DISPOSICIONES INTERNAS: 1) Normas de Ejecución Presupuestaria Cuatrimestral
14. PROCEDIMIENTO DE SEGUIMIENTO DE COMPRAS Y CONTRATACIONES –PACC-
A second valuable exercise can also shed light on the position of the business in relation to external factors that may affect trading in the long term (see also Section 7.3.1). This is known as a PESTLE analysis. A short statement should be written on the possible impacts on the business direction of the following six high-level factors. For example:
Table 5.1 Examples of SWOT analyses
For a new practice:
Strengths Weaknesses
Respected founders with good contacts
Talented staff with good mix of skills Good internal culture and mutual respect
Good location and offices
New practice leading to: • High start-up costs • Low profit level
• Lack of significant built projects • Limited sector spread
• Unrecognised name/brand
Opportunities Threats
New government pledge to invest in cultural project development RIBA competitions playing to our strengths
Openness to UK architects working abroad
Strong competition from established firms
High business tax rates
For an established practice:
Strengths Weaknesses
Respected design capability Talented staff with good mix of skills Recognised name/profile
National spread of offices Strong client relationships High turnover and cash flow
Top-heavy management = high costs Low profit level
‘Corporate’ portfolio
Wide sector spread with no perceived specialisms Brand lacks personality
Opportunities Threats
New government pledge to increase public spending Good labour market
Increased inward investment to UK construction
Openness to UK architects working abroad
Revised planning laws Collapse of housing sector Increased competition Rise of multi-disciplinary firms Downward market pressure on fee levels
1. Where are we? What is happening in the industry and how does it affect us? What issues are we facing internally that will affect our performance? 2. Where do we want to be? What are our goals? Where do we want to
be this time next year, or in five years?
3. How do we get there? What are the activities that we need to undertake to reach our goals?
4. Did we achieve our goals? If not, why not? What have we learned and what do we need to do differently?
Such a plan will help maximise long-term growth, highlight short-term opportunities and prepare for change if it occurs, no matter how large or small the practice is.
5.3
Where are we?
It is important to first set out a brief overview of where the business is in relation to its key markets. This sets the context of the marketing plan and is often most simply presented in a SWOT analysis, such as the one shown in Table 5.1:
• Strengths – These are internally focused. This lists the positive elements about the business, so they can be expanded upon and brought out in any promotional material.
• Weaknesses – These are also internally focused. This lists the areas in need of attention within the business. Addressing these is key to ensuring overall success of the marketing plan and ultimately the business. • Opportunities – These are externally focused. This lists where prospects
for growth and development occur in the chosen markets/industry and should be the main targets of new business development activity (see Section 5.5.1).
• Threats – These are also externally focused. This lists elements outside the business’s control that may have an external focus. Although they cannot be altered directly, if the plan is flexible and adaptable enough, it can respond to them.
The key points above can be highlighted in a brief executive summary for anyone glancing through the plan.
5.3.1 PESTlE analysis
A second valuable exercise can also shed light on the position of the business in relation to external factors that may affect trading in the long term (see also Section 7.3.1). This is known as a PESTLE analysis. A short statement should be written on the possible impacts on the business direction of the following six high-level factors. For example:
Table 5.1 Examples of SWOT analyses
For a new practice:
Strengths Weaknesses
Respected founders with good contacts
Talented staff with good mix of skills Good internal culture and mutual respect
Good location and offices
New practice leading to: • High start-up costs • Low profit level
• Lack of significant built projects • Limited sector spread
• Unrecognised name/brand
Opportunities Threats
New government pledge to invest in cultural project development RIBA competitions playing to our strengths
Openness to UK architects working abroad
Strong competition from established firms
High business tax rates
For an established practice:
Strengths Weaknesses
Respected design capability Talented staff with good mix of skills Recognised name/profile
National spread of offices Strong client relationships High turnover and cash flow
Top-heavy management = high costs Low profit level
‘Corporate’ portfolio
Wide sector spread with no perceived specialisms Brand lacks personality
Opportunities Threats
New government pledge to increase public spending Good labour market
Increased inward investment to UK construction
Openness to UK architects working abroad
Revised planning laws Collapse of housing sector Increased competition Rise of multi-disciplinary firms Downward market pressure on fee levels
• Political – A change of government and the likely effect on the construction sector.
• Environmental – The impact of a government target to cut UK emissions. • Social – An ageing population and increase in requirements for single-
person homes.
• Technological – Advances in broadband technology, changing the way we work.
• Legal – Planning gain legislation and its effect on our sectors. • Economic – Government spending being cut to stem public debt.
5.3.2 Research
The data required to complete both analyses can be gleaned in a number of ways. Desktop studies and the internet are the easiest forms of research to undertake and can provide a reliable basis on which to build. Most trade publications have online versions with in-depth sector reports available to download.
The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 Stage 7 In Use (see Figure 10.1) can provide a foundation for collecting project feedback, including feedback on a practice’s service from the client’s point of view. Interviews and surveys are an excellent way of gaining feedback on a business and its performance and gaining a more holistic view of a practice. This can be done in person, by post or telephone, or increasingly online, using free specialist web tools (such as www.surveymonkey.com) that allow the user to structure internal and external satisfaction or perception surveys and track the results. However, if there is time to speak directly to key clients in person, information can be gleaned from those with the greatest impact on the business’s future; it also demonstrates that their views are of interest and that the business wants to improve.
External market data and research can also be purchased from research companies or commissioned especially for a business’s requirements, although this can be costly and needs good planning.
Information on international markets is freely available from the government via the UK Trade & Investment website (www.ukti.gov.uk).
For competitor activity and performance, the weekly journals carry regular stories of interest, but for more detailed data on performance, Colander undertake an annual benchmarking survey for architects on behalf of the RIBA.
Participation in the RIBA Business Benchmarking Survey is the best way to accurately compare practice performance with a practice peer group.
The scheme, which is mandatory for RIBA Chartered Practices, provides valuable information that can help to develop the business, including tailored reports showing:
• key business development and staff training issues;
• objective assessments of business strengths and weaknesses;
• identification of best practice in a particular architectural service sector(s); • ways to develop a business based on hard facts;
• how the business performance of a practice measures up.
The use of business benchmarking is now well established as a key business planning tool in many professions.
5.4
Where do we want to be?
Once you have established the current position of your business, whether it is established or new, you need then to consider where it is you want to get to. This stage is all about setting clear, concise goals or objectives. Objectives need to be market led: a business cannot be built on false pretences if the work isn’t out there to get.
The objectives need to be agreed at Partner or Board level before progressing with the development stages (below), to ensure the marketing plan is targeting the right goals and everyone is in agreement over where the business is heading.
It is essential that every member of staff is aware of these objectives as they should fundamentally drive every action undertaken. They also allow
Objectives should follow the ‘SMART’ rule by being:
• Specific – Avoid woolly statements, such as ‘get bigger’ or ‘increase income’. You need to know in 12 months’ time whether you have succeeded, so be clear about what you want to achieve.
• Measurable – How can you decide whether you met your goal? Was it based on financial value or some other numeric, i.e. ‘Increase income in our retail work by 20%’, or ‘Get two new clients this year’?
• Achievable – Can goals be met with the available resources?
• Realistic – Don’t set goals that cannot be achieved, such as doubling income while reducing costs/resource by 15%. Not only will you become disheartened, but you will also expend a lot of energy and cash that could be put to better use elsewhere.
• Timed – As well as being specific, put a timeframe on the objective, so that it doesn’t slip.
every member of staff both to promote the practice at every opportunity and to assist the practice in reaching its objectives in whichever way possible. A marketing plan is a powerful document that can clearly translate what the practice is trying to achieve in a business sense. If it is circulated to all employees at the start of a new trading or financial year, they will feel engaged and armed with the necessary tools to sell the practice.
5.5
How do we get there?
Once you have established where you want to be in the next 12–24 months, you need to decide what activities will get you there. For this you need a strategy, setting out exactly what activities you will undertake to meet your objectives.
It is here that a marketing plan can succeed or fail. Most fail because the activities necessary to reach the objectives are not set at this stage. Another common mistake is to set too many ambitious activities which will take up too much time. A few key activities, well implemented, will generate greater success.
Strategic activities can be simply broken down into various categories: • New business development
• Client relationship management • Advertising
• Branding and marketing collateral • PR.