Monkey Business

Jul 30, 2014 | Uncategorized

Holidays: A short break away from/with the family?

 

July and August are very much the traditional holiday months, a chance to escape the routine and get off to somewhere different. On a recent trip to the northwest I visited a monkey forest.

Not in the depths of the Congo (sadly) but just outside Stoke on Trent. The Trentham Estate has a small reserve for two groups of monkeys. After paying a modest fee, you get to go in and wander round and observe the monkeys at close quarters and hear about their social habits from the many forest guides. The rules are simple, don’t touch, don’t feed and don’t approach closer than one metre.

It was a fascinating insight into the social structure of these very charming animals. One of the most surprising facts  was that, if you are male and have aspirations to be the Alpha male, you can’t fight your way to the top.

Instead, you have to make lots of friends, help with child rearing, personal grooming, become a best mate to everybody and generally be as nice as you can. You get to the top by being super helpful to all the other monkeys!

This reminded me that the very best companies look after not only their customers but their staff too. A happy team will always have a big impact on your customers. Encouraging the highest levels of customer service will also ultimately work in your favour, but the follow through in all cases is critically important.

 We can probably think of many examples in a home context of missed/late appointments, quotes that never arrived, can’t be bothered attitudes and so on. We need to make sure from a business perspective that our own punctuality and delivery of service is as close to excellent as it’s possible to be, at all times.

Hotting up

We are experiencing one of the hottest summers for years. Office workers are perhaps not enjoying the good weather as much as they should. Here at Grugeon Reynolds we have a lot of glass in comparison to the floor space of the office which has led to some very warm conditions. Afternoons can be difficult, mustering just enough energy to grab another cold drink or ice cream from the fridge before slumping back in front of the fan…… Like many small businesses, we put up with it, assuming that as soon as we invest in cooling, the weather will change.

I was reminded the other day that air conditioning can be very useful in the right office to produce a much more comfortable working environment.

As office temperature rises, productivity can be reduced dramatically. By fitting air conditioning, it can really improve heat and humidity conditions in the office. A consistent temperature all year round does sound attractive and there are tax allowances available.

For those who think they can benefit, why not contact one of our long established clients, Allweather Refrigeration Ltd, 020 8467 7557 who will be pleased to discuss your needs and offer a tailor made solution.

Cooling down

Temperatures may be rising, so has UK growth. More talk about the economy overheating has raised the prospect of an increase in interest rates. Now is the time to consider the impact of a rise in rates, how will it affect you directly and what steps you can take to minimise the impact. If you are not sure we will be pleased to talk to you about this.

Make a splash

One of the quickest ways to cool down is the cold shower. Having experienced one too many when camping, the next best thing on a warm day may be to visit a lido. In South East London a fine example can be found in Hornfair Park, Greenwich. Benefitting from a makeover around the time of the 2012 Olympics, the 50 meter pool and open air café is a great trip out if you like the idea of an open air swim combined with a refreshing espresso!

More details can be found here. www.better.org.uk/leisure/charlton-lido

And finally: A different recipe card

It’s easy to blow hot and cold with the ups and downs of business. Between now and the end of September we are offering a 50% reduction on our One Page Plan product. Normally £500+VAT, we can develop a bespoke summary for you to use in your existing business for £250+VAT.

It highlights not just the obvious facts like turnover and cash at bank, but also underlying trends that reveal how your business is really performing. The One Page Plan shows how you are doing all in one easy to read format.

Every plan will be different depending on the nature of your business and our approach is to tailor you plan to match your business style.

To find out more contact Andrew or Karen by clicking here.

Have a great summer!

The Grugeon Reynolds Team