Mexico, taking several lives and igniting a massive
clean-up struggle that continues to this day. As one of the more
tragic events to affect the Gulf of Mexico region since Hurricane
Katrina, small businesses have seen the catastrophic effects
first-hand, as several fish, shrimp, crab, and other salt-water
companies have suffered from the oil spill.
From a small business perspective, there's a lot we can learn
from the aftermath of this event. We may not all command oil rigs,
but we do all have our own disasters to avoid, mitigate, publicize,
and clean up. Here are 5 take-aways to help avoid your own small
business disaster (or cope with someone else's disaster):
Retain a Clear Line of Communication - Internal and
External
When a potential disaster emerges, your true colors shine when
it comes to communicating a solution, both among your employees and
your clients. Small business communication is crucial in
understanding where your employees stand and where your product
lives. Internal communication can make the difference between a
frustrating day of teamwork and a successful business pitch.
Whether your team is on the move or in the office, mobile devices
and other technology need to provide software catered to the
working individual, or else you'll have some confused, depleted
employees.
Small business success also depends on the message you send your
consumers or clients. If there is positive chatter about your
product, word of mouth can be the most powerful marketing tool.
However, negative reviews can spread like wildfire and a lack of
quality customer service can push a small business out of business.
Make sure the message you are sending with your product or service
parallels the one set by your employees and your image.
Upgrade to Enhance Workplace Efficiency
Sometimes faulty equipment or lack of updated software can cause
a bigger problem than you ever anticipated. In some cases, a small
business can experience colossal growth in both sales and manpower
without having the infrastructure to handle the growing pains.
While it's easy to adjust to short term changes, a long-term plan
can save time and money. Make sure to map out a plan for your
expected goals, even if you happen to hit it big. In the future,
your obsolete enterprise hardware could cost you and your small
business a favorable profit.
Take Responsibility for Your Success and
Failures
In life and in business, there will be hills and valleys. While
we tend to remember the hills, we dwell in the valleys and
sometimes get stuck there. It's important for small business
to innovate and participate. Many small businesses concentrate on
learning from their achievements when it's their failure that
reveals their shortcomings and areas for improvement. Take both
equally serious, as success can prove what has worked and failures
can teach you how to adjust for the future - or get farther up the
hill.
Trust Your Instincts, But Believe Your
Research
Targeted research makes it easy or hard for a decision, but the
decision is ultimately made by you. Many small businesses begin
with a thought or idea. While the process of supplying a product or
service may start out with a little luck, it won't continue that
way. Be aware of what's going on around you, what's happened before
you, and who's competing with you. Every piece of quantitative or
qualitative information can guide a small business in a credible
direction. Trust your instincts but let the research be the light
that guides the way - don't deny what the facts can prove.
Prepare for the Worst
Disasters, both natural and manmade, will occur at any given
time. As a startup small business, you have little effect on the
economy around your business. Trends will come and go, consumers
will be in and out, and other businesses will take your clients or
feed you clients. At some point, you must be prepared for that
massive "oil spill," a perceivable negative effect on your target
market, product, or service. From a technology standpoint, backing
up your data will prevent any natural disaster from destroying your
life's work. Any small business is at risk to go from lucrative to
bankrupt because of one simple disaster. Be prepared to deal with
it to the best of your ability.
Until Next Time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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