EDITOR’S COMMENT

Now, more than ever, it’s time for stoicism

Most of my generation (and some older, others younger) know of the poem “IF” by Rudyard Kipling. Wikipedia calls it an example of Victorian-era stoicism, but its message spans the centuries, as relevant today as it was in the days of horse-drawn carriages and child chimney sweeps. In crimeridden, politically divided, weather- and fire- battered, yet oh-so-beautiful 21st Century South Africa, we need stoicism more than ever if we’re going to keep our heads.

For fun, I adapted “IF” to a South African context — may it make you smile and may Mr Kipling forgive me.

If we can keep our heads when those around us Are losing theirs and blaming all the C’s; If we can see the road in times of darkness While dodging holes and new conspiracies. If we can queue and smile despite the waiting; Or when slandered, refuse to respond with lies, Or being disliked, don’t react by hating Though we sigh and loudly roll our eyes.

If we can hope – but not make dreams our master, If we can plan – but not make thoughts our aim, If we can meet with victory and disaster And treat those levellers just the same. If we can look past all the truths we’ve spoken Being twisted by the weak and by the fools, Or watch the things we’ve created being broken, And rebuild them with our tears and worn-out tools;

If we can focus mostly on our winnings Knowing that triumph often follows loss: If we can thrive on faith and new beginnings, And show leadership, no matter who’s the boss. If we can swim when water’s just a trickle Ignore the signs that common sense is gone, If we discount the shallow and the fickle, We’ll leave a legacy long after we are gone.

If we can walk through crowds yet keep our wallets, And share with those who don’t have very much; If neither friends nor enemies can hurt us, Heads held high though with the common touch. If we can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Ours is the earth and everything that’s in it, And - which is more – we’ll be South African!

Surviving the rollercoaster

I came across an interesting article by Zane van Rooyen, Product Marketing Manager of field sales management CRM (customer relationship management) and mobile ordering app Skynamo recently. Titled Nine ways to rebuild your business and improve resilience for 2022 and beyond, he compares the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to a rollercoaster ride. “For most businesses, performance is not yet at pre-pandemic levels,” he reckons. Despite the economic and other setbacks, however, he sees opportunity. “Business owners need to reassess their operations, get rid of what’s not working, and rethink their strategy.”

Here are his tips:

• Set the right goals

Take a look back at 2021 and figure out what worked and what didn’t work. Set SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. These SMART goals can then be used for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess the health of your business and its overall performance.”

• Embrace the change

“It is tempting to keep on doing things the way they always have been, but for most companies, that’s no longer an option. You’re better off embracing the changes and figuring out how to compete in a new landscape,” he says. “Virtual meetings, cloud infrastructure, hybrid working arrangements and online shopping are all here to stay – along with increased financial pressure on consumers, online education, and health and sanitation concerns. And yes, cybercrime is also on the rise, and SMEs are not immune – so take the right precautions when running operations digitally.”

• Evaluate your business model

Check that your business model is still appropriate for your offering and consider how you can fine tune it. “Look at why you started doing things in a particular way and whether there may be a better way.”

• Check the financials Do a basic financial analysis to assess who your biggest customers are, where the bulk of your profit comes from, which costs are necessary and which can be cut. Make sure, too, to study gross profit margins, operating profit margins, net profit margins and returns on investment (ROI).

• Keep your customers

“If you aren’t already doing so, make 2022 the year you measure customer satisfaction and retention rates. These two measures are vital for understanding how robust your business is. Draw up a strategy for maintaining customer relationships and ask your customers to score their satisfaction with you.”

• Communicate to connect “Put out high-quality communication that shows your company at its best.

Clean up your email database, refresh your social media channels and upgrade your website. Identify your highest-value customers and have a plan for engaging them.” • Evaluate employee performance “With the insights you’ve already gained from the financial analysis, goal setting and customer retention, you can now set employee-level KPIs to move your business forward. Apps like Skynamo, which track sales directly, can help you assess sales staff performance and see where additional support or coaching may be needed.”

• Check your supply chains “The past two years have seen considerable disruption of global supply chains and shipping routes. Examine your own supplier base for potential vulnerability and identify similar companies to those whose products you already rely on. A diversified supply base will help reduce the risk of disruptions to your own customers.”

• Use appropriate tech tools

Technology is moving at lightning speed, he says, so it’s important to check that your tech is moving your business forward. “Look for apps and software that help you measure performance and give you actionable data you can use for better decision-making. Technology can also assist in improving productivity by automating repetitive tasks and allowing businesses to access information and perform tasks in real time.”

SoNA

In his 10 February 2022 State of the Nation address (SoNA), President Cyril Ramaphosa had to break with tradition and deliver it from the Cape Town City Hall rather than in the Chamber of the National Assembly, which was damaged by fire – allegedly arson – early in January.

“For many, the fire was symbolic of the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, by rising unemployment, and deepening poverty,” he said, adding that the priorities identified in last year’s SoNA remained critical. These include ending the national state of disaster – implemented as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic – as soon as possible, addressing the country’s erratic/unreliable electricity and water supplies, improving the efficiency and safety of its ports and railways, and completing the move from analog to digital transmission.

All well and good, I thought, but without dealing firmly and visibly with South Africa’s corruption pandemic, these plans are headed for failure. Further in his address, Ramaphosa thankfully went on to address corruption, saying he had been given the first two parts of the report of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. He accepted responsibility for ensuring the report was ‘properly and carefully considered and then acted upon’ and that he would present a plan of action in response to the Commission’s recommendations ‘by no later than 30 June’ this year. While we wait to see justice meted out following that deadline, I draw comfort now from his stated commitment to protecting whistle-blowers ‘who are a vital safeguard in the fight against corruption and who take huge personal risk in reporting wrongdoing’.

Be safe.