{"id":807,"date":"2024-06-03T10:02:49","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T10:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/?p=807"},"modified":"2024-06-03T10:30:49","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T10:30:49","slug":"how-to-make-an-effective-presentation-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/how-to-make-an-effective-presentation-2\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Ask Yourself When Your Business Is Going Through Hard Times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p>Author: <strong>Ram Parthasarathy<\/strong><gwmw style=\"display: none; background-color: transparent;\"><\/gwmw><gwmw style=\"display: none; background-color: transparent;\"><\/gwmw><gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ramparthasarathy\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2024-06-03T10:02:49+00:00\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/how-to-make-an-effective-presentation-2\/\">June 3, 2024<\/a><\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/boy-1300226_640.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-809\" style=\"width:235px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/boy-1300226_640.png 640w, https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/boy-1300226_640-300x250.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When times are good, businesses get by with a lack of systems and controls, and owners think everything is OK with their business. And when a downturn comes along, panic sets in. Here are some questions to ask yourself when facing hard times, actually even if times are good. This is a list of questions which every business owner or management needs to ask and answer as objectively as possible. The answers will directly point to weaknesses in the business, and solutions will become suddenly visible. <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Corporate Management and Strategy <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Do you have a structured 5 year business plan detailing product sales, markets, likely costs, opportunities and risks, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a detailed budget for every fiscal year, which is prepared at the end of the previous year? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you plan for and make provisions for capital expenditure? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a performance Management system in place, and is it implemented objectively? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you track market trends and adjust your future strategy in order to maximize opportunities in any scenario? <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sales and Marketing <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Do you have an interactive website? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you track sales product-wise and value wise on a daily or weekly basis? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you know which your top selling products are (10%)? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you know which your weakest selling products are? (10%) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a plan in place to phase out your weakest products?<gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cash Flow <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>1. Does your finance department prepare a cash flow statement on a weekly basis (current plus next week&#8217;s projection).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2. What are your debtors to turnover ratio? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>>50% Very bad <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>25-50% Needs improvement urgently <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>10-25% Can be improved, but not bad <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&lt;10% You&#8217;re in great shape <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>3. What is your inventory to turnover ratio? The same ratios apply as for cash flow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>4. Do you have a structured system of tracking debtors&#8217; aging and regular reminding of customers for payment. <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>5. Do you pay your suppliers as per the negotiated credit period? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Productivity <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>What is your sales per employee? Is it at least seven times the salary you pay? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have any measure for employee productivity? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a Daily Work sheet system for your employees, which is tracked by your Production Managers? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have an organization for customer service and support? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a system for analysis and rectification of customer complaints? Do you do root cause analysis to eliminate the reason for a problem?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Management and Culture <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Are you a leader or a boss? Do you demand respect from your employees or do you earn it by your behavior and actions? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you insist that your employees give respect and courtesy to each other? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have an equitable gender ratio? Do you have a documented HR Policy in place, which includes a Sexual Harassment policy? <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a system in place to address employee grievances? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have Health Insurance for your employees? Keyman Insurance for important employees? <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Low Hanging Fruit <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In times of trouble, focus on these areas: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Prioritize collection of funds. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Renegotiate credit with suppliers <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Try to maximize revenue rather than cut costs. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify loss making products (even if they have very low positive margins, they take up capacity which could be better used by higher margin products) and stop making them. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Put aside 10% of every inflow into a contingency fund. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain a good relationship with your bank. Even in bad times, if the bank has confidence in you, they will likely support you. <gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hang in there, do the right things, and the situation will invariably improve.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><gwmw style=\"display:none;\"><\/gwmw><\/p>\n<div class='watch-action'><div class='watch-position align-left'><div class='action-like'><a class='lbg-style1 like-807 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='like' data-post_id='807' data-nonce='e29bf0fa73' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='Like' \/><span class='lc-807 lc'>0<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class='action-unlike'><a class='unlbg-style1 unlike-807 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='unlike' data-post_id='807' data-nonce='e29bf0fa73' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='Unlike' \/><span class='unlc-807 unlc'>0<\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <div class='status-807 status align-left'><\/div><\/div><div class='wti-clear'><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When times are good, businesses get by with a lack of systems and controls, and owners think everything is OK with their business. And when a downturn comes along, panic sets in. Here are some questions to ask yourself when facing hard times, actually even if times are good. This is a list of questions which every business owner or management needs to ask and answer as objectively as possible. The answers will directly point to weaknesses in the business, and solutions will become suddenly visible. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,131],"tags":[10,40,11,12],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/807"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=807"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":822,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/807\/revisions\/822"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vidwaan.simapt.com\/cxo-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}