M4D Summer Release 2015

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business. Strong reliable and up-to-date systems can help you to clearly see your incomings and expenses so that you can react to issues before they arise. Your business will also benefit from the ability to quickly filter financial data by revenue stream so that you can quickly see which areas of the business are and aren’t making money. Financial and business 1. Simplicity be difficult is forkey architecture and engineering to maintain management systems can significantly ease businesses the administrative burden In his 2014 shareholders letter Warren Buffet commented that “if you athrough balanced cash flow throughout the year. A successful business will don’t automation and efficiency. invest know, you’re just and gambling”. Businesses should invest alwaysinbethings awareyou of current cash flow accounts receivables to enable 4. within Reducing costs rather than increasing revenues: the ebb and flow of azone. knowledge and avoid risks outside of their comfort regulartheir distributions andbase dividend payments. Invoicing systems and clear project-based workflow can mean fluctuations between financial gain payment can both help to ensure prompt payment from clients. Our 2. Get back terms to basics and financial strain. It’s easy to rush to cut costs in times of difficulty, but clients what operate with 14 to 30 day payment terms Assess budgetary reductions are within your control, leaving aside be careful not to cut off valuable revenue streams and / or people at the for now those that aren’t. Every dollar saved is a dollar thatcan canbe beaused to 3. same Lack of reliable systems. A financial system time. If money is being spent tomanagement stimulate growth then the revenue reduce yourasset company’s liabilities. the strengths and weaknesses of your significant in understanding generated from spending could be far more valuable. Have a good look business. reliable and up-to-date systems clearly 3. Get outbusiness ofStrong debt or consolidate what you have at your development strategies and onlycan cuthelp onceyou youtohave see your incomings expenses so you can issues before Take a good hard at your business’s budget andreact maketo the decisions that analysed what is look andand isn’t working forthat your business. theyhelp arise. Your also from the ability filter will clear thebusiness balancewill sheet. Forbenefit most businesses this is to by quickly no means an 5. Big picture thinking. Profit for the sake of it is all good and well, but financial byincomes revenuefor stream that you can quickly which areas easy task,data where manyso have suffered during thesee latest slowdown. sometimes a small profit gain can get in the way of long-term business of the business are and aren’t making money. Financial and business 4. Invest your people success.inAlways think about the big picture and long-term goals of your management systems can of significantly ease to theensure administrative burden Investing from within one theforecasting easiest ways financial uplift business — with thatisfinancial you’ve done in mind — before through and efficiency. in 2015.yes Ifautomation businesses invest promoting enhancing talent the business will saying to projects thatinwill bring in and money in the short-term, but that in correspondence withincreasing an engaged, inspired and workforce. 4. grow Reducing costs but rather than revenues: the rewarded ebb and flow of a may ultimately obstructive to future progress. project-based workflow can mean fluctuations between financial gain and financial strain. It’s easy to rush to cut costs in times of difficulty, but be careful not to cut off valuable revenue streams and / or people at the same time. If money is being spent to stimulate growth then the revenue generated from spending could be far more valuable. Have a good look Management for Design are pleased strategies to advise that have at your business development andwe only cutpartnered once youwith haveConsult Australia to undertake the Consult Australia Performance Survey (PPS). analysed what is and isn’t working forPractice your business. Global financial markets are in constant fluctuation, businesses areuser-friendly, increasingly Consult Australia’s Practice Performance Survey is a secure, 5. Big picture thinking. Profit for the sake of it(PPS) is all good and well, but operating on a global rather local scale, and the world around us is a world automated survey tool. Withthan more thanget 40in metrics available, it allows firms sometimes a small profit gain can the way of long-term business of pixels, with everything going digital. Your ability toand cope with and thrive in a to benchmark their performance against their peers competitors and success. Always think about the big picture and long-term goals of your changing marketplace can be the factor that sets your business apart. to select KPIs based tailored segmentation. includes: business — withon that financial forecasting This you’ve done ingeographical mind — before regions; revenues; number of employees; utilisation; gross margins; profits; The IBM Institute for Business Value recently published the results ofnet their saying yes to projects that will bring in money in the short-term, but that and working capital investment days. Making Work study. The study surveyed 1,400 business professionals in mayChange ultimately but obstructive to future progress. The PPS also to highlights operational inefficiencies and identifies 48 countries get a closer look at the way change is met withinexpense business and and performance indicators, which are shown in concise graphs. This the impact that attitude to change has on company performance. assists management to strategically plan the growth of their business and take corrective action, if necessary, to address areas where performance has fallen behind the industry average.

How embracing can boost Consult Australiachange benchmarking your business

How embracing change can boost your business To participate in the Consult Australia PPS, your firm must be a member of Consult Australia. Global financial markets are in constant fluctuation, businesses are increasingly For more information on thethan Consult PPS, hereusoriscontact operating on a global rather localAustralia scale, and theplease worldclick around a world Rob Peake or Gordana Milosevska at Management forcope Design. of pixels, with everything going digital. Your ability to with and thrive in a changing marketplace can be the factor that sets your business apart. Consult Australia website www.consultaustralia.com.au

The IBM Institute for Business Value recently published the results of their Making Change Work study. The study surveyed 1,400 business professionals in Management for Design provides integrated business 48 countries to get a closer look at the way change is met within business and systems and services to the design industry across the impact that attitudeStrategy, to change has on Information company performance. Finance, Technology, Human MANAGEMENT

FOR DESIGN

Resource Management and Business Systems.

By working with Management for Design our clients are enabled to focus on what they are great at and to control and build their businesses. For more information visit www.m4d.com.au or phone 03 9645 8834.


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