Much is said and written about soft skills training. In common with many subjects, it can become unnecessarily overcomplicated. Let us look at some of the basics of communications skills. Remember, it is always worthwhile reviewing your behaviour as bad habits can creep in very quickly and become the norm.

Communication consists of written, verbal and, most crucially, non-verbal. In fact most trainers will tell you that the non-verbal communication is the most important and potentially powerful part. Let us look at some of those things that make up non-verbal communication.

Good eye contact is essential. It establishes credibility, sincerity and a connection.

Active listening is also important. This is done by acknowledging what someone is saying to you. An example of this is a simple nod of the head. You should also repeat back the key points that have been made to you to show you are listening and understanding.

The key is body language. Many people in public life have realised the importance of this and go on training courses to ensure they give out the non-verbal cues they wish to.

The tone of someone’s voice arguably communicates more than the actual words they use. Use a warm, enthusiastic tone and make sure that you vary the tone of your voice to highlight salient points.

You should also work on your gestures and facial expressions.

‘Churn’ is the expression used to describe how many customers are leaving a business. Companies should do everything they can to keep this to a minimum but a constantly changing customer base seems to have become the norm in many industries. Telephone companies, broadband suppliers, gas and electric are just some of the industries where effectively swapping customers at regular intervals is accepted as par for the course. Your initial reaction may be that there’s no harm in it as long as overall customer numbers do not drop. However, it is far more expensive to obtain new customers than it is to retain old ones. Many companies have recognised this and try far harder to retain existing customer but for other companies it may be time to change their sales training.

Most people seem to have a mobile phone these days. Initially everybody took out a 12 month contract. In the early days of the industry there were stories of appalling customer service and consequently people would often change suppliers at the end of the 12 months. It has to be said they did not necessarily find the customer service at the rival business any better and would keep changing. Companies got their act together, ensured call centres were properly manned and are even confident enough now to insist on 18 or 24 month contracts.

Outsourcing has not only become fashionable, it has also become an economic necessity for many companies.

One of the most obvious benefits is specialisation. This can be where your business is about to undertake something it hasn’t previously done. Obviously you could research the area and recruit new staff or train existing employees. However, it is often easier to hand things over to the experts and concentrate on what you’re really good at. This also has the advantage that the experienced individuals that you’re tapping into should get more immediate results.

Another benefit is that of saving money. It will usually be cheaper to employ the outsourcing company’s workers so there will be a direct saving. There is also the possibility of indirect savings as fixed overheads can be reduced. This also means greater flexibility. Budgets can be adjusted far more easily and necessary reductions in expenditure effected at shorter notice.

This flexibility also means that it is easier to switch from one job to another. For example, if your accounting function is outsourced, you might wish to tighten up credit control with the necessary chase calls and letters being issued far sooner.

The key to outsourcing is not to alienate your own staff or let them feel their personal development is not a priority.

How many articles have you read recently which stress the importance of particular things in times of recession? Well this is another one of those! Hopefully you will read on though as it sets out some very useful ideas to set you thinking about the various areas of your business. In turn, this will ensure you get the most from your resources. Whilst the ideal situation is to get specialists in to look at your business from top to bottom, this is not always viable for both practical and financial reasons.

The first thing to consider is your communications strategy. This applies to both internal and external communication. Make sure you’re getting the most out of electronic means of communication. Email marketing campaigns are far more immediate, direct and less expensive than traditional methods. Similarly, a lot of travel can be saved by video conferencing.

It is vital to ensure that staff do not become demoralised by being asked to work harder whilst accepting that there will be no pay rises. Consider areas where you can offer them something which will not actually cost the company any financial outlay. The most obvious areas are additional holidays and considering more flexible working patterns. The first will not affect the company’s wages bill and the second has consistently turned out to be a way of increasing productivity. Talk to your staff and ensure that they know you value their personal development.

You can never examine your business too much. Here are some areas that are worth thinking about, which could make a huge difference to your company’s profitability.

Look at your purchasing department. Obviously, you can improve cash flow by ensuring you do not carry unnecessarily large supplies of anything, but there can be far greater savings to be made. Look around to see if there are companies who need some of the same supplies as you. Provided they are not direct competitors, look at the possibility of combining your purchasing power to attract economies of scale and drive down costs.

In fact co-operation with other businesses can be beneficial in other ways. For example, you may supply different things to the same businesses. You could introduce each other’s business to your customers.
Look at diversifying. You already have many resources in place such as premises, staff and equipment. A brainstorming session can come up with some surprising ideas. Keep an open mind and seriously consider all options.

Focus for a time on your biggest overheads. Do you really need all that office space? What else is out there? Review utility bills and make sure you’re getting the best deal. Similarly, although usually harder to change on a regular basis, is your bank really looking after you?