Q.What
are some of the best sustainable business practices for a
consumer packaged goods company (such as Colgate, Estee Lauder,
Procter & Gambel, Sunsilk, Nirma etc)? We want some fresh ideas as well
as proven/documented ones. Thank you. ant some fresh ideas as well
you.
Answer-1:
I am not in business but analyse and give ideas with my expertise. however i
collected this information from different sites in the net and posting for you.
IN TODAY'S COMPETITIVE AND ECONOMICALLY `TOUGH' MARKETPLACES,
ORGANISATIONS ACROSS ALL SECTORS, ESPECIALLY THE BUSINESS SECTOR, NEED ENDURING VALUES AND SOUND PRINCIPLES THAT CAN
PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
No matter how big, or how small an organisation cannot thrive if its management
doesn't recognize the importance of purpose, values and systems that
contribute to good business practice in dealing with staff, customers and suppliers.
A good business practices approach is to ask yourself the five Ws who, what, where,
why, and when. You should certainly know "what" the concept is all about. This
will help determine if it fits into your business strategy. Next, "Why" do I want
to market the PEO concept; "why" do I want to use the Internet for marketing?
If you can't answer that question, you may not need to go any further. Now that
you have answered the "why," proceed with identifying "who" is going to handle the
product (both the sales and the support) and what training they will need. "Where"
is probably the easiest to give thought to but the "when" is very important. Lay
out a timetable that allows you to set up the structure (personnel, training, space,
marketing, etc.) that will allow you to achieve the desired results. Proceeding too
quickly will cause things to fall between the cracks, proceeding too slowly could
cause you to miss some business opportunities.
As with your traditional insurance operation, a number of "good business practices"
are equally important. Education is very important. Also, communication to your
staff and your clients is important. In addition, the use of some type of exposure
analysis checklist will be solid evidence of your professionalism and will, among other
things, probably result in a serious decline in the number of E&O claims brought.
Good Business Management Practices
I believe there are three good business management practices; 1) Work harder than
your people do; 2) Develop a deep and solid relationship with them and; 3) Focus on
giving them as much continuing education as possible. Neither of these principles are
revolutionary, but they are business management practices which are often neglected
by business leaders. The first principle is my favorite because it involves you.
People listen to what you say, but they watch what you do. This is why it's important to always work harder than your employees.
When you always give a little extra effort and work harder than expected, your
employees are going to naturally do the same.
I want to point out that your employees will probably never work as hard as you,
but they will work harder if you work harder. As the owner and leader of your
business you're always going to be the hardest worker, which is natural because you
have the greatest opportunity to make a profit from your hard work.
Another good business management practice is to develop a solid relationship with
your employees. Often in the hustle and bustle of the everyday work week we forget to
sit down, slow down, and take the time to get to know our employees as a person.
Many studies and surveys have been done on what employees look for from their
employers. Every one of those surveys shows that employees want to know they
are appreciated and valued for their hard work. Your job as a business leader is
communicate to them that you value and appreciate them as much as possible.
The following _ve areas have been determined by GoodB to constitute GOOD BUSINESS EXCELLENCE:
Human Bottom Line|||
The personal impact and responsibility of business on workers, consumers, and
community.
Ethical Action|||
The value of personal values in for-pro_t business practice and execution.
Pro_ts and Purpose||{
Making money while making a positive di_erence in the lives of human beings.
Green Action||Best green business & environmentally sustainable business initiatives and practices.
Common Good||
Non-pro_t corporate philanthropic endeavors for the common good.
Global sourcing is used by numerous businesses to save time and money, and it
has become a safe and established business practice across the entire world. There
are no risks when using global sourcing and multinational purchasing on the online
market or b2b market. There is no extensive knowledge or equipment needed to
use global sourcing or multinational purchasing, and most suppliers online are very
helpful.
Wholesale products from China can be a fantastic business opportunity, and using
global sourcing to locate China export product makes the process quick and easy.
Global sourcing has completely revolutionized the way products, including wholesale
products from China, are located. Global sourcing and multinational purchasing are
the most e_cient business methods available.
so though there is risk involved to some extent, I wish good strategy,dedication and
god's blessings will make you a top in your field very soon.
Answer 2
Sustainable growth for a consumer packed goods company is as important as surviving in the consumer goods market. It is equally important to gain succesive pro_ts
and growth of the company.
Every consumer packed item a consumer buys comes from some simple logical decisions.
1. The Quality: The _rst thing a person wants in his consumerable item is its quality.
The quality should be up to the mark to compete with hundreds of competitors.
2. The Price: The price plays an important role in determining demand. As price
of consumerable goods increases then demand decreases and as the price decreases,
the demand increases. So the price should be such that it does on with the quality
and current demand. The price can many times make the demand go down. One
must see if the present demand have already increased, only then it should think of
increasing the price.
3. The Brand: People tend to go after brand name and popular tags. So, what one
need to do is that he should work on to make his brand name more popular among
the public.
4. The Outer Cover: The outer cover of consumer packed goods determine its
demand in the market compared to goods in the same category.
5. How Polular: An item should be popular among masses if it wants to increase its
demand. Advertisement cn work on in that case. If and only if the item is popular
among the current masses then only people will go to buy that product.
Let me make my point clear with a few examples. Say for example, colgate, closeup have almost the same demand. But here Colgate croses the border because of
its extensive advertisements based on medical reasons. People would follow their
medical reasons as it is concerned with their health.
Again for example, as compared to soaps, there is a wide variety of demand for
di_erent soaps. Why? the answer is quie simple. People have di_erent skin types
and di_erent priorities. If the soap matches their priorities, then they buy that soap.
Girls go for Lux, Dove, Vivel etc. While Guys who are mostly into outdoor games
go normally for Detol or Lifebuoy. The explanation is simple. Girls are concerned
about their skin and beauty while Guys gets dirty and they want a soap that will
remove their germs.
The consumer packed goods must make it a point to target a audience based on
their preferances. They cannot make a general product as its demand will decrease
with time.
I would love to discuss some important business ideas for a sustainable growth for
consumer packed goods.
1. Create a feedback channel: When there is a feedback channel then one gets to
know what are the improvments one needs to make in his products. Try to be more
speci_c to a target audience.
2. Low cost Raw Materials: One must _nd some agencies or delears from where
they can get raw materials at the lowest price so that they can minimize their cost
of production. This way their cost of production will be the lowest than their rival
competitors. One can use internet as a medium where there are a lot of delears
outsourcing their raw materials at a very cheap price. Say for example, China is the
most demanded country to get electronic raw materials.
3. Training: The employees must be trained according to the company's need. His
quali_cation is not enough for specialized industry jobs. If he is into packing _eld
then he must be trained to be more creative so that he can make e_ective packing
and attractive packing to beat the competitors.
4. Intellectual Approach: The intellectual approach to deal with principals is the
best way for an e_ective planning system. When planned well enough backed by
the control system, one will get the best result from his work.
5. Work harder: If and only the leader works hard, then the fellow employes will
work harder. and if only the total employees work harder, the company will grow.
Ratan Tata truly said, "Hard work is the only way for sucess". But with hard work
should come, e_ective planning, creativity, and control followed by discipline.
Answer 3
Businesses keen to pro_t from the transition to sustainable development often have a
longer time-horizon and a broader set of goals than traditional companies. Typically
they are dissatis_ed with the status quo and want to operate in a socially responsible
manner, as well as protect the environment. They value the well-being of employees,
society, culture and future generations. Whilst they cannot afford to ignore shortterm cash cow, their definition of success is more sophisticated and long-term.
Often, the founders of these companies have a well-articulated set of principles that
guide the business and help to instill the same values in employees. By declaring
their goals publicly they may inspire trust, create a model for their industry sector,
and provide a benchmark against which achievement can be measured.
Smaller companies, which are often at a disadvantage when recruiting employees, can
attract creative and talented staff by offering workplaces that are more participatory,
have greater sensitivity to family issues, share more of the wealth, offer more fun,
and encourage trust between management and employees.
This broader vision of success requires new business tools, practices and relationships. Being receptive to new ideas and suggestions opens the door to an array of
business opportunities.
This section of the site is designed to provide the means for companies to prosper
during the first decade of the 21st century. The current focus on environment, empowerment, education, enjoyment and ethics is not likely to be a passing fad. People
are generally waking up to the need for organizations that protect the environment and
our social well-being.
Internal consistency
Ensuring that the values of sustainable development permeate throughout the company usually starts at the CEO's office. However, the best intentions are meaningless
if they are lodged in the mind of one individual. Changing a company's culture and
outlook requires a contribution from everyone, working as a team.
1. Prepare a mission statement
A mission statement is a declaration of the goals, principles and operating procedures
of a company. It will vary from one company to the next, depending on the nature
of the enterprise, and can help in charting a company's progress. Best issued from a
committed CEO, the statement should be distributed to all employees and stressed
repeatedly. If employees know that performance will be measured against the stated
goals, and are given the resources to achieve them, the mission will be taken seriously.
The CERES principles, issued by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible
Economies, are a good source of ideas for a company mission statement. Drafted by
a coalition of socially responsible companies, investment firms and environmental
groups, the principles offer guidance and standards against which companies can
measure themselves.
Another way of gaining perspective on your own company's objectives is to examine the mission statements and business practices adopted by other firms in the
same, or other, sector. Innovative companies are often happy to share their mission
statements.
2. Measure and report on your progress and performance
Internal and external communications can be used by a company to report on its
progress in achieving social, _nancial and environmental goals. By developing benchmarks against which to measure progress, and reporting on successes and failures,
companies can reinforce their commitment to stated objectives, and alert employees
and other stakeholders to areas where more e_ort is needed.
Just as _nancial reports help employees concentrate on cutting costs and maximizing
the return on investment, environmental and social audits sharpen company focus.
Many large corporations now issue annual reports of environmental performance.
By de_ning short and long-term goals, and developing tools to measure progress,
these companies gain a better understanding of how their operations a_ect the
environment and where they can improve performance, often reducing costs at the
same time.
3. In-house waste reduction and pollution prevention teams
'Green' teams, comprising personnel from di_erent departments, can be e_ective in
devising strategies to improve environmental performance. However, it is vital that
they have top-level support, adequate budgets, and ready access to all employees.
It is best to start by setting easily achievable goals, and then becoming more ambitious as con_dence and expertise are gained. For example, asking all employees to
bring their own co_ee mugs to work, and purchasing mugs for visitors, is an easy
first step. Requiring all printing and copying to be done double-sided, providing
reliable pens in the supply cabinet, and turning o_ unused lights and equipment,
are other possible starting points.
Next might come setting up paper and packaging recycling programs, asking suppliers to o_er green alternatives, and installing energy-efficient light bulbs.
After momentum and interest have been established, the tougher issues can be
tackled. Maintenance staff can be asked about biodegradable cleaning products,
and bathroom tissue and paper towels that are made from recycled fibre. Timed
thermostats, water-efficient toilets and plumbing fixtures can be installed, as can
'intelligent' lighting systems.
It is important to quantify the payback associated with these capital investments,
so that everyone understands the financial bene_ts of environmental responsibility.
Manufacturing firms can also scrutinize their production processes.
As staff become increasingly aware of the cost and environmental benefits and the
ease of implementation, suggestions for improvements are likely to be forthcoming. Some companies offer rewards to their employees for suggesting environmental
improvements that could save the company money.
4. Materials that inform employees about economic, environmental and social trends
Informed employees will be better equipped to promote company goals and to respond to major trends. Well-written books and articles, videotapes, and the occasional guest speaker or external course can put a company's efforts into perspective.
Ted Turner, the American media mogul, distributes copies of the Worldwatch Institute's State of the World series to all new producers and reporters. Ben and Jerry's,
the Vermont-based producer of premium ice cream, purchases multiple copies of
Co-op America's National Green Pages to encourage employees to purchase goods
and services from socially responsible companies. Many employees want to perform
better; but in order to do so they need a better understanding of current trends and
workable solutions.
5. Lines of communication
Regular sta_ meetings, e-mail bulletins, accessible managers and an in-house newsletters can help maintain lines of communication.
Answer 4
The following are some of the best sustainable best practices for a company:
<U>Create Your feedback Channels</U>
use two-way communication channels and social media vehicles to facilitate feedback,
giving your current { and potential customers { a voice in making a contribution
as well. In doing so, you will a_ord them a sense of ownership in your product
or service, and hence, create brand ambassadors and loyalists who will help spread
your message in the market.
<U>Develop Your Local Community</U>
within your own local area to build relationships and create a deep, personal connection with your community.
Give your sustainable business a face by inviting members of the community to
your o_ces or having a physical presence at local events, through which you can
meaningfully interact with attendees. Focus on creating initiatives that stimulate
your local economy and invest in the welfare of your community. Start small so that
you can grow big.
<U>Feature Measurable Goals</U>
One of the best ways to get exposure for your company, product or service, is to
show how your efforts are making a real difference.
<U>Think Proprietarily</U>
This depends on your vertical, but a big component of marketing is identifying your
key points of differentiation and unique selling proposition for purposes of distinguishing yourself in the market. And sometimes, you need to create those differences.
If you're in the consumer packaged goods industry, for example, developing proprietary sustainable packaging methods could serve to effectively differentiate your
brand while furthering your commitment to sustainability. It will also serve to attract new customers who opt to purchase products that better help and protect the
environment. Consider your product or service and what proprietary sustainable
processes you could develop to more ignificantly impact the environment and position your business for maximum share of a green-motivated market. Make this an
inherent part of your business model { not just a marketing additive.
<U>Implement Loyalty Programs</U>
Effective marketing boils down to relationships, and by investing in cultivating mutually beneficial ones, you set yourself up for long-term success { not only by increasing
sales amongst your existing user base but by expanding your market through brand
evangelists who will proliferate your message across the space.
<U>Be Creative </U>
These are just a few ways in which you can think strategically when it comes to
marketing your sustainable business, product or service. Be creative and listen to
your customers. Identify trends in the market to stay ahead of the curve. And
immerse yourself in a category that is overowing with resources and information
to equip you for success. Businesses keen to pro_t from the transition to
sustainable development often have a longer
time-horizon and a broader set of goals than
traditional companies. They value the well-being
of employees, society, culture and future
generations. Whilst they cannot afford to ignore
short-term cash flow, their definition of success is more sophisticated and long-term.
Often, the founders of these companies have a
well-articulated set of principles that guide the business and help to instill the same
values in employees. By declaring their goals publicly they may inspire trust, create
a model for their industry sector, and provide a benchmark against which achievement can be measured.Smaller companies, which are often at a disadvantage when
recruiting employees, can attract creative and talented staff_ by offering workplaces
that are more participatory, have greater sensitivity to family issues, share more
of the wealth, offer more fun, and encourage trust between management and employees.This broader vision of success requires new business tools, practices and
relationships. Being receptive to new ideas and suggestions opens the door to an
array of business opportunities.
<U>Internal consistency</U>
Ensuring that the values of sustainable development permeate throughout the company usually starts at the CEO's office. However, the
best intentions are meaningless if they are lodged in the mind of one individual.
Changing a
company's culture and outlook requires a
contribution from everyone, working as a team.
<U>Prepare a mission statement</U>
A mission statement is a declaration of the goals, principles and operating procedures
of a
company. It will vary from one company to the
next, depending on the nature of the enterprise,
and can help in charting a company's progress.
Best issued from a committed CEO, the statement should be distributed to all
employees and stressed repeatedly. If employees know that
performance will be measured against the stated
goals, and are given the resources to achieve
them, the mission will be taken seriously.
Measure and report on your progress and performanceInternal and external communications can be used by a company to report on its progress in achieving social,
_nancial and environmental goals. By developing benchmarks against which to measure progress, and reporting on successes and failures, companies can reinforce their
commitment to stated objectives, and alert employees and other stakeholders to areas where more effort is needed.Just as financial reports help employees.concentrate
on cutting costs and maximizing the return on investment, environmental and social
audits sharpen company focus.
It is best to start by setting easily achievable
goals, and then becoming more ambitious as
confidence and expertise are gained. For example, asking all employees to bring
their own
coffee mugs to work, and purchasing mugs for
visitors, is an easy first step. Requiring all printing and copying to be done doublesided, providing re_llable pens in the supply cabinet, and turning o_ unused lights
and equipment, are other possible starting points.After momentum and interest have
been established, the tougher issues can be tackled.
As staff become increasingly aware of the cost
and environmental benefits and the ease of
implementation, suggestions for improvements
are likely to be forthcoming. Some companies
offer rewards to their employees for suggesting
environmental improvements that could save the
company money.Materials that inform employees about economic, environmental
and social trends
Informed employees will be better equipped to
promote company goals and to respond to major
trends. Well-written books and articles,
videotapes, and the occasional guest speaker or
external course can put a company's efforts into
perspective.
Answer 5
Hello , I have compiled some points which I found through different sources to
answer your query. Here are some ways to sustain a business well
A competitive edge
Customers and investors are increasingly looking beyond the balance sheet before
making a choice about where to place their business.
Creating cleaner business practices can strengthen and build your brand, giving
you a stronger identity and a reputation that you can be proud of and promote
to customers. This may help to build your market share and even open up new
markets.
Market leverage
Many large businesses are conscious of enhancing their corporate image and are
increasingly choosing suppliers with environmental, social and cultural values and
practices that match their own.
Consumers are actively selecting and paying more for products that they believe
are less harmful to the environment. Government is also applying environmental
criteria when selecting a supplier. Throughout this leaet the Ministry for the
Environment has pulled together di_erent discussions and information on where
and how sustainable business practices can deliver positive results.
Strategy A key business driver
Whether you have a carefully crafted formal plan, or an informal set of values, your
business is driven by its strategy. Businesses are _nding that to be successful it is
important to have a strategy that reects their commitment to economic, environmental, social and cultural ideals. Refocusing your strategy will give you a starting
point from which to apply sustainable practices across your organisation.
Process Doing more with less
There are a huge number of ways that businesses can change, for example adopting
cleaner production techniques, developing resource and energy e_cient processes and
examining the transportation of goods. As well as creating a lean operation and
generating cost savings, these re_ned ways of working can enhance your reputation,
building a positive image both with customers and sta_ alike.
People At the centre of every business
Your people are critical to your business success. Integrating good employment
practices into your business, such as family-friendly policies, exible working and
access to training, will help you to create an environment where people feel valued
and content. In todays tight labour market, this could well prove crucial to your
ability to attract and retain the right people.
Capital - The bottom line
Obtaining capital is essential to every type and kind of business whether by selling
products, delivering a service or attracting investors. The two-fold capital benefits
of sustainability are savings from effociencies and an improved image. This enhanced
reputation can make you a more desirable prospect to both investors and customers.
Switch off when not in use
Reduce your energy waste by switching of unnecessary lights and equipment, especially when everyones gone home for the day. A simple yet effective way to save on
your energy bill.
Green your office stationery
Save money and support environmental practices by reducing your paper use and
buying stationery products which are kinder on the environment, for example paper
that is non-bleached or from sustainable forests. Make a difference by specifying
greener printing options when ordering your letterhead and business cards, and
think carefully about print quantities.
Recycle all that you can
Reduce the amount of rubbish youre sending to landfill by recycling. As well as
paper, you can recycle plastics, tins, glass, and your food scraps can go into composting.
Choose greener and safer cleaning products
Choose products with ingredients that have less impact on human health and on
the environment. Many cleaning products end up in local wastewater systems, and
eventually in waterways. You can also reduce your rubbish by choosing products
with minimal and/or recyclable packaging.
Choose energy efficient equipment and appliances
Buy energy efficient equipment and appliances. Check out the energy label the
more stars, the more energy efficient the appliance. Many appliances and o_ce
equipment now have powersave features too.
Answer 6
Hai,
Consumer packaged goods companies need continuous
innovation to remain competitive and relevant. Indeed, Accentures High Performance Business research shows that profitable innovation is a key element of success: high-performance businesses introduce more new products than competitors
and they bring them to market five times faster. Yet, maintaining profitable growth
while expanding a product portfolio remains difficult. Why? Some companies product portfolios become too complextoo complex to manufacture, to get on the shelf
and to sell to consumers. Moreover, new offerings may cannibalize rather than
augment sales of older items or they may lead to additional costs across the value
chainfrom ideation through marketing and merchandising. An ever-expanding array
of undi_erentiated
products leaves consumers so confused they turn away. Accentures broad client
experience combined with insights from our High Performance Business research,
can help companies develop product portfolios that are profitable and distinctive
enough to build revenue as well as enhance the companys reputation for innovation
with consumers and retailers. It also simplifies and improves the cost efficiency of
processes and asset utilization.
While most consumer packaged goods companies aim to optimize their portfolio and
related processes, as well as identify products that should be discontinued or developed, their efforts may not yield optimum and sustainable results. In Accentures
experience, a
Portfolio Optimization for
Consumer Packaged Goods Companiesvariety of factors usually contributes to this
suboptimal
outcome. Not enough may be known about the actual performance of each product,
for example, or the consumer it is targeted for, to strike the right balance
between profitability, efficiency of production and differentiation. In addition, many
companies may not be able to calculate the true costs of producing an item so
profitability is inaccurate. Furthermore, Accenture has witnessed the tendency for
companies to focus portfolio optimization e_orts on a speci_c business unit or functional group, missing broader implicationsand opportunitiesacross the product value
chain. Consequently, they do not target the right product for elimination or addition, do not generate deep enough reductions in the number of products offered
and are not able to obtain significant benefits from their product line optimization.
Other contributors to suboptimal portfolios are internal company politics that militate
against eliminating a product championed by a brand team, the understandable
reluctance to remove a product and possibly cede hard-won shelf space at the retailer to
a competitor and misalignment across various functions.
Sustainable packaging:
1. Is beneficial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life
cycle;
2. Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
3. Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy;
4. Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials;
5. Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
6. Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios;
7. Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy;
8. Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle
cycles.
Answer 7
In the recent past increasingly, most of the biggest brand names in the world are
implementing sustainable practices into their business, and its starting to pay o_
for them.
The sustainable business practices are
1.Moving toward improved collaboration and decision-making early in the product
development and launch process to ensure downstream success
2.Collaborating with retailers and suppliers to drive revenue, pro_ts, improve quality
and reducing consumer channel migration.
3. Moving from optimized departmental north-south processes to extended and
cross functional east-west processes to become more demand driven
4.Continually validating consumer, retailer, regulatory, supply chain requirements
and compliance to reduce time to market, time to scale, improve compliance and
product success rates.
5.Go Eco-friendly
6. In-Store Logistics: includes in-store visibility,shelf-ready products, shopper interaction Collaborative Physical Logistics shared transport,shared warehouse, shared
infrastructure Reverse Logistics: product recycling, packaging,recycling, returnable
assets
7.Treat people as if they are capable of great things. And many of them will prove
you right. "'If you treat people as they are, they will stay as they are. But if you
treat them as they ought to be, they will become bigger and better persons."
8. Take regular feed back. The best way to get good feedback is to randomise. The
best feedback may come from the bottom of the organization."
9. Business Ethics matter to consumers.
10. Considering new distribution channels including speciality stores and online
retailers.
11.Ensuring that a producer remains ahead of regulatory and retailer requirements
for recyclable and biodegradable packaging materials by fully exploring available
options for material reduction.
12.Using sustainable marketing campaigns, whilst ensuring any claims are well documented and measurable.
13.Highlighting particular benefits employed during the production and packaging
process, whilst avoiding the word "sustainability".
Answer 8
Meanwhile a great many consumer packaged goods companies have been making
commitments to sustainability, in some cases for a number of years, but for the
most part it's still too early to tell what the true impact has been on either the
environment or bottom lines.
While the approaches of these and many other companies di_er, most CPG manu-
facturers are going over the same ground, and attempting to address the same set of
broad sustainability issues as they relate to the packaged goods business: packaging,
and water and energy usage.
Given this commonality of purpose and focus, industry observers are calling for different sectors of the industry to work together more deliberately, to develop solutions
that all can apply and benefit from going forward.
The themes of collaborative effort, cross-pollination of ideas, and more are at the
forefront of a well-timed conference later this month: the Environmental Sustainability Summit for the Food, Beverage, and Consumer Products Industry, staged
by the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
The meeting, slated for Jan. 17 to Jan. 18 in Washington, is a groundbreaker for
the grocery world, but it certainly won't be the last of this type of industry forum
on green. (In fact, in June the Food Marketing Institute will present a similarly
themed event, just for retailers. That conference is discussed in more detail in the
sidebar on page 52, and will receive further in-depth coverage in future issues of
Progressive Grocer.)
GMA's summit and other such industry forums are a testament to the now rapidly
growing importance of sustainability to the supermarket industry, and a clear indication that this isn't going away. As Cal Dooley, president and c.e.o. of GMA,
explains it, "Over the last year, as we started defining the strategic areas of focus
for our members, sustainability emerged as one of the highest priorities."
With this new event, the trade group's leaders hope to put the myriad issues on the
table for all to see and understandand then find partners to work with to achieve
common goals.
"It's important that we [at GMA] are working with our member companies and
the industry to ensure that we are de_ning sustainability in the most appropriate
manner," notes Dooley, "and to develop a measurement of practices that contributes
to more sustainable production."
(For much more detail about the conference and GMA's objectives, see the Q&A
with Dooley on page 58.)
Green interest grows
There are plenty of reasons that sustainability is high on the strategic agendas of
most grocery executives. "Some companies are being motivated by their own selfinterests, because they see this as an opportunity to improve margins," acknowledges
Dooley. "But they're also seeing a growing awareness of consumers' interest in
sustainability."
In the course of a consumer research project conducted in 2007 with help from
Deloitte, GMA determined via surveys that 17 percent of consumers are "greenmotivated," or had made purchasing decisions predicated in some way on the sustainability of a product. That's a clear indication of consumer interest.
There's interest of another kind in evidence as well: The investment community is
keeping a close watch on companies' demonstrated levels of commitment to sustainability. "We were surprised to _nd that almost 50 percent of shareholder proposals
in 2006 were related to sustainability," notes Dooley.
Interest from yet another camp, the government, has no doubt prodded CPG companies to start moving on green issues, too. And as is generally the case in the food
business, corporations would rather be proactive than be subjected to burdensome
legislation.
"This is an opportunity for the private sector to lead on sustainability," asserts
Dooley. "We want to be able to demonstrate a commitment that's really a function
of private-sector activity."
There's still another source of acute stimulation prompting CPG suppliers into action, perhaps the most persuasive of all: Wal-Mart. Indeed, many of the largest
CPG companies in the business are scrambling to redesign their packaging and rethink certain product formulations to meet mandates set by Bentonville, Ark.-based
Wal-Mart, which has been loud and clear about its own ambitious commitment to
becoming much more sustainable in every facet of its operations.
"We typically talk about the 'three R's'resources, regulation, and reputationas the
key drivers," says John Davies, v.p. of green technology research at Boston-based
AMR Research. "But there's also the 'W'Wal-Mart."
In addition to rolling out a packaging scorecard with new requirements for suppliers
to meet, Wal-Mart has launched a pilot program with vendors in seven popular
product categories, to measure and reduce the amount of energy used in marketing
and distribution.
Big names on board
While the word "green" seems to be popping up in headlines more than ever before,
most of the major CPG companies that are involved in sustainability claim they
have been on board for years, even decades. But they also admit that because the
current level of media attention and consumer buzz are as high as they've ever been,
they're stepping up to the mike to tell their sustainability strategy stories, internally
and externally.
Many _rms have been thinking and speaking fairly broadly in the name of sustainability, with environmental issues just one important component. Global _rm
Cadbury Schweppes' approach is emblematic of this inclusive attitude, as it gathers
three types of responsibility under the umbrella of sustainability: environmental,
economic, and social.
"We have over 100 years at the forefront of corporate responsibility, with the clear
intention of shaping the world we live in as consumers, workers, and citizens," says
Deborah Louison, s.v.p. of corporate a_airs for the company's Americas region,
with U.S. headquarters in Parsippany, N.J. "For us, the word 'sustainability' has a
wider de_nition beyond the environment."
That being said, Louison notes that Cadbury Schweppes has paid more attention
to its impact on the planet in recent years. In 2006 the company launched "Goals
and Commitments on Sustainability," a project extending into 2010. Says Cadbury
Schweppes c.e.o. Todd Stitzer: "We recognize that if we are serious about tackling climate change, we need to be absolutely committed. This means embedding
sustainability into every decision we make."
Adds Louison on the Goals and Commitments project: "We committed to reduce the
environmental impacts of our business by developing a reliance on renewable energy,
reducing carbon-based fuels, and using 100 percent recoverable or biodegradable
packaging."
In 2007 Cadbury Schweppes unveiled the "Purple Goes Green" initiative (purple is
one of Cadbury's logo colors). This ambitious agenda sets a mission for the company
to help tackle climate change by cleaning up its own act by 2020.
Answer 9
Optimizing packaging materials, reducing shipping weight and cube, and increasing
packaging cubic densities can lead to significant savings. While there may be minimal material savings in direct packaging costs, it can have a multiplier effect on
the cost of transportation, handling and storage. A change in packaging can create a ripple effect throughout the supply chain producing efficiency gains, dramatic
cost-savings and reduced energy consumption.
Sustainable packaging:
1. Is beneficial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life
cycle;
2. Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
3. Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy;
4. Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials;
5. Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
6. Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios;
7. Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy;
8. Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle
cycles.
The criteria presented here blend broad sustainability objectives with business considerations and strategies that address the environmental concerns related to the
life cycle of packaging. These criteria relate to the activities of our membership and
de_ne the areas in which we actively seek to encourage transformation, innovation
and optimization. We believe that by successfully addressing these criteria, packaging can be transformed into a cradle to cradle flow of packaging materials in a
system that is economically robust and provides benefit throughout the life cyclea
sustainable packaging system.
SOURCE: Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Whether it's called sustainable packaging, green packaging, biodegradable packaging, or natural packaging, there is a growing consumer demand for sustainable
products. There is also a growing sense of urgency from product manufacturers
- especially consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) - to develop sustainable
business practices based on the increasingly limited availability of traditional packaging materials.
Many packaging savings and reductions have already been achieved. Beverage cans
are much lighter than they were 10 years ago, and most use recycled aluminum. Deodorants are sold without containers now. Shipping boxes contain large percentages
of recycled fiber. McDonald's has been steadily reducing the amount of virgin paper
and plastic in the boxes that hold its fries and the lids that top its co_ee cups.
In spite of sustainable packaging becoming more mainstream (i.e. more major brand
owners using sustainable materials for their packaging), _nding sustainable solutions
to meet consumer demands and corporate citizenship objectives is still a daunting
challenge for packaging professionals.
Answer 10
Dear Anonymous,
Business should not be setup with dream of becoming millionaire overnight. Any
business _rst needs a stability period by which it can be slowly expanded and prevailed all over the world. Business in a prevailing market is like an experiment in
a laboratory. The result can be either of the two most common things SUCCESS
AND FAILURE. Any Entrepreneur must keep the above things in mind and follow
the strategy to make his way in the market. The two things are like two sides of a
coin and one should digest and accept the result or outcome. In order to make an
ideal business the ideas which makes a blueprint for the setup are more considered.
The business ideas needs right gestation period, timing, market scenario, marketing
and planning makes a successful attempt.
First make out five essential Ms of a business which are Market, Man,
Material, Machinery, and Manufacture.
In todays market we get daily one new product. But the sustainability depends on
the quality and consumer's satisfaction. The vital thing to sustain in the consumer
packaged goods market is to win the heart of consumer. The ultimate goal of
producing the good is "Attaining Consumer's satisfaction grade." The best
practices are are attained initially for an entrepreneur but they are acquired slowly.
Now a days markets are producing only chemical products which are harmful to
health. I hope you already have plan to bring your product into the market. But,
kindly make your formula which can never harm or give out certain side e_ects.
Think di_erent and do things di_erently. Bring the product produced with
natural components which you render extreme help to the world. Along with your
goods give out also the organic products and natural essential products which have
huge demand in the market. People today are more conscious about their health
and thinking twice to buy a product which gives them no risk.
As i have mentioned about the natural products i want you to think of the price
range. Make the pro_t margin narrow for your natural products as the raw material
costs more for you. And many companies think of getting double the amount they
spend on such products. But, when you think of small pro_t then your product hits
in the market.
I am giving out the ideas and information about the good practices for consumer
packaged goods and as well as for a good entrepreneurship. As I have some knowledge about management and marketing I could give you some of the tips I got from
my experience. Hope this information helps you to some extent.
1. What are consumer goods?
Fundamentally, Consumer goods are the goods which have acquired primarily for
personal, domestic and household use. These are _nished products and ready for
the use products. Consumers directly take the products ready for consumption.
2. What you are going to?
Plan for what you want to go with. The commodity which you select makes all the
way for your business. The evolving market for the product you have selected.
3. Who are leaders in the market?
As you have stated certain companies who produce consumer goods, you need to
understand the whole criteria in the evolving market. There are some initial points
which are to be kept in mind before making up for the consumer goods market. Get
all the information as far as you can get of the _rst three in the top level. These
top 3 companies di_er not much in their strategies and also the market value.
4. What are the bonding rules involved?
Get an enclosure where the products are following the rules for their businesses.
This can make your resemblance with them and your thoughts come out of your
mind tremendously.
5. What are the styles followed?
Make the styles of the evolving products and as of now you can get your own style
for the product. This appearance attracts the modern world with all the information
available for the product.
6. What is the chemistry?
If you though of a business then you will be ready with your formula and you should
never forget to check the formula of the evolving goods. As the main thing dealt is
you can attempt for a product which is di_erent to others. You must prove yourself
here after making out various tests before setting up your business. Many samples
are to be given out of your own product as a part of business. This is almost a small
scale industry where you need to give some samples to all your friends and family
which can help you to change the formula to get a _nal product and _x the formula
for your business.
7. What is the face?
After the test has been made and you will succeed in producing a _nal product.
Now you should give out a face to your product and comparatively di_ers with the
evolving products. The chosen face should be satis_ed by the user. If it is liquid
then the cover is to be designed attractively and if it is a solid form like soap then
you should provide a shape which is accepted by a consumer.
8. What is the logo?
Decide a di_erent and attractive logo which is liked by consumers. For this you
need to take the help from your family and friends. They can suggest you the best
logo. This is all the way along with your product and so you should make a clear
and con_rmed logo.
9. How is the look?
The designing help can be taken up with your artists and make them understand
your interests in the color section and symbol selection. The design must be very
attractive and the material should be available for recycle. This makes an aware
that your product carton itself is safe.
10. What are the contents and information on the pack?
Give away all the possible information of the product which is responsible for getting
it to the consumer world. The ingredients and the formula should be given upto
90% which makes a consumer think before he buys your product. Give the address
of the manufacturing unit and also the supportive numbers for their advices and
complaints.
Now i want to give out some reference where you get bulk information. Online
material which I could collect from the mother of internet.
Recently i have seen a topic as it is stating about the largest producer of food in UK.
The information is "As the UK's largest producer of frozen chips, McCain Foods is
one of the most recognisable consumer brands on the market."
The judges were impressed by McCain's investment in green improvements and the
scale of the bene_ts achieved. The company itself said it was setting an example to
suppliers, customers and peers of how large-scale manufacturing could operate with
a signi_cantly reduced environmental footprint.
Some helpful information on these websites for you:
www.mccain.co
www.mccain.co
www.bclaws.ca
www.business.go
All the very best from me.
Answer 11
In order to start to develop sustainable business practices, you must take an overview
and assess how your business _ts into the entire business process from manufacture
to end-user.
Consumer-driven companies are focusing on outsourcing to drive high performance
and _re up their growth engines as they emerge from the uctuating economic conditions of recent years. They recognize that building a sustainable growth platform
takes resources, which often must be pried free from other areas of corporate operations. Since it takes money to make money, the liberation of working capital is an
inescapable prerequisite for growth in today's consumer market place.
Business performance management solutions allow high-performance decision mak-
ers to act before their competitors. By re_ning and optimizing our clients' abilities
to organize and analyze _nancial, operational and external information and the market trends and how to create new trends with lock risk and funds, capturing market
for new and by-prodducts etc.
Most consumer goods and retail outsourcers believe the following guidelines are
imperative to implement high-performance initiatives:
* Incorporating business outcomes as a performance measure from the arrangement's
outset.
* Sourcing outsourcing providers with a wide skills set, long-term result-delivery
track record and competitive pricing backed by a commitment to cost reduction.
* Giving as much attention to performance measurement and the quality of relationships with providers as to the contract.
* Using risk/reward provisions as incentives for higher performance outsourcing.
* Using active governance to manage the outsourcing relationship for maximum
performance.
* Tasking talented executives with optimizing outsourcing arrangements.
* Clarifying objectives.
In terms of sustainability, the major challenges this sector faces are therefore closely
related to the ingredients used,As key topics for the sector he lists: product safety,
consumer information, avoiding the use of controversial ingredients, alternatives to
animal testing, and ecologically compatible cultivation of renewable raw materials.
Its no secret that a successful business is one that has the ability to change in order
to meet market demands.
Any business listening to todays market knows that customers, sta_ and investors
are becoming more and more interested in sustainability and our impact on the
environment. Companies are adopting new processes and analysing the impact
theyre having on the future. By examining your own organisation and developing
sustainable business practices, you will not only build a modern business in tune
with your customers but many of these practices will improve e_ciency and save
your business money and enhance your business reputation.
With all the di_erent messages surrounding the concept of sustainability, it is often
hard for businesses to understand its meaning and discover its bene_ts.
In essence, sustainability is about meeting the needs of today, without adversely
impacting on the needs of tomorrow. In fact, the key messages of sustainability
actually tie in with what are generally considered to be sound business practices,
such as building e_ciency, minimising waste and maximising resources. After all,
anyone in business knows that a more e_cient operation saves money and cuts costs.
By simply refocusing your view of business and examining how you operate, you will
be on the way to developing a sustainable business.
Customers and investors are increasingly looking beyond the balance sheet before
making a choice about where to place their business.
Creating cleaner business practices can strengthen and build your brand, giving
you a stronger identity and a reputation that you can be proud of and promote
to customers. This may help to build your market share and even open up new
markets.
Consumers are actively selecting and paying more for products that they believe
are less harmful to the environment. Government is also applying environmental
criteria when selecting a supplier. Throughout this leaet the Ministry for the
Environment has pulled together di_erent discussions and information on where
and how sustainable business practices can deliver positive results.
Your people are critical to your business success. Integrating good employment
practices into your business, such as family-friendly policies, exible working and
access to training, will help you to create an environment where people feel valued
and content. In todays tight labour market, this could well prove crucial to your
ability to attract and retain the right people.
There are a huge number of ways that businesses can change, for example adopting
cleaner production techniques, developing resource and energy e_cient processes and
examining the transportation of goods. As well as creating a lean operation and
generating cost savings, these re_ned ways of working can enhance your reputation,
building a positive image both with customers and sta_ alike.
Answer 12
hi i will give some of the general ideals for the business practices
1. Establish clarity of purpose
Decide what you want to know.
For Industries and Markets
Start by deciding exactly what you
need to know. Formulate speci_c questions
that will lead you to the knowledge you are
seeking. For example, What was the total
value of the market last year in Berkshire?
For Known Companies or Organisations
Make a list of the facts you want to _nd out.
For Information about People
List the items of information you want to enquire about. For example, name of
the Sales Director, email address, direct telephone number, mobile number, career
history, interests etc.
For Sales Prospects
If you are looking for sales prospects - companies who are likely to need what you
have to sell, _rst narrow your _eld of view as much as you can. Describe your ideal
prospect to so that you can easily _lter out unsuitable possibilities
2. Identify information sources
Consider who would have the information you want and where it would be kept.
For Industries and Markets
Universities and Colleges
Trade associations and professional bodies
Relevant journals, magazines, and articles
Industry and market research reports
Government statistics o_ces
Network with your contacts to _nd people who work or have worked in the market
or Industry you are researching
For Known Companies or Organisations
Credit rating agencies
Annual reports
The Companys web site
Company registration authorities
Books, magazines, and journals
Amazon now allows internal searching of book texts. Search books for use of the
company's name. Then _nd the book in a public library or purchase a copy if the
reference looks helpful.
Network with your contacts to _nd people who work or have worked for the company
you are interested in. Someone you know will know someone.
Creating and Implementing New Business Ideas
More and more corporate workers are leaving their jobs to start new ventures. When
taking this leap, it is important that the goals of these entrepreneurs are solid, as
these goals may ultimately determine the success of the new venture.
Unfortunately, many new entrepreneurs have motivations that don't naturally lead
to long-term success. Some of these motivations include:
* Being sick and tired of the same old corporate routine
* Being dissatis_ed with the way their corporation is run (think bureaucracy)
* Feeling they are underpaid or under appreciated in their current jobs.
While these goals will be ful_lled when launching a new venture, they should not be
the core reason to start one. Core goals should be deeply engrained ambitions that
will drive you to succeed in the face of adversity. For instance, the goal of building
a company that will truly make a di_erence in the people's lives that it serves can
motivate not only the founder, but employees in both the short and long-term.
However, the core goal need not be so ambitious or wholesome.
Having goals such as:
* Doing things better than they are currently done
* Proving that you have what it takes to launch a new business
* Becoming wealthy
Are all goals that will motivate you in the long-term to succeed. Moreover, it is this
extra motivation that often is a determining factor between success and failure.
When considering leaving a corporate position to launch a new venture, it is important to review your personal goals and make sure they merit taking the leap to
entrepreneurship. If your goals are not worthy, you might _nd yourself in a position down the road where your needs are not ful_lled and your venture is faltering.
However, if your goals are such that they are fully engrained within your body, soul
and mind, you will _nd yourself highly motivated and willing to do what it takes
to launch and grow your new venture in the face of any adversities that comes your
.
Answer 13
Sustainable business practices are about
combining economy with ecology. It is the green cell that adds value to the Earth's
economy.
It requires major innovations of new activities, instead of minor improvements of
existing activities. Organizational change is education. Educated people will design
an eco-e_cient business. The R.O.I. itself will be redesigned in order to give "credit"
for pollution o_sets ("lack of toxic waste"), and for long-term "bene_t" that benign
energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydrogen energy sources, give the business.
It also inclides ful_lling the essential needs of consumers and knowing future markets
and
teaching an ideal of the "cyclic principle": waste for one system = food for another.
Sustainable business practices:
- Require strategic decisions within the company.
- Focus on the total range of innovation and organization of products, services,
technologies and systems.
- Honor the cyclic principle of ecology, and see this hierarchy as essential: recycle,
reuse, reduce, redesign for eco-e_ciency.
Will not only be developed by bigger companies. Smaller companies with their
innovative and dynamic character will be a major source of new SBP as well.
SIX STRATEGIES TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES
1. Creating new business: products, services and systems.
2. Developing breakthrough technologies.
3. Creating strategic partnerships; look for synergies throughout the supply chain
of the business.
4. Creating new consumption, production and investment patterns.
5. Creating new ways of organizing business: organizational transformation to a
learning organization.
6. Create ecoliterate leadership at all levels of the organization.
Answer 14
For the makers of food and beverage, health and beauty, household, and other
consumer products, it is the best and the worst of times. Most enjoy solid balance
sheets, healthy pro_t margins, and a good return on invested capital things that
CEOs in other industries only dream about. Yet the US$2 trillion-plus consumer
goods industry is losing its glow.
After 30 years of growth and innovation, when frozen foods, prepared meals, disposable diapers, and other new product categories drove rapid growth, the industry
is seeing revenues and market values go at. Since the late 90s the industry has not
matched its earlier strides in value, quality and convenience, says Mark McGrath, a
director in the Chicago o_ce. CEOs are awakening to the notion that this may not
be the growth industry that it once was.
Three keys to success
In this new environment, consumer product companies must focus on three core
processes:
Managing retail customers
In recent years leading retailers have consolidated power and extracted concessions
from suppliers in pricing, delivery, and other terms and conditions. Retailers now
also compete with, as well as buy from, branded goods makers, stealing market
share with lower priced house brands. Manufacturers must learn to hold their own
in this delicate relationship.
Managing consumers
From the 1950s through the 80s, consumer goods companies could quickly build
share through mass marketing a core competence for the industry. But as markets
become more complex and fragmented, and consumers grow more sophisticated and
selective, companies have to connect with the market in new ways.
Managing supply chains
With retailers and consumers increasingly exerting their inuence, manufacturers
have little margin for error. To deliver products on time, at the lowest possible cost,
companies must wring waste and ine_ciency from their suppliers operations, and
their own.
Get it right or be left behind
Consumer goods is a detail-oriented, execution-focused business, says Peter Freedman, a director in the London o_ce. CEOs have to get many things right. Today
theyre pushing to drive pro_t margins and top-line growth at the same time. They
often get one or the other, but its rare to get both. In addition, companies must
reconcile what is both a strength and a weakness: energetic product advocates who
_ght for corporate resources and positioning, but worry less about the rest of the
business. It is essential and very di_cult to make an enterprise focus and identify
priorities in an even-handed way, he notes.
To get started, CEOs should focus on speci_c challenges and opportunities for
instance, cost reduction, supply chain management, or brand portfolio management.
But its a tall order. Ten years ago these companies had the best business processes
and the top talent in the world, says McGrath. Today, the world has moved on and
much of the industry is in danger of being left behind.
A.
15
Hi,
These are the fundamentals of ideal business
The Ideal Business sells the world rather than a single neighborhood or even a
single city or single state. In other words, it has an unlimited global market.
The Ideal Business o_ers a product, which enjoys an inelastic demand. Inelastic
refers to a product that people need or desire almost at any price.
The Ideal Business markets a product that cannot be easily copied. This means
that the product is an original or, at least, it is something that can be copyrighted
or patented.
The Ideal Business has minimal labor requirements. The fewer personnel, the
better.
The Ideal Business operates on a low overheard. It does not need an expensive
location. It does not need large amounts of electricity, or advertising, or legal
advice, or high-priced employees, or a large Inventory.
The Ideal Business does not require big cash outlays or major investments in equipment or product. In other words, it does not tie up your capital.
The Ideal Business enjoys cash billing. In other words, it does not tie up your
capital with lengthy or complex credit terms.
The Ideal Business is relatively free of all kinds of government regulations or strictures.
The Ideal Business is portable or easily moveable. This means you can take your
business and yourself anywhere you want to.
The Ideal Business satis_es your intellectual needs. There is nothing like being
fascinated with what you do.
The Ideal Business leaves you with free time. In other words, it doesn't require
your labor and attention 12, 16, or 18 hours a day.
As your business grows, you will need to change to adapt to new circumstances. You
can experiment with di_erent ways of working to see which suits your business best.
But this approach is ine_cient and may lead you to make inappropriate decisions.
A far more e_ective way of making changes is to look at how successful businesses
operate and to introduce their ways of working into your business.
Evaluating how your operations compare with the most e_ective and pro_table
enterprises, and then using their most successful elements - the "best practice" - in
your own business, can make a big di_erence.
best practice in people management
Successful businesses are those that attract, develop, motivate and retain the best
people. You will get the most bene_t from your people if you have key strategies
for doing so. These can include:
involving employees in the development of the business
communicating with employees
adopting exible working and policies that encourage equality and diversity
setting targets and rewarding achievement
o_ering employee development and training
.
Improving business operations through best practice
Most businesses have some operational issues that can be improved through the
introduction of best practice methods, including:
quality management
stock control, delivery and supply chain management
purchasing and ordering
information management
You can identify which operational areas will bene_t from best practice methods
by:
benchmarking
internal analysis
reviewing appropriate national and international standards
Best practice in sales and marketing
The right sales and marketing strategies play an essential role in the success of your
business.
worldwide reach - a website can be seen by visitors from all over the world
lower costs - a website can cost much less to set up and run than a traditional shop
a level playing _eld - small businesses can compete alongside the websites of much
larger businesses
better targeting - emails are less likely to be opened by someone else, and opt-in
mailing lists ensure that your message is read by someone who wants to receive it
new markets - a website makes it easier to target customers who were previously
out of reach
Encouraging innovation
Using IT to achieve best practice..
wish u all the best
A. 16
Hi, P & G: During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Procter & Gamble recognized
that its Food & Consumer Package Goods supply chain faced several major challenges: Product proliferation that confused the consumer and challenged the trading partners. Unproductive forward-selling practices. Confusing and complex price
and promotion programs. Ine_cient logistics management practices. Failure of
senior management in the industry to recognize supply chain management's strategic importance. Little consideration for the consumer. Customer interface along
a single dimensionthat is, a sales representative. In response to these challenges,
P&G launched a number of supply chain initiativessome of which included dramatic
policy changes. As early as 1985, the company had initiated tests using retail customers' own daily data on their warehouse shipments and retail sales to determine
P&G product shipments. These tests led to the institution of a program known as
Continuous Replenishment (CRP). Using electronic data interchange (EDI) for automatic and reliable capture of customers' daily sales, P&G was able to approximate
a "just in time" supply of products through the pipeline. The P&G leadership recognized, however, that the EDI and CRP programthough steps in the right directionby
themselves would not result in the desired supply chain e_ciencies. That realization
led to the Value Pricing and Streamlined Logistics initiatives, created to support
the company's E_cient Consumer Response strategy. Nirma: TRADITIONALLY,
players in the FMCG market have not set much store by manufacturing their own
products. It is common practice in every segment of the industry to outsource a part
of the products sold from smaller, third party manufacturers. In the circumstances,
it is Nirma that has challenged traditional practices. Not only has the company
consistently invested in building manufacturing capacities for detergents and soaps,
it has also integrated backwards to manufacture every conceivable detergent in-
put. After making large investments in its backward integration e_orts, Nirma now
operates a 75,000 tonne unit for Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB; a key ingredient in
detergents) and a 4.20 lakh tonne unit for soda ash. It plans to expand the soda
ash capacities further to 6.15 lakh tonnes. Nirma claims these measures will help it
reduce costs and ramp up operating pro_t margins. Estee lauder: With the decline
of the importance of the department-store channel as a seller of cosmetics, beauty
companies are seeking alternatives. Este Lauder is opening more of its own stores,
featuring its MAC, Aveda, or Origins brand products, and has over 500 single-brand,
freestanding stores worldwide as well as 86 multibrand stores. The company expects
29% of its sales will come through North American department stores by 2010, down
from 46% in 2002. It anticipates that more products will be sold through specialty
retailers and international department stores. Este Lauder and other cosmetics companies are also turning to emerging markets, where consumers have more disposable
income to spend than in the past. The company projects that 51% of its sales will
come from outside the Americas region by 2010, up from 39% in 2002. Overall
for the industry, cosmetic sales rose 10.7% in Latin America and Eastern Europe
in 2006, compared with growth of just 3% in the U.S., according to Euromonitor
International, a global market research _rm. Upscale cosmetic brands are also turning to home-shopping channels such as QVC. The channels, once seen as marketing
inferior goods to middle- and lower-income consumers, now attract upscale brands,
including Bobbi Brown, Elizabeth Arden, and Shiseido. Este Lauder's Clinique line
appeared for the _rst time on QVC in February, 2008. Business through the Internet
has also become more important for the beauty companies. Este Lauder reported
that its Internet business grew 30% in the December, 2007, quarter, with healthy
gains from its own brand sites as well as retailer partner sites including those run
by Macy's, Nordstrom (JWN), Neiman Marcus, and Sephora. Finally, Este Lauder
announced in January, 2008, that Clinique will develop a new upscale skin-care line
to be marketed exclusively through physicians, a strategy reecting the increasing
importance of sales through doctors' o_ces. The new line will be marketed by Allergan (AGN), best known as the manufacturer of Botox, but which is also involved
in the Prevage MD, M.D. Fort, and Vivite physician-dispensed skin-care products.
Colgate: The Colgate Palmolive Company is a customer product company that
operates in eighty-one countries. In order to promote a system of common Values
and "managing with respect" Principles, Colgate implemented a strategy of "Becoming the Best Place to Work". This business initiative consisted of two phases.
Phase 1, "Valuing Colgate People", and Phase 2, "Managing with Respect", both
aimed to "balance a global strategy with local implementation". Sunsilk : Strategy and Progess: To integrate social,economic and environmental considerations
into our business and brands -Brand Imprint process carried out with 14 global
brands. - Completed assessment of 22,000 food and beverage products as part of
our Nutrition Enhancement Programme -Our Global Health through Hygiene Programmes smart sensor technology was independently endorsed by leading experts as
e_ective in evaluating handwashing campaigns To focus on climate change, water,
packaging and sustainable agricultural resources as our key sustainability themes- Launched new climate change strategy with targets for CO2 reduction - Improved
eco-e_ciency performance in four of our seven key measures but underperformed on
waste (hazardous and non-hazardous) and CO2 from energy - Announced commitment to source all our tea from sustainable, ethical sources and to work with the
Rainforest Alliance To focus our global partnerships on nutrition and hygiene issues
- Our partnership with the UN World Food Programme provided 15 million meals
to 80,000 school children - Continued Love your Heart campaign promoting heart
health with the World Heart Federation - Launched new oral care mission to encourage day and night brushing, building on our partnership with the FDI World Dental
Federation - Agreed strategic focus on handwashing and safe drinking water with
UNICEF, supported by projects in Uganda and India to demonstrate potential To
continue to work on our eco-e_ciency, supply-chain management,employee health
& safety and community investment - Continued activity and progress against each
of these areas
A. 17
Hi
Sunstainable practices for consumer packaged goods companies
Consumer packaged goods companies need continuous
innovation to remain competitive and relevant. Indeed, Accentures High Performance Business research shows that pro_table innovation is a key element of success: high-performance businesses introduce more new products than competitors
and they bring them to market _ve times faster. Yet, maintaining pro_table growth
while expanding a product portfolio remains di_cult. Why? Some companies product portfolios become too complextoo complex to manufacture, to get on the shelf
and to sell to consumers. Moreover, new o_erings may cannibalize rather than
augment sales of older items or they may lead to additional costs across the value
chainfrom ideation through marketing and merchandising. An ever-expanding array
of undi_erentiated
products leaves consumers so confused they turn away. Accentures broad client
experience combined with insights from our High Performance Business research,
can help companies develop product portfolios that are pro_table and distinctive
enough to build revenue as well as enhance the companys reputation for innovation
with consumers and retailers. It also simpli_es and improves the cost e_ciency of
processes and asset utilization.
While most consumer packaged goods companies aim to optimize their portfolio and
related processes, as well as identify products that should be discontinued or developed, their e_orts may not yield optimum and sustainable results. In Accentures
experience, a
Portfolio Optimization for
Consumer Packaged Goods Companiesvariety of factors usually contributes to this
suboptimal
outcome. Not enough may be known about the actual performance of each product,
for example, or the consumer it is targeted for, to strike the right balance
between pro_tability, e_ciency of production and di_erentiation. In addition, many
companies may not be able to calculate the true costs of producing an item so
pro_tability is inaccurate. Furthermore, Accenture has witnessed the tendency for
companies to focus portfolio optimization e_orts on a speci_c business unit or functional group, missing broader implicationsand opportunitiesacross the product value
chain. Consequently, they do not target the right product for elimination or addition, do not generate deep enough reductions in the number of products o_ered
and are not able to obtain signi_cant bene_ts from their product line optimization.
Other contributors
to suboptimal portfolios are internal company politics that militate against eliminating a product championed by a brand team, the understandable reluctance to
remove a product and possibly cede hard-won shelf space at the retailer to a competitor and misalignment across various functions
Rated: by 16 Council Members
A. 18
hi it is searched from online website given below for reference:
Optimizing Packaging Design:
Optimizing packaging materials, reducing shipping weight and cube, and increasing
packaging cubic densities can lead to signi_cant savings. While there may be minimal material savings in direct packaging costs, it can have a multiplier e_ect on
the cost of transportation, handling and storage. A change in packaging can create a ripple e_ect throughout the supply chain producing e_ciency gains, dramatic
cost-savings and reduced energy consumption
Sustainable packaging:
1. Is bene_cial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life
cycle;
2. Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
3. Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy;
4. Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials;
5. Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
6. Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios;
7. Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy;
8. Is e_ectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle
cycles.
The criteria presented here blend broad sustainability objectives with business considerations and strategies that address the environmental concerns related to the
life cycle of packaging. These criteria relate to the activities of our membership and
de_ne the areas in which we actively seek to encourage transformation, innovation
and optimization. We believe that by successfully addressing these criteria, packaging can be transformed into a cradle to cradle ow of packaging materials in a
system that is economically robust and provides bene_t throughout the life cyclea
sustainable packaging system.
SOURCE: Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Design Guidelines Available Online
* SPC Design Guideline
* Association of Post Consumer Plastics has a design for recyclability guideline
* FTC Guidelines
resources:
www.linkedin.com
www.infor.com
www.consumergoods.com and access these website for clari_cations and it contains
various method proofed by wal-mart and so on.
A. 19
B. Source: www.sustainablelifemedia.com
Dell plans to simplify computer packaging to save more than $8 million and 20
million pounds of packaging material over the next four years.
The green-packaging program aims to reduce desktop and laptop packaging materials by approximately 10% worldwide, increase sustainable content in cushioning
and corrugate packaging by 40%, and ensure that 75% of packaging components are
curbside recyclable by 2012.
"Excessive packaging is among the most solvable challenges today. Changing the
packaging paradigm presents an opportunity to increase business and brand value
through sustainable innovation, resulting in positive environmental bene_ts," says
sustainability consulting _rm Saatchi & Saatchi S, which worked with Dell to develop
the packaging strategy.
Dell intends to meet these targets in part by integrating air-_lled cushion technology, moldable pulp cushions, and by using 100% recycled high-density polyethylene
(HDPE) plastic from milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles.
Over the next year, it estimates that it will integrate nearly two million recycled milk
jugs into the cushioning material protecting its Studio Hybrid system, its greenest
PC to date. An estimated 33 million recycled milk jugs will be integrated into
desktop and laptop packaging in 2009, the company says.
It is also looking to reduce the packaging for its servers through its MultiPack
order option. With MultiPack, Dell reduces end-product packaging by optimizing
materials and processes throughout its supply chain, avoiding the need for repacking
by a third-party vendor. Customers can eliminate up to half of the packaging
materials and waste that result during typical server installations by choosing the
MultiPack option.
With its new packaging strategy, Dell claims it is the only major computer manufacturer with a global packaging reduction target for desktops and laptops. Although
the company exceeded its goal to reduce outbound packaging by 10 million pounds
by nearly 10% in 2007 it was barraged with blogger complaints about excessive
packaging earlier this year.
In doing so, the companies hope to drive extraordinary environmental and cost
savings for businesses and customers while setting a new e_ciency model for other
industries to follow.
A. 20
Hi,
Optimizing Packaging Design
Optimizing packaging materials, reducing shipping weight and cube, and increasing
packaging cubic densities can lead to signi_cant savings. While there may be minimal material savings in direct packaging costs, it can have a multiplier e_ect on
the cost of transportation, handling and storage. A change in packaging can create a ripple e_ect throughout the supply chain producing e_ciency gains, dramatic
cost-savings and reduced energy consumption.
Sustainable packaging:
1. Is bene_cial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life
cycle;
2. Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
3. Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy;
4. Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials;
5. Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
6. Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios;
7. Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy;
8. Is e_ectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle
cycles.
The criteria presented here blend broad sustainability objectives with business considerations and strategies that address the environmental concerns related to the
life cycle of packaging. These criteria relate to the activities of our membership and
de_ne the areas in which we actively seek to encourage transformation, innovation
and optimization. We believe that by successfully addressing these criteria, packaging can be transformed into a cradle to cradle ow of packaging materials in a
system that is economically robust and provides bene_t throughout the life cyclea
sustainable packaging system.
SOURCE: Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Whether it's called sustainable packaging, green packaging, biodegradable packaging, or natural packaging, there is a growing consumer demand for sustainable
products. There is also a growing sense of urgency from product manufacturers
- especially consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) - to develop sustainable
business practices based on the increasingly limited availability of traditional packaging materials.
Many packaging savings and reductions have already been achieved. Beverage cans
are much lighter than they were 10 years ago, and most use recycled aluminum. Deodorants are sold without containers now. Shipping boxes contain large percentages
of recycled _ber. McDonald's has been steadily reducing the amount of virgin paper
and plastic in the boxes that hold its fries and the lids that top its co_ee cups.
In spite of sustainable packaging becoming more mainstream (i.e. more major brand
owners using sustainable materials for their packaging), _nding sustainable solutions
to meet consumer demands and corporate citizenship objectives is still a daunting
challenge for packaging professionals.
A. 21
The Most E_ective Way to Launch or Turn Business Around are:
Setting the Stage - Business Practices:
Skeleton Star, Inc. and this web site is about helping you to manage your business,
from an operational perspective. AND, our assumption is that you are already in
business and have a feasible product or service to o_er. If our assumption is correct,
then the foundation for success is in place, and it then becomes an operational
matter to achieve success.
Rationale - Business Practices:
In any business, there are many, many events that must occur every day. Ideally,
important events happen automatically as a result of the sound business practices
you developed and put in place. Once in place, those practices focus your organization, reduce costly mistakes, and allow your team to concentrate on the things that
bring more customers and sales in through the front door.
Business intent must be clear if you want a team that's focused on the priorities.
AND... Business Practices that provide focus enable a team to concentrate on the
very important things, while providing the steps for the journey to your successful
business future.
Whether you have just launched a new business, want to smooth out some bumps
within your existing organization, or want to take your existing business / organization to the next level, you need to implement sound business practices.
It doesn't matter if you and your team develop / document them in-house from
scratch, pay a consultant to facilitate and / or author the creation of them, or
purchase templates from us or from another like business, you need them. Of course,
since we're in the template business, we recommend that approach, but let us explain
why.
If you develop them in-house from scratch, it is very painful, very tedious, very
time consuming, and very expensive. Members of our team have, during previous
assignments, been a part of teams that have hammered out, e.g., an operational
business model. In some cases, this took months consisting of many meetings and
o_-line get-together to dialogue, build consensus, red-team, draft, and publish.
A. 22
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) are consumable goods such as food and beverages,
footwear and apparel, tobacco, and cleaning products. In general, CPGs are things
that get used up and have to be replaced frequently, in contrast to items that
people usually keep for a long time, such as cars and furniture. Although the CPG
industry has been slow to invest in new technology, it is increasingly turning to
computerized and Web-based applications for customer relationship management
(CRM), supply chain management (SCM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and
marketing automation. A number of vendors, including Oracle, SAP, and Siebel
Systems o_er products for the CPG sector.
Consumer packaged goods are the everyday use items that consumers purchase
mostly from supermarkets. They include food and beverages, cosmetics, skin care,
hair care, feminine care,home cleaning, and detergents. The most striking feature
of this industry is the wide range of consumer needs and preferences involved. The
buyers can be considered fragmented in the sense that there is no single marketing
strategy that can e_ectively address all consumer needs. A retailer has a particularly
important role to ful_ll in the supply chain i.e.aggregation of demand and supply. We
discuss below the unique characteristics of the CPG Industry that have signi_cance
for the use of Web.
marketing consumer goods involves constant
feedback from consumers about their experience with the products and the ability
to rapidly respond to the consumer needs and preferences. Further, since the manufacturers are far removed from the consumers, they have to rely on the information
supplied by the retailers to understand the demand for their products. With the
emergence of the Web as a new channel, consumer goods manufacturers are hoping
to overcome these limitations and create a closer relationship with their consumers
in order to serve them better and be their preferred brands.
Leading CPG companies selected Infosys as one of their preferred strategic consulting partners in a recent AMR Research independent client survey. In the survey of
50 leading CPG companies, Infosys was ranked 2 in Sales & Operations Planning
(S&OP) domain expertise and industry-speci_c expertise.
According to the report titled S&OP in Consumer Products: Planned Spending, Bene_ts Realization, and Strategic Consulting Services, streamlined S&OP
processes help CPG companies increase revenue, enhance forecast accuracy, reduce
inventory, improve asset utilization, better outsource relationships, and improve new
product launches and ordering.
The report adds, With CP companies showing the largest gaps in performance
in demand shaping and demand orchestration, system integrators with expertise in
use of downstream data, price management, promotion management, and predictive
analytics will continue to gain market share.
see above matter in the link www.infosys.com
A. 23
hello
packaging management upto date
packIn turnabout from previous behavior, consumers not only prefer green products,
but also are willing to pay extra for them, according to 2007 Annual National
Shopping Behavior Survey by consulting _rm KPMG LLP, New York, NY.
Fully 88% of survey respondents indicate high level of concern about environment,
74% say they buy environmentally friendly products, 60% claim to be willing to
pay more for such items, 55% make special e_ort to patronize retailers with green
reputation.
Another survey, the Times & Trends Report by Information Resources, Inc. (IRI),
Chicago, IL, con_rms consumer interest in environmental issues. Of 22,000 respondents asked to consider impact of four key sustainability factors in product/store selection organic, eco-friendly products, eco-friendly packaging, fair treatment of employees/suppliers 30% consider eco-friendly products/packaging, nearly 40% search
speci_cally for organic products. Sustainability has evolved from a niche segment
concern to a major factor inuencing purchasing and shopping behavior across a sizable consumer base, reports Andrew Salzman, cmo at IRI. Attitudes extend across
all age groups with older consumers more likely to weigh multiple sustainability
factors in their purchases. Our survey indicates that consumers are focused more
and more on the social and environmental impact of their consumer packaged goods
purchases, creating a viable and growing US market for sustainable products and
packaging, concludes Salzman. Follow-up: Robert Wade, +1 201-307-7482; , or
Jennifer Hurson, +1 201-307-8187, ; Link: www.us.kp; at IRI, John McIndoe, +1
312-474-3862, .
Top of Page
Merger creates third largest chemical companyMerger between Basell AF, Luxembourg, Lyondell Chemical, Co., Houston, TX, creates LyondellBasell Industries,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Worlds third largest independent chemical company
with annual revenue of US$43 billion produces polyole_ns used in packaging as well
as other polymers, chemicals, fuels. With 60 manufacturing sites in 19 countries on
_ve continents, combined company ranks as global leader in polyole_n technology,
production, marketing; largest producer of polypropylene, advanced polyole_n products; as well as leading supplier of polyethylene, catalysts. Basell, which is owned
by Access Industries, New York, NY, pays $48/share for Lyondells outstanding
common stock in all-cash transaction totaling approximately $20 billion, including
assumption of debt. Follow-up: Marketing Department, +31 20 44 68 644; Link:
www.lyondellbasell.com.
Top of Page
Brand owners pay more for packagingPrices continue trending upward for virtually
all packaging materials. Characteristic of current environment, Caraustar Industries, Inc., Atlanta, GA, boosts prices $40/ton for all grades of uncoated recycled
paperboard. Latest price hike takes e_ect on 28 January 2008, builds on 2007 increases totaling approximately $100/ton. We continue to be faced with historically
high raw material and energy costs, making it necessary to increase prices on all
grades and products of uncoated recycled paperboard, explains Michael J. Keough,
president/ceo of Caraustar. Pricing pressure exists worldwide with Iggesund Paperboard AB, Iggesund, Sweden, raising prices for Invercote solid bleached board,
Incada folding boxboard, by US$118/metric ton, US$96/metric ton, respectively, in
mid-2007. E_ective 1 January 2008, Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia, PA, revises price
list for packaging adhesives, resin additives sold in Asia-Paci_c region due to tightening supply of feedstock, rapidly rising feedstock costs, increases in energy, freight
costs. Price increases extend further up supply chain to resin companies. Kraton
Polymers LLC, Houston, TX, for example, boosted prices $220/metric ton for its
styrenic block copolymers on 1 January 2008, while Basell, now LyondellBasell Industries, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, put US$89/metric ton increase in place on 1
July 2007 for Hifax polypropylene resin sold in Europe, Middle East, Africa. Even
ink prices are rising. Sun Chemical, Northlake, IL, blames 8% increase, e_ective 1
January 2008, on higher demand for ethanol as well as supply shortages resulting
from Chinese governments e_orts to reduce environmental impact, elimination of
value-added tax refunds for exports.
Top of Page
Specialty paper manufacturer slashes use of fossil fuelProcess heat recovery, increased reliance on biofuel for electricity generation cut both fossil fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions 75% at Iggesund Paperboard AB, Iggesund, Sweden.
Reduction in carbon dioxide emissions to be implemented by 2009 equals output
by 20,000 cars driven 15,000 kilometres/year. Investment of US$15.5 million at
Iggesunds Bruk facility, which produces agship product, Invercote paperboard,
continues companys long-term environmental program. Recovered heat not only
powers paper production process, but also dries timber at nearby sawmill, warms
nearby homes. Company also generates about 50% of its electricity requirements,
almost entirely from biofuel. But our goal is even higher than this, says Klas
Simes, energy coordinator at Iggesunds Bruk. We plan a gradual changeover so
that we will ultimately not use any fossil fuel at all, and will also be self-su_cient
in electricity. Follow-up: US Sales O_ce, Lyndhurst, NJ, +1 201-804-9977; Link:
www.iggesund.com.
Top of Page
P&G _les suit to protect Herbal Essences trade dressProcter & Gamble Co. (P&G),
Cincinnati, OH, _les against Blue Cross Laboratories, Santa Clarita, CA, alleging
infringement of its Herbal Essences trade dress. Packaging for shampoos, conditioners introduced in 2006 during relaunch of brand, includes uniquely shaped bottle.
Suit _led in US Federal District Court for Southern District of Ohio, Cincinnati,
OH, claims private labeler, Blue Cross Laboratories is distributing look-alike products under Herbal Passion name to dollar store outlets. P&G requests Blue Cross be
ordered to stop distributing infringing products, recall existing inventory from store
shelves, notify retailers to impound or return all products, destroy bottle molds.
We believe this is a clear case of infringement designed to take advantage of consumer loyalty and business growth that P&G developed through the reinvention of
its Herbal Essences brand, says Jim Johnson, P&G chief legal o_cer.
Top of Page
Increasing volume of critics may drown bottled water growthControversy over environmental impact of bottled water grows more strident as coalition of groups _le
suit to invalidate $0.05/bottle tax passed in Chicago, IL. First-of-its-kind law requires retailers to pay tax, earmarks funds generated for general revenue rather than
environmental purposes.
A. 24
Five S theory really helps in FMCG industry
1)Sort - Restrucutre your areas
2)Set -Distribute to people who know the area well and depending on the clientelle
in the areas put experinced or new salesman accordingly
3)Shine- Get in new products or services to distinguish you from the rest
4)Sustain - Keep on doing this. Dont make it a one o_ pratice
This surely helps. i have wroked these during my days with Coke Amatil and it
brings wonders
A. 25
Quality and competitive prices are the main focus areas for sustainable business.
Though these are internationally well-established brands, their quality varies coun-
try to country. The companies should focus on this area. Most consumer packaged
goods are used by all levels of society, hence they should have packages for all levels
of consumptions. Like lower income groups can a_ord only small sachets, where as
middle and higher income groups may prefer going for larger bottles that are cost
e_ective.
A. 26
to start into a good bussiness u can trace the developments from start to this position
of all the reputed companies. all the reputed companies u have mentioned has come
to the place today is of hard working and the adversisemenrt and the reputation of
their product they made in society.if the product is good and the promotion made
for it is sucessful through the persons u made.once its in the market and its relable
n good people will run behind. cost of it is the next concern. dont introduce in
hugh rates. then people wont consume it of a sudden.put a middle rate and then
hike it if needed.
A. 27
the product should be easily available in all markets. it should be the lowest in price
and highest in quality. attractive ads should be given so that the product reaches
everyone. trust worthy name should be obtained in order to survive in the market.
Q. What are some good tips for small, medium and even large businesses
to be successful in difficult economic times? Kindly give specific examples
and sources. Thank you.xThank you!
Answer 1
Hi, Managing your business in tough economic times One of the challenges of being
in business is surviving the tough times. This series of articles has strategies to
help you manage and grow your business in an economic downturn. Included is
information on streamlining operations, maintaining sta_ and customer con_dence,
managing _nances and cash ow, and spotting opportunities. When a downturn
threatens, you need to take decisive steps to understand the situation and what it
means for the future survival of your business. Planning for a downturn helps you
to maximise opportunities and prepare your business to survive and thrive in all
circumstances. Keep control of your cash Finance and funding for future success
When times are hard, cash is king. Commentators suggest that the companies
who emerged from the last recession as sector leaders typically had an average net
debt-to-equity ratio of about half that of their less successful competitors before
the downturn hit. The winners also held more cash on their balance sheet than
the companies that were hit hardest. Clear Communication Managing Stakeholders
for long-term success Managing your stakeholders e_ectively in challenging times is
crucial to executing a winning strategy. Good communication is critical. Streamline
Operations Managing operational capability for sustainable success Flexibility is
critical in improving your operational position in a downturn. Now is probably not
the time to save money by cutting back your marketing budget, but it is the time
to make some hard-nosed decisions about what it is you are going to spend that
money on. Leading for Success Leading your team to triumph through tougher
times Anyone can manage a company through good times, but now, more than
ever, its important to take the time to step back from your daily tasks and ask
yourself whether youre equipped to lead your team to success through challenges
and uncertainty. Managing in a downturn may be di_cult for many of today's
business leaders, who have built their careers through years of economic growth.
Natural attrition may have removed experienced managers from your business. Be
Prepared Prepping your business for peak performance in any scenario Nobody
holds the crystal ball for the future. Clever companies plan ahead for any scenario.
When a downturn threatens, businesses need to take decisive steps to understand
the situation and what it means for their future survival. Planning for a downturn
maximises the opportunities available, enabling the best prepared businesses to come
through the bad times reenergised and _t for the future. Seek the Opportunities
Identifying possibilities for sustainable growth and success Economic downturns
present opportunities for companies prepared to look. During the last recession,
more than a _fth of companies in the lower quartile in their industries jumped to the
upper quartile. Recessions reshu_e the decks more than boom times and research
shows that gains made during challenging times tend to endure. This information
is brought to you by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
A. 2
For any business to be successful in this di_cult economic times is planning.Many
companies and business are cutting down employees. try to give them a forced
vacation for couple of weeks. Here in US so many companies are doing that.Try to
avoid employee longtours and expenditures unless it is really needed.If the business
really needs some goods then try to purchase the goods,materials as necessary. Cut
down the cost in workplace like cutting down stationery,drinks,co_ee . Even smaller
things makes a big di_erence.Try to be vey cautious about your account detailes.
If the business is large and has their o_ces in so many locations then cut down the
o_ces. Like in US Macy's are cuttind down the stores in some locations.
Evaluate top employees in the business are really doing their right job.Otherwise
_re them and hire a right persons. This will de_nitely reduce a cost lot.
Cut down the costs. If your business involves lot of Human resource then cut down
the jobs or cut-down the salaries.
Continue your advertisement and marketing. For any business advertisement is
more important. Customers know about your business through advertisement. And
it's important to attractact customers in this economy.
When the economy is bad it is important to maintain the great relationship with
customers. The old customers of your business know about the business and it's
quality. So, if the business maintains good relationship with them they won't leave
your business even in bad economy.
Use all kinds of marketing like T.V., internet,newpapers etc and try to advertise
about your busines.If you have website try to spend some money on that. Make it
attractive.
provide some discounts to customers depending on what type of business it is.If it
is a apparael business then try to give some % discounts on selected type of cloths.
The business success depends on Top management ability. Try to hire a talented
top managemnt.
Try to develop new products related to your products and try to sell them to already
exisitng customers.
If the technology helps to reduce the costs implent in them in the business.
A. 3
At _rt, if you are running a business concern or a the managing position in a business
in India then i don't think you have to worry seriously becuase india will not going
to a_ect seriously - but with certain di_culties only. Also Indian Government
had taken and initiating several steps to overcome the economic recession/crisis by
reducing duties and taxes etc. discounts and by reducing fuel/oil prices to help
the business houses and entreprenures in order to cope with the undergoing world
_nancial crisis.
Clear understanding of the basic problems you are facing or shall have to face is the
key to take corrective measures in reorganizational level and business also.
Reducing the Operating cost/Administrative cost is the _rst one you have to think
of while trying or struggling to overcome a _nancial cris. The trading will be lower,
hence excessive /normal production will result to block of funds and excess stock.
The Rates of your commidity will be lower.
A crisis recovery plan deals with the immediate and direct response to economic
crisis to protect the company and provide business continuity.
A monitoring committe of the available experts/able personnels from your excutive
level.
Re-de_ne employees duties and responsbilities from top level to bottom level.
Periodical assessment and meeting of sta_ and workers, inform them what is happening overall due to the world/global economic recession and brief them how it
a_ect our business and trading, also disclose plans and the way of its execution,
seek co-operation of employess in gross.
Consolidate fund position. Also make arrangements for side business and allied
business for _nancial relief.
A. 4
what i feel is this is the time for plan the future and learn from your mistake and
take corrective action.
at the time like this ever management guru will advice cust cost , cut salary cut this
cut that ....
But this is really a time to reengineer your process Team , product , startegy ....
here are some of my thought process.
1. Find out process to reduce cost of production - and try to make your process
more e_cient
2.Find out new product and processes and also services which you can add on to
your current line - without adding any thing signi_cant to your cost - this will bring
more revenue and increase the pro_tability .
3. You can cut many outsourcing cost and look in house for them - like Training
, consultancy , auditing , call centre , website , marketing , advertising , facility
management etc
4. ReNegotiate price with your service provider (logistic) , contactor , outsourcing
agents .
5. work out credit terms with your lender - try to reduce teh cost of debt - negotiate
better credit terms with the creditor
6. Better recovery of the funds from debtors
7. Find out cources for new capital - work out term for pref capital or some other
form of capital which will infuse liquidity and and bring down cost of fund .
8. cut only FLAB you can _nd it if you will look it
9. reingage employee in terms of increasing their productivity , building more con-
_denc in them , provide them with better training- in house of course ( there would
be lot of talent)
10. while it is necessary to cut wasteful expenditure - although it should be taken
all the time not only when time are tough.
11. a pro_table business would build reserve over a period of time - it would be
prudent to look in to that if it could be used for building reqired capacity and
expansion - instead of distributing it to shareholders.
12. At the last cutting cost like employee bene_ts like BONUSES and salary should
start from top - but obiviously this should be the time when you will reward best
of your telent.
13. also this would be the time to _ne tune your startegy and benchmark practices
from across the industry .
14 Also as part of focus you can cut down on some of the activities or investment
which may not me part of your core competency and e_ciency
A. 5
It takes a creative and determined individual to outlast a recession without _nancial
di_culties. A professional with a full-time job needs to look outside of the regular
workplace for sources of income during a recession. The unknown factor in earning
money during a recession is whether you have the drive to work outside of the o_ce.
The 2 important things is to :
Cut the cost....salaries, purchase, machineries, rents etc.
Promote business...do high sells nd give good o_ers at the times when normally ppl
get payouts so tht they can be motivated to buy.
Other than that few more precise things tht can be done are as under. You can get
some extra bucks thru these ways :
1.Generate money through blogs, websites and other virtual outlets during a recession. You can select a blog topic that is neglected by other writers and place
appropriate advertising on your main page to draw in passive funds.
2.Hold a garage sale prior to a recession to earn extra money for your household. A
focus on high-ticket items such as TV sets, DVD players and furniture can lead to
higher pro_ts to put in your savings account.
3.Transfer funds from your stock portfolio into municipal bonds to earn money
during a recession. You can track the success of high-value municipal bonds on
websites like BondsOnline to determine whether the monthly and annual returns
are right for your budget (see Resources below).
4.Submit your credentials to a temporary recruiting _rm as a way to earn money
during a recession. You can take on daily and weekly projects through companies
like That's Good HR to earn a paycheck while keeping your job history active during
a recession (see Resources below).
5.O_er services like lawn care and maintenance work to your your neighbors to
earn money during a recession. Research prices o_ered by contractors to quote
lower prices for any skill areas such as carpentry and painting where you may have
experience.
6.Use your knowledge of state and federal tax laws to help neighbors _gure out
annual returns during a recession. This side business can be inexpensive with your
only real expenses being tax return software, a calculator and a desk.
7.Inquire about open positions at companies that experience steady business during
a recession. Law _rms that deal with bankruptcy and utility companies in need
of account representatives are examples of industries that may require temporary
workers in a poor economy.
8.Express your creativity while using your natural skill set with a photography
business out of your home. You can invest in cheap studio packages from Pro
Studio Supply to take family photos and assist other artists as a second income for
your family (see Resources below).
9.Teach community members a new trade at learning annexes and schools in your
neighborhood. Look for open teaching spaces like Bucketworks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that allow teachers to keep a portion of registration fees in exchange for
creative lessons on business and _nance (see Resources below).
10.Rent out o_ce space and storage in your business during a recession to earn
money. Speak with your partners and managers to work out rental rates that encourage small businesses to use your space. This monthly rent can help cut down
your overhead costs and help other business owners earn money during a recession.
Sell on Ebay
eBay has always been known as a way to make some extra cash online, but there
are a few reasons why it might be especially helpful to you during a recession. In a
recession, often people will begin to get rid of electronics, jewelry, and antiques that
have been lying around, in order to make some extra money themselves.
This means an increase in the number of estate sales, yard sales, and auctions.
Within these sales, you can _nd some real treasures for literally pennies. There are
always buyers on eBay, and you can sell those treasures for a steep pro_t to people
from all around the world.
Setting up a seller's account is an easy step-by-step process, and you can be on your
way to making extra money in a matter of minutes. Even if you don't want to sell
on a regular basis, eBay is a great location to make money from items that you have
lying around your own home.
A_liate Marketing
A_liate marketing is quickly becoming the "thing to do" online. Although the
market is becoming saturated, there is still plenty of room to grow if you get in
now, and a lot of money to be made. There are a wide variety of a_liate marketing
companies that you can sign up with, and you can choose to market any type of
product that you like.
Once you have chosen a product to market, and have your a_liate link, you can
purchase a cheap domain and host your website on a server for about $5-$10 per
month. Then, you can begin to utilize a skill called bum marketing. Bum marketing
allows you to get the word out about the product you are marketing, but without
any cost.
Write some quick product review articles with links to your product website, and
post them to free article directories. Or, look up forums on a topic that is related
to your product, and post regularly with a link to your product in your signature.
Populate your product website with useful information and articles, and submit it
to social book marking sites to drive tra_c in.
You will earn a percentage of the pro_t from each sale you deliver for your chosen
product, and you will not have to risk much money to get started with a_liate
marketing.
Buy local.
If youre a fan of buying thing on eBay from other countries because your dollar has
just a bit more value for them, then maybe you should be rethinking your buying
habits. Some countries might also feel the brunt of mighty Americas toothache right
now and see their currencys value fall against the dollar (so buying from them might
be the cheaper route). However, some currencies might have a chance to _ght back
and it will be cheaper for you to get those goods locally. And why not support
something of your own and be a patriot for once.
Use your knowledge.
Use your knowledge of state and federal tax laws to help neighbors _gure out annual
returns during a recession. This side business can be inexpensive with your only
real expenses being tax return software, a calculator and a desk.
Hope these tips may help you grow better during di_cult economic times !!
A. 6
Hi,
The _rst and foremost thing that every business must do in a di_cult economic
environment is to cut cost e_ectively. Cost cutting can be carried out by reducing
work force and reducing prices. You must reduce prices with a long term outlook
on your business. Price reduction is one way to improve volumes and customer base
for every kind of business in a tougher environment.
You must choose the best of the marketing strategies and avoid those failed strategies
to run the business for you, by doing this you might be able to improve sales and
reduce some expenditure.
Promoting your business is very important step to do during these economic di_culties. You could see the success of promotional skill carried out by Sun TV for
promoting a nothing in it _lm to reap huge pro_ts in south india. Promotion is necessary especially for every business and mainly to Retail, Media, Telecommunication
and Web-oriented business.
Cut aggressive expansion plans and spending that are very much riskier. High risk
plans never pays in a weak economy and mostly fails. Many companies Like the Tata
have taken huge risks like acquiring Corus, Jaguar without taking into consideration
the longer term targets of these acquisitions and are now paying the price for it.
Tata Motors acquisition of Jaguar a company with huge debt could even lead to
failure of Tata Motors. So, everyone must avoid such mistakes of expansion during
this bad economic environment.
Reduce wages, every business must make its employees to understand the economic
environment that it is facing and be able to convince them to work for lower wages.
Junk spending- spending on things that never gave any good returns. Larger companies must reduce luxury spending related to the work environment and employees
to reduce expenditure. Companies must do this on longer term outlook of their
business.
A. 7
Hi,
To become success in your business follow the following steps.
Cultivate Inner Networks: Entrepreneurs practicing the art of business success know
the power of networks. They take the time to identify and build relationships with
key peers, mentors, and advisors. This inner network provides support, direction,
and an increased number of people to assist. Having an inner network of _ve people
who have a network of _ve more, grows the network exponentially.
Habit 2. Customer Centric: Business success requires an unwavering commitment to
the customer. This commitment encompasses a mindset of understanding the customers' world. Understanding the customers wants and needs provides the business
with a greater opportunity to earn a loyal customer base. Focus away from business
and pro_ts, and toward what you can do to improve the life of your customers.
Habit 3. Humble Honesty: Business success requires the ability to know your
strengths and weaknesses. Being open and honest about yourself and your business
creates growth as an individual and as a company. Don't spend time developing
weaknesses. Find help for weak areas, enabling you to focus on strengths. In the
book, "Now, Discover Your Strengths", Gallup Organization reveals that building
our strengths instead of _xing our weakness is the path to mastery and success.
Take the time to know yourself and business.
Habit 4. Adaptability: Business success requires the ability to adapt to changing
situations. Nothing ever goes as planned. The world of business is full of surprises
and unforeseen events. Using the habit of adaptability allows business owners to
respond to circumstances with the ability to change course and act without complete
information. Being exible allows us to respond to changes without being paralyzed
with fear and uncertainty.
Habit 5. Opportunity Focused: Problems are a regular part of business life. Sta_
issues, customer misunderstandings, cash crunches- the list is endless. To achieve
business success, look at both sides of the coin. Every problem has an opportunity.
Being opportunity focused makes the game of business fun and energizing.
Habit 6. Finding A Better Way: Productivity is the cornerstone of business success.
Formulate the habit of _nding a better way to make your business more productive. This will create more time to focus on the critical issues that drive sales and
pro_t. Productivity can be enhanced by technology, automation, outsourcing, and
improving business processes.
Habit 7. Balanced Lifestyle Management: A business can consume an owner's time
and energy. It's easy to allow the business to take control of your life. Business
success requires the habit of balancing all aspects of your life. Separating time for
daily business tasks, pro_t driven tasks, and free time is a habit that will make your
business and life more enjoyable. Take the time to plan each week.
Learning and instilling new habits in your daily business life can have a dramatic
e_ect on your level of success. Review each of the 7 habits. Choose one habit to
focus on for a month or until you achieve mastery. Gradually incorporate each of
the 7 habits of business success into your life and attain your business dreams.
A. 8
Having a superb product, soaring sales and stupendous customer service are undoubtedly some of the things which go into making a successful business. But all
of this is irrelevant if you su_er a _nancial crisis. Without a sound stable _nancial
position the slightest shock can be enough to send your business crashing to the
ground.
This is an excellent question especially in a period where we are undergoing a recession. If it is a big business that won't be a_ecting them much as they are already
established in their _eld. But not so, for the newly developing businesses.
You must keep records of your sales, your purchases, how much you have, how much
raw material or _nished goods you hold.
Without these records you will very quickly lose track of where you are. You won't
know:
What you have spent your money on
You won't know where your cash is going
You won't know where all your stock is? has someone stolen it?
recession is a great time to start a business. It's also a time to seize opportunities
as competitors retreat and retrench. But whether you're hatching a new business
or scrambling to keep the one you already have aoat, bringing 3 things to your
business will put you on the path to success.
Clarity { You must have complete clarity about your business goals, you must be
perfectly clear about your ideal target market and you must be completely clear
about how your product or service can bene_t your client.
Certainty { You must be certain that you can achieve the goals that you are so clear
about now. You must be con_dent that you can meet the needs of your ideal client
and bring them the results they expect.
Focus { By focusing your attention and your energy on a desired outcome, your
chances of achieving your goal become exponentially greater.
THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVICE USED BY MOST OF THE COMPANIES
IS TO CUT DOWN THE COSTS BY WAY OF LAY OFF. Without laying o_, a
concern can follow the following ways:
. Have employees shorter work weeks at reduced pay. Cutting the work week from
5 days to 4 days will shrink payroll expenses by 20% (not counting bene_ts).
2. Encourage employees to take unpaid sabbaticals
3. O_er buyout
4. Extend unpaid year-end breaks
5. O_er { or even mandate { unpaid vacation time
6. Swap or loan out employees to other businesses that may need temporary project
or seasonal help.
The hope is that these moves will help make an organization more cohesive and
boost productivity by making employees more motivated and e_cient. They can
also help keep your best people on board, and make it easier to hire when conditions
improve.
Apart from reducing costs, you need to optimize incoming cash and plan outgoing
expenses.
Small businesses must manage credit control. It is not just about debt collection but
e_cient recovery: Look at your best customers and consider o_ering them discounts
for early settlement. Plan the timing of incomings and outgoings so that cash is
balanced as closely as possible.
Decrease your receivables and go aggressively to collect on those non-payers. You
arent losing a customer if that client isnt paying for your products or services.
Assess your inventory and plan how to turn them into cash if you cannot sell them.
If you will need _nancing, consider alternative sources of _nancing instead of just
commercial credit.
Now is the time to review your expenses and cut on unnecessary spending. Find
deals everywhere { barter, negotiate, ask for a discount and don't pay for the full
price. Run as lean as you can:
If you have the option to lease, lease instead of buying. You need to have cash now.
Negotiate new terms for property leases, o_ering longer terms at a reduced rate.
Reduce costs by doing many tasks electronically. For instance: Move routine communications to email or instant messaging; Bank online for both payments and
receipts; Bill electronically.
At an operational level, scrutinize every expense or overhead line item, looking for
areas of waste or opportunities to lower cost.
Consider allowing sta_ to telecommute to reduce o_ce costs.
Reduce the amount of energy you consume by reviewing the times of day when air
conditioning is used and switching to low energy lighting.
Reduce printed material and associated postage and take advantage of new technologies and electronic communications.
Consider the frequency of janitorial services. Does the o_ce really need cleaning
every night? Might sta_ at least partially ful_ll that service?
Renegotiate bank service charges. Moving to electronic funds collection and disbursement should reduce costs. Right now, your bank will be more concerned with
keeping your business and will be disposed to talking about fees.
Review all forms of advertising and consider alternative and creative methods of
communicating your message.
Eliminate all un-necessary travel and ensure that travel costs are optimized. Work
with travel agents to _nd the best business deals.
8. Market, market and market your business. Now is the time to pump up the
marketing. Use guerrilla-marketing techniques to save on your resources and grow
at a fraction of the cost. Find ways you can advertise your business without going
bankrupt yourself. Find co-branding partners. And yes, market to your existing
customers by giving top quality service so they can spread the word about your
business.
Good luck!!!
A. 9
I will suggest you 3 steps for a successfull business:1. Business cards are a must for every business and can be expensive depending on
where you purchase them. Of course, there are generally alternatives to spending a
lot of money.
You can create your own card or have a web developer design it for you. If funds
are limited, I would suggest using a site like vistaprints. They will be able to create
your look or brand for a reasonable amount of money and if money is a concern,
they have a large selection of freebies.
However, be careful with the freebies. You get what you pay for. However, Vistaprints
is a great and reliable company. You should be _ne using their free products. But
just know, the more money you spend, the better your product will look.
2. I suggest an 800, 866, 877 toll free number for your new business. You might say,
have you lost your mind! That's going to be expensive, well it doesn't have to cost
much at all. Our company pays about $119.00 a year for our personalized toll free
number. Check them out at RingCentral.com
This is an excellent tool for your business. It will give your company the appearance
of being larger than you really. The site I'm going to reccommend will have many
features that will cause people to view you as one of the big boys or girls! Again,
remember, the more money you spend the more features and perks you will receive.
However, you don't need a lot of perks to start a business.
3. If you are starting a home-based business, it is not a good idea to use your home
address. So have your team do research to see what it would cost to get a PO box.
Depending on your business, have the team decide what size box would be suitable
for your companys' needs.
4. Do something! This is the hardest step of all. Everyone has dreams but 99.99%
of them are unwilling to get o_ their couch and do anything about it. You could
walk out in the street and shout your best business secret and everyone would go
Wow, I could do that. Then they would get all excited, go home and talk about it
for 15 minutes and eventually forget about it as time goes on, having never lifted a
_nger. Excuses for not getting started are as numerous as the stars in the sky. The
only people that succeed are the ones that are willing to put in the time and e_ort
to do so. You will have to get o_ your couch and put in the e_ort. No one is going
to give you anything. You have to earn it.
5. The moment that you decide that you want to start a business start saving your
receipts. Anything that you purchase, rent, spend on upgrades, add to your home,
increase service on, etc might be deductible. If you go to the store to buy groceries
and pick up a roll of tape to use in the o_ce, circle it on your receipt when you get
home and save it. This applies to everything you buy that you use in your business
environment. Keep a log in your car to record mileage, even if its a trip to the post
o_ce to buy stamps for your yers. You will be surprised how quick even small
items add up and this habit will help you keep track of your true overall expenses.
6. Best friends or spouses do not necessarily make the best business partners. I
have many friends that I would do anything for but I would not have them involved
in my business. On the other hand, my wife is the most dependable person that
I have ever worked with and I know that she will always hold up her end of the
responsibilities.
7. Be there! Plan on being in your business. No one else will care about your
business the way that you do. If you want anything done a certain way, then you
will have to be there to assure that it is done that way. Very few small businesses
succeed when the owner leaves the shop in the hands of others and spends all of
his/her time attending to other projects.
8. Strings. If you are borrowing money for startup, make sure that you know all the
strings that are attached. Banks will often want control over the way the money is
spent and friends or relatives often want control of your life.
9. Your money. Your Ideas. It is your money that you are spending so spend it the
way that you think would be of the most bene_t to you. Many people have many
ideas that they would love to share with you but you are the one taking all the risks.
If they are so smart, why havent they gone into business on their own and made a
million?
10. Get a computer!
11. The Internet. Having access to the internet is a good thing when it comes
to both research and acquisition of products. It is the easiest way to _nd almost
anything.
12. Politics and religion do not mix with business unless the business is political or
religious in nature.
13. Too good to be true? Get rich quick schemes do work for the person that comes
up with them and markets them. They almost never work for the people that buy
them. If it were that easy, everyone would be rich.
A. 10
I believe _rst and foremost you should begin with cutting costs. You have to look
what will be most bene_cial for your company in the long term. You dont wanna
cut too much because when the recession is over, and you are able to raise prices,
people will begin to think why you were able to have them so low. You can reference
speci_c tips at the following website:
cutbusinessexpenses.com
t products and services are highest in demand? Which ones are the easiest to sell?
Which one are the easist to make, acquire or provide. These are the products and
services that you need to be promoting. If you o_er products and services that are
a pain in the neck to deliver, consider dropping them.
Also as far as your advertising see what is currently working best for you and what
is not working...the areas that are more e_ective out more money into and cut down
on the advertising that isnt really bringing in any revenue.
Economic recessions are the best time to analyze your business, give your website a
face lift, work on that search engine optimization campaign and focus on the 20%
of the things (clients and products & services) that deliver 80% of the good things
in your life and business. Eliminate the 20% of the clients that product 80% of the
headaches. Eliminate 20% of the products and services that cause you to work 80%
of the time.
I also have a couple di_erent websites for you to reference:
This one will show you how to make money from home..since you didn't give any
speci_cs about your business:
www.peipro_t.com
This one explains how to market during a recession:
www.smeal.ps
This is general business tips for during a recession:
blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com/2007/04/business-ideas-recession.html
And lastly try:
www.entrepreneur.com
A. 11
Thinking as an economist, I can analyse the situation on the basis of the reason
of this economic crisis. Well, all such economic crisis have their roots in ination
which are a result of imbalance in demand and supply.
So, to curb such situations, the best thing is decreasing demand by decreasing
comsumption. Here on the consumer point of view, it could be reducing spendings
by reducing consumption while for business (small, large or medium), it can be done
by reducing the explicit costs. Here are some tips whcih they can folow:
1. Cutting down on electricity consumption
2. Getting pro_ts from economies of scale
3. Concentrating on producing non-luxury goods.
Apart from this the situation will have to be handled at government level and
subsides be given to indistries to enable them cope up with this crisis.
A. 12
hi One of the challenges of being in business is surviving the tough times With so
many businesses struggling and even failing, it might be surprising to _nd out that
di_cult times such as these can actually bene_t your business. By pushing forward,
growing your business, and utilizing the Internet, you can actually improve your
business and come out stronger in the end. This phenomenon is due to several
factors, including the fact that, during slow economic times, competitors are less
active, and you can use marketing tools to capture their now-available market. Also,
the Internet remains a powerful advertising tool, Planning for a downturn helps you
to maximise opportunities and prepare your business to survive and thrive in all
circumstances. Keep control of your cash Finance and funding for future success
When times are hard, cash is king. Commentators suggest that the companies
who emerged from the last recession as sector leaders typically had an average net
debt-to-equity ratio of about half that of their less successful competitors before
the downturn hit. The winners also held more cash on their balance sheet than
the companies that were hit hardest. Clear Communication Managing Stakeholders
for long-term success Managing your stakeholders e_ectively in challenging times is
crucial to executing a winning strategy. Good communication is critical. Streamline
Operations Managing operational capability for sustainable success Flexibility is
critical in improving your operational position in a downturn. Now is probably not
the time to save money by cutting back your marketing budget, but it is the time
to make some hard-nosed decisions about what it is you are going to spend that
money on. Leading for Success Leading your team to triumph through tougher
times Anyone can manage a company through good times, but now, more than
ever, its important to take the time to step back from your daily tasks and ask
yourself whether youre equipped to lead your team to success through challenges
and uncertainty. Managing in a downturn may be di_cult for many of today's
business leaders, who have built their careers through years of economic growth.
Natural attrition may have removed experienced managers from your business. Be
Prepared Prepping your business for peak performance in any scenario Nobody
holds the crystal ball for the future. Clever companies plan ahead for any scenario.
When a downturn threatens, businesses need to take decisive steps to understand
the situation and what it means for their future survival. Planning for a downturn
maximises the opportunities available, enabling the best prepared businesses to come
through the bad times reenergised and _t for the future. Seek the Opportunities
Identifying possibilities for sustainable growth and success Economic downturns
present opportunities for companies prepared to look. During the last recession,
more than a _fth of companies in the lower quartile in their industries jumped
to the upper quartile. Recessions reshu_e the decks more than boom times and
research shows that gains made during challenging times tend to endure. The next
tip is to focus your e_orts where they will be most e_ective, which is spending time
closing sales. When the telemarketing programs do their job e_ectively your team
can spend the majority of their time making sales which means increased pro_ts
for you. properly training your employees to work with the highly quali_ed leads
they receive from these lead generation companies. Proper training will help them
make the most of these leads and sales will go through the roof regardless of what
is happening in the economy. To increase pro_ts during a recession is to treat your
clients to outstanding service. Repeat business is a great deal more cost e_ective
than continually _nding new clients, so keeping your current clients satis_ed should
be your top priority. for business success in tough economic times is keeping a
positive attitude. People have a tendency to create the exact amount of success
they believe they will and your positive attitude will be reected in your employees
attitudes and achievements as well as your own.
A. 13
Hi, Six Business Tips for Success in Tough Economic Times: Have you been using
a business to business prospecting company? Do you currently employ lead generation companies to allow your sales team to focus on selling? If you are curious
as to whether your business can survive and even pro_t during a recession, this
article is for you. This article will present six ways that your company can actually
increase pro_ts during a recession. The following are six ways your business can
actually increase pro_ts during a recession. Increasing the amount of money you
spend on marketing your business, leveraging your time, changing your focus, giving your employees the right training, treating your clients to outstanding service
and maintaining an optimistic outlook are all ways to increase your pro_ts during a
recession. Tip number one for keeping your business pro_table in a down economy
might seem odd at _rst, but increasing your marketing budget is vital in times like
these. Untold business owners are guilty of the often fatal error of classifying their
marketing expenditures as an expense rather than an investment and scaling down
their e_orts when increasing them would be the better move. Tip number two for
keeping your business pro_table in a down economy is to properly leverage your
e_orts by utilizing a business to business prospecting company that can carry out
outbound telemarketing on behalf of your business. This will allow your sta_ to
use their time more e_ciently. The next tip is to focus your e_orts where they will
be most e_ective, which is spending time closing sales. When the telemarketing
programs do their job e_ectively your team can spend the majority of their time
making sales which means increased pro_ts for you. The fourth tip involves properly
training your employees to work with the highly quali_ed leads they receive from
these lead generation companies. Proper training will help them make the most of
these leads and sales will go through the roof regardless of what is happening in
the economy. The _fth tip to increase pro_ts during a recession is to treat your
clients to outstanding service. Repeat business is a great deal more cost e_ective
than continually _nding new clients, so keeping your current clients satis_ed should
be your top priority. The sixth and _nal tip for business success in tough economic
times is keeping a positive attitude. People have a tendency to create the exact
amount of success they believe they will and your positive attitude will be reected
in your employees attitudes and achievements as well as your own. Implementing
the six ways listed above can help your business to increase pro_ts during a recession. Business to business prospecting is one area to concentrate your marketing
e_orts in since this will make four of the six ways happen. Then all you have to
worry about are the last two ways including treating your clients to outstanding
service and maintaining an optimistic outlook.
A. 14
When a downturn threatens, you need to take decisive steps to understand the
situation and what it means for the future survival of your business.
Planning for a downturn helps you to maximise opportunities and prepare your
business to survive and thrive in all circumstances.
Keep control of your cash
Finance and funding for future success
When times are hard, cash is king. Commentators suggest that the companies
who emerged from the last recession as sector leaders typically had an average net
debt-to-equity ratio of about half that of their less successful competitors before the
downturn hit. The winners also held more cash on their balance sheet than the
companies that were hit hardest.
Clear Communication
Managing Stakeholders for long-term success
Managing your stakeholders e_ectively in challenging times is crucial to executing
a winning strategy. Good communication is critical.
Streamline Operations
Managing operational capability for sustainable success
Flexibility is critical in improving your operational position in a downturn. Now is
probably not the time to save money by cutting back your marketing budget, but
it is the time to make some hard-nosed decisions about what it is you are going to
spend that money on.
Leading for Success
Leading your team to triumph through tougher times
Anyone can manage a company through good times, but now, more than ever, its
important to take the time to step back from your daily tasks and ask yourself
whether youre equipped to lead your team to success through challenges and un-
certainty. Managing in a downturn may be di_cult for many of today's business
leaders, who have built their careers through years of economic growth. Natural
attrition may have removed experienced managers from your business.
Be Prepared
Prepping your business for peak performance in any scenario
Nobody holds the crystal ball for the future. Clever companies plan ahead for any
scenario. When a downturn threatens, businesses need to take decisive steps to
understand the situation and what it means for their future survival. Planning
for a downturn maximises the opportunities available, enabling the best prepared
businesses to come through the bad times reenergised and _t for the future.
Seek the Opportunities
Identifying possibilities for sustainable growth and success
Economic downturns present opportunities for companies prepared to look. During
the last recession, more than a _fth of companies in the lower quartile in their
industries jumped to the upper quartile. Recessions reshu_e the decks more than
boom times and research shows that gains made during challenging times tend to
endure.
A. 15
Keys to Success during Di_cult Economic Times the Value of Internet Marketing
With so many businesses struggling and even failing, it might be surprising to _nd
out that di_cult times such as these can actually bene_t your business. By pushing
forward, growing your business, and utilizing the Internet, you can actually improve
your business and come out stronger in the end. This phenomenon is due to several
factors, including the fact that, during slow economic times, competitors are less
active, and you can use marketing tools to capture their now-available market. Also,
the Internet remains a powerful advertising tool, and investing in a quality website
can be a powerful way to build up your business. This is because a well made website
is a gift that keeps on giving: it is self-sustaining, and its returns tend to increase
over time. When you combine the e_ectiveness of Search Engine Marketing with
the dedication of a professional website design _rm, you can protect yourself against
economic uctuations and, in the end, improve your business. By combining Search
Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), target marketing,
public relations services, stellar digital graphics, and website development experts
dedicated to your cause, you can stand out from the competition, grab the attention
of consumers, and use hard economic times for your bene_t.
Hard economic times can be a well-disguised opportunity. Dont let it slip by! Consider investing in a website that will help protect your assets now and in the future.
www.appealmedia.com
Tough Tactics for Tough Times Great book to read to give you hints and tips on
how to succed.
www.koganpage.com for more info on how to buy the book or you ango to amzon.
One of the challenges of being in business is surviving the tough times. This series
of articles has strategies to help you manage and grow your business in an economic
downturn. Included is information on streamlining operations, maintaining sta_ and
customer con_dence, managing _nances and cash ow, and spotting opportunities.
When a downturn threatens, you need to take decisive steps to understand the
situation and what it means for the future survival of your business.
Planning for a downturn helps you to maximise opportunities and prepare your
business to survive and thrive in all circumstances.
Keep control of your cash
Finance and funding for future success
When times are hard, cash is king. Commentators suggest that the companies
who emerged from the last recession as sector leaders typically had an average net
debt-to-equity ratio of about half that of their less successful competitors before the
downturn hit. The winners also held more cash on their balance sheet than the
companies that were hit hardest.
Clear Communication
Managing Stakeholders for long-term success
Managing your stakeholders e_ectively in challenging times is crucial to executing
a winning strategy. Good communication is critical.
Streamline Operations
Managing operational capability for sustainable success
Flexibility is critical in improving your operational position in a downturn. Now is
probably not the time to save money by cutting back your marketing budget, but
it is the time to make some hard-nosed decisions about what it is you are going to
spend that money on.
Leading for Success
Leading your team to triumph through tougher times
Anyone can manage a company through good times, but now, more than ever, its
important to take the time to step back from your daily tasks and ask yourself
whether youre equipped to lead your team to success through challenges and uncertainty. Managing in a downturn may be di_cult for many of today's business
leaders, who have built their careers through years of economic growth. Natural
attrition may have removed experienced managers from your business.
Be Prepared
Prepping your business for peak performance in any scenario
Nobody holds the crystal ball for the future. Clever companies plan ahead for any
scenario. When a downturn threatens, businesses need to take decisive steps to
understand the situation and what it means for their future survival. Planning
for a downturn maximises the opportunities available, enabling the best prepared
businesses to come through the bad times reenergised and _t for the future.
Seek the Opportunities
Identifying possibilities for sustainable growth and success
Economic downturns present opportunities for companies prepared to look. During
the last recession, more than a _fth of companies in the lower quartile in their
industries jumped to the upper quartile. Recessions reshu_e the decks more than
boom times and research shows that gains made during challenging times tend to
endure
The following are six ways your business can actually increase pro_ts during a
recession. Increasing the amount of money you spend on marketing your business,
leveraging your time, changing your focus, giving your employees the right training,
treating your clients to outstanding service and maintaining an optimistic outlook
are all ways to increase your pro_ts during a recession.
Tip number one for keeping your business pro_table in a down economy might seem
odd at _rst, but increasing your marketing budget is vital in times like these. Untold
business owners are guilty of the often fatal error of classifying their marketing
expenditures as an expense rather than an investment and scaling down their e_orts
when increasing them would be the better move.
Tip number two for keeping your business pro_table in a down economy is to properly leverage your e_orts by utilizing a business to business prospecting company
that can carry out outbound telemarketing on behalf of your business. This will
allow your sta_ to use their time more e_ciently.
The next tip is to focus your e_orts where they will be most e_ective, which is
spending time closing sales. When the telemarketing programs do their job e_ectively your team can spend the majority of their time making sales which means
increased pro_ts for you.
The fourth tip involves properly training your employees to work with the highly
quali_ed leads they receive from these lead generation companies. Proper training
will help them make the most of these leads and sales will go through the roof
regardless of what is happening in the economy.
The _fth tip to increase pro_ts during a recession is to treat your clients to outstanding service. Repeat business is a great deal more cost e_ective than continually
_nding new clients, so keeping your current clients satis_ed should be your top priority.
The sixth and _nal tip for business success in tough economic times is keeping a
positive attitude. People have a tendency to create the exact amount of success
they believe they will and your positive attitude will be reected in your employ
A. 16
Its a great question. On web search, I have found some suggestions by several
experts which are as follows:
1. Review and position your business irrespective of the economy
2. Find ways to sustain your current pro_tability
3. Cost cutting cannot be the only solution when sales fall o_
4. Keep your clients happy in tough times by excellent service
5. Increase prices to survive economic down fall
6. Review your economic situation thoroughly to avoid liquidity crisis
7. Activate sales department to sell like never before
8. Detach your sta_ from telesales to save them for more productive work
9. Take the active assistance of economic experts to price your products based on
demand and supply to puch sales
10. Manage cash e_ectively to meet crisis
11. Remove obsolete techniques to reduce cost
12 Work out strategies to face competition
13. Avoid sta_ dissatisfaction.
If you need detailed facts, contact me on one-on-one query.
A. 17
Dear Anonymous,
Across the Globe many businesses are collapsing due to the recession.Giants like
AIG and automobile industries are on the verge of collapsing.The best business tips
for any type of business whether small or large are as follows:1. Cash is king-Manage It - if you're out of cash and out of credit, you're out of
business. You need a good 13 week cash forecast, generated NOT from the income
statement but from a detailed understanding of receipts and disbursements. Monitor
trends in your cash ow to keep on top of any sticky situations.
2. Collect with passion:On a related point, manage receivables aggressively. Businesses are holding on to
their cash longer than before, resulting in late payments. These late payments are
having a ripple e_ect through the SME community. Receivables will trend up, and
some of your customers may become troubled as well. Don't keep extending credit.
3. Don't depend on anyone:Keep a close eye on your suppliers, and have alternatives. In a downturn, some of
your suppliers may become troubled as well, and you need to think about alternative
sources for your critical inputs.
4. Cut your Expenses:-You can always cut more
expenses, you can't forecast revenue. Look for places to cut expenses. When times
are good, companies tend to add sta_ and expenses that are nice to have, but not
critical. It's time to take a fresh look at those.
Keep focus on core markets and spend money solely in those areas. Avoid putting
cash and time into areas that have proven less pro_table.
Many companies begin by cutting advertising / marketing budgets. This can be a
mistake. Instead of cutting these budgets, review the methods you are using. Are
there more cost e_ective routes to market? Does your current strategy bring in the
right results? If not, rework your e_orts to deliver the best possible results.
5. Talk to your lenders:If you have debt _nancing, stay in communication with your creditors. Don't wait
until it's too late before speaking with your lender. When you are already in a crisis
and haven't provided any warnings, situations may prove tricky. Maintain constant
communication. It will help you should you ever need to renegotiate terms.
6. Business survives on the bottom line. Not the top line.
Don't worry about growing revenue. Worry about growing pro_t.Make sure you
understand what drives pro_tability in your business. To spur demand, you may
have to get creative with pricing and product o_erings, and you don't want to put
something out there that is actually unpro_table.
Consider diversifying to make the most of potential opportunities. Others' weaknesses and instability could work to your advantage. You never know - you may
identify a new market.
A. 18
The _rst thing that any business should do in a di_cult economic environment is
to cut cost e_ectively. Cost cutting can be carried out by reducing work force and
reducing prices. Prices must be reduced with a long term outlook on your business.
Price reduction is one e_ective way to improve volumes and customer base for all
kinds of business in a tough environment.
You must choose the best of marketing strategies and avoid the failed strategies to
run the business, by doing this you might be able to improve sales and reduce some
expenditure.
Promoting your business is a very important step to do in these economic di_culties.
You can see the success of promotional skill carried out by Sun TV for promoting
a nothing in it _lm to reap huge pro_ts in south india. Promotion is necessary
especially for every business and mainly to Retail, Media, Telecommunication and
Web-oriented business.
Cut aggressive expansion plans and spending that are very risky. High risk plans
never pays in a weak economy and mostly fails. Many companies Like the Tata have
taken huge risks like acquiring Corus, Jaguar without taking into consideration the
longer term targets of these acquisitions and are now paying the price for it. Tata
Motors acquisition of Jaguar a company with huge debt could even lead to failure of
Tata Motors. So, everyone must avoid such mistakes of expansion during this bad
economic environment.
Junk spending- spending on things that never gave any good returns. Larger companies must reduce luxury spending related to the work environment and employees to
reduce expenditure. Companies must do this on longer term outlook of the business.
A. 19
In todays world, weaknesses become tenfold and companies that are merely
sustaining can fail. Yet despite a tough economy, some companies are thriving
- even gaining market share. What are their secrets? How can your lead your
business to success despite di_cult economic times?
The two simple principles are 1)cutting cost of maintainance
2) increasing production..
Maintainance cost can cutdown by | decreasing the number of employes,reducing
the perks and other incentives,cutting the luxury expenditure,saving the power,traveling
in ordinary or second class than in executive club,spending less amount on advertisements etc.
Increasing production can be achieved by looking for the machines that will help in
easy and e_ective production, maintaining good quality than competitors,e_ective
advertisement and exporting the products etc..
By pushing forward, growing your business, and utilizing the Internet, you can actually improve your business and come out stronger in the end. This phenomenon is
due to several factors, including the fact that, during slow economic times, competitors are less active, and you can use marketing tools to capture their now-available
market. Also, the Internet remains a powerful advertising tool, and investing in a
quality website can be a powerful way to build up your business. This is because a
well made website is a gift that keeps on giving: it is self-sustaining, and its returns
tend to increase over time. When you combine the e_ectiveness of Search Engine
Marketing with the dedication of a professional website design _rm, you can protect
yourself against economic uctuations and, in the end, improve your business.
Securing Your Future through Telemarketing Leads||||
Using A Prospecting Company To Increase Pro_ts
1. Adjust Your Attitude
The _rst thing for you to do as a leader is check your attitude. What are you
thinking and feeling about the current state of your business? More importantly,
what are you saying out loud to your team?
Renew and Refocus Your Sales E_orts
Tough economic times are when you really need to refocus your sales e_orts. Bringing in new patients and increasing revenue is a big factor in getting through di_cult
times. Positive cash ow solves many other problems.
Meet with your sales and marketing team. Look at how they are allocating their
resources and applying their skills. There is plenty of evidence that proves the
companies that increase their sales and marketing e_orts during slow economic times
reap a long term reward. Companies that cut back their sales and marketing e_orts
during a slow economy fall further behind their competitors.
Manage the Mix of Your Business
We've been hearing a lot lately from our clients who are working actively to manage
the mix of their business. First, they are looking for opportunities to increase
business from payers such as managed care or Medicaid who don't pay as well, and
increase their mix from Medicare.
. Increase Communication with Your Team
Slow economic times require increased communication. You need to spend more time
letting your team members know what is happening. You need to be encouraging
them, supporting them, and cheering them on.
Measure Progress Monthly..
so we have to do a lot in these tough times..at the same time we must be physically
and mntally _t to face all these challenges and to come out of this economic recession
A. 20
Though I am not having lengthy answer for this, I can suggest some of the tips I
wish could be of some use for any Business to be in success in Di_cult Economic
Times.
First, owner should believe in himself that he is doing the business in the right way.
He should believe that he is providing his services to the customers at the best level
it can.
Secondly, When there is _nancial problem as in the times of recission it is better
to manage your _nance e_ectively. You should not invest in your business services
more so that you can have funds available at hands when your business badly need
it.
Thirdly, You should control your miscellaneous expenses as far as you can. Because
the cut in your expenses will automatically improve your funds available to your
business thus, improving your Financial Condition.
Fourthly, Believe in your clients, customers because they are the foundation for your
business. Listen to them carefully and appreciate their suggestions timely, if they
are in the interest of your _rm. This will help to keep your customer relations intact.
I think following above guidelines will de_netly help any business to survive in
di_cult economic times.
A. 21
First action for this situation is: Planning and _nding the areas to remove completely
or partially to make unnecessary costs.
1. List out a various categories which are making the cost to company.
2. Find out the categories which can be avoided without a_ecting the business.
For ex,
Company is providing the pick up and drop facility for employess. 4 persons per one
shuttle was planned. Two shuttle on di_erent time(say, 1 hour gap) for a particular
place. Change this into
i)Increase the number of persons.
ii)Reduce the number of vehicles.
iii) Still number of persons are high means, just think which vehicle is better in
terms of both capacity of place and rental rate.
3. Reduce or avoid completely project parties, Onsite Travel(If it is 100% necessary
or no other alternatives to travel).
4. Some Large companies are spending much money to training programs to their
employees. This also can be avoided or number of training programs can be reduced
after discussing with the training department.
5. Companies can arrange "work from home" facilites to the persons whoever can
work from home without a_ecting the work. So that company can reduce electirictiy,
rental for o_ce buildings, etc.
6. Next Level
List out the employees in each department with their skill level and quali_cation.
Put the rate for each employee or put them under some categories.
i) Say A means, High quali_ed, much experience, expertise in a particular area and
also salary criteria.
ii) At the starting level salary cut o_ can be applied.
iii) Increasing the work time and work load may increase the revenue.
A. 22
hi
Tips for Business Success in Di_cult Economic
* Excellent customer service standards to build relationships; Superior product
knowledge to remain competitive on levels other than price;
* Creatively and commercially planned merchandising;
* Cleverly coordinated marketing to minimise costs while maximising the stores
pro_le;
* Understanding of business _nancials to impact results early; Setting and monitoring speci_c performance-related benchmarks;
* Realistically-planned sales budgets;
* Constantly striving to generate more sales; and
* Rewarding high performing sta_.
www.retailtimes.com
A. 23
Before we go on to de_ne tips, we shud _rst understand the nature of small/medium/big
company.Like what are the company's strenght,weakness,threats,oppurtunities(called
swot analysis).This will give us idea about one of the greatest things to be pursued
and that is:To attack the competitor(OR)to defend ourselves and save our company's
market.Examples di_ere by this SWOT analysis.
1.IBM Large scale during the time of second world war knew that entire western
regoin was under severe shortage of funds so they instead decided to directly took
the contract with us army ,why they took it?becoz they studied their _rm and they
knew they can manufacture in huge scale and thats how they survided the most
crucial time in their company! { u can _nd the refernece from "THINK" it is the
book written by thomas watson Jr.u wil l_nd it in market.
A. 24
B. You may _nd yourself at your most weary and battle-scarred at the tail end of
the bear market, when prices have stabilised to the downside and positive signs of
growth or reform can be seen throughout the market. This is the time to shed your
fear and start dipping your toes back into the markets, rotating your way back into
sectors or industries that you had shied away from. Before jumping back to your
old favorite stocks, look closely to see how well they navigated the downturn; make
sure their end markets are still strong and that management is proving responsive
to market events. Parting thoughts Bear markets are inevitable, but so are their
recoveries. If you have to su_er through the misfortune of investing through one,
give yourself the gift of learning everything you can about the markets, as well as
your own temperament, biases and strengths. It will pay o_ down the road, because
another bear market is always on the horizon. Don`t be afraid to chart your own
course, despite what the mass media outlets say. Most of them are in the business
of telling you how things are today, but investors have time frames of 5, 15 or even
50 years from now, and how they _nish the race is much more important than the
day-to-day machinations of the market.... resources: www.jobsbroadway.com
A. 25
I don't think speci_c examples and sources are required. In the di_cult times, one
should follow:
1. Hard work: Customer service and satisfaction must be ensured, evenif it requires
24 hours stress;
2. Less greedy: Sell the product or service at the most competitive rates, evenif it
results in less pro_t;
3. Collection / recovery: Should be very prompt. In case of _rst default itself
caution be observed, evenif it results in loss of a customer or two;
4. Integrity: Should be above board. In case of di_culties meeet the Banker and
aprise him; one should not go for high cost market borrowing.
5. Finally with discipline at work, devotion at home [praying Gods] is one extra
step.
Courage means facing the di_culties without worry with high maturity. All the
best!
A. 26
Hello
For nay industry to be successful , there are following things to be taken care o_ :
1- Quality of products
2- Advertising
3- Genuine pricing
4- Good marketing
Since the time is di_cult therefore , for point no 2 if it is not possible to advertise
heavily the most e_ective and cheapeat mode is
distributing handbills , classi_ed and internet
advertisements.
It is also necessary to maintain rotation .
arun rana
A. 27
Depending on your business things have to worked out using less resources, online
worksheets instead of paper and man power etc. There are few things that I read
from the site so please see through......
1. Be open to recreating yourself
2.Spend time with other like minded souls.
3.Marketing ability is one of the most important must-have massage business skills
in any economy.
4.Stay focused on the present
5.Your mind is your best asset to your business.
A. 28
marketing skill is needed and to advertise goods at the maximum its uses create a
gud reputation and group work of highly skilled persons
A. 29
Hi,
minaral water in pet bottles is good business with a packed food redey for eat
ahmed
Q. Hi, I am traveling with my wife and 4 year old daughter to LA for 5-6
days. Can some one suggest a good itinerary for me?ifor
me?
Answer 1
I’m going to give you 6 days’ worth of ”things to do” (although you can switch the
order depending on your preferences, and of course spend more time doing what you
like!) and also recommendations of where to stay, if you don’t have that planned
already:
¡B¿Day 1¡/B¿
Spend the day downtown and see several famous things...
Bob Baker Marionette Theatre
Muppet Show
1345 W 1st St
Tel: 213 250 9995 (info)
Generations of Angelenos have grown up with this master of marionettes, whose lifetime
career credits span Elvis’ GI Blues, Star Trek and Spielberg projects. Grownups
love the nostalgia, while kids are enthralled with Bob’s adorable singing, dancing
marionettes and stuffed animals that interact with the audience.
Hours: Tue-Fri 10:30am, Sat-Sun 2:30pm
Web: www.bobbakermarionettes.com
Bradbury Building
304 S Broadway
Tel: 213 626 1893 (info)
Designed in 1892 with the help of a ouija board and Edward Bellamy’s utopian
novel Looking Backward, the Bradbury’s brief appearance in Ridley Scott’s Blade
Runner hardly does justice to this Taj Mahal of the New World. The dream project
of a mining mogul turned real estate developer, it’s a symphony of light, space, and
floating staircases.
Hours: Lobby: Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm, Sat-Sun 9:00am-5:00pm
Web: www.aplusd.org
¡I¿Eat downtown:¡/I¿
Pitfire Pizza Company
108 W. 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Tel: 213-808-1200
Traxx Restaurant
800 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
¡B¿Day 2¡/B¿
If you’re going to be in L.A. you must take your family to Disneyland (in Anaheim)!
Plan for a full day there...and a good night’s sleep afterwards!
Disneyland
Disneyland Dr
Tel: 714 781 4000 (info)
Billed as the happiest place on earth, Disneyland is a masterpiece of picture-perfect
choreography - even the litter bins are themed. The park is divided into seven different
lands: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, New Orleans
Square, Mickey’s Toontown and Critter Country. High-sugar fun.
Hours: 8:00am-11:00pm
Web: www.disneyland.com
¡B¿Day 3¡/B¿
Spend the day in Hollywood!
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Blvd
Tel: 323 469 1181 (info)
An infinity symbol marks the gateway to the graves of over 300 Hollywood legends,
including directors Cecil B DeMille and John Huston. Rudolph Valentino is in the
Cathedral Mausoleum, while Jayne Mansfield, who lost her head in a car accident,
has a lakeside cenotaph. Bugsy Siegel lies in the Jewish section, called the Beth
Olam Memorial Park.
Web: www.hollywoodforever.com
Hollywood Bowl
2301 N Highland Ave
Tel: 323 850 2000 (info)
Toting your own picnic basket under starry skies is still magic. Bob Dylan, the
Beatles and Igor Stravinsky have played in this historical amphitheatre. Get a sneak
preview of the show: morning rehearsals are free. The Hollywood Bowl Museum
has footage of historic performances, live recordings and memorabilia.
Hours: Tue-Sat 10:00am-4:30pm
Web: www.hollywoodbowl.com
¡I¿Eat in Hollywood:¡/I¿
Anarkali
7013 Melrose Ave
Hollywood, CA 90038
Hollywood & Vine
6263 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
¡B¿Day 4¡/B¿
Spend a day shopping (or at least window shopping)! Go to West Hollywood and
maybe catch a star sighting.
Curve
154 N Robertson Blvd 90048
Tel: 310 360 8008 (info)
Jennifer Aniston is among those making pilgrimages to this loft-like emporium. Creative,
girly and trend-setting couture by both underground and established designers
mingle with co-owner Delia Seaman’s own creations and jewellery by her partner
Nevena Borissova.
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:00am-7:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-6:00pm
Fred Segal
8100 Melrose Ave 90046
Tel: 323 651 1800 (info)
Fashionistas like Cameron Diaz and Madonna have been spotted trying on eclectic
urban wear at this multi-boutique hall of fame. Staff are less concerned about cool
than your fellow customers are. Shop for hard-to-find clothing, cosmetics and shoe
designs here or at their Santa Monica location - and bring a fat wallet.
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00am-7:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-6:00pm
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd 90069
Tel: 310 659 3110 (info)
Tel: 800 764 BOOK (info)
This is where Hollywood and literature meets. Screenwriters, rock stars and prizewinning
authors sign their books at this labyrinthine bookstore on the Sunset Strip.
The stock is heavy on arts and culture while the annexe stocks used books. There
is a killer newsstand outside, so grab the latest mag and head to the cantina at The
Standard for full effect.
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00am-10:00pm, Sun 9:00am-7:00pm
Web: www.booksoup.com
¡I¿Eat in West Hollywood:¡/I¿
Hugo’s
8401 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Michelia
8738 W 3rd St, West Hollywood, CA 90048
¡B¿Day 5¡/B¿
Universal Studios is a blast for the whole family!
Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza 91608
Tel: 800 864 8377 (info)
Tel: 818 622 5120 (booking)
Universal Studios is the world’s largest movie studio. Its famous theme park, one
of LA’s top attractions, has gut-wrenching rides, mind-blowing special-effects shows
and the Studio Tour, a part-educational, part-thrill ride exploration of the studio
backlot.
Adjacent to the park, Universal City Walk is a fantasy promenade of shops, restaurants,
movie theatres and nightclubs. It’s best after dark when vibrant neon signs
transform it into a miniature Las Vegas strip.
Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm
Web: www.universalstudioshollywood.com
¡B¿Day 6¡/B¿
Spend a day enjoying the natural landscape. Urban hiking is your best bet but
to experience the great outdoors LA’s surrounding mountains are good day-hike
destinations. Try the rugged Santa Monica Mountains, especially Topanga State
Park or Malibu State Park, both inland from Malibu, or Griffith Park, north of
Hollywood.
The most popular and populated swimming beaches are Santa Monica, Venice and
Manhattan but, with miles and miles of wide sandy shores to enjoy, even they
rarely get packed with people. Zuma Beach is one of LA’s most beautiful, and the
swimming, body-surfing and people-watching here is excellent. Immediately south
of Zuma, Westward Beach is good for families.
¡B¿Places to stay¡/B¿
It really depends on your budget. One good value is Magic Castle Hotel, 7025
Franklin Ave. There are also Best Westerns in West Hollywood and Hollywood
Hills.
Enjoy your travels!
A. 2
LA is a wonderful place for family vacations. There are few cities that offer as much
entertainment, excitement and diversity as do the attractions in Los Angeles. When
you pack remember, CA weather is different from Houston weather. SO pack some
warmer clothes especially for your daughter.Several airports serve the metropolitan
Los Angeles area. Los Angeles International (LAX) is the area’s best-known airport.
But consider flying into Burbank or Orange County.
Once you are there, here is a sample itinerary to start with,
Day 1: Start with Disney land. A wonderland for all ages. It will take you a full day.
Take it slow. And be sure to take a lot of photos of your daughter being enthralled
by Mickey!
Day 2: Head to Hollywood. Check out The Hollywood Sign. It stands over four
stories high with each letter running 50 feet from its base. You can see the sign at
Hollywood and Highland Shopping Center or The Dog Park - Lake Hollywood. Then
head to Hollywood Boulevard between Vine Street and Fairfax Avenue. Attractions
here include the Walk of Fame, footprints at Mann’s Theatre and Hollywood at
Highland complex. During daylight hours, you get views and can enjoy the throngs
of tourists. At night, the Boulevard is neon-lit. Your daughter might not enjoy all
the stuff, so stop there in the morning, check out the sights and more to something
more kid-friendly. Head to Santa Monica Pier(www.santamonicapier.org). With its
play arcades, aquarium, it is a good spot for your daughter to enjoy.
Day 3: Head to Rodeo Drive located in Beverly Hills, on the western side of the Los
Angeles metropolitan area, between Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards. The
activites there are window-shopping and people-watching. shopping is a good one
but very expensive. It takes an hour to check the area out. From there head to visit
the Queen Mary. By all measures RMS Queen Mary was truly ”titanic.” Queen
Mary rests in the Long Beach harbor, converted into a hotel and tourist attraction.
Day 4: Head to Sunset Boulevard between Crescent Heights and Doheny.walk
around and gawk. Head to Venice Beach. The place has loads to offer anyone
interested. Visit the muscle beach and enjoy the broadwalk.
Day 5: Head to Universal Studios for some Hollywood themed rides.
Day 6: Head to Griffith Park. Home of the LA zoo. Encompassing over 4,107
acres of natural terrain covered with California oak trees, wild sage and manzanita,
Griffith Park is the United States’ largest municipal park.
Day 7: Enjoy a bit of Europe in LA. Head to Santa Catalina Island. Take a boat
there and enjoy the blue waters and pristine nature.
Hope this helps and have a wonderful trip
A. 3
If your itinerary is complicated or shaped by business needs, shop for car rentals
carefully. The freeways are famous, but Southern California has built a very good
mass transit system, too. MTA offers buses and trains that cut your dependence on
those clogged highways. It’s important to check your intended locations for access
to MTA service. The base fare is $1.25 USD, but an all-day pass is $3. Even with
the pass, you might be required to pay more if you travel between zone
budgettravel.about.com
Art enthusiasts will be wowed by the extensive collections at the J. Paul Getty
Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Visit the La Brea Tar Pits on
Museum Row and then check out the trendy shops on Melrose Avenue. Families will
not want to miss the Zoo or the action at Universal Studios Hollywood. Of course,
no trip to L.A. would be complete without a stop at the Venice Beach Boardwalk
or a visit to Mann’s Chinese Theater and the Walk of Fame
More attractions
View all attractions in Los Angeles
Los Angeles
goLists Created by real travelers to give you ideas
on where to go and what to do on your next trip.
Take a Walk around Downtown L.A.
Jan 4, 2007 Route 66 Kicks
5 Great Plates in Los Angeles
May 2, 2006 blackmistressdiva
Top Ten Smoke Free Destinations in the U.S.
Apr 9, 2006 Guzzle
View all Los Angeles goLists
Create your own Los Angeles goList
Where to Stay
Our editorial team selected local hotels and resorts that have good reputations and
good deals. Because we know travelers’ budgets differ vastly, we chose hotels at
different price points rather than listing the city’s top five hotels, which might all
be in the same price range.
visit www.tripadvisor.com
A. 4
Here is a great itenary that can help you:
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 Los Angeles - Palm Springs - Lake Havasu:
We depart East from Los Angeles towards the Arizona dessert.
Our first stop is Palm Springs the Playground of the Rich and Famous and famous
for its world class golf courses, after a break for breakfast and a short tour of the
city . we continue to a popular vacation destination for Southern Californians Lake
Havasu. Take some time to experience this oasis in the middle of the Arizona dessert
see the London Bridge and in the late afternoon we make our way to Flagstaff for
overnight.
Hotel: Days Inn, Flagstaff, AZ or similar
Day 2 Grand Canyon - Lake Powell:
We start the day traveling through the Navajo Indian reservation before we come
to the South Bank of One of the 7 wonders of the world the Grand Canyon. Tour
along the south bank and learn how throughout the years the Colorado river carved
its way down to the sea and created the wonderland for geologists. After lunch we
continue to Lake Powell considered one of the beautiful lakes of America. Upon
arrival take a boat cruise on the water and see the hundreds of private coves and
the famous salt pillars unique to the area. After the cruise we head west towards
the town of Kanab, featured in over 100 cowboy movies.
Hotel: Shilo Inn, Kanab, UT or similar
Day 3 Bryce Canyon - Zion Park:
We depart Kanab to the north through the small towns of Utah to the entrance
to Bryce Canyon, home to the most amazing natural sculptures of the world. Our
tour will take us to see amazing rock and sand sculptures honed to perfection over
thousands of years of rain wind and sunshine. At noon we depart the park and
cross into Zion park. This park got its name from the Mormons the settled in the
area. They gave it this name after claiming that visiting the park is like a religious
experience, the majesty of the mountains and silence of the wilderness make you feel
like you have been transported to another place. Tour the park and enjoy a short
walking trail along the Virgin river that runs through the park, before leaving this
amazing area for our hotel on the Nevada border.
Hotel: Casa Blanca, Mesquite, TX or similar.
Day 4 Zion Park - Las Vegas:
After a leisurely breakfast we head west and make our way to the Hoover Dam,
understand how this man made phenomenon was built and what it did to the area.
Then continue on to arrive at the gambling capital of the world: Las Vegas In the
evening we take a tour of the strip to see some of the truly amazing hotels and
fantasies that are built in the middle of the desert. Caesars Palace, Mirage, Luxor,
Paris, Mandalay Bay, New York New York, Treasure Island and more. Finish off
the evening at one of the many shows or try your hand at one of the many casinos,
who knows maybe lady luck will be smiling on you tonight..
Hotel: Stratosphere Hotel, Las Vegas, NV or similar.
Day 5 Las Vegas - Hoover Dam - Los Angeles:
After a leisurely breakfast enjoy some free time to experience the city that never
sleeps and then we depart west towards Los Angeles. We stop for lunch at the
outlet mall in Barstow, which is filled with all the famous brand names like, Levis,
Nike, Reebok, Timberland and more. The tour ends with an afternoon arrival in
Los Angeles.
www.gotobus.com
Since this itenary was taken from a tour plan, it includes the lodging hotel names
also. Hope that too may be helpful for you.
A. 5
Hello
Regarding your query there are already good responses came from the members of
Ammas, so I am writing briefly on other points.
It seems you are traveling first time along with your family so it is better to consult
good travel agent and book tickets, arrangement of lodge etc.., in advance and do
not take an eleventh hour decision as you will land in trouble. Estimate how much
expenditure it will be and Plan accordingly to your budget.
If possible go in a group (with your relatives, friends, and colleagues whom are
common interests and not more than 3 families & at least one person/pair who
already visited LA and has some knowledge (But of course take separate room for
your family). LA is very famous for Disneyland, Hollywood and so on if we travel
in a group you will enjoy better than an individual (family).
Los Angles is an important tourist place in USA and around 35 Million people visits
it every year and there are a lot of chances of cheating/crimes, (Although less crime
comparing other USA cities) so if you are going first time it is safer in a group.
It is not wise to travel individual as you are new so you will have problem where to
go and how to go it will take a lot of time consuming. There are a lot of information
is available in internet regarding travel agents. If you think how much reliable they
are then after arrival of LA you can contact there at any time.
It is a good idea if you reserve for some tour packages. Although travel agents take
some commission/fee but they will guide you make arrangements and you can use
your time.
Some tour itineraries for your information as attachment.
A. 6
The basic itenary for d trip u ask would be d following:
1. Keep minimum clothes to avoid excessive luggage
2. Take clothes which r needed
3. Check the weather conditions of d place for one week and then pack according 2
weather
4. Also cap would be needed for all of you.
5. take medicines for fever, cold and vomit.
6. Keep some biscuit packets and snacks.
7.keep some choclates/toffees whenever travelling, it becomes handy.
8. For ladies, a handbag containing cash
9.address of the place travelling. 10. keep small waterbottl. 11. Do not take any
valuable jewels along.
12. give you daughter a small backpack and in that keep the address of your place
of travel,phone no and also do give her 5-10 $ .
13. If you are interested in swimming in L.A beaches, do take the necessary clothing.
14. do not forget you ticket and passports.
Hope this itenary helps you. Happy journey.
A. 7
hi..well it depends from where are you going to LA.anyways on day one plan for
disneyland you can skip CA Adventure as your daughter wont enjoy their(all rides
for adults).
Day2:- leave your hotel and go to Universal studios..
Day3:-santa maonica or Venice beach.
Day4:-Downtown and beverly hills area drive by basically or you can drive to San
Diego and see seaworld and Zoo the next 2 days.
then fly back as per your flight schedule.
A. 8
The basic itenary for short trip would include the following:
1. Keep clothes at minimum to avoid excessive luggage
2. Take logical pairs of clothes
3. Check the weather conditions at L.A for one week and accordingly carry jackets,
sweaters and umbrella/ponchos if it is going to rain. L.A is normally not very cold.
4. Also cap would be needed for all of you.
5. take necessary medicines for fever, cold and some first aid like ointment, small
bandage etc.
6. Keep some biscuit packets and snacks.
7. Do keep some choclates/toffees whenever travelling, it becomes handy.
8. For ladies, a handbag containing cash and address of the place travelling.
9. I personally also keep a small waterbottle whenver i travel.
10. Do not take any valuable jewels along.
11. Do give you daughter a small backpack and in that keep the address of your
place of travel and also do give her 5-10 $ as emergency. Teach her how to make
phone calls from verizon booth.
12. If you are interested in swimming in L.A beaches, do take the necessary clothing.
13. last but not least, do not forget you ticket and passports.
Hope this itenary helps you.
Happy travelling.
A. 9
gocalifornia.about.com/cs/losangeles/a/laarticles.htm
www.tripadvisor.com
A. 10
PL GO THRO ADVISE OF PK REGD MEMBER AMMA. I AGREE WITH MAJOR
TIPS.
HAVE A IDENTY CARD IN A BADGE, CONTAINING YOUR NAME AND
PHONE ETC
AND PIN IN YOUR DAUGHTERS DRESS VISIBLY.
TAKE YOUR INSURANCE DETAILS.AS FAR AS POSSIBLE YOU LEAVE ONE
SET OF YOUR RESIDENTIAL KEY,TO YOUR TRUSTED IN YOUR LOCALITY.
GIVE A BACKGROUND OF LA TO YOUR DAUGHTER AND TAKE HER INTO
YOUR CONFIDENCE,WHAT SHEWANTS TO SEE IN
LA,ANIMAL,SKYTRAIN,OPERAS,MAGIC
ETC.THISWILL INVOLVETHE CHILD IN YOUR TRAVEL TASK AND INVITE
HER CHARMS.TAKE AS MUCH AS LIQUID
IN THE FLIGHT.
some fresh ideas as well as proven/documented ones.
Thank you.