Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/771645
What do you have to do in 2017 to start yourself on that path? Starting with your 2017 sales target, you then need to identify the three to five key priorities for the year that will help you achieve this target. For example, it could be growing the base business 15 percent, entering a new market, or offering a new service. Whatever the priorities, they need to be written down as specifically as possible. What progress do you need to make on a weekly basis to ensure you will achieve your quarterly priorities? Harnish teaches us that "a quarter is a 13-week race." So we need to identify the specific actions that we need to do on a weekly basis in order to achieve our quarterly goals. Will you grow your base business by getting current customers to buy more or by signing on new customers? Will you research one new market option every week for the first five weeks, then evaluate the potential of the best options over the next three, then create and approve a new business model during the last weeks of the quarter? If you wait until week eight to start, you won't necessarily achieve your quarterly goal in time, so planning on a weekly basis is key. You will need to write your 13-week plan for each priority. SYSTEMATIC QUESTIONS FOR GOAL SETTING: Where do you want your business to be in three years? In this stage, it is important to first identify where you want to be, then to see if your current service offerings, product lines, or business model will get you there. Several years ago, having attended a Wharton Alumni event where Solange Perret presented on innovation, we determined our then current business model would not enable us to double, triple, or grow tenfold in our desired timeframe. at was when we pivoted from a traditional brokerage to an agent- based brokerage which truly ignited our growth. So take a look at your base business, and if it won't get you to where you want to be, consider other services and products you can offer to current customers, new business verticals to service, or even transforming your business model. What do you need to do in the first quarter of 2017 to ensure a strong start? Following this framework, we plan one quarter at a time, not all four quarters at once. So at the end of the first quarter, you evaluate your progress and plan for the next, and so on. is breaks it into easier chunks and also enables you to adapt to the ever-changing business environment we all face. If your base business is seasonal, your 15 percent growth might not be evenly spread by quarter. If you're entering a new market, you might research several options and plan to decide by the end of March. Pick the 3-5 quarterly priorities and write them down as specifically as possible. ...IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIRST IDENTIFY WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, THEN TO SEE IF YOUR CURRENT SERVICE OFFERINGS, PRODUCT LINES, OR BUSINESS MODEL WILL GET YOU THERE." " Continued on page 34 V o l . 1 1 , N o . 1 IT MAGA ZINE 21