How Your Organization been Viewed by Others?

You are what you eat.

That what your doctor may said to you one day or how other may said to you based on your behavior, or action.

Do you know how your organization been viewed by your suppliers, customers and other third party who may know about your company? Is the organization you worked in or owned by you are viewed positively by others?

Are these opinions or perceptions formed by them give your company a good standing?

Many may not realize it but the way other perceived how an organization operates and it internal organization culture behavior can create a barrier to good relation with its customers, suppliers and potential future interaction with others.

A simple example of an organization friendliness and trustworthy to do business with is by comparing and look up and down the list of countries have been ranked annually for corruption and red tapes for examples. The lower the countries profile down the list, businessmen will be more wary in doing businesses there unless there are other incentives which can counterbalance the negative profiles.

Organizations are just like another country and there are the various departments evolved in it. The actions and steps taken by these department and sanctioned by the top brass of the organization will reflect public perception. Public here mean the parties having transaction with the organization and these perception will disperse to a wider environment without anybody realizing about it.

To stay ahead of competition and to ensure customers still standby an organization depended very much on how well this same organization stand in the eyes of the suppliers. A good quality suppliers which offer excellent services will translate into better cost product to the customers. It is as simple as it seem but it is true.

Did we remember two year back when Toyota have to recalled cars due to defective parts supplies by its suppliers? This create an emotional customer lash-back and create problems for the for the company.

So back to the question, "DO WE KNOW WHAT OUR SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS THINK OF US AS AN ORGANIZATION?"

How can we create the image we wanted to project for our organization?

Here is a number of suggestions which we can offer ourselves and implemented:-

a) Improve the overall structures of the organization with clear scope and authority and real clear line of segregation of senior executives responsibility.  A clear cut structures and responsibility  with properly defined job description will ensure that when third party engagement with the organization, there are clear cut what is involved and how these interaction can be done correctly and accurately.

b) Know your organization activities like the back of your hand. All senior and junior executives must able to know organization objectives and Key Performance Indices and where the strength and weaknesses of the organization. This allow your suppliers and customers to have confidence on your operation and keep in touch with you for more development of businesses and other activities. Nobody like to deal with organization which does not know its needs and ability as this create wrong signal to outsiders. Even if your suppliers love your businesses, they will be wary what to expect the unexpected later.

c) Set out a strong Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and get this communicated well to the public. There are still many perception that a CSR policy is always a public relation promotion.While this can be true, the real purpose of a good and strong policy actually set the tone for internal pressure to perform and "walk the talk". Example of a CSR policy is to ensure your employees and their family welfare are taken care of in event of any mishap and this increase motivational feels. Or a policy which ensure that all material used are able to be recycled again which meant the environment are taken care of. Green environment policy. This type of image projected will give your chosen suppliers and customers having a good feel when dealing with your organization.

d) Have clear policy procedures on everything which can affect a company image. Example an organization will need to have a clear supply chain policy statement and guideline to supplier to adhere to to prevent negative action from occurring and this give your suppliers the knowledge how to behave with the organization employees. Other policy and procedures needed are for example, Customer complaint policy statement and policy, Security Policy and procedure and Human resources policy and procedures. This will act as an deterrent of any objectionable action either by the employees or by the outside party.

e) Be consistent in all action taken. This is very important to all concern. Fair play in short.

f) Strong willed leadership from the top. As the top person in an organization, the ability of this person to able to project confidence, articulate behavior, unbiased decision making and live by all the policy and procedure of the organization like a holy person with a bible will help the organization to sustain further.Untainted in every aspect and gain respect from internal parties and external parties alike.


Now with all the suggestion above, what next?

Organization need to measure it own performances. Let throw away all the ISO standard for a while. Let focus on behavior and how your organization have been viewed and judged not only by your suppliers and customers, but also the employees itself.

The best method will be with survey form which assure confidentiality of the respondents and interviews been carry out.

I personally remember, we conducted employees survey in one particular organization I was involved in many years back and there was no name or employee badge number on the form. Just a form filled with question and all we need to do was tick the box. Same applies to our associates and these respond was collected and send to a independent office outside the organization for tabulation.

Improvement steps if needed are then proposed from these forms.

Nobody like to invest in a place where nothing is clear cut and your associates and employees felt unfairly treated and this include the organization we worked in. So the start has to start somewhere and it is recommended that it start at the place you are working now.