How to get a consumer electronics company out of the crisis. The reasons for the development of crises in organizations and ways out of them. How to deal with a small business

There is a crisis in almost all spheres of Western life: ecology, family, education, etc. People are afraid of losing their previous material standard of living. Many have already forgotten about restful sleep, someone began to look at the world through dark glasses, someone began to sharply deteriorate relations with loved ones, and, in especially difficult cases, someone began to use alcohol or even drugs. The good thing about a crisis is that a person is tested in it, all his weaknesses are manifested. But if a person is harmonious, then he easily overcomes all the "vicissitudes of fate" and, as a result, turns out to be many levels higher in all respects.

1. The main thing that needs to be understood on the inner level is that there is nothing constant in this world, including no constant rise, takeoff, otherwise there would be no taste for life, and life would be boring. There must be changes in life that many consider to be crises.

2. The crisis presents new opportunities. In Chinese, the word "crisis" consists of two characters - "danger" and "chance". This means that if you get through times of crisis the right way, you will have a very big chance of achieving success in life.

3. In order not to get infected with the "crisis epidemic", do not communicate with pessimists and do not listen to a lot of news. We ourselves determine our state of mind. The ancient Indian epic Ramayana says: "Everything that happens to us unexpectedly and against our will is fate." Life circumstances are our karma, it is not always possible to change it immediately, but it depends on us how to react to these circumstances, because this is what we, in the first place, change our destiny.

4. The crisis should not be underestimated - different things can happen and even something very unpleasant. At the same time, it is very important mentally, in the mind, to imagine the worst scenario of the development of events and calmly go through it, accepting the situation internally, and at a higher level of personality development - to thank the Almighty for it. On the external level, one must calmly and, at the same time, actively make every effort to overcome this situation. If on the external level the worst time has not yet come, imagine what you will do if it comes (go to the labor exchange, spend the night with relatives, etc.) - this projection alone already gives positive energy.

5. Do not be afraid of crises, on the contrary, learn to appreciate them. Only in the midst of trials is internal growth possible. It is said that souls who are on a higher spiritual level always choose incarnations where there are any difficulties, some kind of struggle. It is no coincidence that it is said that "for one beaten, two unbeaten give".

6. The crisis forces you to look at life in a different way, there is a reassessment of values, a very important understanding comes that everything in this world is temporary. For example, when loved ones die, we realize that the same fate awaits us, that we are not this body, that everything is temporary here. This helps us not to get attached to anything or anyone, and also relieves us from pain. After all, pain arises when we are not ready to accept the inevitable.

7. Stress of any kind must be able to pass harmoniously, on all four levels: physical, social, intellectual and spiritual.

- At the physical level to relieve stress, you need to move more: during exercise, any external vigorous activity, hormones of happiness - endorphins are produced. Nature itself teaches us this, because this is what many animals do under stress.

It is highly desirable to engage yourself in any activity: cleaning, washing, etc. Yoga classes (relaxation and calming of the mind) and proper nutrition are also very important. Meat, coffee, food made from preservatives, with chemical additives only increase negative emotions. At the same time, it is very important not to overeat, not eat at night and drink at least two liters of water a day, because, in addition to other positive features, water takes on negative emotions. Correct sleep is no less important - go to bed early, get up early, so that the nervous system rests. To avoid insomnia, be more outdoors, work more, move, swim, take salt baths, in the morning after waking up, a cold shower, two hours before bedtime - a hot shower. All this relieves mental stress. The crisis, first of all, affects health, and health is the basis of everything. Therefore, start monitoring your health much earlier than the crisis hits, in order to approach it in optimal shape. This will generate the necessary defenses and energy in the body.

- At the social level, especially during a crisis, it is very important to help someone, not to concentrate only on yourself. The energy of stress goes away, because in a crisis it seems to us that we are the worst. But in the world around us, it is easy to find someone who is even worse and just start helping him. When we selflessly help others, the energy of happiness flows through us: by giving, we receive good and, as a rule, intuitive insights, ways out of the crisis and how we can serve others more.

- On an intellectual level at this time, reading of philosophical and spiritual literature is very favorable, which helps us in the search for the meaning of life, the meaning of activity. Because it is important to know the goals, to clearly understand why you live. A pointless life is full of pain. Especially in a crisis, it is very important to be aware of and see these goals. If a person sees the goal, his mind is calm, and new opportunities open up before him. A meaningful life is protection from the impact of the crisis.

Also, during a crisis, sometimes you need to revise your value system, adjust plans, abandon intentions and desires that have ceased to be relevant.

The intellectual level also means willpower and courage, and these qualities are more important in a crisis than ever.

- On a spiritual level These are the best times for the growth of the Spirit. Prayers of meditation, the practice of conscious life, selflessness, lack of pretensions and a constant feeling of gratitude - all this can raise to a new spiritual level in a short time and thereby solve any crisis.

8. Crises are different: economic, political, physical (health), personal (relationship crisis), etc. We need them, because often the crisis is one of the ways to show us that we are going in the wrong direction.

We become the cause of most crises ourselves, sometimes from scratch. If we lived harmoniously, then many crises simply would not exist.

Crises are dangerous because, if we do not cope with them, we will sink several levels lower, and at the same time, sooner or later, we will still have to go through this lesson. For example, if a person must learn to go through a crisis in personal relationships in this incarnation, then the partner begins to behave illogically, giving rise to claims and grievances. And if a person has not forgiven, went through this situation incorrectly, he is faced with betrayal, and if he does not draw the right conclusions, diseases come. If a person does not accept them, the time comes for serious illnesses and blows of fate, after which death itself will not keep itself waiting. A person will have to go through these lessons over and over again, everything will be repeated from birth to birth until the person passes this test (without any offense, aggression, pretensions, etc.)

9. Especially in a crisis, you need to be flexible in all respects, not have fear and greed. But the most important thing in a crisis situation is the ability to deal with our attachments and addictions (as a rule, to abandon them). By and large, the strength of the crisis depends on how strongly we begin to identify ourselves with our mortal body and everything related to it. Hence all the pain.

We are not this body, we are an eternal spirit that periodically incarnates in different bodies. Realizing this means overcoming the crisis on a spiritual level. Our life is a performance, and we are actors and screenwriters. Changing your mindset, you can turn life into a good comedy, or you can turn into a tragedy - and this is our choice. Someone, having learned that they are ruined, is thrown out of the window, and someone is glad that tomorrow they do not have to go to work. There is no need to be afraid that we will have to temporarily lower the material standard of living, to which we have been striving for so long. Can build new life or worthy to complete it without any money at all. And, if you have temporarily sunk to the bottom, do not be afraid to roll up your sleeves, take on the dirty work. You must be able to accept any development of events - since it happened, then it must be so.

10. A person, whose happiness depends on the level of his life, from external circumstances inevitably overtakes a crisis. He becomes a slave to circumstances, it is very easy for him to be manipulated. At the same time, a person who is free from attachments does not care about a crisis. Therefore, it is important not to get attached to a comfortable state.

If we want something passionately or possess it passionately, we are deprived of it, and a crisis ensues. The more we attach, the more that we lose it.

We have the right to possess in this world only that which we are not afraid to lose.

The businessman is successful and fabulously rich who is not afraid to take risks, i.e. he is not afraid of losing his capital, he is relaxed and detached. Risk gives a taste of life. But in order to take risks, you need wings (the energy of detachment). It is also very important to understand that strong attachment on the subtle plane kills in the same way as hatred. A person whose happiness depends on the achieved standard of living, who cannot temporarily give up the usual comfort, is covered by a crisis.

Comfort is the last trap of civilization. To achieve inner growth, you need to be able to perform austerities - do yoga, limit yourself in something, periodically fast - this gives energy (shakti). The strength of a man, first of all, manifests itself in the ability to endure pain, endure suffering and limitations.

11. Death, destruction, the end of something is always the beginning of something new! If one door closes in our life, another opens somewhere nearby. One must be a harmonious person, live consciously, in the "flow", calm the mind, and then we will easily see this door.

12. In a crisis, one must be able to allow oneself not to restrain one's feelings if the soul is "scratching by cats." No need to try to put on a mask on your face for a long time and pretend that you feel good, because in this case negative energy will turn inward and destroy the subtle body, and then the gross one. A split personality will occur, which can lead to severe depression and mental illness.

You need to be with this emotion of pain, suffering - there is nothing shameful about it. Allow yourself to consciously suffer, grieve. It is advisable to say out loud: "I am in great pain now, I feel tension in my body, a lump in my throat, etc." The "spoken" emotion goes away much faster, without leaving scars in the subtle body.

Also, the state of crisis gives us an understanding of the duality of the world - cold-hot, good-evil, bad-good, etc. But Divine love and soul are above duality. If you handle traumatic situations correctly, you can get very deep spiritual realizations.

13. Disease and crisis are won by unconditional Love. You should not fight the crisis, first of all you need to love and accept it. When you are fighting with someone or something, then your opponent responds with aggression, your strength and energy is transferred to him.

In oriental psychology, in martial arts, there is a rule: you cannot defeat someone or something if you cannot absolutely love them. Therefore, before the fight, the rivals always bowed to each other, thereby expressing respect, and sent each other love. In this state, a person lives in a "stream", listens to intuition. When we love life, everything around us, we are not attached, because our main aspiration is giving and service.

But love cannot be used for selfish purposes (now I will love everyone, and the crisis will pass), it does not work. All our troubles and illnesses are our Teachers - look at them differently, accept them and send them the energy of love and gratitude. The first step is internal acceptance of the crisis situation, then gratitude and acceptance of it with love.

14. Any crisis, especially a long one, can remain in the subconscious as despondency, strong negative emotions. Therefore, it is advisable to visualize it (for example, draw a crisis period of time on paper, possibly in the past) and fill it with love. Now you can no longer act differently, physically return to that moment, but you can do it on the subtle plane (mentally).

15. A crisis in 99% of cases gives rise to fear for the future, and this is the most serious and destructive fear that can take all our energy. There is only one moment - here and now. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: “What can I do here and now to improve the situation? Where and how can I show my creative qualities? " If you are in the mindset here and now, then you can solve the problem step by step using the opportunities provided by the circumstances. You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself, plunge into destructive thoughts such as: "And why do I need this (good) all this? And what will happen if ...?" Correctly asked question: "Why do I need this?"

16. We are as happy as we can sacrifice. Everything in this world is achieved by sacrifice (bestowal) and austerity. Without asceticism, we will not achieve anything even in material terms: in order to achieve the set goal, we have to limit ourselves in many ways - work harder, regularly perform certain duties, etc.

If much is easy for a person in this life, then he earned it in past lives. Accordingly, all problems begin with our unwillingness to sacrifice, to give, our unwillingness to accept pain.

In our civilization, it is believed that pain is bad, and everything is done to avoid it. But pain, difficulties within reasonable limits are needed. If we want to achieve something and be happy, we must be able to sacrifice. When we live in a state of sacrifice, we perceive the crisis as an opportunity to help and donate to other people.

Life is filled with meaning and interest when we sacrifice it to some higher idea, service. And the higher this idea, the more happiness. Sacrifice for the sake of receiving material benefits gives happiness for a while, but does not fill with subtle energy. Then emptiness sets in, because the soul needs only love, not material goods and recognition. We must sacrifice our lives for our loved ones, our country, our nation and, ultimately, the Almighty. But if a person lives only by himself, for himself, or even for his relatives, this is a real crisis. The egoist lives in a permanent crisis, because he sacrificed his life to his ego, temporary and illusory. The ego can only give fear, tension, pride. The purpose and nature of the soul is to love, serve and give - then life becomes full of meaning and the taste for life comes.

17. Everything is known in comparison. We walk, immersed in our problems, considering ourselves the center of the universe. And around people die, become crippled, suffer from serious illnesses, plunge into the abyss of torment. Compared to their problems, the vast majority of our worries are far-fetched. Yes, something happened - you were fired from your job, you lost your fortune, your loved one left you - thank the Almighty, because this also has a useful lesson, at least for the soul. And very often for the body, because maybe if this loved one would stay with you, after some time he would become the main source of pain for you; maybe because of the money we lost, in the future we would be deprived of our lives, trying to rob, etc. Even when you are about to die, you can radiate happiness and encourage others.

18. When you internally accept any scenario of the development of events and thank God for them, completely different energies go. In the depths of your soul, joy and peace reign, and outwardly you easily solve any problem, as you are full of energy and clearly hear your intuition. If you go through the crisis correctly, the situation improves, there are much fewer new crises. Just become harmonious people, get rid of attachments, live in love - and you can overcome any crisis and even lead the country or even humanity out of it. It is said that one saint can save the country.

Therefore, do not listen to any forecasts - live according to the forecast that everything is already good and every day it is getting better and better in all respects. "Whatever is done, everything is for the best." And create a reality around you, filled with love and happiness.

Be healthy, successful and happy!

21May

Hello! In this article, we will talk about crisis management.

Today you will find out:

What is meant by this concept;
What tasks and methods of anti-crisis management exist;
Which companies provide crisis management services.

In the activities of any enterprise or private company, a situation may occur when the results of the year are summed up, reports are submitted, but the results are not encouraging, but quite the opposite. There are delays in loans, suppliers no longer give installments to pay for goods. In fact, there is a crisis situation.

Even if now there are no such problems in your company, there will definitely not be superfluous information, so we will discuss today how to prevent crisis phenomena.

What is crisis management

First, let's define what is generally understood by this term.

Crisis management Is a set of procedures that are carried out with the aim of improving the company's activities and allowing it to get out of the crisis.

Crisis management objectives

In the direction of prevention:

Analyze the activities of the organization;
Timely identify the beginning of a negative process;
Assess how effectively the company's divisions are working;
Develop measures to help prevent crisis events.

If the presence of crisis phenomena has already been identified, the tasks are as follows:

Recognize crisis phenomena;
Carry out preventive measures to prevent crisis situations;
Overcome the consequences of the crisis;
Mitigate the crisis process;
Stabilize the state of the company;
Optimize costs;
Resolve internal conflicts in the organization;
Increase your profits gradually.

Crisis factors

These factors can be conditionally divided into 2 groups: those that depend on the activities of the company and those that do not depend on its activities (that is, external).

The following situations lead to the fact that a crisis occurs at an enterprise or a company:

Improperly organized budget and credit policy;
Errors that were made in the development of a financial strategy;
Non-professional level;
High level of wear and tear of production equipment;
Lack of professionalism of management personnel.

This list contains the main factors, the presence of which can provoke crisis phenomena at any enterprise.

If we talk about global, external factors, we can name:

Increased inflation growth;
An increase in the number of unemployed;
Unstable exchange rates;
Instability of the political and economic situation in the state as a whole.

What are the methods of anti-crisis management

Management of any type implies that a range of different techniques will be applied. In anti-crisis management, everything is the same.

We propose to consider several of the most common methods:

1. We define the strategy according to which the company will develop.

The activities of a crisis enterprise or company must first be analyzed in order to develop the correct anti-crisis strategy.

In the development process, it is important to take into account all the factors that we talked about a little earlier. Only if this approach is used will the strategy be developed correctly and its action will become effective.

Building a strategy consists of several steps:

Diagnostics of the company is carried out, and comprehensive;
After receiving the diagnostic results, the goals of the company are adjusted;
Only after that a strategy is chosen that will lead the company out of the crisis.

2. Reducing the level of costs.

It is no secret that a company that is in a state of crisis is experiencing financial difficulties. In such a situation, applying this method is absolutely the right step.

Costs are reduced in several ways: they reduce to zero costs that are not related to the company's core business, optimize employee costs, and so on.

3. Making changes to the structure of the company.

The most commonly used reorganization. Thanks to this technique, the position of the company is stabilized.

4. Formation of reporting.

Reporting should be drafted in a way that reflects the real state of affairs in the organization. Otherwise, it just doesn't make sense.

Therefore, the report is based on traffic analytics. Money, as well as an analysis of how problematic the company is in general.

5. Increased cash flow.

This is a chance to carry out anti-crisis measures in full. To do this, you need to decide how the cash flow can be increased.

When bringing a company out of a crisis, all these methods are usually used in combination.

Taking the company out of the crisis: stages

To prevent the crisis phenomena from developing and aggravating, you need to know what to do to get the company out of a difficult situation.

Step 1. Determine the epicenter of the crisis.

The starting point is to determine which part of the company was the starting point of the problem. Perhaps the quality of products has deteriorated, it has grown significantly, there are unreasonably high ones, and so on.

When we determine exactly where it all started, it will be possible to develop an effective methodology for getting the company out of a difficult situation.

Step 2. We work with employees.

This is a very important part of taking the company out of the crisis.

In this situation, the following measures should be taken:

The structure and number of personnel are optimized: they stop cooperating with part-time workers, refuse the services of employees who perform an insignificant amount of work;
The team needs to be informed about how things are in reality in the company. The silence of the leadership leads to rumors and only exacerbates the situation;
In the team, you need to eliminate all conflict situations;
Worth in connection with new requirements.

Step 3. Reducing the level of costs.

This step should be done within reason. There is no need to cut costs at the expense of the quality of the products that your company produces.

Most often, costs are reduced by:

Purchase of raw materials at a lower cost;
Concluding contracts with suppliers in your region;
Reducing the size;
Reducing the cost of household needs.

Analyze all costs in the most careful way, there is sure to be something that can be reduced to a minimum.

Step 4. We stimulate sales.

There are many options here. Choose from those that fit your business.

If you have commercial enterprise- hold a sale, if you produce something, then offer profitable terms to your potential customers, issue discount cards and so on.

Step 5. Optimizing financial flows.

To do this, you can carry out a whole range of activities:

Create registers for all payments;
Set discounts for buyers who purchase goods for cash;
Reduce the terms of commodity loans;
Check the availability of funds every day;
Increase your income by selling equipment you don't use.

Step 6. Restructuring debts to creditors.

This is a very important stage in anti-crisis measures. You can restructure your debt by applying payment by installments, agree on a complete cancellation of debts, exchange debt obligations for securities.

Anti-crisis personnel management

Personnel management in times of crisis is singled out as a separate type of activity. Indeed, such events can be called a whole science.

The most important goal of these activities is to keep the enterprise viable without losing qualified personnel.

Anti-crisis personnel management measures solve the following problems:

Form a group of specialists who are able to adapt the company to new conditions;
They retain the most valuable personnel: people who have made the maximum contribution to the development of the company;
They do not just cut staff, but bring the staff into a rational structure;
Reduce or completely eliminate tension in the team and mistrust of leaders.

The most important point, which is a guarantee of effective personnel management, is the correctly chosen personnel policy.

Anti-crisis personnel policy is divided into several main types:

Active type. The management has complete information and can predict the course of events;
Passive type... Staff and managers do not act according to a clear plan, but simply try to eliminate the consequences of the crisis;
Preventive type. It is characterized by the fact that the management has no methods of influencing the situation;
Reactive type. The management is engaged in general supervision, controls only individual symptoms of the crisis.

Methods of working with personnel in anti-crisis management

We will consider the most common techniques now.

1. Forced organizational changes.

An expensive and unwanted activity. Its use is justified only when you have an acute shortage of time. Its essence lies in the global job cuts.

2. Adaptive changes.

Team conflicts are resolved using compromises, deals, and so on. This technique is used when advocates of change are not leaders, but want to introduce something new.

3. Crisis methodology.

If the manager realizes that the crisis cannot be avoided, he takes the following steps:

Convinces employees that the crisis cannot be avoided;
Positions itself as a rescuer in the event of a crisis.

4. Resistance management.

In a crisis, the resistance of the staff changes to support from the management. Your task in this situation is not to fight people, but not to allow panic.

In order to identify personnel that show great resistance to implementation anti-crisis program, and therefore, can create tension in the team, use the following techniques:

Offer them other positions in other structural divisions;
Carry out;
Offer;
Suggest.

The result is the following: employees must see that management is in control of the situation and will not allow negative consequences.

There are several tricks for this:

Communicate to each employee that you are in control of the situation;
Choose a team to work in a crisis: each person should be busy and understand that he is taking part in correcting the situation;
Don't panic, don't react violently: employees will do the same;
Slow down when walking: this will make employees confident that the manager is calm and knows what to do.

Anti-crisis financial management

A crisis situation can arise at any stage of the company's activity. IN financial plan they are expressed in the fact that it grows, there are delays in tax payments. All these situations are harbingers of subsequent disability.

Principles of anti-crisis financial management:

1. Increased readiness for violations of the financial balance of the company.

The financial situation in an organization is highly volatile. She reacts not only to the influence of external, but also internal factors. Financial managers need to be prepared for the kind of change that may occur at any time.

2. Diagnosis of crisis phenomena at an early stage.

This allows all the possibilities to be connected in time to their neutralization.

3. Prompt response to crisis phenomena.

Any crisis phenomenon can not only expand, but also give rise to others. Therefore, the sooner the anti-crisis mechanism is activated, the more likely it is that financial equilibrium will be restored.

4. Connecting effective forms of reorganization of the company.

If financial condition the organization does not allow to suppress the crisis phenomena at the expense of internal reserves, it is necessary to use external assistance, which manifests itself in the form of reorganization. It can be carried out before the company, or in the process.

5. The response of the organization in accordance with the degree of real threat.

Mechanisms for neutralizing crisis phenomena should be commensurate with the level of their real threat. Otherwise, you will either not get the desired effect or, on the contrary, incur too serious costs.

Stages of restoring the financial stability of the enterprise

To restore the financial stability of the enterprise, you must follow these steps:

1. To restore solvency.

This is the most urgent task of stabilizing the company. Payments are made for all debt obligations, which helps to avoid bankruptcy proceedings. In such a situation, everything that is unnecessary is cut off: they reduce current needs, reduce travel expenses, and so on.

2. Restore financial stability.

This can be done in a short period of time if a number of measures are taken, such as:

Reduce the management staff;
Stop the release of unprofitable products;
Reduce some of the support services;
Refuse programs that are funded by the profits of your business.

3. We provide financial stability for a long time.

To do this, we proceed as follows:

Introduce new types of products that can compete in the market;
Improve the quality of your products and improve their consumer properties;
Reduce the time it takes to pay for the products you supply to others;

If the financial stability of the enterprise is ensured for a long time, this will reduce the attraction of credit funds.

How to make an enterprise resilient to a crisis

It is always more effective to prevent problems than to solve them later. This is simple truth and everyone knows it, but not everyone follows it.

It is also relevant in the case of a crisis at the enterprise. Therefore, we will give several recommendations for the prevention of the emergence of crisis phenomena.

1. Engage in crisis diagnostics.

Pay attention not only to the correctness of the reporting, but also carry out its analysis. If you do this periodically and carefully, you can see the signs of a crisis situation before the problem already needs to be corrected. You will be able to take the necessary action right away, and not wait for the thunder to strike.

2. Contact the crisis manager.

If the situation is already serious, do not try to fix it yourself. It's not a fact that you can fix it, but you will definitely make it worse. Enlist the help of a specialist who will analyze the situation, develop an action plan, and optimize your expenses. This will avoid major losses.

3. Launch the anti-crisis mechanism on time.

If symptoms first appear, do not delay the response. Do not lead matters to a catastrophic situation. Many negative processes can be neutralized if done on time.

An example of the withdrawal of an enterprise from a crisis situation

Consider as an example a situation that arose several years ago in a large network. household appliances... It will be about the Eldorado company.

The company's debt liabilities exceeded 15 billion rubles. The reputation of the organization was badly shaken, large suppliers tore up contracts, and banking organizations began to demand an urgent return of all loans.

Large financial losses were avoided, as an international investment group issued a loan for a very large amount. Then the controlling stake from the previous owner was bought out, and the new owner began to carry out a set of anti-crisis measures.

For example, staff costs have been greatly reduced. In particular, wages reduced to the minimum, the bonus system was completely eliminated, the management level was cut in half. The measures are undoubtedly tough, but they yielded results, the company lost only 1% of sales.

But significant mistakes were also made: a large number of experienced employees simply refused to work in the new conditions, and truly qualified specialists were lost. As a result, many serious competitors have emerged.

From this we can conclude that the austerity regime on employees provokes completely undesirable phenomena. Still, the approach should be more flexible.

Companies offering crisis management services

Enterprise management in a crisis situation is a complex procedure. How effectively everything will pass depends largely on the specialists who develop and implement the necessary processes.

We bring to your attention a small overview of companies that offer services at a high professional level:

BusinessHelper.

The company operates in all regions of the country, is engaged in management consulting. Conducts deep diagnostics of the company and takes into account all the specific features of a particular organization.

Navigator-Consult.

The company has been operating on the market for 14 years. All specialists of the company are certified and have appropriate certificates. The company offers its clients audit, consulting and appraisal services.

RESTCONSALT.

The specialization of this company is and.

She offers the following range of services:

Crisis management services;
Services to support the activities of establishments;
Brokerage and auditing services.

Conclusion

Summarize. Thanks to competent anti-crisis management, it is possible to successfully overcome the difficult situation at the enterprise. Even if your company doesn't have enough cash, the problem can be solved.

And I would like to express my wishes to our readers: let the topic that we discussed today not touch upon, and the information obtained from the article serve as just theoretical material.

Last week, several companies invited me for a consultation, and the question they asked was very interesting: “What advice would you give us in case a crisis breaks out? what to refuse, what to do to minimize the impact of a possible crisis, what priority measures to take? "

First of all, I would like to note that it is encouraging that companies are thinking about preventive measures in the event of a crisis, because "he who is forewarned is armed."

My general opinion on the crisis is that the crisis is good. It is useful in the sense that the crisis encourages, makes you think and from the outside, more critically evaluate the effectiveness of employees and business processes, create and implement new opportunities to increase customer satisfaction, and is the name of the external force that forcibly takes management out of the comfort zone.

My advice can be divided into three main points:

1. Cost control: quantitative and qualitative

2. Measures to build a team

3. Improving relationships with existing customers.

Cost control.

FULL control over finances. I have emphasized the word "full" because companies, which feel that they have complete control over expenses, in real crisis times can find a large number of those expenses that could have been avoided.

All those additional structures and people that do not add real value to business processes, increase customer satisfaction and business in general and are beautiful, but still business accessories, in times of crisis can be "financial" ballast for the company.

It is no secret that during a crisis, the first thing that comes to a manager's mind is to cut costs. But which costs need to be optimized, which ones should be completely abandoned - this is a question that will affect how the company cope with the impact of the crisis and can get out of it.

Unfortunately, as my experience of previous years shows, the first item of expenses that the company's management tries to cut in a crisis is the reduction of advertising and salaries. These are the items of expenditure that I always suggest, if not to increase in times of crisis, then at least not to touch. The word "increase" in this case has two meanings: to increase in an absolute, quantitative meaning and to increase in a qualitative meaning.

Another point that you should definitely pay attention to is the item of salary costs. I have always repeated and will repeat again - salaries are given to employees not for the time spent in the company, but for the effectively spent time. Along with this, it is not the number of personnel in the company that is important, but the qualitative composition and effectiveness of each person individually and of the entire team as a whole.

I do not advise to reduce and cut people's salaries, referring to the crisis - on the contrary, by increasing the quality of the team and the personal effectiveness of each employee, to give each employee the opportunity to earn even more through the implementation of various motivation systems that are designed to directly influence sales growth, and thus profitability and the company's profitability. As a result, employees will be interested in increasing the efficiency of the company, improving relationships with customers, and at the same time they will also earn money.

In NO case should you forget that cost management is very important activity, but this process should not move to the level of a panacea and total cost reduction. In cost management it is necessary to observe the "golden mean" rule, otherwise "cost control" will mean cost savings at the expense of quality.

When cutting costs, care must be taken to ensure that it does not translate into total and absolute reductions, so that short-term solutions do not echo in the long term. Reducing advertising and marketing expenses, measures and activities to improve the skills of employees can lead to the fact that the company, having won the battle, will lose the war. And the company is entering a vicious circle - less spending on staff development and less advertising - fewer customers and lower customer satisfaction - less revenue - even less training and staff development costs.

Team building

People are undoubtedly the main value of corporate life and one of the most key assets of the company. The task of a leader and one of the most important managerial competencies is the ability to rally a team around one goal, one idea and bring people from different education systems, families and people of different worldviews that differ from each other. Three people who are professionals in their field, without understanding with each other, cannot become a team, there will be no understanding and respect for each other, and most importantly, they will not profess the same principles in their work.

In a crisis situation, one of the important tasks of management is to create a psychological atmosphere and introduce such an organization of work in which people will be on one side of the barricades, and which would contribute to the creation of a team where people work shoulder to shoulder, while competing not with each other, but with external circumstances, in this case - with a crisis situation.

This is the state called "synergy", which determines the "chemical composition" of the team, when the number of people turns into quality, and the psychological state is a coefficient that converts the number of people into quality, turning a group of people into like-minded people, partners, friends. And the connecting "cement" in such a group is such intangible objects as respect, faith, future promising common success.

Improving relationships with existing customers

As my experience as a manager, consultant, as well as a consumer of various products and services on the market shows, the service system in almost all areas in our country leaves much to be desired. There are many companies that focus on their quality of service in their advertising and marketing activities, but in fact, do nothing but loud words and empty promises for the sake of the satisfaction of their customers.

Building the right relationships with clients, and not just relationships, but emotionally colored relationships will allow the company to get out of the crisis with less losses.

Identifying dissatisfied and dissatisfied customers, closer communication with consumers, conducting a mini-survey on the customer base can allow short time find out your weaknesses, the elimination of which will lead, if not to an increase in the customer base, then at least to retain and increase the loyalty of the one that already exists.

As an ordinary consumer of a large number of different goods and services, I have very rarely come across the fact that the company, of which I am a regular client, is interested in me and my satisfaction. Constant contact with the consumer, identifying its weaknesses will allow the company to increase its income with much lower costs. The first thing I advise managers is to crawl out of their offices and spend more time on the "front".

I know very well from my experience as a consumer that, having come to a store with the decision to buy a product of a certain brand and having met with an indifferent, cold and superficial attitude towards myself as a customer, I simply left this place and went to a competitor.

Unfortunately, most companies in our country treat many aspects of business and service in particular from the point of view of "buying" - they buy territories, buildings, equipment, software for fabulous money, and do not spend minuscule compared to these expenses on choosing the right people and on their competent training. The result is the same "we wanted the best, but it turned out as always."

And such critical factors from the client's point of view, how responsiveness, attention, communication culture are left without proper control, and each employee treats the client in accordance with their personal standards.

And the last thing I would like to emphasize: quality service has a multiplier effect, multiplying the results of advertising and marketing activities, and as a result, what is considered the most the best advertisement companies - by word of mouth, when consumers themselves recommend services and products to their environment.

It is impossible to ignore this fact, since it is reality. In various industries, the market decreased by 10-15% compared to last year and, according to analysts, the decline will continue until at least 2018. For businessmen, hard times have come, but this does not mean that life has stopped and the “countdown” mechanism has started. We need to learn to survive even in a crisis!

During times like these, leaders tend to think about the most pressing issues:

how to cut costs?
how to stop the decline in sales?
how to attract new buyers?
where to get money to pay bills?
what payments should be made first?
how to make counterparties pay faster without losing them as clients?

However, forward-looking companies in times of crisis do not stop innovative activity, since it is rightly believed that such a step would be tantamount to defeat. On the contrary, in difficult times, they develop new strategies to support the business, using anti-crisis marketing technology.

What is crisis marketing?

Anti-crisis marketing means the search for hidden market opportunities, which are usually ignored and left for a rainy day. Knowledge of such a nuance allows not only to stop the fall of the market or its separate segment, but also to ensure growth even in times of crisis.

There are two key metrics: market size based on sales and market size based on needs. The second indicator, as a rule, exceeds the first several times. This means that buyers have a need to purchase a product, but for some reason it is not realized, and the product remains in the warehouse. The difference between the second and the first indicators reveals the under-received volume of sales, that is, the hidden market opportunities. The task of anti-crisis marketing is to offer customers what meets their real needs.

Some people have a clear idea of the product they are willing to buy. They spend a lot of time looking for the right model, style or color, bypassing stationary outlets browsing the pages of online stores. Not finding what they were looking for, they do not buy another instead of the desired product, but continue to hope that after all, someone will offer them exactly it. In this case, the need will be satisfied, and the sale will take place.

But needs are not formed by themselves, but under the influence of an idea. In other words, an idea is introduced into a person that turns him into a consumer and motivates him to buy a product that allows him to realize this idea.

Reassure yourself sincerely that you really want to beat the competition and emerge victorious from the crisis. How do you do this when there is a pile of unpaid bills on the table? One of our clients was in this condition at the end of last year. Over the past few months, he has recruited new employees and is thinking about expanding the business further. There is no single recipe, but the tips below may help you.
Focus on building your team together. The saying “one in the field is not a warrior” is now more relevant than ever. Do not try to take everything upon yourself or completely pass on to one of the subordinates. Recall the well-known example of a broom that can be easily broken in separate twigs, but cannot be completely broken. Look for solutions together. Become the initiator and leader of regular brainstorming sessions. Transform your employees into like-minded people. It's not as difficult as it sounds. Surely they do not want to be left without work and understand how difficult it is to find one in a crisis.
Be sure to encourage employee initiative. If not materially, then at least morally. People should feel that something depends on them, that they are of value to the company. The textbook example of Japanese corporations that do not disregard a single proposal from their employees aimed at improving the company's performance is a vivid illustration of what can be achieved with this approach to business organization.
Understand yourself and your true desires. Be honest with yourself. Very often people do not at all what they really want to do. If running a company is a heavy burden for you, then you can hardly really beat the competition until you create a system of internal incentives for yourself. Answer your question sincerely: why do I need all this? If you are honest and try to “get to the bottom of the truth,” you may be very surprised by the results of your analytical research.
When developing a system of motivation, remember that money is certainly an important, but by no means the dominant factor in determining human behavior. Recently, through one of the mailings, I received an interesting material about the results of another study by foreign scientists. Interesting new toys were bought for two groups of preschool children. One group was allowed to play these toys when and how they wanted, and the children of the other group were encouraged each time after the game. Do you know what happened after a while? Children, accustomed to being encouraged, completely stopped playing on their own, without external stimulation, and children from another group continued to enjoy the very process of playing. You can draw your own conclusions.
When setting goals, remember to be specific, measurable and achievable.... Oddly enough, this simple rule allows you to achieve very significant results. One of our clients who did not have higher education, managed to build a fairly large business, methodically following the recommendations he received at the courses he completed at the school of managers. Each day he ended up setting goals for the next day for his employees. He did not use a computer, he wrote by hand, but, as he was taught, the goals were specific, measurable and achievable. The result exceeded expectations.
Be sure to analyze your successes and failures. Try to understand why you succeeded and what led to failure. This will allow you to formulate rules for yourself and your employees that will help you achieve the desired results. It is better if you discuss successes and failures together with your team members.
Think about where you are limiting yourself and your business. Most people, especially middle-aged and older people, are conservative in nature. Life experience allows us to avoid many mistakes, but - alas! - becomes a natural internal limiter of our development. Are there any new applications for your products and services? Shouldn't you expand your assortment? Have you gone overboard interesting ideas promotion? Do you often feel that other people are saying stupid things?
Don't limit your life and the lives of your employees to work. Only a person whose life is balanced can be successful. Work is certainly important, but by no means the only part of life. If employees have time for personal life, sports, hobbies, professional and personal growth, then the business will only benefit from this.
Try to achieve your goals and follow the rules you set. Resist the temptation to constantly procrastinate and seek excuses. The result will not be long in coming.

The crisis forces us to reconsider the company's strategy, take a fresh look at the business and look for new incentives for development. With the right behavior, it can become a time for realizing emerging opportunities, allowing you to increase your market share, optimize business processes, and facilitate the acquisition of new partners.

Of course, not everyone will be able to pass the "baptism by fire". Particularly heavy losses await small business, which is most vulnerable during the crisis. The viability of a company depends on how its owner will behave in the near future. There are several rules to follow in order to try to protect your business from fatal losses.

1. One of the most important measures in a crisis is to reduce costs to the lowest possible level. It is better to postpone expensive repairs or complex marketing research until quieter times. Analyze the prices of your suppliers' competitors - you may find someone whose prices are more favorable, this will also save you money.

Evaluate the effectiveness of each employee and part with those who do not bring much benefit. Now you have a good opportunity to optimize your staff. But here it is also important not to overdo it, otherwise there will simply be no one to work. There should be just enough employees to run the business.

2. Streamlining finances, reducing risk appetite. Reduce the amount of loans as much as possible. If demand for your products falls, monthly loan payments can ruin you. It is better to get rid of foreign currency loans altogether: to repay them ahead of schedule, if there is such an opportunity, or to try to negotiate with the bank about their re-registration in rubles.

If it’s not possible at all without new loans, then at least choose a bank that does not raise lending rates. After the Central Bank raised its key rate to 17%, rates on loans for small and medium-sized businesses in many banks soared to 30% per annum and higher. But all the same it was possible to find banks that gave loans at lower interest rates.

3. Review the list of your debtors, leave only those whose financial solvency does not cause any doubts in you. End relationships with those who delay payments. If a company pays irregularly during peacetime, the situation will get worse during a crisis.

4. For those companies whose business is tied to imports, it makes sense to look for its domestic counterparts. If this is not possible, it is worth insuring currency risks. This can be done using forward foreign exchange contracts, which allow you to fix the exchange rate on the day of the contract, and buy it at a later date. If during this time the exchange rate of the ruble depreciates, this will protect you from losses.

5. Streamline reporting, take measures to improve its efficiency and transparency. Transparent reporting will give you an advantage both in negotiations with potential investors and in dealing with regulatory authorities.

6. Attracting money to the company. Consider which assets you can sell, lease, or mortgage if the situation worsens. Real estate, machinery, equipment - all this can be tried to be sold or used as collateral to pay off debts, and the premises can also be leased.

In times of crisis, growth opportunities are given to companies in sustainable sectors that have no appetite for credit risk. For example, among our clients there is a company - a manufacturer of economy-class paper napkins, which in 2008 reoriented to products for other market segments and "ate" part of the market from its premium competitor. When people start counting money, it always plays into the hands of manufacturers of cheaper products.

Also pay attention to government purchases or tenders that are carried out by large companies. Perhaps you will find new customers or open up new sales markets. It is common knowledge that being close to “big money” can help you get through a crisis more easily. In the United States, for example, at the height of the Great Depression, the construction of highways began. The government wanted thanks to road construction reduce unemployment, and thus construction companies have a good chance of survival.

8. Pay special attention to the sales system, increasing its efficiency. Adjust the target audience of your product consumers. Develop new regulations and incentives for salespeople. Use the advertising opportunities of the Internet. If possible, arrange promotions and special offers - this will attract additional customers.

9. Restructuring or re-profiling. Think in advance if there are niches in the market where your company could go in the event of a strong drop in demand. For example, a tailoring company may well turn into a clothing repair company as an anti-crisis measure. In a crisis, people buy less new things, but they repair more often.

10. And, perhaps, the most important thing. Do not spoil relations with partners and creditors, even if the situation is trying to force you to do so. If you understand that you will not be able to fulfill obligations on time, be sure to inform the bank or partner about it. Honestly warn about the difficulties that have arisen and remember that the bank is interested in finding a mutually acceptable solution with you. First of all, your reputation depends on how honestly and openly you interact with partners, and, unlike the crisis, it will remain with you forever.

Like a tsunami or typhoon, the crisis will not last forever, sooner or later it will end. People living near hazardous areas cannot avoid a natural disaster, but they try to prepare well for it - strengthen the walls of the house, build a defense, stock up on food for future use. It's the same in business: the better you prepare for tough times, the better the chances that your company will be able to survive them without dramatic losses. It has long been known that it is not the smartest who survive in a crisis, but the most organized.

What is worth working with?

Products, services

Offer an advantageous packaging option if you are selling in small batches to those on a budget. Come up with something new. Develop your products and services. If you come up with something that can make clients more successful, effective, then you will immediately win them over.
Forget the price hikes now. Yes, it should cost more, yes, your expenses have increased. This is unfair, but a wave of negative reviews about your company is useless. In addition, it is hard for clients now.
It is worth revising the range of products and services offered. Some of them, of course, are necessary, they must be left. It should be borne in mind that those who had a lot of money will remain active clients. The averages will start saving and biding their time. It is optimal that the assortment includes cheap and expensive products.
Don't regret giving up some foods. What is sold must be sold; what is selling better must be sold in large quantities. And you always have to offer a choice.
Many products and services require specialized knowledge to use. Therefore, you should think about free information regarding this.
It is worth considering which of the products you can sell cheaper to your own regular customers, it is important to tell them about it. Optimally pack and update products with this offer. Sometimes the forgotten old becomes popular with the new. It is worth showing what you have new.

Clients

Good relationships are important in times of crisis. Human nature does not change only thanks to economic change... People only buy from people they trust. Clients always feel relevant to them.
Take the time to fully communicate with the client. It is very easy to do business from the office, promote products and services over the phone. But you can miss out on a number of opportunities without having a live conversation with the client.
You should thank your customers. It is also imperative to encourage them if they recommend to someone the goods and services of your company. Have clients bring in a few more who may also become clients. This, of course, should be rewarded; possible bonuses and discounts should be thought out.
All clients should be kept up to date. They need to send letters, call, tell them what new methods have begun to be applied. If you do not tell them about it, then perhaps they will never know about it. You need to show them how they are trying to make them happy.
It's important to be flexible. Your ideal client may be a large company, but there is no way to meet all of its needs. You need to start paying attention to smaller companies and helping them. It is important to learn to maneuver. Is there a bonus system for clients? If not, then it should be formed. Alternatively, customers can make one of the purchases at a lower price.
It is worth parting with bad clients. Now is the time to focus on the best, those who pay on time. From those who only take time, giving nothing in return, you need to get rid of. It is important to remember that clients do not care about you, your knowledge or your problems. They are concerned only with their own interests, only with their own “I” - what will I get from what I put in you? If they are worried about something else, you definitely need to find out about it.
In order not to be unnecessary, you should ask those clients who do not want cooperation about the reasons. You can write to them after a while and offer a substantial discount. In a crisis, everyone will look at the price, this must be remembered. Those for whom this is paramount, more demanding, they can be pretty tiring in the pursuit of the best price-quality ratio.
You should always look for great new clients. Because if you act as always, then the result will be the same as always.

The target audience

It is important to clearly understand the client. How can you make him happy? What can be done for him today? You need to come up with at least 5 "quick and cheap" chips for clients. It is important to find and realize an opportunity so that new clients of your company could contact, communicate with old ones. This is The best way to show their reliability, to be imbued with sympathy and trust among clients.
If it becomes known that one of the key customers has decided to terminate cooperation, this can cause unpleasant emotions, sometimes panic. But it is important to remember that such a situation is entirely possible and to be flexible in order to cope with these changes. But if the client is simply dissatisfied with something, this can be corrected - by offering a discount or replacing the employee who worked with him. However, in the absence of mutual understanding, it is worth accepting the loss and moving on.
Through negotiations with clients, you can find out not only what they are unhappy with, but also understand what should be changed in the business, which strategy is correct.
The fact of the loss of a serious client will quickly become known, and it is very possible that others will react by leaving. It is important to draw the right conclusions. You should always pay attention to marketing. You need a plan and strict adherence to it.

Sales and Marketing

If communication with clients on the phone is difficult, you can send them letters with an offer to visit the company's website. Once they become familiar with the information available, it will be easier to communicate with them.
It is important to remember that 80% of all commercial offers are triggered only after the fifth call. But only 5% of sellers make more than 4 calls.
It is worth calling those people who control cash flows. Perhaps the time has come to negotiate not with the manager, but with the director - at this level, decisions are made faster. In their promotions you need to focus on the fact that you are a seller, and advertising should provide sales.
It is worth analyzing the marketing activities of the company over the past year (ads, direct marketing, internet marketing, PR, telephone marketing). It is important to analyze what was expected, what was achieved, how much was spent, what could be improved. All meetings with clients are not a courtesy call, but a way to achieve a goal. You need to find an argument why you need to buy from your company, tell your customers about it.
If you can't be in the office all the time, you can write down the company's website address on the answering machine so that the client can independently familiarize himself with the products and place an order.
It is important to add value to each order. It is worth calling each of the clients. If there are some that are difficult to reach, you can invite them to a personal meeting. Such clients should be given the necessary information about the company, about the opportunities available to it. This will help you get closer to the client. It is worth considering whether customers can be used as sellers, how they can recommend your company, how many friends and acquaintances they can bring.
It is worth considering how long ago the job ads were viewed. If a job is offered that is in your area of expertise, you need to call and offer your services as a consultant.
Every advertisement placed in the box should be reviewed. Perhaps this business needs help and services.
It is important to help new clients feel at home. When selling specific products, products, the use of which requires special knowledge, skills, etc., appropriate explanations should be given. If products are sold for parents, then you should be ready to meet the children of these parents.
You can find out the addresses of the newly created enterprises. Perhaps someone can become a new client. In difficult times, this is an urgent decision. It is important to show clients the capabilities of the enterprise in their field, the solutions to their problems.
It is worth communicating with clients, trying to answer questions - who has been worried about them lately, who has tried to solve their problems. It is important to be able to conduct a dialogue with clients, listen to them, ask more questions, call, meet with them. New customers can be offered substantial discounts, making them more loyal to your business easier. Good customer relationships now are a solid foundation for the future.

Internet

It is necessary to maintain and develop the company's website, create an online store. When sending letters to customers, you can offer them to choose whether they need a subscription to the newsletter.
The site of the enterprise should be useful, actual information... The more it is, the more confidence in the site of the company and the company itself. If people want to get depressed, let them do it elsewhere, not on your website. For this, there are newspapers with bad news. It is important that professionals are engaged in the creation, content, development and promotion of the site.
It is worth helping site visitors with various tips. When selling over the internet, you should always keep track of your competitors' prices. It is important to keep in mind that many people are looking for a cheaper product.
You can sell from the site eBooks, create tutorials. In some cases, it is worth changing your view of the site. It is advisable to analyze the content of the site, to answer the question whether it meets the requirements and requests of customers during the crisis. Useful and relevant content will definitely attract new visitors to the site.
If the work on increasing the number of clients has not yet begun, it is important not to postpone it until later. You can start with a mailing list, where you can tell about new products of the enterprise. To make a good business proposal, you just need to know the needs of the customers. It is important to remember that everyone wants to feel special, important, and chosen.
You can print the content of the main pages of the site and analyze them. It is worth putting yourself in the user's shoes and considering whether it is easy to find what you need on this site. It is important that the visitor likes the site, that he stays on it and comes back again and again.

Staff

You have to take care of your best employees, a crisis is not the right time to lose your team. It is important to reward those who do well.
Sellers need to be trained. In order not to waste time on personal training, you can organize video conferencing. Work on the communication skills of staff. Every client that your employees communicate with must be served at the highest level. It is very important for the staff to understand such attitudes, since it depends on whether your company will survive in a crisis.
It is important to value your time and the time of your staff, and to place emphasis correctly. The competence of the staff is of great importance. It is worth considering what needs to be improved, what new knowledge employees are lacking. Taking the opportunity to raise the level of knowledge of the staff is the right decision. In addition, training during a crisis can be cheaper.
You should make it clear to the staff that you are interested in where the money is spent, how much and why. You need to teach employees not to make unnecessary purchases. It is also important that employees during working hours are engaged in business, and not solve their own private issues.
It is important to try not to reduce wages, to adequately assess the contribution of each. Make it clear to employees that they need to treat customers in a special way. It is worth hiring nice people to work.