Susan Marston

CHANGE, CHANGE AND MORE CHANGE!

Ah, it would seem that "I rattled a few cages" last month with my comments about tax time and the need for CHANGE within the industry regarding that so-called "slow-time".  Be it as it may, it's the truth and like it or not, there are companies out there that work all year round to ensure that they don't feel that "slow-time".

I don't want to hear that it can't be done as last time I looked in the dictionary, there is no such word as can't!

Anything that I say here, is not to 'upset' anyone, but to help those out there to 'think outside the box' – a box that unfortunately not many repossession companies know how to step out of – and it's a shame, because this industry has so much to offer and it is there for the taking, if you know how to 'take'!

I was working with a repossession company last week, that have been through all that most of you out there will have experienced and endured in running a company and have still come out the other end……BUT…..add to that a natural disaster that practically wiped out an area of the United States, took their home and their business.  Let me tell you, not even that will stop anyone that has their heart and soul wrapped up in the repossession world and that recognized that CHANGE was the only way for them to survive….and survive they did!

Their survival needless to say, has been due to their resistance to 'giving up' and fighting the odds of their company getting back to their multi-million dollar status, prior to all this happening.  And I am proud to say, that they are on their way – BIG TIME!

They are riding the waves through CHANGE, having re-invested in their employees, their clients and themselves, and have a very clear road ahead, having just ridden the so-called 'slow-time', with an increase of income, profit and doubled their repossessions!  They have plans in place which will continue to support their growth and it is those plans that will ensure that they will not feel any down-time in their business, including tax time!

If they can do it, so can you!

So, when I hear and read about companies belly-aching about being slow – get off your butts and do something about it!  If you don't CHANGE something, then you will definitely encounter 'tax-time', year in and year out.  YOUR future is in YOUR  hands, so you have no-one to blame but yourself.

For the most part, many companies are so engrossed in delivering a service, or making a product, that they forget the strategic element of doing business.  And in this instance, i.e. the repossession companies, fail to look at the 'big picture' and that is one of the reasons why tax-time is felt.

You have to take time to step back from the day-to-day grind of doing business, and review what has happened, is happening, and could happen within your company.  Ask yourself, "what is it that I want out of this business and where do I want to be in 3 or even 5 years time?

Unfortunately, it has been my experience, that not many small companies do that, firstly because they think they don't have time, and secondly, they have no idea as to where their company is going, nor do they care, as it is 'that moment in time' that they can only concentrate on.  The latter, of not having time, is a costly price to pay, as quite frankly, if you don't make time, in the long run, you won't have a profitable business,  Instead, you will be 'chasing your tail', until you have no business left at all.

You have to break the cycle, as difficult as that may be and the only way you can do that is by CHANGE!

Talking of CHANGE, there seems to be some CHANGE afoot within our client base.  It seems that in some parts of the country that GMAC/Semperian, have changed their way of doing business with the forwarders and have moved to go direct to the repossession market.  Interesting move, but not a surprising one.  And it would seem that there could be more to follow. 

Having said all that, don't hold your breath for immediate change elsewhere within our client base as the forwarders are still attracting some of the major corporations to their doors.  So, I would say to you, don't exclude the forwarders from your client list, as contrary to what a lot of repossession owners might say about them, there is still money to be made!  It's all in how you CHANGE to make that business more profitable, which in turn will increase your bottom-line.

There are many repossession companies out there doing good business with forwarding companies, so it can be done.  Choose carefully which forwarding companies you want to target as clients and don't listen to everything negative that is said about them by other repossession companies.  What works for one, does not necessarily work for another, particularly, as there is an enormous difference in company owner's approach to them, and how they service them.  For those that are willing to CHANGE their service to meet their client's needs, irrespective of what they are, and have the right infrastructure, externally and internally in place will be successful.

 

Yes, I know you have heard me talk about infrastructure before, and of course, there are those out there that are skeptical about that and probably a great deal of what I say, BUT hey, guess what…… you are the ones, that are probably not cutting it in the CHANGE AND GROWTH arena. 

In  my book, and "putting my money where my mouth is" and/or "actions speak louder than words" and/or "been there, done that, and got the T-shirt", should give you an inkling, that all that I talk about has happened and will continue to happen.…. 

I am taking the words of an entrepreneur that I admire and repeating them very clearly to you ….."CHANGE OR DIE"…..  Now I can't be more explicit than that!

SUSAN A L MARSTON, MBA

PRESIDENT-ConnecTGo, Inc.
…the right time….the right team
salmarston@gmail.com

www.Connectgo.biz