Cat know-how

John Genge on how get around a miserly bank manager and find finance. This is a question that I am asked a lot. It seems that when you don’t need money, banks are throwing it at you but when you are desperate, they don’t want to know. Is this a simplification of the real situation, and can we adopt other tactics to present a better case to our bank?

Mike Owen looks at the changing expectations of motorists and explores the importance and value to be gained from customer service training. In the 128 years since Karl Benz produced his first Motorwagen an entire industry has grown up and passed through many incarnations to arrive at where we are now. This in turn has allowed sufficient time for some deep-rooted attitudes to become entrenched into how we operate our businesses

Just like John Genge, Mike Owen tackles your questions on running a garage and gets the ball rolling with sound business management advice. Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying: “The harder I work the luckier I become.” It does not hold in the motor industry, where the harder you work the more profitable you should become. To ensure it, independent garages need to focus on business management.

John Genge gets to grips with some common questions from the aftermarket. Here he looks at the value of apprentices and appraisals

Stuart Ponting explores the ins and outs of a visit from the Health and Safety Executive and explains how to be prepared. Recent changes in the law mean that it is easier than ever to prosecute individuals and employers for breaches of health and safety legislation

Tim Richards explores the dangers of failing to protect the integrity of your products down the supply chain and how you can safeguard against them. Exceptional customer service and a strong, recognisable brand identity can create a stellar reputation. Most would agree, though, that a good quality product is critical. In the current environment, can a company simply sit back and let a product move from design to end-consumer without taking steps to ensure the product is tamper-free?

John Genge looks at how to go about recruiting the right people for your job, and make sure your investment pays dividends. Any manager is only as good as their team. If you want your business to succeed, then you must ensure that you recruit, retain and appraise the right employees

Employing staff isn’t as easy as some may have you believe, there is a lot for employers to consider constantly. From the recruitment process, through to dealing with wages and a tribunal dispute, it is a potential minefield.

Being SMART with your management is a sure fire route to success, says John Genge

There are many definitions of management. Mine is very simple: The job of a manager is to create the environment in which each member of the team achieve their own, their team and their corporate goals.

It really is as simple as that, but of course one needs to ensure that those goals are SMART. I mean:

Specific

Measureable

Appropriate

Realistic

Timed

So the first necessity of successful management is to clearly identify and set your corporate goals and then to dovetail your and your team’s goals to ensure congruence. Easy in theory, a little more difficult in practice.

find out how people tick

[caption id="attachment_9493" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Knowing your business rates could save you money"][/caption]

Louise Hebborn gives you an insight into the rules around business rates. If you know the ins and outs of it, you might be able to save some money.