Tom - Alan, thanks for taking to time to chat with me about your services. Tell me in a few words what it is you offer to businesses.
Alan – I use my background of running businesses to help owners achieve their goals, through objective support and direction.
Tom - Excellent, what type of company would benefit from your services?
Alan – Any business owner who is truly committed to making changes to their business. The nature of the business or the changes desired aren’t important.
Tom – And what is the usual “format” when you are contacted by a company (free consultation, questionnaire etc?)
Alan – Starts with a free consultation where both the nature of support, and the immediate rapport is measured by both parties.
We agree a short to medium term plan with headlines and timelines ranging in order of agreed priorities.
Tom - And over what timescale do you typically work with companies?
Alan – Around 40 % of all business clients over the past 10 years has been 12 months plus, with the rest being project driven, i.e. leadership training, exit planning etc.
I often go in to help with one challenge or opportunity, and that support often exposes others, hence the often lengthy engagements. My longest partnership with a client is 7 years. A popular agreement is where I work twice a month with clients for perhaps 2/3 hours each day. This is very focused on minutes and actions from previous meeting, and ensures I don’t take a full day out of a busy owners diary.
Tom – How are results measured
Alan – Great question. For some clients, it’s measured in terms of them retaining their sanity (their words not mine!). Meaning that they have that objective voice to discuss all things challenging and opportunistic.
For other clients it’s measured in understanding what the focus needs to be in order to maximise value in the business.
For some it’s ensuring they get the people side of things right. Attraction, recruitment, retention and development of their people.
Sometimes it’s having someone like me on the other end of a phone when they need to bounce something. Often their ideas or thoughts are challenged, and a main focus of mine is to extract the emotion of the owner when making key decisions.
Tom – care to share your “best” success story?
Alan – Very much depends on your definition of success.
Last month a client said to me “I don’t know what I would do without you. You just see issues coming way before I do”. That is success to me. I can’t directly increase sales, but I can help to lay the foundations of the owner(s) becoming better leaders, which has many positive outcomes.
Don’t underestimate the value of being able to better sleep at night, and see things more clearly as an owner. I was that stressed owner, who at times was lost. I didn’t have a “me” back then unfortunately.
Tom – what is the best way for anyone interested to contact you?
Alan - probably phone. 07904945018
Email
My website www.alancrockert.co.uk has further info.
So, there you have a brief insight into how utilising external support can give you clarity of mind, a place to bounce ideas or simply challenge your thought process. A big thank you to Alan
