Operations Director, Michael Di Paola speaks to EN Magazine, the magazine for entrepreneurs (www.enforbusiness.com), about the recession, marketing budgets, emerging media and a client success story…
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Posts Tagged ‘recession’
CSR – even in crisis it still makes (business) sense
Ok, I get it, we’re in a recession so CSR and all those promises you made in the glory days of 2007 regarding the environment and the local charities you were going to help have been put on hold. You haven’t forgotten, you’re just tightening your belt, weathering the storm, playing the long game, ready to lavish your time, effort and money once the future looks a bit brighter.
The logic is there, albeit flawed: but consider this. In many industries the hard times have encouraged businesses to look for lucrative public sector contracts where budgets have yet to be cut and are looking the most secure. Of course public sector work demands the public money and there is no hiding from that boss, they’re everywhere, know everything and will have a tantrum to end all tantrums if they don’t feel they’re being kept in the loop.
Enter the tender process: long, laborious and sometimes disappointing, companies will spend hours making sure they are shown in the most favourable light. You’re often competing like against like too, similar size, experience and cost structures. So how do you differentiate yourself and generate that all important competitive advantage?
Don’t be a 24 carat plonker
Ten working days into the New Year and there appears to be little sign of the recessionary storm clouds disappearing over the horizon. Newspapers full of job losses, house for sale signs gathering cobwebs, the strength of the pound becoming something of a joke, end of year pension statements causing wrinkles.
All of it gives business strategists, marketing managers and even financial directors food for thought at a time of year normally reserved for vibrant optimism and renewed energy. But what level of optimism do you plan for?
“This time next year Rodney, we’ll be millionaires”
The vibe out there at the moment is one of cost-cutting, downsizing, outsourcing and at best consolidating. But is this the way to steer even the most unsteady ship through these rather murky waters. It might keep you afloat in the short term but is it the right long term recipe. For a minute, let’s look at the positives of the situation most of us outside Abu Dhabi are in.