Meryle Griff, president of Sarah Adult Day Services in Canton, says that since she founded her company 15 years ago, she’s revisited her strategic plan annually and it’s had to be revised only twice.
But that changed last year, when she moved her firm to the next level.
Over the years of providing health-related services for older adults needing supervision and assistance in two day-care settings, Griff has developed a system of individualized care, trademarked as SarahCare, which she began offering as franchises last year. The response has been so overwhelming that Griff must now modify her strategic plan at least quarterly.
“We believe this is due to the needs of the aging population, funding and reimbursement changes in home health care and rehabilitation services, and broad media coverage of the need for services such as SarahCare,” says Griff.
Bertha Jenkins, president of Liniform Service in Barberton — a linen and uniform rental company that also has a direct sales division — says she makes it a priority to perpetually revisit her business plan, because without it, she’s lost.
“Our customers’ needs change so rapidly that we’ve always got to be prepared to change with them. Whether it’s updating machinery, improving customer service or coming up with new ways to retain employees, we consider that in revising our plan because our business plan is our road map,” Jenkins says.
Griff and Jenkins are following the advice of their business mentor, Norma Rist, president of Norma J. Rist CEO Consulting, Inc., an-Akron based marketing and business strategy consultancy. Rist emphasizes that a company’s success depends on its strategic plan, and the plan must be regularly revisited and revised.
“If you create a new plan annually, review it quarterly or at least semi-annually. And the implementation plan — the action plan to achieve your goals — should be reviewed monthly to make sure you’re on target,” she says.
You also need a strategic plan based on where you want to be in 10 to 20 years, Rist says. With those objectives in mind, develop a one-year plan for marketing, operations and financial results. Then, review and revise those plans every three to six months, based on today’s rapidly changing business world.
“You must be well-read in industry trade journals to know what’s coming and how fast it’s coming, because something may affect you sooner than you think. And whether it’s reading local business publications or national magazines, it’s important to stay current on what’s happening so you can work that into your plan,” Rist advises.
It’s also crucial to contemplate industry trends, she says. For example, layers of middlemen are being eliminated, so product manufacturers and service providers must brainstorm new ways to reach their markets directly. And since the Internet enables consumers to buy anything online, every company, from automobile dealers and insurance companies to universities and airlines, must find new ways to meet customer needs.
Most important, says Rist, “Embrace change!”
How to reach: Norma J. Rist, CEO Consulting Inc., (330) 865-5900; Sarah Adult Day Services (330) 454-3366; Liniform Services, (330) 825-6911