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Businesses Failure – 10 Reasons Why It Happens And What To Do To Avoid It.
Written by: Lee ListerArticle Overview: Many, many businesses fail – and most would not have done so if only the entrepreneur had ensured that they had fully planned out and set up their new business first. Here’s ten vital areas to get right!
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Free Download - What Type of Business Should I Start? By Lee Lister |
Businesses Failure – 10 Reasons Why It Happens And What To Do To Avoid It.
Many, many businesses fail – and most would not have done so if only the entrepreneur had ensured that they had fully planned out and set up their new business first. Here’s ten vital areas to get right!
1. Insufficient Working Capital
It is crucial for businesses to have a financial cushion especially in the start-up phase. Ever changing markets can take many unexpected turns which make financial reserves a must. Ensure that you are realistic in how long it will be your turnover starts and how much money you need to survive until your company becomes profitable.
2. Lack of a Solid and Visionary Business Plan
The markets are living, breathing environments and are constantly growing and changing shape; for this reason, your business plan must include some kind of realistic look into the future and how the company can adapt to the needs of this ever changing market.
3. Inappropriate Strategic Planning
The company must create goals that are realistic but precise. The business plan should be consulted regularly so that the employees are clear on what their responsibilities are and the direction that the company is taking.
4. Inability to Market Products and/or Services Effectively
If a company is unable to penetrate its market, steadily increase awareness, and effectively market their product then all the other strengths of the company are useless. Make sure that your company is market driven – that what you are selling is what your marketing is looking to buy. Review and change often.
5. Overwhelming Competition
Competition can be brutal; it is crucial that a company have a strong understanding of their market and be able to develop a niche that gives you a competitive advantage. Don’t try to go head to head with the market leaders – do what Virgin and Easyjet did and find a niche that is crying out to be filled. Virgin found it with cheap Atlantic flights, with all in one mortgages etc. Easyjet found their niche in no frills cheap flights to lesser known airports.
6. Failure to Control Costs
It is important to develop a system of accounting for costs embedded in company operations; then, management can control costs effectively and provide incentives to employees to increase production and efficiency. Look at all possible places that costs are accruing. Costs of unsold inventory have bought many a large company to their knees.
7. Inadequate Financial Records
Current and accurate financial accounts are vital. Cash flow needs to be maximized and debts owed minimized. Positive cash flow is crucial to keeping any business afloat.
8. Poor Customer Relations
Customers keep a business viable; therefore, it is crucial to keep them happy to ensure repeated business and good referrals to other buyers. Ensure that all your staff, your web site, your call centers etc are welcoming and easy to understand for all your customers.
9. Inability to Maintain Quality Control
Quality of product or service is something that must remain consistently high. Inconsistencies in quality have a tendency to spread and eat away at companies slowly but surely. Ensure that your business brand is consistently visible and that the business quality standards are understood and practiced by all your staff.
10. Lack of Proper Internal Communication
Management must share a healthy avenue of communication with employees so that common goals are clearly defined and constructive criticism is useful. Your staff represent your business so look after them and keep them aware of what is happening and what you want in the future.
Nobody wants to fail in their business so be aware of the pitfalls and good luck in your business.
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About the Author: Lee Lister RSS for Lee's articles - Visit Lee's website  From an early age she began an unparalleled journey through business consulting that continues to span across the UK, USA, Europe and Asia. She has consulted for a considerable number of companies all over the world. Specialising in business change management, start up consultancy and trouble shooting. Lee's experience in marketing and internet marketing is also keenly sought after. She is a prolific published writer of books, ebooks and articles and can easily be found on major search engine and Amazon. Her books include: FastTrack Bid Management, Proposal Writing For Smaller Businesses, How Much Does It Cost To Start A Business, Entrepreneur's Apprentice and a series of Start My New Business books that do as they say in the title! Her major web sites are: Click here to visit Lee's website   Entrepreneurs Advertising You Need It More Than Ever Now Entrepreneurs When Your Business Is In Trouble Due To The Recession Here Are Some Things To Review Entrepreneurs Want To Increase Your Profits Without Increasing Your Costs Entrepreneurs Got a Great Retail Concept But Cant Afford A Shop Marketing No Nos Dont Make These Mistakes |
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As the size and complexity of ones business grows, so does their need to effectively manage projects. I have been thinking about the major reasons why a project can go wrong and my limited experience comes up with the following.
1 Leadership: A project manager with leadership skills and not just management skills.
2 Failure to (Foresee and) Plan
3 Failure to Manage: Ineffective change management control methods. Unclear decision making guidelines.
4 Talent: Finding, allocating and developing people
5 Scope: Setting an overly ambitious or amibigious project scope
6 Alignment: When projects are not prioritized in alignment with the business strategy, or project members personal objectives are not in tandem with that of the project / company
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There are over 120 Franchises listed by the SBA with 0% Loan Failure from 10-1-00 to 9-30-05 these companies have at leat 10 loans disbursed.
A number of the companies are Hotel/Motel Franchises so I listed them separately.
Since all the ones listed have 0% loan failure I listed them descending by # of loans disbursed.
Top 20 (by # loans Disbursed) 0% SBA Loan Failure (does not include hotels/motels)
1 21425--CULVER'S FROZEN CUSTARD 85
2 66910--PRIMROSE SCHOOL (DAYCARE) 76
3 14467--CARTRIDGE WORLD STORES 54
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5 06560--AUNTIE ANN'S (SOFT PRETZELS) 40
6 29912--FIREHOUSE SUBS 35
7 31154--FOOT SOLUTIONS 35
8 52707--MEDICAP PHARMACY 35
9 09802--BEN & JERRY'S ICE CREAM 33
10 67759--COMFORT SUITES 33
11 70150--RITTER'S FROZEN CUSTARD 32
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1 10275--BEST WESTERN INN 104
2 67750--COMFORT INN 98
3 38605--HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS 87
4 36680--HAMPTON INNS 57
5 53165--MICROTEL 33
6 75385--SLEEP INN MOTEL 26
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These maybe the coldest franchises out there:
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WORST FRANCHISE LOAN FAILURES Failure %
1 OBEE'S SOUP SALAD SUBS 55.56%
2 LADY OF AMERICA 41.94%
3 COUNTRY CLUTTER (BED & BREAKFAST) 41.18%
4 COPY CLUB 36.36%
5 ALL TUNE AND LUBE 35.71%
6 PICKERMAN'S 35.71%
7 PHILLY CONNECTION 35.59%
8 ROLY POLY ROLLED SANDWICHES 34.78%
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Source: Small Business Administration, SBA Loan Performance Within Franchise Code for the Period of FY 2001 - 2005
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