The Thriving Small Business

tips for small business

How to Turn Customer Satisfaction into Customer Loyalty

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A loyal customer base is important because it is those consumers who sustain and grow businesses.

Organizations that understand the importance of happy customers, need to think strategically in order to build a loyal customer base.

Successful organizations have learned that there is a difference between attracting customers, keeping customers and developing loyal customers. Read the Full Article →

8 Components Of An Effective Internship Program

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If your organization does not have an internship program, you might be missing out on some great talent for a low cost.

It is estimated that 20-25% of newly hired employees come from internship programs.

Organizations use internship programs as part of a recruitment strategy that is aimed at achieving business objectives. Read the Full Article →

12 Competencies Every Manager Should Master

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There is a first time for everything and managing other people can be a scary first.

Granted, some people are natural leaders and can get up to speed very quickly. However, most need some help developing important manager competencies.

Manager competencies can improve management skills and influence the behavior of others – which can result in a positive impact on the bottom line. Read the Full Article →

3 Tips To Make Managing Employees Easier

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Anyone who is responsible for managing others will attest to the fact that it can be one of the most challenging aspects of a supervisor’s job.

However when done strategically, and with an end in mind, it can be a positive, and even rewarding, experience for both parties. Understanding some simple performance management tactics can help! Read the Full Article →

Sample Employee Performance Goals

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We all get that in order to make money, we need to create a quality product or service that someone will pay for. Employee performance goals help organizations do just that.

Providing a well structured performance management process is the most effective way to accomplish organizational goals.

This management of performance should be based on goals set at the organizational level and driven down throughout the organization.

Read the Full Article →

Advantages and Disadvantages of Performance Appraisals

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Employees, as well as managers, often question why organizations do employee performance appraisals.

Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a performance appraisal could argue why they perceive it to be ineffective and a complete waste of time.

Employees often feel unjustly assessed, and managers often go through a forced annual process to comply with job expectations. Read the Full Article →

25 Interview Questions To Ask A Job Candidate

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Anyone who has ever interviewed a job candidate understands that it can be a daunting task.

Knowing the right questions to ask is critical to identifying the right fit for your organization.

Interviewing is a skill that is developed with practice and being prepared for the interview is an important first step. Read the Full Article →

5 Steps To Help You Prepare to Interview a Job Candidate

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Hiring a new employee can be an exciting yet stressful time for a small business owner.

The reason being – no one wants to make the costly mistake of hiring the wrong person.

There are many steps to the hiring process – articulating the need, creating a job description, budgeting for salary, advertising and reviewing applications to select a handful of candidates to interview. Read the Full Article →

7 Steps Your Small Business Should Take Before Hiring That New Employee

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When a small business is formed, it is often difficult to imagine the time when there is a need to hire employees.

When that day comes, it is important to understand what needs to be done to hire a new employee.

There are several steps that need to be considered before entering into an employment arrangement. Read the Full Article →

4 Tip for Improving Productivity and Decreasing Employee Errors

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I am a firm believer that employees come to work and want to do a good job.

However, it is the organization’s responsibility to ensure the work environment is one that inspires creative thinking and allows employees to do their job without any barriers or distractions to slow them down.

Apple is getting ready to open its new Spaceship Campus or Apple Park. Read the Full Article →

What Are Critical Success Factors?

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Whether you are managing a restaurant, boutique or insurance agency, it is important to know that you are focusing on those things that help the organization achieve its mission.

Anyone who manages internal processes understands how challenging it can be to balance daily responsibilities with monitoring how well the organization is performing. Read the Full Article →

5 Barriers to Achieving Business Goals

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Organizations use strategy and goals to move a business forward.

However, this is all dependent on how well goals are achieved.

Organizations need to have a structured performance management process to ensure business goals maintain priority until they are achieved.

Well written SMART goals lay out the framework and accountability for goal completion to support managing employee performance. Read the Full Article →