Week #4 - Operations - Laura Bowen

This week I had a chance to look through all of the sections and there seemed to be an abundant amount of information in this unit.  I found specific resources and information useful, while other applications seemed irrelevant.

   The section on inventory management had some excellent information for tracking products and supplies.  From my own experience this aspect of business can be a real headache and you have to figure out a way to protect yourself from theft.  If I were doing a business course, I would use this section for a group exercise in class. I would have students set up a inventory management plan for a fictitious business using a specific list of products and supplies.

  The section on maximizing capacity gave examples of  excel spreadsheets that could be put into  use with minimum training or work.  The examples on how to prioritize your time seemed very basic. Why would you even have a category for “tasks not to do?” I think having a daily, weekly, monthly schedule would be much more efficient for business time management.

  Hiring staff can get very complicated.  While the section covered the basics for developing applications and interviewing, there was a lot it left out including tax forms, unemployment insurance, background checks, insurance plans, benefits, workman’s comp.  These costs really add up and can make you think twice about adding employees.

  The managing contacts section was helpful.  I frequently write down people’s names and information on pieces of paper and then when I need anything I have to go through “The Pile.”

However, I was left a little unclear about what program they were using to collect the information?

  Overall, this was a useful section with resources I would go back to.

   

Week 4 - Managing Contacts

This section has been one of the most useful for me.  I use contact but, had not been using it fully. This section has allowed me to gain tools that I can use to better manage my many customers and networking folks.  I agree with Stephanie's post that the "note" section can also be a huge support as you record pertinent data that can assist in building bridges and supporting relationships with both new and established clientele.

With this new information, I am currently looking through my contact database, adding info, deleting outdated info, and reorganizing this pool of info.  I feel certain that it will become a more usable tool in this new light.

Charlene

Reflections on inventory management and maximizing capacity

I chose to do maximizing capacity first. I totally connected with Ming. I feel like that would be me. Trying to do everything and make everyone happy and then over committing myself and not getting anything done.  I thought this was a valuable lesson because as new entrepreneurs start out they are excited to accept any and all orders.  This exercise gives them a reality check.  I could incorporate this lesson into my FSSE course by stressing that the same thing happens when we take on too many courses at a time and don't realize how much time it is going to take outside of class.

Additionally I looked at the managing inventory module.  I thought this module was very helpful in understanding how the different products for managing inventory are actually suited differently for different types of businesses. I didn't really see a way to directly relate the information to my current FSSE curriculum but I think it is a lesson that would be interesting to students.

Reflections Week 4: HIring Staff

I have hired hundreds of people as a hotel manager, and I was interested to see how this module would be presented.  I liked the way they gave candidate resumes and the interview and reference check protocols.  In my supervision and leadership class I have the students review applications and develop interview questions.   I question the need for each small business to develop its own application, though.  There are templates for these everywhere. Also, small businesses can easily make mistakes asking inappropriate questions.  The module did point out that you should check with your local laws to make sure you aren't asking inappropriate questions.  For example, in this module they asked dates of high school and college completion.  This isn't done in private industry in the U.S., because it violates the ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act).  It's pretty easy to figure out someone's age based on the years they attended high school.  The ADEA protects those 40 and up.   Clearly these modules are intended for an international audience.

Reflections on Managing Contact Information by Stephanie Phillips

I did find this weeks modules much more interesting and useful. My favorite module was "Managing Contact Information" because I find myself getting lost in all of the daily operations and tasks that I need to complete. I am certainly going to use this information to help organize my schedule. I found it easy to use. I enjoyed the activity in which you record important infomation about the customer during a phone call. I also liked the idea that you could set reminders of tasks such as calling a customer back.
As a dental hygienist in private practice, I found it valuable to record certain facts about each patient in their patient file such as "just had grandchild" or "daughter just left for college" so that I could follow up with that patient at their next visit. It would always impress the patient that I actually remembered that simple fact about them and it helped build rapport. I could use this information to show my students how to keep up with each patient. It is a much better way to stay organized.

week 3-Social Media

Recently I used social media to promote a stage production that was seen as a business venture.  My daughter is a marketing rep and schooled me in using fb ads and the like. This was quite helpful since I had not yet had this course. I appreciated all of the information presented in this section and agree that social media is a powerful tool in out techno-friendly world.

I'm looking forward to the other sections of this training package.

Week 4_Hiring Staff_Brenda Beach

Hiring staff has always seemed like a crap shoot to me.  I have used a lot of the techniques offered in this learning module, and they certainly cut down on the likelihood of choosing the wrong candidate. But, hiring is still my least favorite aspect of being in a management position. 

A lot of my distaste for hiring has to do with an inability to predict who is really going to stay in the position long enough to actually learn the job and become able to work autonomously. Sometimes the person who is over or under qualified on paper is a good bet as someone whose credentials seem to be a perfect fit.

I will use the information from this module to help students think about how they will handle questions in an interview about their ability to fill the prospective employer’s needs. Sometimes people looking for a job don’t actually think about the skills and abilities they will need to perform in their career field. So, I think I’ll include some scenario development activities that include mock interviews with employers who ask tough questions.