Chris Farrance

There is a dearth of literature on simple, pragmatic management frameworks for SME's. In response to a client need such a Framework has been developed bu the author.

Small businesses are generally seen as drivers of economic growth and are also socially desirable. Silicon Valley is often cited as a universal model but a recent HBR article suggests that this thinking is flawed. This article examines and related eight enablers for SME's and related then to the UK & Malawi

A visit to a number of copmanies in the USA reknown for the excellence of their customer service including Nordstrom, USAA and South West Airlines. The experiences are categorised using a model which covers the visit context, the Business model on show, the core processes, product variables, Staff Management and the Customer Dialogue. Internal documents are quoted and in each case there is a real live example of a cutomer excellence story.

The NHS was a political football throughout the Election with the major parties vying to outdo each other in terms of the level of 'protection' they would provide. This article argues that getting the 'People' elements right is the key to delivering a truly empathetic, value for money NHS.

The 10 Rules are: 1. Start Right Now 2. Be personal, conversational & friendly 3. Understand your audience 4. Focus on the Key Idea 5. Be clear about the outcome you want 6. Stress benefits not features 7. Think KISS! 8. Make it easy on the eye 9. Get the technicals right 10. Share it with your inner circle

Coaching can deliver value for both the Organisation and the Individual. These benefits come at a number of levels - strategic, performance and skills.