Exploring New Business Models in Healthcare

In this blog, we identify problems in healthcare sector (especially Kerala) like hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and try to explore new business models that can help ease customer pains or bring new customer experiences.

This is an open forum, where anyone can post their ideas and suggestions, for anyone to get inspired and use in their business.

Those suggestions which we feel worth special mention will be mentioned by us in the blog itself, with reference to the person who suggested it.

Why You Should Do An Industry Research

Why Industry Research Matters?

Many times, promoters of new ventures ignore the trends that are happening in the industry on a global and national scale. They fall so much in love with their business idea, that they get short-sighted and see only the opportunity at hand. This can lead to very sad consequences. Imagine spending millions on a venture that gets disrupted by new technology or a shift in customer preference, and the venture goes out of business. If only the promoter had the common sense, to look up to the industry and see a Tsunami coming, he could have spent that millions of investment, his time, and effort on something that had a better prospect. 

This is applicable to those managing businesses at the moment. Before embarking on major re-investments or expansions, you need to study the future of your industry. If it has disruptions coming up, better shift that investment and effort, to something that has better prospects.

Doing research on your industry is not all about preventing a disaster from happening. It can also be a good means to identify new opportunities.

5 Reasons Why You Should Do An Industry Research

Industry research helps in changing ahead of your competitors.

It is common sense that you need to do things your competitors are not doing to stay ahead of them. Sometimes, these new measures or initiatives may not be things that can be done the next day. Especially if it involves substantial investment into say production, infrastructure or new training and grooming of staff etc.
So if your business is able to find a new disruption on the horizon, and you take the time in advance to invest and be prepared for it. Then when it happens, your business will be ready for it, while your competitors will need months to be in your position. By this time, you can capture their market share.
When consulting new ventures, we at AASC, ensure we do Industry trend studies in our Market Feasibility Studies, to ensure that such opportunities are not missed. Also when providing management consulting services to existing businesses, we do a process called Market Audit, where apart from studying the market, competitors and the customers of the client, we also study the developments in the industry to provide apt advice for the present and future.

Industry research helps in becoming a market leader

To know where the market leads and by acting on the clue, means naturally becoming the pioneer and the market leader. 

Industry research helps in better branding

Becoming a market leader, a pioneer or a thought leader creates a strong brand image among the target customer segments. It also makes the competitors identify your business as an industry leader.

Industry research helps in better understanding customers

Industry trends are usually triggered by customer changes or technological changes. Or industry changes triggered by customer preference changes, triggered by technological changes. Understanding these changes in customer segments or preference, helps in better communication, promotion, advertising, implementing internal changes and host of other important preparations. 

AASC assists businesses in these changes by studying these trends, and analysing its impact on the business and making strategic and tactical recommendations. And assisting your business to implement and manage the implementation of the recommendations.

Industry research helps in the diversification 

Industry research reveals the possible changes that can result from factors affecting the industry from technology, politics, climate, laws and customer preference changes. Every change is an opportunity. It’s about a river changing its course, not drying up. So knowing the industry trends means identifying new opportunities and diversifying into those areas. In certain cases, such opportunities can be beyond the capacity of your business (technological, knowhow, resource or capital constraints). In such cases, the diversification can be to a totally different industry. 

AASC is a Business Strategy & Management Consulting firm that serves Promoters to study, plan and set up new ventures, and Entrepreneurs to manage or grow their business, in a professional manner. 

To know more about AASC services for new ventures, please visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-new-ventures-and-startups/

To know more about AASC services for businesses, please visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-business-growth-and-expansion/

Call: +91-7558-900-800 or email info@aascglobal.com

How Should A Director Board Operate?

Situation of Directors and Board of Directors

Many small and medium businesses that are registered as a Private Limited Company or Public Limited Company have Directors who are not functioning effectively or productively in Kerala.

Many companies see it as a statutory formality and hence do not take it seriously from a management point of view. Many give directorship positions to shareholders who invested a specific amount in the company, without considering what “value” they can add to the business. These directors may or may not be involved in the management or leading the firm. Some even give directorship to all its shareholders!

So when the very purpose of the Board is neglected or misunderstood, it is obvious that the Board of Directors won’t be adding a good value to the business. 

AASC can play a key role in professionalizing boards of companies

aascglobal.com

The real role of a Director Board

Ideally, the Board of Directors will have a Chairman, the Directors and a Managing Director.

The role of the Directors is to lead the company, not essentially managing it. The management is done by the CEO, and may be under the direct leadership of the Managing Director.

The role of the Board of Directors can be briefly listed as,

  1. Ensuring legal compliance 
  2. Ensuring the company and its management does not do anything that harms the shareholder interest
  3. Planning and monitoring the growth of the company
  4. Ensuring the company is operating as per its vision and mission. Creation of the vision.
  5. Assisting the management in problems that they find it difficult to solve. This requires technical knowledge and expertise from the director’s side.
  6. Designing or Approving Organization Structures, Systems, Policies, etc. Either the board has to do it, or engage consultants to do it, and then approve it
  7. Recruitment of senior employees (who will be recruiting the rest of the team). This includes the creation of the organization hierarchy, job descriptions, remuneration packages, and work culture principles.  Either the board does it, or appoints a consultant to do it, and finalize the selection. 
  8. Approve important financial transactions be it related to investment, buying of assets, or creation of liabilities, that the company management suggests
  9. Approve suggestions of the management with regards to the creation of reserves or payment of dividends
  10. The Board has to engage external agencies and consultants, to audit not just the financial performance of the business, but also do management audits to ensure that management is managing the business well. It will involve doing studies and surveys on employees (for employee satisfaction) and customers (for customer satisfaction). This will empower the Board with data, beyond the information provided by the Management

So as you can see, the role of the directors is not to do daily operations. But to be the guiding and monitoring force. It is part of the process of separating management from ownership.

What is wrong with our Director Boards?

But unfortunately, instead of the above-mentioned roles, most small and medium companies have managers who are given the title of directors, because they are also shareholders of the company.

This means the real function of the leading and direction does not happen. This is not an issue if the company does not have shareholders beyond the directors working as managers. 

But in companies, where there are several shareholders, this system can mean a lack of accountability and be a cause of direction loss. 

How Management Consultants Can Assist the Board of Directors?

 

Sometimes, the board of directors will require the assistance of external consultants (like AASC). Some of these situations can be,

  1. When the board of directors has an important decision to take and needs an external expert to give an opinion on the topic. This expert opinion is very useful to convince the shareholders
  2. When there is a crisis between the Board Members and important decisions are not possible, external consultants can help in resolving the matter 
  3. As part of reviewing the performance of the management in terms of management, employee satisfaction, and customer satisfaction, the board of directors can employ management consultants  to do the review and submit reports on the same  
  4. If it’s a new venture, the Board of Directors can engage business consultants to prepare the detailed strategy plan or detailed project report with feasibility studies and organization structuring

If you have any points, experiences to add, or if you don’t agree to the post, please comment below. 

Explore how AASC can help transform your business. Call now +91-7558-900-800

AASC is a Business Strategy & Management Consulting (aascglobal.com) firm that serves Promoters to study, plan and set up new ventures, and Entrepreneurs to manage and grow their business, in a professional manner. 

To know more about AASC services for new ventures, please visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-new-ventures-and-startups/

To know more about AASC services for businesses, please visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-business-growth-and-expansion/

Who Should Be In Your Board of Directors?

There is a general tendency among entrepreneurs to include those who invest ‘the most’ as directors. While this might look logical, it has many dangers for both the business and the shareholder himself. 

It has been found that, becoming the Director of a business, is seen as a special attraction to most investors. In fact, it is so popular that entrepreneurs promote it during their capital raising campaigns. But this is not a good method for businesses that have long-term plans and vision.

So what are the reasons why it’s a bad idea to have Directors who are there by virtue of the amount they invested?

  1. Directors are the people to lead the business to achieve its goals and vision. This requires good leadership skills, exposure, and vision. These qualities may not necessarily exist in the person who invests the highest. So having him on the board is not going to help. Instead, there are chances of his interference negatively affecting the business
  2. Directors are the people who should guide the business during bad times. They should have the maturity and capacity to guide the company’s top and middle management, to come out of the storm. On the other hand, a shareholder may not  necessarily possess these skills and knowledge and may not be able to contribute, or his contribution can have a negative impact
  3. Directors are part of the vision. And visions demand focusing on not just profitability or Return on Investment. It might involve investing in long-term assets, or low-income investments, or diversion of company profits to new expansions, or a substantial investment into branding, etc. But an investor need not always share that kind of vision. They are mostly in, to get a good return now, or a faster ROI. Hence, if they are on the board, they won’t be supporting such moves, hindering the progress of the company towards its goals
  4. Inability to take tactical or strategic decisions. As the saying goes, “Empty Kettle Rattles More”, investors who are on the board, whose only qualification is the investment they made, can make brainstorming a major headache as they come with suggestions and objections that are not qualified
  5. Some companies make the mistake of making every single investor a Director. Thereby having a ‘huge’ Director Board.  Most often these board members are not active. What is the use of having such a big board? It’s quite childish and should be avoided
  6. Some companies have NRI investors as Board members. Unless the investor has significant value to add it’s better to avoid such placements. As at times, when all directors have to sign certain legal compliance documents, it becomes a pain

It’s not just for the company, even investors should be careful before becoming a director. 

  1. “Sleeping Directors” or directors who are not really active in the company, and are just Directors for the “prestige” matter, should be careful. If the company does anything illegal, they can also get into trouble
  2. If the company has many directors, most of whom are outside the country, know that the company can have issues in smooth operations. Would an investor want to be in a company that will be having such issues?
  3. A company with several unqualified directors means that the company is not professional, does not have a vision, and is not going to last long or win big. A celebrity director does not qualify as a capable director. 

So ideally, when businesses are looking forward to new investments, they should not offer Directorship as an offer to investors. Instead, Directors should be handpicked from among the shareholders, who can really add value in the Board Meetings. Such capable people can be invited to be shareholders of the company. In fact, it always helps, if such people are made shareholders and directors first so that using their profile they can canvas the rest of the shareholders. 

Investors should opt to become a director, only if they feel safe and that they can offer real value in terms of ideas, management, and leadership to the company. Else it’s better to be safe as a shareholder. 

Investors can also form investment companies, and these investment companies can invest in other companies. In such situations, the Investment company’s representatives (who should be qualified) can also be board members of the companies in which they invest.

Action

So is your company having a strong Board? If not, it’s time to repair it. Because the first cause of business not growing can be a weak Board. “Repairing” the Board will involve reshuffling the Board, drafting new agreements and Corporate Governance, etc. 

It can be a sensitive matter. And has to be handled with care. It is a good idea to engage professional Management Consultants, to ensure no ego issues develop between Directors. And that the new change is in the right direction. At AASC we provide this service. 

If you have any points, experiences to add, or if you don’t agree to the post, please comment below. 

AASC is a Business Strategy & Management Consulting (aascglobal.com) firm that serves Promoters to study, plan and set up new ventures, and Entrepreneurs to manage and grow their business, in a professional manner. 

To know more about AASC services for new ventures, please visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-new-ventures-and-startups/

To know more about AASC services for businesses, please visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-business-growth-and-expansion/

Location Does Matter

One of the biggest mistakes that promoters make, is falling in love with a business idea and believe that the idea will succeed no matter where it’s based.

Many a time, entrepreneurs start businesses they “think” people want, and get so hyped up about it. So much so that, if they didn’t get the right place, they start anywhere available, believing that customers will come to them. And that might not actually happen. The business fails.

Promoters spend a lot of time, sometimes even years, trying to find that one big idea that will click. A business idea is an opportunity that has potential in a market. But having a ‘Eureka’ moment is not enough to jump-start it as a business. 

For a good business idea to win, it has to satisfy several criteria. In this post, the ‘Location’ is our topic.

What is the point of starting a business where there are no target customers? That is why, when it comes to location, the right market has to be selected. So what is a market? It can be a village, a city, a district, a region or a state, or even a country or several countries. But it needs to have the target customer segment in it.

Once the market is selected, comes the second step. The exact location of serving the clients. This is specifically important where customers or clients have to physically visit the premises. 

The location in the market is crucial. It has to be located where it’s closest to the target customer and is easily accessible and visible to them. That is the reason why shops that are based in the right street but the wrong building fails. Or based in the right building but the wrong floor fails. Or based on the right floor but the wrong area fails. Or based in the right street but wrong visibility fails. It’s a very important matter and it’s a shame when a great business idea fails just because the location was not right.

So why do entrepreneurs make this mistake when it sounds like common sense? Several factors can play here.

One reason is the non-availability of space in the ideal location. In which case, we as Management Consultants would advise not to start now and wait for the right location to come up, or move into another market where the right space is available.

The second reason is the high rental of the properties in the right location. This is a tough reality and one has to be careful here. When faced with such a situation, the entrepreneur has to evaluate how much rent is viable for the business. This might be complicated for most entrepreneurs. In such cases, it’s ideal to engage management consultants or management consulting firms (like AASC) to do a detailed analysis on the financial viability of the location, and check if that rent is viable. Sometimes, a location that has high rent can still be a profitable option.

The third reason can be impatience to do a proper study. Promoters or entrepreneurs can fall in love with an idea, that they simply want to start ASAP. They get hold of the first property and launch the business there. And as the days pass by and they witness lower footfalls, they realize that the location or the building or the floor is not ideal for their customers. Here we as management consultants, always ask our clients to take it easy and do a proper study. In fact, a typical study at AASC takes about 2-3 months to complete. With the market study taking about 30 to 45 days. With such a detailed study, the pros and cons are evaluated before making a final verdict of not just the location but the business itself. 

The fourth reason can be overconfidence. The illusioned belief that the product or service that the entrepreneur intends to provide to the customer is so much in demand, or the price is so attractive or the quality is so high that the customer will seek them, no matter where they are. In most cases, it does not work. And the business goes belly. But in some rare cases, it can work- for some time. This is when the customers really do need it and they take the pain of reaching you despite the trouble or the inconvenience. But the moment a competitor starts the same business in a more ideal location, all the customers will move to him. Why? Customers are not loyal to any shop or brand, they are loyal to those who provide them what they want, when they want, where they want it, and in the way they want it.

Conclusion:

Don’t kill a beautiful business idea by starting it in the wrong place. This is applicable not just to retail outlets, it’s applicable to any business be it manufacturing, hospitality, service, or education. Even online businesses, have to be careful of the locations they choose. And another place to watch out for is the location in Search Engines, as customers use it to search for businesses. If it’s not on the first page, it’s not in a good location online.

It’s always recommended to start a business after a proper study. Do good market research, select the right business model, design the right management plans and systems and assess its financial feasibility. And since entrepreneurs might get emotionally inclined towards their business idea, and because in most cases promoters are not trained to do these works professionally… it’s better to engage professional management consultants like AASC (aascglobal.com)

So location does matter.

Is Management Consulting really worth it? Does engaging Management Consultants really help improve a business?

Let me explain with an example, with an Apple.

Suppose I ask a group of people to draw a beautiful apple. And I place an apple before them.


Will the drawing of each person be the same?
Will it all look exactly like the real apple?

No, is the answer. Even if the apple is perfectly beautiful, the drawing capacity of the people makes it beautiful or ugly on their canvas.

Similarly, when appointed by a business to provide consulting, management consultants study the business and show the perfect method the business should follow (the apple), but it is the leadership (or drawing skills) of the Entreprenuer that determines what percentage of desired outcome is accomplished.

So is that the only role that consultant plays. No, depending on the capacity of the consultant they can more helpful.

To begin with, in real world the entrepreneur might not know what he really wants. There is so much noise by information that clarity of thought is normally lost. So as per our example, when the entrepreneur really needs an apple, he is looking at an orange or a watermelon. It’s the role of consultant to show him and make him focus on the apple.

Secondly, not all consultants are capable and perfect, like with any profession. So the quality of their advice depends on their capability. As per our example, it’s the difference between a consultant showing a fresh beautiful apple or a rotten apple. Both are apples, but one is relevant and the other is not.

Third, the right consultant is a guide, who will not only show you the right apple to draw but also helps you learn how to draw. The faster you learn to draw, the better, your drawing would be. In business it means, not just showing you what you should be doing, but also evaluating your performance and teaching you what you should do and when.

So for 100% result in transforming businesses, a good capable consultant and a good fast learning entrepreneur is essential.

That 100% will come down, depending on lowering the quality of the entrepreneur and the quality of the consultant.

Hope it was simple.

Do you agree or not? Share your thought.

To know more about how AASC can help you improve your business or prepare a feasibility study & strategy plan for your new ventures, please visit aascglobal.com

Exploring New Business Models for Kerala

In this blog, we identify problems in various sectors (especially Kerala) and try to explore new business models that can help ease customer pains or bring new customer experiences.

ഈ ബ്ലോഗിൽ, വിവിധ മേഖലകളിലെ (പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് കേരളത്തിലെ) പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ ഞങ്ങൾ തിരിച്ചറിയുകയും ഉപഭോക്തൃ വേദനകൾ ലഘൂകരിക്കാനോ പുതിയ ഉപഭോക്തൃ അനുഭവങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ടുവരാനോ സഹായിക്കുന്ന പുതിയ ബിസിനസ്സ് മോഡലുകൾ കണ്ടെത്താൻ ഞങ്ങൾ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നു.

This is an open forum, where anyone can post their ideas and suggestions, for anyone to get inspired and use in their business.

ആർക്കും അവരുടെ ആശയങ്ങളും നിർദ്ദേശങ്ങളും പോസ്റ്റുചെയ്യാൻ കഴിയുന്ന ഒരു ഓപ്പൺ ഫോറമാണിത്, ആർക്കും പ്രചോദനം നേടാനും അവരുടെ ബിസിനസ്സിൽ ഉപയോഗിക്കാനും. നിങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരുമായും പങ്കിടാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കാത്ത ആശയങ്ങളോ ബിസിനസ്സ് രഹസ്യങ്ങളോ ഇവിടെ പങ്കിടരുത്.

Those suggestions which we feel worth special mention will be mentioned by us in the blog itself, with reference to the person who suggested it.

പ്രത്യേക പരാമർശം അർഹിക്കുന്നതായി ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് തോന്നുന്ന നിർദ്ദേശങ്ങൾ ബ്ലോഗിൽ തന്നെ നിർദ്ദേശിച്ച വ്യക്തിയെ പരാമർശിച്ച് ഞങ്ങൾ പരാമർശിക്കും.


Discover New Business Models

Post Covid Thoughts For Businesses

Posts are in both Malayalam and English versions. Please scroll down

The world is evolving and reshaping itself, as each day passes with the virus still at large. It will affect politics, societies, cultures, nature, environment, consumption, and economics. This blog is about post-Covid thoughts for businesses and entrepreneurs.

ഓരോ ദിവസവും വൈറസിനൊപ്പം കടന്നുപോകുമ്പോൾ ലോകം മാറുകയാണ്. ഇത് രാഷ്ട്രീയം, സമൂഹങ്ങൾ, സംസ്കാരങ്ങൾ, പ്രകൃതി, പരിസ്ഥിതി, ഉപഭോഗം, സാമ്പത്തികശാസ്ത്രം എന്നിവയെ ബാധിക്കും. ഈ ബ്ലോഗ് ബിസിനസുകൾക്കും സംരംഭകർക്കുമായുള്ള പോസ്റ്റ് കോവിഡ് ചിന്തകളെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ളതാണ്.

This micro blog is the evolving thoughts, as it happens. Read on…

How Covid Affects Businesses in Various Stages or Business Life Cycle

Covid Economic Crisis can affect businesses which are in various stages, if they meet the symptoms

കോവിഡ് വിവിധ ഘട്ടങ്ങളിലുള്ള (Stages) ബിസിനസ്സുകളെ എങ്ങനെ ബാധിക്കുന്നു.

പ്രൊഫഷണൽ ബിസിനസ് സ്ട്രാറ്റജി & മാനേജ്മെന്റ് കൺസൾട്ടിംഗ് സ്ഥാപനമായ AASC യുടെ വിശകലനം.

സ്റ്റാർട്ടപ്പ് / പ്രാരംഭ ഘട്ടത്തിലെ ബിസിനസുകൾ:
ലാഭമുണ്ടാക്കാൻ പാടുപെടുന്ന, പണ പ്രശ്‌നങ്ങൾ ഉള്ള ബിസിനസുകൾ ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധി ഘട്ടത്തിൽ അപകടത്തിലാകും, കാരണം വിപണികൾ കൂടുതൽ ദുഷ്‌ക്കരമായേക്കാം.

വളരുന്ന ഘട്ടത്തിലെ ബിസിനസുകൾ: ഈ ബിസിനസുകൾക്ക് കനത്ത കടങ്ങൾ, കനത്ത പലിശ അടയ്ക്കൽ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ബിസിനസുകൾ / ഉപഭോക്താക്കളെ സേവിക്കുക എന്നിവ ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ, ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധി ഏറ്റവും മോശമായി ബാധിചേക്കാം.

പൂർണ്ണവികാസം പ്രാപിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള (Matured) ബിസിനസുകൾ: പെട്ടെന്നുള്ള തീരുമാനങ്ങളെടുക്കുന്നതിൽ തടസമാവുന്ന തരത്തിലുള്ള മോശം ഓർഗനൈസേഷൻ സംസ്കാരം (Bad Organization Culture) നില നിൽക്കുന്ന mature stageൽ ഉള്ള ബിസിനസുകൾ കോവിഡ് പ്രതിസന്ധിയിൽ അടച്ചുപൂട്ടാനുള്ള ഉയർന്ന സാധ്യതയുണ്ട്.

സാവധാനത്തിൽ ക്ഷയിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന (Declining) ബിസിനസുകൾ: പുതുമയുടെ (Innovation-ന്റെ) അഭാവവും, മോശം ഓർഗനൈസേഷൻ സംസ്കാരവുമാണ് ബിസിനെസ്സുകളെ തകർച്ചയുടെ (Declining) ഘട്ടത്തിലെത്തിക്കുന്നത്. കാരണം ഇത്തരത്തിലുള്ള ബിസിനെസ്സുകൾക്ക് ട്രെൻഡിനൊപ്പം മാറാൻ സാധിക്കാറില്ല. അത് കൊണ്ട് കോവിഡ് വളരെ മോശമായി ബാധിച്ചേക്കാം.

കൂടുതൽ പോസ്റ്റുകൾക്കായി (സംരംഭകർ, പ്രൊമോട്ടർമാർ, നിക്ഷേപകർ), AASC സംരംഭക ചാനലിൽ ചേരുക https://chat.whatsapp.com/FrOvSQKEXre91hRqe5QSyT AASC- ന്റെ വെബ്‌സൈറ്റിൽ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് പൂർണ്ണ റിപ്പോർട്ട് സൗജന്യമായി വായിക്കാനോ ഡൗൺലോഡ് ചെയ്യാനോ കഴിയും.

 

How Covid induced economic crisis can affect businesses in various stages of their life cycle.
Analysis by professional business strategy and management consulting firm, AASC.

Startup / Early Stage Businesses: Businesses that are struggling to make a profit, having cash issues will be at risk during this crisis, as markets become more difficult.

Growth Stage Businesses: These businesses can get severely affected by the covid crisis, if they have heavy debts, heavy interest payables, or are serving businesses/customers who are in the worst affected categories.

Mature Stage Businesses: Businesses that are in the plateau (or stagnant growth) will be at a high risk of closing down in a covid crisis, due to bad organization culture that prevents quick action.

Decline Stage Businesses: The reason why businesses become in the decline phase is due to lack of innovation and bad organizational culture that prevents it from changing with the trend.

For regular insights for entrepreneurs, promoters and investors, please join AASC Entrepreneurs Channel at ‎ https://chat.whatsapp.com/FrOvSQKEXre91hRqe5QSyT


Covid Patients & Covid Affected Businesses Show Strikingly Similar Symptoms

Extract from AASC report on how Covid impacts Kerala Businesses

കോവിഡ് ബാധിച്ച രോഗികളും ബിസിനസ്സുകളും എങ്ങനെയാണ് സമാന ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ കാണിക്കുന്നത് എന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ഒരു വിശകലനം. പ്രൊഫഷണൽ ബിസിനസ് സ്ട്രാറ്റജിയുടെയും മാനേജ്മെന്റ് കൺസൾട്ടിംഗ് സ്ഥാപനമായ AASC യുടെ വിശകലനം.

കൂടുതൽ പോസ്റ്റുകൾക്കായി (സംരംഭകർ, പ്രൊമോട്ടർമാർ, നിക്ഷേപകർ), AASC സംരംഭക ചാനലിൽ ചേരുക https://chat.whatsapp.com/FrOvSQKEXre91hRqe5QSyT

A thought-inspiring analysis on how Covid patients and businesses affected by Covid show similar symptoms.

Analysis by professional business strategy and management consulting firm, AASC.

What is the “Next Normal”?

നിങ്ങൾ മൂന്ന് കാലഘട്ടങ്ങളിലേക്കാണ് നോക്കുന്നത്.

ആദ്യം, കോവിഡിന് മുമ്പുള്ള ലോകം.

രണ്ടാമതായി, വൈറസ് വ്യാപനത്തിന്റെയും lockdownണിന്റെയും ലോകം.

മൂന്നാമത്, കോവിഡിന് ശേഷമുള്ള ലോകം.

മൂന്ന് ലോകങ്ങളും വ്യത്യസ്തമാണ്. ആദ്യത്തെ കാലയളവ്, നിങ്ങൾ 2019 ഡിസംബർ വരെ ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നു. നിങ്ങളുടെ ജോലികളിലും ബിസിനസ്സുകളിലും വലിയ അപ്രതീക്ഷിത സംഭവങ്ങളൊന്നും ഇല്ലാത്ത ഒരു പരിചിതമായ ലോകം.

രണ്ടാമത്തേത്, ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ കാലഘട്ടമാണ്. ഭയം, ഉത്കണ്ഠ, അനിശ്ചിതത്വം എന്നിവയുടെ കാലഘട്ടം. ഇത് എത്രത്തോളം മുന്നോട്ട് പോകുമെന്നും ജീവിതത്തിലും സമ്പദ്‌വ്യവസ്ഥയിലും ഇത് എത്രമാത്രം ചെലവാകുമെന്നുമുള്ള ഉത്കണ്ഠ.

മൂന്നാമതായി, വൈറസ് പ്രതിസന്ധി അവസാനിക്കുന്നു. നാശനഷ്ടങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങൾ വിലയിരുത്തുന്നു. അപ്പോഴാണ്, പുതിയ സാധ്യതകളും പുതിയ ട്രെൻഡുകളും പുതിയ ഉപഭോക്തൃ മുൻഗണനകളും നിങ്ങൾ മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നത്. അത് “പുതിയ സാധാരണ” അല്ലെങ്കിൽ “Next Normal” (Mckinsey അതിനെ വിളിക്കുന്നത് പോലെ) യുടെ ജനനമായിരിക്കും.

It’s three time periods we are looking at.

First, the world before Covid. Second, the world during lockdowns and the virus spread. Third, the world when Covid spread is over.

All three worlds are different. The first period, which we lived till December 2019. A familiar predictable world, where we had our jobs and business established and settled.

The second is the period now. Period of fear, concern, and uncertainty. Anxiety about how far this will go and how much it will cost in life and the economy.

Third, the virus crisis dust begins to settle and we are able to assess the damages. That is when, we realize new possibilities, new trends, and new customer preferences. It will be the birth of the “new normal” or as Mckinsey calls it “next to normal”.

Best Time To Plan New Ventures

Customer preferences are shifting. Existing market conditions are changing. People’s lifestyles are changing.

It’s that time of human history when major economic shifts happen.

A time when old monopolies will falter, competitors become weak, new customers segments are born.

This is the opportunity to start something new. For the new market that holds new customers.

Businesses Should Be Empathetic Listeners

സ്റ്റീഫൻ കോവി തന്റെ “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” എന്ന പുസ്തകത്തിൽ ഫലപ്രാപ്തിയുടെ അഞ്ചാമത്തെ സുവർണ്ണ ശീലത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് “ആദ്യം മനസിലാക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുക, തുടർന്ന് മനസ്സിലാക്കുക” എന്ന് പരാമർശിക്കുന്നു.

നിങ്ങൾ കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്ന ആളുകളുടെ യഥാർത്ഥ വികാരം, യഥാർത്ഥ ഡ്രൈവ്, യഥാർത്ഥ വേദന, യഥാർത്ഥ സന്തോഷം എന്നിവ നിങ്ങൾ മനസിലാക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ടെന്നാണ് ഇതിനർത്ഥം. അതിനുശേഷം മാത്രമേ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് അവ യഥാർഥത്തിൽ മനസ്സിലാക്കാൻ കഴിയൂ.

നിങ്ങൾ അവരെ ശരിക്കും മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നുവെന്ന് അവർക്ക് തോന്നുമ്പോൾ മാത്രമേ അവർ നിങ്ങളെ മനസിലാക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കൂ. “Empathetic Listening (സമാനുഭാവം കേൾക്കൽ)” എന്നതിൽ നിന്നാണ് ഇത് ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത്.

അതുപോലെ, ബിസിനസ്സുകളും ആദ്യം അതിന്റെ ഉപഭോക്താക്കളെ മനസിലാക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കണം (അവർ ഇപ്പോൾ വ്യത്യസ്തവും ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടുള്ളതുമായ അവസ്ഥയിലാണ്). അവർക്ക് പുതിയ വേദനയുണ്ട്, അവിടെ അവർക്ക് ആശ്വാസം ആവശ്യമാണ്. അവർക്ക് നേടാൻ പുതിയ മുൻഗണനകളുണ്ട്. ബിസിനസുകൾ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ അവരെ മനസിലാക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങുമ്പോൾ, അവർ ഈ ബിസിനസ്സുകളെ കൂടുതൽ വിലമതിക്കും. ബ്രാൻഡ് ലോയൽറ്റിയുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനം ഇതാണ്.

ബിസിനസ്സ് സഹാനുഭൂതിയുള്ള ശ്രോതാക്കളായിരിക്കുക.

Stephen Covey in his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” mentions the 5th golden habit for effectiveness as “Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood”.

This means we need to understand the real feeling, real drives, real pain, and real happiness of the people we deal with. It’s only then we can truly understand them.

Only when they feel that we truly understand them, they will take an effort to understand us. This begins with “Empathetic Listening”.

Likewise, Businesses too should first seek to understand their customers (who are now in a different and difficult situation). They have new pains that need relief. They have new priorities to achieve.

When businesses truly begin to understand them, they will appreciate these businesses more. This is the foundation of brand loyalty.

Businesses be empathetic listeners.

Resolve To Plan & Act

Winning during Covid is all about determination and strong resolve

സംരംഭകർക്ക് ചെയ്യാൻ കഴിയുന്ന ഏറ്റവും വലിയ തെറ്റ് “ആസൂത്രണം ചെയ്യരുത്”, “പദ്ധതികളിൽ പ്രവർത്തിക്കരുത്” എന്നതാണ്. കോവിഡ് പ്രതിസന്ധി പക്ഷാഘാതത്തിനുള്ള സമയമല്ല.

സജീവമായ ആസൂത്രണത്തിനും സജീവമായ പ്രവർത്തനത്തിനുമുള്ള സമയമാണിത്. പുതിയ കാര്യങ്ങൾ പഠിക്കാനുള്ള സമയമാണിത്. പുതിയ ശീലങ്ങൾ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള സമയം. കംഫർട്ട് സോണുകളിൽ നിന്ന് മാറാനുള്ള സമയം.

Mckinsey പറയുന്നതുപോലെ, Convid19 കോം‌പാക്റ്റ് ചെയ്യുന്നതിനുള്ള ആദ്യപടി “Resolve” എന്നതാണ്.

The biggest mistake entrepreneurs can make is “not to plan” and “not to act on plans”. Covid crisis is not the time for paralysis.

It is the time for proactive planning and proactive action. It is the time for learning new things. Time for adopting new habits. Time to move out of comfort zones.

As McKinsey says, the first step to compact Convid19 is “Resolve”.

Risk Is Real. The Opportunities Are Real

AASC, Covid, Kerala, Management Consulting
Social Distancing Brings Unique Opportunities

Don’t fall for unfounded positive motivations that say everything will be fine. It won’t be until we take the right steps.

There are great opportunities out there, for every industry, for every market. That has always been so. But we need to discover it and be brave to act on it.

It needs the right evaluation, right decisions, and right action. Not blind guesses and hyper-motivations.


About AASC

AASC office at Hilite Business Park in Calicut
AASC office at Hilite Business Park at Calicut

AASC or Ameen Ahsan Strategy Consulting is founded by Ameen Ahsan. Ameen Ahsan did his master’s from Exeter University (UK), and was trained in the art and science of management consulting by American & European consultants during his professional consulting career at Abu Dhabi.

Today, AASC is one of the leading business strategy and management consulting firms in Kerala. Providing services to projects, engagements, and business across South India and Gulf countries.

AASC helps new projects and ventures by providing services such as,

Business  plans, feasibility studies, market study, project reports
Business Plans (Feasibility, Strategy & Management Plan) from AASC
  • Market Feasibility Study
  • Vision & Milestone Planning
  • Business Model Development
  • Operation Management Plans
    • Branding & Marketing Plan
    • Human Resource (HR) Plan
    • Operation Plan
    • Industry-Specific Plans
  • Investor Management Plans
  • Risk Analysis
  • Financial Feasibility Study
  • Investor Presentation Services & Tools Development
  • Turnkey Implementation Support
  • Post Implementation Business Performance Monitoring

To know more, please call +91-7558-900-800, email info@aascglobal.com or visit https://aascglobal.com/consulting-for-new-ventures-and-startups/

AASC helps existing businesses by providing management consulting services such as,

Management consulting, business consulting, consultant,
AASC provides professionalisation, growth, expansion, franchise consultation to businesses
  • Consulting for Professionalising Operation
  • Consulting for Growth & Expansion
  • Consulting for Growth by Franchising

Kerala’s Professional Management Consulting Firm

Business consultants in Calicut, providing services to businesses across Kerala

AASC serves the entire Kerala and GCC markets from its office in HiLite Business Park, Calicut.

Business Consultants in Cochin

AASC provides business strategy and management consulting services to businesses across Kerala, including the Cochin area. To know more please call +91-7558-900-800 or email info@aascglobal.com

Introduction: AASC Covid Economic Study

Covid Economic Impact on Kerala Entrepreneurs Decisions

Introduction

Background:

The world economy changed so fast within the last few months, with the advent of the Covid virus in Wuhan, China. What started as a virus crisis in the Hubei province of China, quickly became a global problem. Thousands died and millions got infected. And the virus is still at large.

The affected countries are in lockdown, shops and factories are closed, people are prevented from hitting the streets, the medical facilities are overloaded, the governments are on alert, and people are staying back at home with fear. And this has created a severe dent in the way our economy was functioning. 

Coming to Kerala, the situation is no different. But the state is faring much better than the rest of India, due to timely intervention by the Government and the support of the people. 

But what happens to the businesses in Kerala, once the lockdowns are withdrawn. Will the businesses operate the same way they did? How much loss will businesses incur and how many will close down? Will it create severe job losses- which again will have a spiral effect on our economy? Or will some businesses seize the opportunity, reinvent themselves and win over others? 

Apart from these questions, every entrepreneur is haunted by the unknown fate- where will his business be post-covid? Among losers or winners.

As the entrepreneurs of Kerala (most of whom are MSME owners, and the major provider of employment in the state), stay at their homes and contemplate on the next move post covid lockdown, what they think about the lockdown duration, its impact on their customers and business will be decisive. 

If their understanding of the crisis is consistent with the reality to come, they can take steps that will help them survive the crisis or perhaps even grow extraordinarily. But if on the contrary, if their expectation is not consistent with what is going to happen, then they might take steps post void, that will prove to be fatal.

It’s a walk on the ice. 

To read the report, please visit https://aascglobal.com/covid-economic-impact-on-kerala-businesses/

About the Study

It is this issue that AASC intends to address with a study backed by a professional survey and analysis. 

As lockdowns were announced, the social media was flooded with experts and non-experts opinions about the crisis and how to handle it. It came in the form of webinars, articles and posts. At AASC, we decided to take a different track from the rest. 

AASC has good expertise in conducting surveys and analyzing the data to derive quality insights for our clients. AASC also has a good ecosystem of entrepreneurs who are available to provide quality insights about “what they actually think about the lockdown, its impact”. This ecosystem consists of its clients, prospects, well-wishers, social media followers, and groups in which it is active. 

At AASC, we decided to conduct a survey on 100 entrepreneurs from various industries, from various districts of Kerala; and identify with “numbers” and get the general assumptions “quantified”. So that our findings are backed by “numbers”. 

The survey was a success, and instead of 100, we surveyed 155 entrepreneurs! We thank all those who participated in the survey.

About the Survey

  • 155 entrepreneurs participated in the survey
  • 18 number of industries were represented, from across Kerala

Details of the survey samples is represented below

About AASC

AASC is Kerala’s professional business strategy advisory and management consulting firm, handling clients and engagements across South India and Gulf Countries. 

Republishing Or Quoting This Report

AASC allows readers to share the contents of this report, subject to citing the source as www.aascglobal.com or the url of the page. 

Industries covered in AASC survey in Kerala

To read the report, please visit https://aascglobal.com/covid-economic-impact-on-kerala-businesses/