Focus on Costs – Day 2: Introduction to Cost-Base Segmentation Posted at: Archive for March 31, 2020 Posted in: All, Strategic Focus on Costs Programme Yesterday we explained the necessity of really looking at your business’s cost base during this pandemic. Over a fortnight and in the spirit of pulling together, we’re issuing daily advice building into a full programme to show you how to review and reduce your cost base, whilst maintaining supply chain...
Sales Outlook for a Pandemic: Time to Focus on Costs Posted at: Archive for March 30, 2020 Posted in: All, Strategic Focus on Costs Programme What’re the chances of Selling during a Pandemic? Who’s buying in these uncertain times anyway? Unless you’re a key supplier to one of the limited numbers of growth industries – Zoom, Ocado, the NHS etc. – existing customers & prospects aren’t buying and won’t be for some time. I’ve...
Taking Back Control – You Have to Give to Get Posted at: Archive for March 16, 2020 Posted in: All How we buy has changed as much in the workplace as it has at home. Access to seemingly unlimited information makes it possible to easily find a solution to most problems. For example in IT, innovative subscription and delivery models (e.g. software as a service) make it easy to buy...
Money Saved – What Next? Posted at: Archive for March 16, 2020 Posted in: All It’s not rocket science – once the big reductions in cost have been achieved, savings benefits diminish as major spend categories become properly sourced. It stands to reason that if the return from cost-saving initiatives diminish, so should investment in the activity. But investment in cost-saving activity should not finish...
JMCL Continued Support of the Tour of Cambridgeshire Posted at: Archive for March 16, 2020 Posted in: All I’m delighted that JMCL’s support the Tour of Cambridge (ToC) continues in 2020. We consider it a great fit with our Enlightened Procurement approach to serving our clients, improving their profits in a way that’s long-term sustainable and right for the whole business. ToC 2020 is on 6th and...
Stick or Twist? Posted at: Archive for January 30, 2020 Posted in: All Last month I talked about ‘creative dissatisfaction’ and it being a driver of positive improvement. Does improvement necessarily need to be a binary choice of “Out with the old and in with the new” or is a more subtle approach required? The need to grow revenues so often drives a company to...
New Year Revolutions Posted at: Archive for January 30, 2020 Posted in: All Coming back to work in the New Year it’s impossible not to feel that it’s time for a new start. We’ve just had a break and time to reflect – and it’s natural to look back at the last 12 months. How many of us, our friends and colleagues...
Harnessing Creative Dissatisfaction Posted at: Archive for December 16, 2019 Posted in: All If we were completely satisfied, nothing would change. There’d be no need for progress. The lack of something we desire stimulates progress, it’s a basic human condition. Last month I talked about my frustration about how difficult it can be to get hold of vital information within an organisation. Driven by my...
Interesting Times? Just Get it Done! Posted at: Archive for December 16, 2019 Posted in: All Even in the short time between thinking about this article and writing it, things have changed dramatically. The only constant of recent times would seem to have been uncertainty – but does this necessarily have to be a bad thing? Last week was the run-up to the 12th December 2019...
Reflecting on My Predictions Posted at: Archive for December 16, 2019 Posted in: All It’s that time of year again when we break for the festive period and people take stock and consider where they are going. Last year I picked out 5 themes that I thought would shape the next 3-5 years, and in the spirit of the season (and of a...
