Bill Gates Quote on Staying Ahead of the Competition

'In this business by the time you realise you're in trouble,it's too late to save yourself. Unless you're running scared all the time, you're gone.'

Donald Trump Quote

'Sometimes by losing a battle you find a way to win the war.'

Business Outsourcing: Do the savings of outsourcing justify a move overseas?

Santander banking group has announced that it will be removing its UK Call Centre Operations from India and will be relocating back to the UK after complaints from  British based customers. We have all had nightmare experiences with Overseas call centres. I can remember tearing my hair out while dealing with an incompetent operative who could barely understand English let alone answer my query. The savings achieved can amount to 30-40% of operating costs in the UK which makes it understandable that numerous firms have made the move. The question of whether the move abroad is justified is determined by the competence of the staff and the perception of the service on offer from the UK client base. Business is global and we must accept that outsourcing is just a part of the International marketplace in which we now operate.

So long as training for staff is thorough and intensive,overseas outsourcing should work. The problems start where employees have not got an acceptable grasp of the English Language and do not understand the product or service of their employer sufficiently well to offer advice and assistance.

UK businesses must remember that bad customer service hurts their brand, reputation and customer retention rates. There is no excuse for UK firms to employee overseas staff without a sufficient education to carry out their work. Many firms choose India as a call centre destination. India has a highly educated, hard working, ambitious population with literally millions of intelligent people to choose from. There is an argument to say that all staff should have at least a degree, a demand which would still leave a large population of prospective employees to choose from in a well educated, commerce competent nation such as India.

Could Santander be the first of many firms to bring their call centres back to the UK? If training, support and recruitment is substandard, then quite possibly. Savings are good but not at the expense of your reputation.

Theo Paphitis on his Business Motivations

'There are three reasons to be in business. To make money, to have fun and to make money.'

The Apprentice vs Dragon's Den: Which Show offers more Business Lessons?

The Apprentice is an entertaining, adrenaline fuelled fight to find a business partner for Lord Sugar. Dragons' Den is effectively a pitching contest where budding entrepreneurs try to entice successful investors into funding and supporting their business endeavours. Both are ratings winners, both are entertaining but which one enriches viewers with the most Business knowledge?

For me Dragons' Den wins this one. The five Dragons dish out plenty of advice as they dissect, interrogate and mercilessly grill potential business partners with rigorous analysis and precise business acumen. Viewers are treated to a master-class in negotiation where the percentage of equity on offer for a given amount of investment is haggled over,sometimes to the last 1%. After watching a few series you get a feel for what is a good idea and what is a waste of time. The importance of knowing your numbers and being able to quote profit, loss, turnover and margins at will, are championed and promoted as an essential skill by the Dragons. The achievements of Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Debroah Meaden, Theo Paphitis and James Cann (who is now to be replaced by Hillary Devey) are inspiring and educational to watchers, many of whom have aspired to running their own concerns but have never had decent role models to learn from.



Dragons' Den may win the educational battle but The Apprentice wins the entertainment battle. Followers young and old love to point out the failures of candidates and suggest better ways of doing things while watching the show. The 'You're Fired' moment is as exciting as any cliff hanger from the soap operas of the day and offers a fine conclusion to the day's business lesson. No viewer can say that they have never picked up some business pointers from Lord Sugar, who never misses a chance to emphasise the importance of common sense and lateral thinking in making any business decisions.

Both Shows are great and are playing their part in encouraging entrepreneurs of the past,present and future.

Businesses you can start for next to nothing

There are options that enable you to start your business empire with no money and no specialist knowledge. All billionaires started somewhere and maybe one of these ideas could start you on the path to great wealth.

1) CLEANING-Professional cleaners are big business. Domestic cleaners,commercial cleaners and industrial cleaners are making big money offering essential services. Requiring a good work ethic, people skills and nominal expenditure on basic cleaning equipment such as dusters,polish and disinfectants, this really is an opportunity.

2) IRONING-Many people choose to subcontract out their ironing duties to make more time in their busy schedules. It is not glamorous but it is a growing market. You may not even have to buy the iron if the customer allows you to work on site!

3) CAR WASHING-This is huge business in London. Many people have come to London with nothing and grown an empire of hand based car washes across big cities. You can start with a bucket, sponge and polish and move up to industrial jet washes and high class valets.

4) ESTATE AGENCY-Starting as an online concern you can go onto owning a retail presence. The Property business is not doing as well as it has in view of economic constraints,but rents for commercial property are on the slide offering entrepreneurs huge negotiating potential. Start in Lettings and go onto sales. Hard competition but compete on price initially and you can create a foothold in the market. Sales skills,tenacity and people skills are all required.

5) TRADE ON EBAY-The internet comes up trumps again. Buy low, sell high, need anymore advice?

6) LEAFLET DISTRIBUTION- Charge local businesses by the 100 leaflets delivered or by adding £2-£3 to employees' hourly rate of pay. There are plenty of students looking for work who would be happy to offer their services.

7) TUTORING-Offer to help students who are studying subjects you have qualifications in. Advertise on the local supermarket noticeboard and free internet posting channels.

8) GARDENING-If you have green fingers,offer your skills to people who would rather pay you than do it themselves. Again advertise on noticeboards and on the internet on Gumtree or Craigslist.

50 Cent Quote

'I don't get worked up or excited about situations I can't control because it's not in my power,so I might appear crazy to some people.'

Sergey Brin Quote

'Obviously everyone wants to be successful, but I want to be looked back on as being very innovative, very trusted and ethical and ultimately making a big difference in the world.'

Michael Dell Quote

There are a lot of things that go into creating success. I don't like to do just the things that I like to do. I like to do the things that cause the company to succeed. I don't spend a lot of time doing my favourite activities.

Michael Bloomberg on The American Dream

'And because no matter who you are, if you believe in yourself and your dream, New York will always be the place for you.'

What Makes a Great Sales Person?

All businesses have an aspect of Salesmanship in them,some to a greater extent than others. If you want to be a great Entrepreneur you will need to incorporate these features into your sales strategy:

1) BE PERSISTENT- Every Sales Person must be prepared to be rejected, ignored or even mocked! Sales is essentially a numbers game. The more prospects you contact,the more deals you will make.

2) QUALIFY LEADS-You want to work smart,not hard. Sales professionals say that 80% of your deals will come from 20% of your client base, so narrow down your prospects, eliminating time-wasters and those people that do not constitute your target demographic. Ask questions that assess the clients urgency or need to purchase what your selling.

3) BE LIKEABLE-People buy from people. Build a rapport with a potential client before you start giving them the 'hard sell'. Make sure that you are polite, respectful and professional during all interactions with customers.

4) ASK FOR THE BUSINESS-You can inform a client of the merits of your product or service all day long but if you fail to initiate the transaction you are doing yourself a disservice.

5) ALWAYS BE CLOSING-Remember why you are talking to a prospect. You are not just pitching them because you like interacting with people, you are doing it because you need to put bread on the table! Be nice, be agreeable, but remain focused,all interactions should be leading to a successful close.

6) DRESS LIKE A PROFESSIONAL- Formal dress only. When you are selling a product or service you must inspire confidence in your prospects. Be clean, tidy and smelling fantastic. Little things such as appearance can make the difference between convincing a client or turning them towards another competitor.

7) DON'T COMPETE ON PRICE- If you are discounting your fees,you lack belief in your product. Of course negotiation within reason is to be expected but taking off more than 10% shows that you are desperate. If you do not believe in your product, you shouldn't be selling it!

8) AIM TO BE THE BEST-If you're not top of the Sales board you should ask yourself why? You should look to 'ring the bell' and 'grab the chalk' several times a day. The enjoyment of Sales is experienced at the point of Sale. What better way to end a pitch than with a handshake and the closure of a deal to the satisfaction of both parties?

Ray Kroc Quote

'If you're not a risk-taker,you should get the hell out of business.'

Gamechangers-Who has left their personal stamp on the Business World?

Mark Zuckerberg has revolutionized the manner in which people socialise around the world. The Facebook brand is one of the best known and has captured the hearts of millions, if not billions of people around the world. Zuckerberg is a 20-something billionaire with a fortune pushing $13.5billion according to Forbes. I don't know whether to love or hate this business genius!

The Oprah Winfrey Show was a worldwide smash hit, entertaining and educating millions of followers worldwide. Oprah's hard start in life has been well documented and has increased her appeal and credibility to her audiences. Oprah's Harpo Production company contributes to her $3.7billion empire and has redefined the Chat Show genre.

Don King is the best known boxing promoter of all time. Having masterminded boxing super-fights all over the planet from America to Zaire. With all time greats such as Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson having fought under his promotions,it is no surprise that Don King has made a fortune. Known for his ruthlessness and focus on the bottom line, King has put together a kitty approaching $300million.

Ray Kroc is credited with the accomplishment of turning Mcdonalds into the best known fast food franchise in the world. Having spent most of his life as a humble Salesman, Kroc knew he was destined for greater things. One of the true game changing Businesses of all time, Mcdonalds is an inspiration to anyone in the fast food trade.

Jon Hunt is the founder of Foxtons Estate Agency which operates in and around London. Foxtons is the best known Estate Agency in London and is known for its aggressive sales tactics, swanky Offices and ubiquitous branded Minis. Before the former Army Officer founded the firm in 1982, Estate Agency was devoid of 'hard sell' tactics, accompanied viewings and consumer friendly hours. By the time Hunt sold up in 2007, he had built a strong brand with numerous offices and appeal to respected Private Equity firms. Foxtons has its critics but after pocketing near on £400million on its sale, I doubt Hunt cares!