Questionnaire

What financial importance would you place on getting new business in the next 12 months?

• I don't need any new customers.
• We are already profitable, and have clear plans for generating new business.
• It is important, but not critical.
• It is vital and urgent to the survival of my business.

What is your cashflow outlook for the next 12 months?

• I am forecasting my cashflow and it’s looking good for now.
• I am forecasting my cashflow and I can foresee tight periods ahead.
• I look at my cashflow periodically and I often struggle to have enough cash to pay my bills.
• I don't monitor my cashflow.

How has your profit margin performed this past financial year?

• Increased
• Remained steady
• Decreased
• Not sure

Does your company stick to a clearly defined budget?

• Yes. The budget is continuously adhered to.
• Sometimes. The budget is thought of as more of a guide.
• Rarely. The budget is generally not followed.
• No. We don't use a formal budget.

How often do you complete your financial statements?

• Weekly or Monthly
• Quarterly
• Every six months
• Yearly

How do you manage your sales/your sales team?

• I have a complete sales dashboard and know who’s performing and who’s not. I have regular accountability. Training is regular and non-negotiable.
• I get sales figures monthly and discuss these with the team. Training is ad hoc and rare.
• I review the sales figures personally and only discuss with the team if there’s a problem.
• I struggle to get numbers and it may be a while after the fact before I know how we performed.

How would you describe your sales process?

• I have a clearly defined and tested sales process that delivers consistently high client conversion rates.
• I have a sales process but the results are inconsistent.
• I try and do much the same for every job, quote or proposal.
• I do not have a documented sales process.

How do you differentiate yourself from your competition?

• I have clearly identified what distinguishes my business from my main competitors and I already stand out as the best choice.
• I know my target market and what they want and try to deliver it in a cost effective timely manner.
• I keep an eye on my competitors and try to offer better deals.
• I don’t really know what my competitors do or how I am different.

What is your pricing relationship with your clients/prospects?

• My clients view me as an expert in my field who delivers value to them. I can command a price and margin that we are both happy with.
• My clients do realise my quality is better but still squeeze me on price.
• I rely on discounting a lot in order to get the deal 'over the line'.
• All sales are completely price dependent; I feel I have to be cheapest to get the deal.

Is your marketing making you money?

• I test and measure everything. Every campaign I devise is carefully planned and its viability examined before I spend any money on marketing.
• I do run marketing campaigns that generate some leads but I don't really know what strategies work best.
• I just spend money on marketing ad hoc – the same as everyone else in the industry and hope for the best.
• I have no system, rarely do marketing and I don’t have a marketing plan.

How do you develop and improve your skills as a business owner and Leader?

• I regularly read books and attend seminars or courses to improve my business skills and knowledge.
• I read a couple of books and/or attend the odd seminar or course every year, but it rarely gets implemented.
• I only do technical training relevant to my profession or trade.
• I never do anything to develop my business and leadership skills.

How effectively do you use Team Meetings in your business?

• All teams have daily and weekly meetings with clear agendas and outcomes.
• We have regular meetings but they are often too long, not very organised and outcomes are unclear.
• We only have meetings when there is a problem.
• We never have team meetings.

How well do your team members understand their roles and responsibilities?

• An organisation chart, written job descriptions and regular performance reviews make roles and responsibilities clear.
• There are some formal structures and employees receive regular feedback.
• Team members hit the ground running with little direction or review.
• Team members do not seem to know what is expected of them.

How do you ensure skill levels among your team are being maintained and advanced?

• We have an induction training programme for all new employees as well as regular ongoing training for all team members.
• We provide training only when we make a significant change to our business.
• Training is ad hoc – usually only when there is a problem or somebody asks for it.
• We do not provide any training for our employees.

How would you rate the level of communication in your business?

• We have open and honest communication – both formal and informal.
• I feel I communicate a lot to my team, but I don’t get much feedback.
• c. I’m reluctant to share too much information with my team, but they all seem to get on with their work and with each other.
• There is little communication between people/departments and a strong culture of blame.

How efficient and effective are your team?

• My team plan and prioritise their work well and always deliver on time.
• They are fairly well organised, but productivity could probably be improved.
• They are often late delivering or have jobs over-running or requiring re-work.
• I don’t know how to measure this.

Does your company stick to a clearly defined business plan?

• Yes, and we review our business plan every calendar quarter.
• Yes, and we review our business plan regularly.
• No, we rarely use/update the business plan.
• No, we don't have a written business plan.

How organised are your company's systems and procedures?

• The company runs smoothly as a result of highly efficient systems and procedures.
• Some systems and procedures are working but there is still room for improvement.
• The systems and procedures are dated and need improving to become efficient.
• There are no/very few written systems and procedures in place.

How would you describe the level of delivery in your business?

• All employees perform each aspect of their role with a high degree of excellence and consistency.
• The level of delivery is reasonably consistent but standards could be improved.
• The level of delivery and consistency often depends on the employee you get.
• We have not defined our delivery standards and there is little or no training given.

How do you test and measure the performance of your business?

• We measure performance on a daily basis using KPI’s in key business areas.
• We have measurable goals that are calculated and divided by time periods and tracked periodically.
• We have goals and plans; although we frequently do not track or compare our progress to these plans.
• There are no goals/plans. We measure our business success by how much profits go up/down.

Is there enough time in your day to get your work done?

• Yes, my days are well planned and almost every task is completed.
• Mostly, but some important tasks do not get completed.
• Rarely, I struggle to keep up with my workload.
• Never, I am constantly fighting fires and feeling overwhelmed.

How do you currently manage your workload?

• I prioritise my tasks and achieve many long-term strategies.
• Tasks are completed based on a daily level of urgency.
• My days are largely disorganised with many interruptions.
• I don’t manage my workload – it manages me.

How would you describe your level of motivation for your business?

• I have a clear Vision for my business and I am excited everyday about working towards it.
• I have a clear Vision for my business, but I’m not sure how to make it happen.
• I can’t find a clear vision for my business and would like to be more focussed and motivated.
• I’m just sick of the same routine. I get ‘Mondayitis’ everyday.

How is your environment supporting you in achieving business success?

• I believe that there are great opportunities currently and spend a lot of my time researching and with positive people who are taking the necessary action to be successful.
• I see some people taking advantage of opportunities at the moment and am fairly confident that I could too, but I’m not sure where to start.
• I hear of some people experiencing success at the moment and wonder if there are opportunities I could take advantage of also.
• I am constantly hearing bad news stories on radio & TV, in the papers and from the people I spend time with and feel completely out of control.

How often do you set and review your Goals and Plan?

• I set my Goals at the start of each year, make a new plan each quarter and review progress weekly.
• I set Goals every year and review them at the end of the year to see how I did.
• I had Goals and a Plan when I started my business.
• I have no Goals or Plan.

Thank you for filling in Business Health Assessment questionnaire.

Please enter your details below and click submit so we can get back to you with the results of your assessment.

• Full Name*
• Email Address*
• Phone Number