Small Business Support System

I work for a specialty after market auto parts retailer. We have no showroom, so around twenty percent of our business comes from the Internet while eighty percent comes from the telephone. We send out catalogs to those who request them or anyone who has placed an order in the last year. We also advertise in the back of automotive magazines.  Needless to say, telephone sales are truly the lifeblood of our business. As of late, however, I’ve been wishing that weren’t the case.

My company’s business phone system has what I would call, the absolute most annoying hold message ever produced. My boss, the owner of the company, is a really nice guy.  Unfortunately, he is a really nice guy with a very pronounced speech impediment. One day he decided that instead of the traditional hold music, he would play a repeating digital loop of him announcing our weekly specials. We are a very busy company. In fact, most days find our sales reps on the phone from the time we get in until the time we leave. As you might guess, with such a high volume of calls, many people are left on hold.

When our customers finally reach a sales rep, I would estimate that about thirty to forty percent of them do an impersonation of my boss… no kidding. The other sixty or seventy percent usually compliment us on the “funny voice” doing our ads. I’ve had a few who were offended by it, thinking we were trying to make fun of those with speech impediments. The thing is, almost everybody has something to say about the hold ads. I even had one customer complete an extensive order while doing his version of “the voice”. Since our boss is a really great guy, my coworkers and I are less than amused on one hand, yet highly entertained on the other. My only problem is that while most of my colleagues are spread out over a huge office, my cubical is right next to the boss’. I have to keep a straight face during some fairly good impressions.

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The purpose of a safety program is to involve employees in achieving and maintaining a safe, healthful workplace. This program will have a safety committee that will discuss and find solutions to problems that can cause accidents, injuries, and illnesses. Fewer accidents, injuries, and illnesses will lower your workers’ compensation costs and insurance premium rates and can increase your profit.

There are steps that must be taken for a safety committee and program to be an effective one. These steps will include:

In holding weekly safety meetings and if your business has 10 or fewer employees, it would be beneficial to have employees attend safety committee meetings. Low-hazard workplaces such as office settings may substitute monthly meetings for weekly meetings. Discuss what everyone can do to achieve or maintain a safe, healthful workplace. Focus on just one important topic, such as controlling an existing hazard or identifying an unsafe work practice. If you have a construction business, discuss hazards at the site with the general contractor before you begin a job. Then meet regularly with your crew during the job to discuss any new hazards they may encounter and how to control them.

Take minutes because they are the written record of your committee’s activities and accomplishments. It’s an easy – but important – task. Minutes can be kept in a simple notebook and should be referred to at each new meeting. These minutes will keep track on progress on unfinished issues.

Make sure that employees receive their regular wages while they attend safety committee meetings. This is law.  So if someone comes in to attend from another shift, make sure they receive their pay for the time spent.

All employees, including supervisors, must have a clear understanding and be accountable of the consequences for failing to fulfill their safety and health responsibilities. Make your commitment to workplace safety and health a company policy. Require your employees to follow safe work practices as a condition of employment. Ensure that your employees have the appropriate tools, equipment, and materials to do their jobs safely.

Once implemented, a safety program will become a part of the business everyday process. Through the implementing stages, employees will become a closer team and know they must look after each other. The business will show a better efficiency as well.

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