WhichPLM MD, Mark Harrop, gives us some top tips for a successful 2015; the New Year is the perfect time to figure out what may be working for you, and what may not. Mark asks our readers what they are looking to achieve this year.

With each New Year come the feelings of hope and excitement – for new ideas, new adventures, new projects. It’s the perfect time to consider different ways of thinking, to come up with new creative designs and developments, to set new efficiency goals, and expand on different ways of working and adopting new technologies that support the ever-demanding challenges the market continues to bring to our doorsteps.

What is it that you want to achieve this year? More of the same? Or is it time, in 2015, to broaden your thoughts and take your business to the next level?

Certainly my chief rules for business growth are: to repeat what works well, and to tweak what doesn’t. Oftentimes, it’s time to retire some of the old technologies and processes that may be holding you back. Take a moment to reflect on 2014, and think on what your business process improvements were? What can you repeat this year for even greater productivity and quality results?

Now look at what needs tweaking; what do you need to change this year? Take some time to really think about the following:

• If there were one thing you could change immediately, what would it be? For example, one of my clients has recently rebranded his company, which has changed the direction and changed the customer base. Rather than trying to please everyone, the company chose to focus on their niche value. Their brand and marketing message has had to change to reflect this, which has focused the team on the value of their offer and has attracted more engagements, enquires and, ultimately, new clients.
• What would you like to improve in 2015? Do you need to expand your knowledge of new technologies? To build your in-house team’s education? To improve collaboration & communication? To stop setting unrealistic timeframes and start enjoying the real benefits of what works well in your day job? To have a happier and healthier lifestyle and get home on time?

• What is it that you need to stop doing? What’s getting in the way of your product design and development efficiency? Are you spending too much time resolving problems brought about by a disconnected design & development process? List and consider ways in which you can overcome the daily design & product development challenges; this will free up more time to be creative and to efficiently manage the end-to-end design and development process.
• Who can you lean on to help change your business practices in 2015? Do you know one or more people in the RFA industry who may be able to support you? Would they make a good mentor?
• Rather than working into the night, finding yourself under a lot of stress, or losing key staff through out of date technologies, what can you do to get back in control, create excitement for change and become more effective and organised?

If you are up to making these types of changes in 2015 and would like to talk to the WhichPLM team about how you might do so, then please feel free to contact us; we would be happy to help answer any questions you may have. We are certain that you will benefit from addressing potential challenges at the outset.