The Unplug

 Have you ever come to the stage in your life where you needed to unplug? 

You're probably thinking that this may be a strange question. The discussions that result can be awkward. But, are they really? 

Life has become too much:

• Too exposed
• Too open 
• Too out there 
• Too many things vying for your attention
• Too available
• Too many other things. 

If left unchecked, it can make one become overwhelmed. What can you do in order to take a break and catch yourself? Simply unplug. 

Unplug from the matrix of life, those seemingly important things are deemed as necessary but really aren't. The difficulty is the discipline that you're going to need to demonstrate to yourself. 

Your peace and sanity will thank you for the benefits that will accrue from the unplugging. 

The 5 negative areas of impact within your business

There are a couple of things that go towards making a business successful; one of them is a constant flow of customers. The thing is, many businesses don't go beyond lip service when it comes to serving customers.

Daily we hear expensive commercials making promises that seldom deliver, and this is evidenced by the number of factors:

1. The staff is poorly trained in handling the product(s) / service(s). 
2. They may not have adequate knowledge about what they are offering for sale
3. The systems have not been adjusted to meet the increased demand in business, hence bottlenecks/shortages result within the operation. 
4. Incidences where the company can renege on its word which can lead to damaged credibility. 
5. An interdepartmental disconnect within the organization can lead to frustrated customers 

By now you get the picture of the myriad of things that can go wrong when interacting with customers without properly planned systems. 

When planning promotions for your workplace it is necessary to pay attention to the support systems that have to facilitate that promotion and its smooth running. All stakeholders need to be involved so that adequate discussion addresses any challenges that can take place; especially from a logistical/financial standpoint. It is key to ensure that all systems support each other adequately; serving the ultimate role of treating your customer well.

Too many organizations leave their staff in a lurch, forcing them to resort to the i.n.o. (I ain't know) situations. that adversely affect the objectives the organization is hoping to realize.

There are resources that can assist you in improving your business. Though not all free they are necessary in order for your business to become sustainable. Though we may not do business together, I can certainly point you in the direction of some that may be available.

Richie B. has been involved in business development for well over 23 years. He believes in a team approach to aiding businesses and can assist you in making contact with the resources necessary for taking your business forward. 

The benefits of treating your customers well

There are a couple things that go towards making business successful; one of them is a constant flow of customers. The thing is, many businesses don't go beyond lip service when it comes to serving customers.

Daily we hear expensive commercials making promises that seldom deliver; and this is evidenced by the number of factors:

• Staff are poorly trained in handling the product(s) / service(s). 
• They may not have adequate knowledge about what they are offering for sale
• The systems have not been adjusted to meet the increased demand in business, hence bottlenecks / shortages result within the operation. 
• Incidences where the company can renege on its word which can lead to damaged credibility. 
• Interdepartmental disconnect can lead to frustrated customers 

By now you get the picture of the myriad of things that can go wrong when interacting with customers without properly planned systems. 

When planning promotions for your workplace it is necessary to pay attention to the support systems that have to facilitate that promotion and its smooth running. All stakeholders need to be involved so that adequate discussion addresses any challenges that can take place; especially from a logistical / financial standpoint. It is key to ensure that all systems support each other adequately; serving the ultimate role of treating your customer well.

Take stock and revamp

When you're doing business for any length of time, it's easy for some things to fall through cracks. What do I mean?

• You deviate from your planned/established procedures
• Damaging behaviours creep in, especially when taken for granted that it's a one off experience 
• Your systems are not really systems, only an ad hoc set of behaviours clumped together 

What do you do?

• You will feel overwhelmed
• You will experience the frustration of not truly making progress 
• Stress levels will increase in all facets of your life - you get the picture 

STOP AND TAKE STOCK

• Examine what you're doing and the results you're getting 
• Identify where changes need to be made; get help if you need to
• Make the changes, and then evaluate to see if they're working 

Here's what you'll find

• You may become more organized achieving more in less time
• Your stress levels will decline
• You will feel more in control of what you're doing and what you wish to achieve 
• Ever so slight, you'll start to experience some successes 
• Stopping and taking stock often enough will even result in your becoming a bigger success than you've ever been

Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourselves. You owe it to yourselves, your family, and your business; whatever it may be. Begin to take steps today to improve the quality of your living. 

Organizations with notable contributions to Small Business

In my years of business development, I have come across a number of entities that have given assistance to the development of SMEs over the years. However, I have found that they are some that stand out more than others not only for their assistance, but for their consistency of effort.

In this instance, I will focus on those that are located within the island of Barbados. I would hope that they will take note of this post and endeavor to continue to great work that they have done over the years. To explain the services of each one would result in a post that would probably bore the reader. Therefore, if you have any knowledge of their services or industries that they operate within you will know that they are exemplary in their offerings:

Telecommunications

• LIME - for all their services and packages

 Banking and Finance

• Scotiabank
• First Citizens Bank
• City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union

Technical Assistance and Mentoring

•  The Barbados Investment and Development Corporation [BIDC]
• Caribbean Export
• The Barbados Youth Business Trust 
• The Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme
• Science and Technology

There was a time that a lot of support came from

• The Barbados Coalition of Service Industries [BCSI] 
• Republic Bank 
• CIBC First Caribbean International Bank

Conference and meeting facilities

• The Hilton Barbados
• The Barbados Yacht Club
• The Courtyard by Marriott
• The Accra Beach Hotel 
• The Coffee Bean [more for meetings] 

 Power

• The Barbados Light and Power 

Water

• The Barbados Water Authority 

Permissions

• The Town and Country Planning Office 

Ongoing Education

• The Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic [SJPP]
• The Barbados Community College [BCC] 
• Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity [BIMAP] 
• The University of the West Indies [UWI] 

Incentive creation and positive functional taxation policies that facilitate economic growth

• The Government of Barbados with their Bright, Lucrative, Policies 

We want to take this opportunity to say thank you for your various contributions to SME development within Barbados.You will note that mentioning SMEs does not mean entrepreneurs, but small businesses that drive the tangible sustainability of the economy. Thank you for your outstanding efforts.

So you think it's rough...

Many people in different parts of the world have screen savers of our existence. They have pictures of the tropics showing the trees, waves, and just natural beautiful scenery. If you were to ask them about that picture they're looking at they will answer - "Paradise". (Just do a quick search and look at the images)

Here's the thing. We have challenges too.

In the Caribbean, we have to maintain that paradise. To maintain anything of value we have to do our chores.  It goes for many aspects of our lives - our relationships, our finances, our health, our surroundings, etc.

Here's a little hint. When you think you have it rough, just know that we who "live in your postcards" do not get to enjoy it as much, cause we have to work hard to maintain it.

In life, it's not about us. We are here to fulfill a purpose, which we need to identify quickly, so we can do our part. It's about more than trying to survive personally. It's about more than trying to pay the bills. Life is made for living to the fullest as God directs. How many of us stop for directions ever so often?

Here's what we've found living Paradise. Sometimes when we think we have life rough, we identify others who have it even more rough, and decide to live with an attitude of gratitude.

Have an awesome day and live life a little, functioning at island time.