Communication
Lately I have been left frustrated with the communication coming from our client or lack thereof. I like to know well ahead of time if there is a problem so I can make informed decisions on the information I have. Today is the 11th of the month and we are waiting for certain payments to happen that are well over due for this month. I point blank refuse to invest anymore into this even though 2 months ago they asked if and what overdraft facilities I had. That information is personal and I tend to deal in cash and that information is not for their viewing.
In business you cannot let things drift through keeping quiet and communication letting everyone know where they stand at all times. I am in communication with the affected parties because that is who I am even if the answers they want to hear are not what I am telling them. This policy of letting other know does buy you goodwill and a little time and quite the opposite if you just kept quiet.
On a business level I am questioning whether there is a problem or not and I know the people involved personally so I can only guess what those that don't know them are thinking. The accountant is not exactly a people person and communication is not a strong point so he is the wrong person to settle any fears. On a business front our business is providing the services and far more and yet getting paid for this is not something we should be waiting for.
In the meantime I am setting plans in motion to cover any fears by having an alternative plan in place and I am busy working on this. If I had all the information then I would know exactly what needs to happen and I am having to second guess the situation. I find it disrespectful on their part considering what we have done for them and to place us in this position is not exactly ideal.
I know what is going on and I am not stupid as I see the profits being reinvested into more stock and has resulted in certain payments being delayed. This is a problem because without a warehouse or transport they have no business. They may presume we are reliant on their business 100% and that may have been the case 6 months ago, but could pivot within a month or two and continue without any serious problems.
My alternative plan does not need such a large warehouse and definitely far less staff so the overheads would drop dramatically. Unfortunately I have to stay ahead of any problems because my family is all involved within this business. If we have to change direction we will and keep the new parts of the business we have already added that have been so successful whilst adding another business that is already functioning.
We all know the economy is not firing on all cylinders and yet I see no change happening by our client so I do not know how they are counteracting this. I guess if the orders are still happening then there is no need to change as long as it is working. If only they would communicate and not leave everyone guessing as they have already burned one bridge last year with one of our service providers who wants nothing to do with us. That service provider took over 6 months to find and only when I am fully independent of this client
will I reconnect with them.
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It’s always annoying when people stay quiet about a problem that won’t only affect them but others. It’s always best to communicate what’s going on with those involved as much as possible rather than keeping things to yourself.
!PIMP
It seems you've touched on one of the most important foundations of successful work: communication. What you're describing here isn't just a personal frustration as it's a common example of how many companies fail to manage their relationships with partners and service providers.
You have so many irons in the fire it seems. I don't know how you keep it all sorted out. :)