Owning your own business is exhilarating. If you are passionate and successful there are days you cannot believe people pay you to do what you do. There are also days when the challenges become overwhelming and you find yourself in the uncomfortable world of “Plan B.” Successful business owners plan for the inevitable snafu, others rely on crossed fingers and rabbit feet.
Contractors
Every business owner should have a solid list of dependable contractors in their Plan B emergency kit. These firms are vetted prior to being listed, with quality, pricing, lead and turn-around time carefully noted. A company-wide chicken pox outbreak is not the time to begin looking into Jack’s A-1 Advertising Firm’s reputation. Smart Note: Establish a contractor’s agreement and a rapport with companies in advance. Price negotiation and calamine lotion do not mix well.
Small and micro businesses may balk at the thought of working with possible competitors or cutting into profits by outsourcing. We don’t advise going to a direct competitor – if a Pepsi truck has a flat, it’s unlikely they’ll go to a Coke distributor for Fix-a-Flat. A freelancer; writer, designer, etc. – plug intended – is more likely a suitable option. These professionals are able to produce quality material with less lead time and with a quicker turnaround. They will charge a higher price for rush items, however, keeping a deadline and the client is what is important. The premium price of quality work in a flash is well worth it.
Protection
Working with contractors can be intimidating, however protecting your company’s reputation and client’s information is item number one. Contractor and confidentiality agreements are standard operating procedures. It’s not enough to send out an agreement with the project information, have those agreements in hand and filed prior to releasing any information. Remember, Plan B is not negotiation time, it is problem resolution time. Getting projects or services dispatched quickly means less headaches on your end and seamless service experience for the client. Smart Note: A gentleperson’s agreement via email won’t hold up well in court and carries less impact to discourage negative contractor behavior in this age of oversharing.
Production
“Trust and pray” works well for many things, last minute contracting or outsourcing may not be one of them. Add verify and review to your T & P. If there is a last minute emergency, snafu or whoopsie daisy and you bring on a contractor, but do not stop to check their work, verify everything is correct, complete and up to your company’s and your client’s standards you are asking for trouble. You might as well call up Murphy and ask him to specifically lay down the law on your project. Your company, your project, your client? Your final review.
Contractors, freelancers, etc. are the first line of defense against the currents of life and business. Your Plan B is not complete until you’ve got a few interviewed, verified and ready to go. Need help locating them? Try your local and state Chamber of Commerce, small business associations and business journals for local contractors; and online trade magazines, websites and social media groups for contractors and freelancers locally, regionally and beyond.
March is going out like a lion at Clarke Columbus Consulting!
