Easy Peasy

In my last blog I mentioned we have recently won new business. In fact we have secured several new accounts. This is very positive but experience tells us that our resources get pushed a little harder for a short while.

New customers initially require intense support but over a month or two, things settle down as they transition to the DrivenByQ way of working. It is simple to use our online booking system but only with practise do customers actually believe this.

For some reason, new customers often presume the booking process will be complicated, confused and even a source of conflict. This makes us question how their previous supplier managed information and storage of it.

At DrivenByQ we understand why it is so important to manage information efficiently! Quite simply, it keeps customers happy, makes their life easier, saves money and most of all, provides us with security.

Blog 101, Onwards And Upwards

Recently I read a Tweet saying ‘entrepreneurs live a few years of their life like no one else will, so they can live the rest of their life like no one else can’. The author was undoubtedly referring to the sacrifice and effort a business owner makes.

It takes unwavering belief and commitment to invest so much time and effort without the guarantee of accomplishment or even a decent living. The energy, enthusiasm and determination will take a persistent battering too.

Reflecting on this year, it has been disruptive, sometimes extreme and at other times, uncertain with overwhelming pressure. It has repeatedly challenged my motivation but I’m glad to say, the hard work is paying off.

We have secured substantial new business, there is more in the pipeline and existing customers are travelling more. In reality, we couldn’t be in a better position. Now is not the time to stop and marvel though - it is the time for even more motivation and even stronger belief.

Chauffeur Blog Of The Century

So here it is! Blog 100! In all honesty, when I started a ‘chauffeur blog’ I wondered if I’d still be writing original content after authoring this many. Initially, the blog was meant to enhance the presence of DrivenByQ on the Internet and demonstrate technically proficiency but nowadays it is so much more important than that. It plays a major role in my thought process each week and it forces me to focus on topics very analytically.

Looking back over previous blogs many posts attempted to differentiate DrivenByQ from other chauffeur companies. Mentioning how our mobile technology and processes are so far ahead should have triggered a deep thought process for anyone still using pen and paper. Strangely as the ‘cloud’ becomes more main stream DrivenByQ is reaching a similar level of maturity.

Thinking about IT, the truth is, I like to plan ahead. Even if obsessive sometimes, I think it is a key strength. Looking toward the future and visualising what our operation could be like helps engineer out many of the problems a growing business encounters. It ultimately prevents crisis situations occurring when demands on the business increase or systems are pushed beyond their original requirements.

Coincidentally Blog 100 comes at a time when we are achieving the aspirations of our original business plan so it is time to revisit all that we do and ask if our processes are still fit-for-purpose. The Toyota Lean Principlesadopted by DrivenByQ work well but when I recently toured one of their factories, I experienced something never mentioned in any of the books! It was eerie. It felt clinical and obsessive about theory. There was a distinct lack of fire fighting or mayhem sometimes associated with production environments.

Seeing this for real was a valuable lesson. Witnessing such little drama combined with genuine objectivity regarding the process provoked me in to recognising we need to implement this principle at the heart of any future plans. We certainly have the time and the money and the opportunity available like never before. It makes me ask, if the resources are in place to support rapid growth, constant improvements and continual development, what will happen to the future of DrivenByQ?

Almost There

Welcome to Blog 99. It’s an odd number 99. It poses all sorts of conundrums. Just take 99% for example. It sounds great to some people but for others, it leaves 1% uncertainty or room for improvement. Or how about 99 widgets – wouldn’t you rather have a nice round hundred?

For me 99% is very relevant right now because the three year plan we had at the inception of DrivenByQ Ltd back in 2007 has almost run its course – yes we have had setbacks due to the global recession but we have achieved our original goals (although it took two years longer than expected).

 

So in reality, it is time to sit down and create a new business plan. It is especially relevant now we have our second operation up and running. This in itself has brought challenges we didn’t anticipate and it has highlighted our original business model needs adjustment.

 

Apart from a new business plan and evolving our business model, we should also analyse and dissect our culture too. After all why would any member of our team want to persistently put in time and effort to grow a business if they are never rewarded or acknowledged for it?