Archive for April, 2011

The Fuzion Women and the Wedding !

April 29, 2011
Mary & William, Royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding - is that Mary or Kate?

Now before I go any further let me stress that at Fuzion we have a team of intelligent, diligent and very hard working women ..

“Oh my God” this is going to be the best day ever … Mary (our Londoner, who may feel hard done by today – in the UK this would have been a day off – I think it is here as well!!) declares in a very excited fashion – Oh My God is right !! They are definitely a different species ..

The amount of time and detail and arrangements that have gone into the big day is incredible – I’m not talking about the the arrangements in London, I’m talking about the arrangements by the intelligent and hard working female crew in Fuzion.

The William and Kate inscribed champagne flutes are on standby, special cakes have been baked for the occasion, the LCD screen is set up and the wedding of the decade is about to be screened.

10:30 AM and we are already listening to the excited screams, oohs and aahs about the different dresses and I can confirm that the girls have freely admitted that “we would all love to be a princess”!

10:40: “Oh my God, I have that coat”, “Look at the dress it is, AMAZING !!” “She’s put on weight” “Look, look it’s Prince Charles”

11:02: The girls freak out as the screen freezes on the CNN feed- panic !

Now all the boys are watching it as well ..if you can’t beat them you may as well join them!

Major excitement as we have just unveiled a picture of Mary with Prince William – Paul did a great job with it and I think Mary is genuinely impressed .. we have another little gift for her later!

11:45: We are in the middle of the vows and girls are nervous .. very tense … Yahoo !! They have done it

Fuzion Girls

Fuzion girls working hard!

12:15 “Do you think they will kiss on the balcony ?” – What do you think? – of course they will ..

The champagne and Pimms is flowing, the scones and cream are ready, we have sandwiches, we have gorgeous cheeses, we have pate .. we’re having fun!

The girls are now practicing their Queen “wave” – Jill is definitely the best, guess who has done this before.

Mary is not impressed at the picture of her as the Queen, she prefers being a Princess I am guessing – she is the most fabulous girl, we’re mad about her! William would be lucky to have her but he had to settle for Kate, another commoner.

12:50 Ali arrives to join the fun!

13:05 and all the girls now are just waiting for the balcony kiss (by the way Posh Spice’s outfit got the thumbs up!)

13:27 – the moment has come, they have appeared on the balcony – Mary has declared to us that “I have goose bumps”, Kerrie being very practical “Ah for God’s sake, hold hands will ye!” .. wait for it, wait for it .. lots of waving, anticipation, more waving and there you go, smack – the most polite, useless pathetic kiss of all time!

.. the crowd are chanting … kiss again, kiss again, obviously not very happy with the 1st one … nothing doing just yet, more waving. Ah damn – they kissed while the cameras were following the air force jets flying overhead – what a waste!

That’s nearly it, they’re all going in, backs turned and in they go – “That marriage isn’t going to last” , “Ah, I think it will”

Fuzion wedding girls photo

Fuzion girls know how to have fun!

William and Kate (or Mary!) you brought us a little bit of magic today, thank you and the very best of luck!

It probably won’t be easy..

Now – back to work!

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Personal development, Positivity, Royal Wedding | Leave a Comment »

The Brown Envelope and the Harp

April 25, 2011
The Brown Envelope and the Harp!

Will I open it?

There it is patiently sitting on my desk waiting to be opened.

In fact it has been there for a while and for some reason I am just not ready yet to open it. You might call it procrastination and that might be a fair comment but for me it is about something much more simple than that ..

I have to be in a positive place to get the best out of my day, my team and my own workload. It’s tough out there, you need to punch in long hours and do everything you can to keep the positive energy going and to keep winning – This is working well for us and I feel I actually owe it to the business and our team to protect myself and stay in this positive place.

I am quite sure that there is nothing in that brown envelope with the harp that is going to make my day any better so it does tend to stay there a while. I know there is nothing wrong that I should be worried about but they never fail to surprise you! Will I open it?

Procrastination or protection?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Personal development, Positivity, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Are you spending enough on Positive Costs?

April 25, 2011
Doorman

Positive Cost ?

In my accounting days (yes, I know most of you won’t believe it – I was!!) we had a few different ways of looking at the costs of a business.

The most popular of these was a very simple analysis – Fixed Costs, which were those costs that would not vary with volume and Variable Costs, which were the costs which did vary according to volume. This was quite a simplistic model, which didn’t always hold up!

We then had other methods of looking at costs such as Zero Base Costing and Activity Based Costing .. interesting stuff indeed!

Since the recession has kicked in I have witnessed first hand clients being advised to cut back on expenses by the accounting fraternity and often they just do it themselves automatically – the types of costs that get chopped first are those that are deemed to be “unnecessary”, which will typically include marketing &  advertising spend, sales reps, items like training, corporate entertainment, Christmas gifts, staff entertainment  and other “extras”.

On the surface it is easy to figure out why companies would cut back in such a way but you could ask the question: Why spend this money when sales were easier to come by and when it is harder to win business you just abandon them?

Could reduced sales be a self fulfilling prophecy when you cut out certain overheads?

The New Cost Model

Taking the knowledge of my old profession and combining this with what I am witnessing with clients every day I am now proposing a new way of analysing costs.

Here goes ..

There are actually three types of costs:

Negative Costs –   these are the costs that a business is “stuck” with, regardless of volume. It would include Rent and Rates (but not necessarily 100% of these – I will explain that later), Insurance, ESB, etc.

Maintenance Costs – these are the costs of servicing the business that you have brought in. It would such items as staff costs, raw materials, power and delivery costs.

Positive Costs – these are the costs that are all about bringing new business in, effectively the costs, which should have a “positive effect” on the business.

Positive costs are the most important costs of the whole business, they are the elements that are designed to start the engine, the elements that can make things happen, that “trigger” customers to actually place an order.

Positive costs are far reaching and could include surprise elements that you would not expect: the premium you pay to have a premises in a location that will bring in more customers, the cost of washing the car after it has been serviced, the cost of polishing the shoes that have been repaired, the cost of having a receptionist who answers calls promptly and deals with customer queries swiftly.

There could be an element of positive costs to most people overhead in the business – the porter who does “meet and greet” at the door of the hotel, the credit controller who carefully spends time with customers who are experiencing difficulty, the accountant who spends time with customers to understand the business better, the staff party to reward a hard working team and a deliberate initiative to improve morale.

I’m sure with a little effort you will think of thousands of other unexpected examples – all of these elements contribute to bringing in more business and create a “positive effect” on the business.

Of course Positive Costs will include items such as advertising, marketing, graphic design, web marketing, social media activity and even PR!

Positive costs are absolutely essential for generating business for any company – cutting these out may be viewed as a necessary step but it will eventually choke the oxygen of the business.

Recession (or any time for that matter)

Using our new cost model I would suggest the following approach:

Analyse your costs into the different cost categories and work towards –

1. Reducing the negative costs as much as possible

2. Improving efficiencies and work practices so that maintenance costs are as little as possible

3. Spending as much of your overhead budget as possible on positive costs .

I am not for one minute suggesting naive spending – always look for the best value in your positive costs and don’t waste money, making sure they are actually positive costs – that the spend results in increases in business.

Are you spending enough on Positive Costs in your business?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Accounting, Advertising, Business Planning, Customer Care, Irish Economy, Marketing, Positivity, PR, Recession, Social Media, Staff training, Training, Uncategorized | 22 Comments »

Aetna – Vultures?

April 16, 2011
Aetna - Castleisland, County Kerry

Healthy Attitude?

Irish Examiner today (16th April, 2011) – Vultures part 2 ..

In a statement yesterday Aetna management said that the proposals submitted by the staff “did not support their strategic objectives for the global service strategy“.

This statement was made in response to proposals submitted by employees, which included more flexible work practices and offers to work additional hours – this is all in an attempt to keep the facility open and save the 100 jobs.

I don’t know any of the background to this but I do know Aetna were more than happy with the plant as it expanded less than  3 years ago.

If you were one of their workers, surely you would deserve more than that statement after over 20 years .. Is this how we have come to look after people?

The really ironic thing is what Aetna actually do:

Aetna Global Benefits (AGB), the international division of Aetna Inc., is a provider of comprehensive health benefits solutions for multinational employers and government agencies. AGB’s offerings include medical, dental, vision, life, disability, emergency assistance and health management programmes for employees and high net worth individuals who live, work or travel internationally.

Healthy attitude I would say ..

Just two and a half years ago at the 20 years anniversary and expansion announcement (no doubt complete with mega grants)  Martha R. Temple, President of Aetna Global Benefits issue the following statement in September 2008:

“The Castleisland facility has gained an excellent reputation within Aetna as having a highly skilled and productive workforce. In 2003, we chose this site as the pilot location for our Aetna Global Benefits business serving expatriates outside the U.S. The pilot has proven successful, so we are moving forward with our expansion of the facility. I am proud that we are in a position to mark our 20th anniversary in Ireland with this expansion and a clear commitment for the future.”

Knowing the state of the Irish Economy and considering the length of service and apparent success of the plant everything should be done to keep this facility open.

Sad, very sad.

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Debt Forgiveness or Vulture Culture?

April 16, 2011
Debt Forgiveness or Vulture Culture?

Feeding the vultures?

Reading the Irish Examiner this morning I am struck and really upset by what I am seeing ..

On the cover is a picture of the large queues at the NAMA property auction in Dublin this week – while I am sure there are some genuine people in that queue looking for a break by getting a property they can afford and get their lives moving I am more than sure that their are plenty of “vultures” swooping to pick some meat off the dead carcases of our property collapse.

Consider the steps that lead us to this point:

Step 1 – Property owner (formerly known as bank customer) can’t afford mortgage: bank turfs the loans to NAMA at a huge discount and write off the balance (request money from government to cover the loss – p.s. we have to pay for this). End of problem for Mr Bank.

Step 2 – NAMA take on advisor’s, solicitors, experts of all sorts and deal with the “property owners” at huge cost (the problem is just in another box and we pay the fees). A good friend of mine, a solicitor tells me they all know the biggest game in town is getting a gig with NAMA!

Step 3 – NAMA creatively look for solutions to sort out the property market? Nah – lets just do a fire sale and get rid of the properties for half nothing. What brains came up with that solution?

Step 4 – Chase the original property owner for the deficit (at this stage it is probably much bigger than it ever needed to be in the first place), which they will never, ever be able to clear.

Step 5 – NAMA realise that it has a bigger hole than it thought in the first place – look for money from Government as they have a shortfall (that’s us folks!)

Step 6 – Vultures queue up, avoid buying any property until they come up for sale again in another bargain basement sale. Further devaluation of property prices as a result – yep you get a bigger hole with even more people in trouble..

I know there was a huge reaction this week to talk of Debt Forgiveness (why should we pick up the tab for other people’s carelessness? is the general attitude) but if you look at the scenario above, which we have all witnessed – the original property owner could have made a sensible arrangement with the bank, managed through the current economic climate and ultimately recovered more money than what was ever possible in an auction fire sale.

Possible Result – The deficit would have been a lot less, huge savings would have been made on unnecessary professional fees and the property market would not be further compromised.

Just a month ago a pub quite close to us was closed by the bank – the “owners” could not manage the level of debt as they bought too high. Now the pub is being touted around by the bank  at prices a fraction of what the original debt was – they will never recover the deficit from the original owners and we will end up picking up the tab for the “unnecessary deficit”.

Will the new operators do a better job that the original owners? And what about all the suppliers who get burnt in the shut down scenario?

Debt forgiveness is emotive and really difficult to manage (fire sale is too easy, less messy, inhumane and lousy for the economy = our country) but it must be better than pure stupidity, which we will all end up paying for. It’s time to work hard at brave, practical solutions that have the best interest of the county at heart..

….and besides, why do we need to feed the Vultures?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Customer Care, Irish Economy, Irish Politics, Recession, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Have a Positively Fabulous Easter!

April 14, 2011
Retail tips for Easter

Positivity? - Why Not !!

Budgets, bad weather, IMF bailouts, things are tough, sales are bad, wages are down, burn the bond holders, senior bond holders, junior bond holders, any bond holders – Oh my God, my head is bursting ! Enough is enough ..

In business all the marketers will tell you about the importance of having a Unique Selling Point, a USP. It is that element that is unique that makes your business special and makes you different to your competitors. In a busy marketplace that can be hard to achieve. In the current climate it can be even more difficult as everyone is afraid of mistakes so we end up playing it very safe, even boring at times.

Now go back to my first paragraph, read it again and then read further on and let’s discover a really simple way to make your business stand out this Easter.

Here goes..

This Easter draw a secret line around your business and make it a haven for all those who enter or deal with over the phone or on email – you are going to give them a gift, something that is quite unique, something that are not getting in most other places. When anyone crosses that secret line they are going to experience nothing but positivity – yep, that’s right simple positivity.

That’s all well and good but how do we do it? – Here is my 10 step plan!

1.       Yourself – You start! ( “Good morning, Greg”)

2.       Your Team – Tell them that negative talk is banned, you want them cheery and bright with customers – watch what happens (have a negative jar instead of a swear jar!)

3.       Bright – You want to see bright merchandise in the windows, bright visuals on your website, bright stock in the stock list, bright clothes on the staff. Buy flowers!

4.       Sales – Increase your sales targets. We all know it’s not easy but tell the team you are budgeting for an increase (let everyone else do the opposite, prepare for the negative it and it will definitely happen)

5.       How to? – Ok, while you are positive you are also realistic. You want positive plans from your team as to how the sales targets will be achieved

6.       Bonus – Promise bonuses for those who succeed, win/win if you make it

7.       What to do with that bonus? – Get everyone in the team to write on a piece of paper what they will do with their bonus (put their private responses in an envelope with their name on it – keep it for them)

8.       Drinks/dinner/chocolates/coffee – When the sales plans are done and the bonuses are decided on do something as a team. Bring chocolates or buns into work.

9.       Customers – treat them really nice, offer them coffee, offer them biscuits. Tell them about the secret line if you have to – they will think you are nuts but they will appreciate it

10.   The World – little enough that you can do about the other stuff, keep it outside the line!

Sorry I have one more tip – why stop at Easter?

Happy Easter!

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Business Planning, Customer Care, Ireland, Irish Economy, Marketing, Positivity, Retailing | 12 Comments »

Writers Block !

April 12, 2011

All sorts of direct mail comes through our letter box everyday of the week ranging from free newspapers, special offers from pizza and Chinese restaurants and local hardware stores.

At work the direct mail tends to be a little bit different, we do get the free newspapers but we also tend to get some special offers from gyms and some notifications about lunch time specials in local restaurants. The odd time you will get someone offering some type of business to service such as IT support. Mostly this material goes direct to the bin after a quick glance.

The very odd time something very special comes through the letter box and this happened yesterday in the office. This very special piece of direct marketing immediately brought the gift of laughter and joy to everyone – in fact it was so good that the effects of it lasted the whole day.

It brought smiles – sorry that it a huge understatement – it brought uncontrollable laughter from the minute it was discovered. During the day this unique piece of direct marketing was spontaneously grabbed by whoever was passing – it was picked up and even though everyone knew the joke already it did not matter – the roars of laughter just kicked off again.

I don’t think anyone in the office will take up what was being offered any time soon but to those who delivered this unique gift through our letterbox we cannot thank you enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Direct Matketing that makes you laugh!

How is your writing?

Writers block?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Direct Marketing, Marketing, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

True Heroes of the Irish Economy

April 7, 2011
Resilience - The Broken Man

Resilience - The Broken Man

Sometimes I try to find words to describe what I am witnessing around me and the things that inspire me.

Sometimes you are better off letting the words to those who are in the mix.

In response to my blog “Broken Man – We need him now more than ever” , which received incredible response there is one that just blew me away.

These are not my words they are his – one of those broken men who is picking himself up again..

“Speaking as what you term a “broken man” – I lost everything, dreams out of the window, in debt up to my ears – it took a couple of years to get things back on an even keel and begin to accept the loss but, having done it once, I couldn’t imagine working for someone else again. Working now on a new project with confidence having taken a knock but with my vision and determination intact……..maybe not broken, perhaps just wounded!”

Broken Man, thanks for getting up again

I salute you

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Business Start Ups, Irish Economy, Marketing, Self Help | 8 Comments »

“Sorry, there’s nothing I can do”

April 4, 2011
Time for change

"Ok - what can we do here to sort this out?"

“Sorry there’s nothing I can do” – Revenue Official

“Sorry there’s nothing I can do” – Bank Official

“Sorry there’s nothing I can do” – NÀMA Official

 

“Sorry there’s nothing I can do” – Mr Landlord

“Sorry there’s nothing I can do” .. If we said that we would have no clients

We talk about flexibility, innovative solutions, making things happen, having a pro jobs agenda – some of us need to change our language.

“What’s the problem? – Lets find a solution that’s best for everyone” – Mr Make It Happen

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion

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Posted in Ireland, Irish Economy, Recession | 8 Comments »

Perfecting imperfection ..

April 2, 2011

Cafe de Flore - Paris

Do we really want everything to be absolutely perfect?

I absolutely love those places, products or services where you get a genuine, authentic experience that connects with you in a particular way that just cannot be beaten.

The magic ingredient is that besides being great at what they do or sell they have maintained some element that is actually imperfect and genuinely authentic, which is what makes them extra special.

You know what I am talking about .. that market stall, that character pub, that artisan cheese, that hotel with character, that boutique with unusual labels, that restaurant or coffee shop with a great buzz. In these places the crooked pictures on the wall, the charismatic character behind the counter, the candles burning in the wine bottles and the unusual product packaging all actually make the experience better instead of worse.

Just think of Cafe de Flore in Paris – expensive, chic, atmosphere and yes .. perfectly, imperfect!

The opposite is the franchise hotels, shops, restaurants and coffee shops where you get the standard experience, the same look and feel and staff well trained in executing the standard operation manual. Operating at their best you are guaranteed a good experience but you will never get that little bit of magic and authenticity.

Maybe, just maybe the manual needs to be loosened a little so that the local manager can be encouraged to do something authentic and get closer to being perfectly imperfect?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Customer Care, Marketing, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »