Six Simga and organizational change

 What is your strategy for using six sigma at work?
Your Rant: I thought I’d successfully dodged the whole Six Sigma fad. Then last week my boss announced that we were introducing a Six Sigma program. Can you give me the Cliff Notes version?
911 Repair,
Your question reminded me of a guy I recently read about who [...]

ROI (return on investment) calculation ability is DOA

What is your strategy for calculating return on investment?
Your Rant: I need to build a case for buying a new piece of equipment. What is the process for doing this?
911 Repair:
Your e-mail reminded me of how a friend of mine used to talk about “Bob dollars.” She was referring to the way I [...]

Is money the only rescue for unhappy employees

What’s your strategy for keeping employees other than money?
Your Rant: Given the economy, money is very tight. So I can’t just throw cash at my people to keep them. Is there anything that I can do that doesn’t involve wads of cash to keep people on board? 
911 Repair,
Over the years we’ve developed all kinds [...]

Negotiating your way to the top

What are your strategies for effective negotiation at work?
Your Rant: I’ve got a big negotiation coming up and I’m really rusty. I haven’t negotiated a contract in decades. Any chance that I could get a quick refresher course?
911 Repair,
We can all learn something about negotiations from Doug Stead. In 1996 he got a speeding [...]

Don’t let go, managing tough times without a layoff

What are your strategies for managing tough times without a layoff?
Your Rant: The need to lay-off employees has finally hit our company. We’re worried about the morale of the people left behind. How can we do it in a way that causes the least damage?
911 Repair,
Last summer’s fires in the west were some of [...]

Bad debts, collecting money from customers

What are your strategies for collecting money from customers who won’t pay?
Your Rant: I got cocky one day and told my boss that I could get money from all of our dead accounts. Now I’ve got to produce. But every time I call one of these deadbeats I hear a pack of excuses. I’m sure [...]

Men in Black, metrics to measure business success

What are your strategies for measuring success in your business?
Your Rant: I’m newly promoted to management and suddenly I’m drowning in financial reports and numbers. How do I make sense of all this stuff? And what particular numbers should I focus my efforts on?
911 Repair,
You’ve heard of the expression “eating your investment”? Before the [...]

Off budget, keys to successfully managing a budget

What are your strategies for managing a budget?
Your Rant: I have two candidates for a job I am filling. The job requires formulating and handling a sizeable budget. One candidate strikes me as the overall better candidate but no budget experience. The other has lots of budget experience but seems slightly weaker all-around. How highly [...]

Buddy can you spare a dime, helping customers find cash to buy

What are your strategies for helping your customer find the cash to buy your product?
Your Rant: I have a big potential customer who says he wants my product but doesn’t have the budget. Should I change my terms to land him?
911 Repair,
As much as I love technology, I love tech horror stories even better. [...]

No”critical number” now my business profit “condition”

 What’s your strategy for measuring and increasing profit?
Your Rant: My wife and I bought a bed and breakfast from a couple who had been running it as a luxury inn and making a very small profit. We decided to cut operating costs way back and operate a moderate-price inn instead. We’ve cut costs 25% but [...]