Corporate self assessments - a confidential review

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Subject: Corporate self assessments - a confidential review
We have developed a unique and highly reliable process that allows for the development of a very candid company profile not normally obtainable by an organization. This insight can be helpful in fostering growth, productivity and focusing management on the critical issues facing their organization.
The objective of our assessment is to identify the strengths, weaknesses and critical issues facing a company. We also make specific recommendations to overcome these weaknesses and critical issues. Our assessment focuses on the main functional areas of a business. These areas normally include management, finance, sales and marketing, operations and human resources.
Our primary tool used in obtaining insight into a clients strengths and weaknesses is the development of a series of comprehensive questionnaires, designed to appraise specific functions / topics within an organization. During our initial meeting with a client's management, we customize our process, including questionnaires, to suit the client's particular type of business. A key factor to the success of our evaluation is that most of our questionnaires are completed anonymously by a cross-section of employees / management and returned directly to our possession. This process allows for a very candid response, as an individual's confidentiality is guaranteed.
Once retained by a client, we design a preliminary assessment format, which is reviewed thoroughly with the client's senior management, in order to customize our process to suit the individual client's requirements. Together with our client, we:
* Identify which functional areas need to be assessed.
* Determine which topics, within a functional area, need to be reviewed.
* Develop specific questions (line items) for each topic.
* Identify which employees are to be included in the assessment.
* Determine which line items are to be included in which employees questionnaire.
The result is a set of questionnaires, customized for each selected employee.
For each line item on an employee's questionnaire, we ask the employee to "Rate your company in the following areas, using a scale of 1 through 10. 10 for "no improvement possible", 1 for "it could not get any worse." We then obtain a final score for each line item by calculating the average points for each item and displaying the results graphically.
The results to our questionnaires highlight those areas that we need to concentrate on in order to identify the company's strengths, weaknesses and critical issues. Our extensive hands-on business experience enables us to constructively assess a situation and then to make specific and practical recommendations in order to improve the overall performance of the company.
As part of our assessment process, we also conduct assessments such as Employee Performance Appraisals, Personality Style Assessments, Employees Ranking of Importance of Benefits, etc. Our methods are designed in such a way as to neutralize the fact that everyone has different standards for measuring performance. The results of these assessments also gives a strong indication of the ability of individuals, and the group as a whole, to deal with certain situations.
Benefits of the Assessment Process.
* The issuance of a concise report dealing with strengths, weaknesses and critical issues, together with specific recommendations for improvements.
* Constructive employee involvement in the assessment process. Reduces employees resistance to implementation of recommendations.
* Due to the anonymous nature of the information gathering process, a very candid employee response is obtained.
* Each assessment is customized to suit each client's particular needs.
* The method by which the Employee Performance Appraisals are conducted reduces the risk of a legal challenge.
* Included in the appendix to our written report, most of the results of the assessments are shown in graphic or chart format.
* Quick identification of key data by the reader of the final report.
* An assessment performed on a regular basis is an invaluable tool for management to identify changes in a particular area at a very early stage.
* Graphs and charts can be prepared, showing the results for a particular area over a period of time, thereby serving as a benchmark for management to ascertain whether an area is static, improving or deteriorating, as well as prioritizing where energies should be targetted.
* Employees appreciate the opportunity to give their input in order to improve the performance of their company.
* Assessments can be designed to measure the performance of a department and / or manager.
* Management can gain insight into a subsidiary / Division, not normally obtainable through the regular channels.
* Absentee owners can keep an eye on their company without undermining management.
* An impartial, third party assessment to confirm the action required to improve a company's performance.
* $16,000 for companies with less than 150 employees and with a maximum of 25 employees participating in the assessment process.
* $32,000 for companies with between 150 and 300 employees and with a maximum of 50 employees participating in the assessment process.
* For companies whose number of employees is greater than 300, please contact us.
* The above fee is for time only. Board, fare, meals, etc. are charged at cost. Travel for myself (and up to one additional member of my staff, depending on the project) is via first class within North America and business class for overseas travel.
If you have questions, please contact me.