Tips for Vendors & Suppliers using L2B

posted in: Did You Know 1

You have to be in it to win it!

Why wait for business? As an Open Quotes subscriber, a Vendor or a Supplier listed on our database, you have the opportunity to engage with Contractors who are looking for services or products that are within your scope of work, allowing you to submit your pricing directly.

Once registered you will receive a Username and a Password via email. Log in frequently to see what is available to you, so you do not miss out on any opportunities.

If you are an Open Quotes subscriber:

You can receive the award information for all the Requests For Quotations that were sent to you, regardless of whether you priced or not, this gives you a second chance to price, for the successful bidder.  These will display in the Purple block on your Vendor page.

Access to bills that contractors are currently pricing that have not been sent to directly, you choose whether you want to price on these or not. These will display in the Red block on your Vendor page.

For All Vendors:

View a history of all your requests for quotations. These will display in the Blue block on your Vendor page.

Manage your company details online: i.e CIBD, BEE, Description, Serviceable Regions, Trades, Contacts, etc.

Send emails with your logo and/or profile attached from our directory to market your business.

View and interact with the icons and functionality on your Vendor Home Page. Respond to requests for quotations online and improve your indicator so that you maintain a high indicator in order to have the highest visibility on the Buyers search results.

Price online, this saves you time and money.

Take advantage of the options to download full BOQ’s, drawings, and specifications, as well as upload documents to the buyers.

Ensure that you respond to the contractor timeously, take heed of the respond-by-date which is stipulated on the request for quote, thereby increasing your chances of having your prices included in the tender in turn increasing your opportunity to secure work if the contractor is a successful bidder.

For our Vendor Quick Guide see below.

Vendor

For more on Full Vendor Functionality see Open Quotes Vendors


To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Lola Govender

My name is Lola Govender. I have been working at L2B for 14 years and am very passionate about our business.

Sustainable Lifestyle Tips

posted in: General 1

sustainable
/səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/
adjective: sustainable
1.
able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
“sustainable economic growth”
conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.
“our fundamental commitment to sustainable development”
2.
able to be upheld or defended.
“sustainable definitions of good educational practice”

Sustainability is a buzzword nowadays.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle mantra, may feel retro, but it’s just as important today as when the phrase was first coined.

It might be a trend, but it’s not one that will go out of fashion.

Living sustainably means adapting our lives so that we avoid further depletion of the earth’s natural resources. From conserving water and improving air quality, to taking care of the natural world so that forests can soak up carbon dioxide and wildlife can thrive, there is so much we can help with.

Everything you do in your day-to-day life has an impact on the planet, from the food you eat to the car you drive. This doesn’t mean you should only eat vegetables and start riding a bike everywhere. Although, you could try consuming less meat and only driving when necessary.

It’s small changes like these which could help you to lessen your environmental impact.

Here are a few sustainable lifestyle tips:

  • Save energy. By using less energy, you can help to reduce carbon emissions
  • Eat less meat
  • Use reusable alternatives
  • Go paperless
  • Use renewable energy
  • Recycle and reuse
  • Plant seeds
  • Grow your own produce
  • Donate unused items

Living a more sustainable life means leaving a few conveniences behind, but it’s so worth it in the long run. Eventually, you’ll adjust to the new way of life and be able to sleep better at night, knowing you’re making a positive change for the planet you call home.

Source: The Common Wanderer


To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

Tips for Projects Subscribers

Leads 2 Business sources up to date information on Projects throughout South Africa and Africa and we would like to you benefit from these leads and build your business and business relationships to stand you in good stead for future endeavors.

  1. Monitoring the Project

With a click of a button, you are assured of being informed when there are changes and updates to a Project Lead that you are interested in. When the researcher sources new information the Project Lead is updated and all the subscribers that are monitoring will be notified that there is an update and with one more click on your advisory you are able to open the specific Project that you are interested in and find out what new information we have for you. Monitor the Project Lead, you don’t want to miss an update!

  1. Monitors

Assign Project Leads to your Sales Staff and manage new business using L2B tools, share the workload and Projects you receive with the five (5) FREE monitors your subscription allows. Your monitors have their own log-in details and are able to access all the details of the Project Leads they are assigned, they will also be notified of any updates.

  1. Use Information to build relationships

The researchers endeavor to source the professional team for each Project Lead uploaded and these details remain on the Lead and if you were not able to successfully be part of that specific Project’s team, remember there could be opportunities down the road, start building a relationship with the professionals so when they start their next Project, you could already have a “foot in the door”

  1. Status of the Project and who to contact

The status of the project is important, for example: if you would like your product specified in the bill of quantities, an underway project is too late to spam the architect with your profile for that project, here is your opportunity to start building those relationships I spoke about in point 3 for any possible future projects they could be involved in. Conceptual and Procedural projects are very early in the life span of the project and if approvals are not granted, the project will most likely not go ahead. The environmental consultant and town planner are responsible for obtaining approvals therefore their contact details are not made available, they cannot assist with any procurement or construction details of the Project Lead. Recently awarded projects are where you would contact the awarded company regarding the products they will now need to get to fulfill the contract. Know who you need to contact and the best time to do so.

  1. Researcher Link

Is there a professional that you need to contact and they are not listed? You have heard via the grapevine that the contract could be awarded? Use the link to contact the Researcher responsible for that project lead and request the information. They will respond and advise the update by return email.

  1. Note Facility unique to that Project Lead

There is nothing worse than scratching around for a piece of paper that you wrote information on that you now need and it is missing……use the note facility on the Project Lead. These are your own personal notes regarding the Project Lead you are working on and a reminder of what you have done, who you have spoken to, and what your plan of action could be the next time you follow up on the Project lead. These notes are your own personal notes and cannot be seen by any other subscribers. You work from home or on-site?…..your notes are there with you, relevant to that Project Lead.

  1. The site is live and up to date

The moment you download a Project Lead with the intention of using a hard copy you could be missing out on valuable updated information that we have just added that will not be on your hard copy, go paperless, (much better for the environment), use the site, it is up to date with the latest information we have.

  1. Searching on the site

Less is more!!! The more criteria you input, the more you are narrowing your search, each option you select must be linked to the Lead or your results will be zero and you could be missing out on an opportunity. Use just one keyword to find what you are looking for, if there are too many results, add another option to reduce the results. Even better, if you have a reference number, just the reference number is required to find the Project Lead you are looking for, no other criteria required, the Project reference number is a unique number assigned to that Lead.

  1. Updates you might have missed

Regularly do a search for projects you might have missed that have been recently updated. Using minimal search criteria, for example, only select projects, the industry you interested in, and the region (status as well if there is only a specific status you want to deal with) and click on the search button, the search will be populated with the Projects that have recently been updated with the most recent at the top….try it, you might find something you missed, then monitor it so you don’t miss anything else.

The Researchers are a dedicated Team eager to source new Projects, update the existing Projects on the site, and to assist you with any information that you need.


To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Debbie Wessels

I started at Leads 2 Business in April 2008 in the tenders Department and transferred to the Projects Department during the same year. I was appointed Head of Department for Projects from February 2011 to March 2022. April 2022 I started a new adventure as Content Regulator.

Tips for using the L2B Directory

Our Directory boasts 65000 companies and almost 180000 contacts

You can access the directory by clicking on the below on the dashboard and then clicking on the magnifying glass.

Use the drop-down filters under Directory and make the relevant selection should you need to search for a specific company or contact,

You can search with a company or contact name in the search bar,

Ever hear less is more? Well, that’s exactly what will yield you the most positive results on our Directory.

Make use of the filters provided to yield more specific results.

Use the less is more concept, select a trade and region at a time for more accurate results rather than multiple trades or region selections to perform a search.

You can expand the view to be able to see the whole company on the results page without clicking on the Company, Division, Branch or contact by clicking on the following:

This also shows how many contacts are listed in that whole company.


Happy Searching


To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Sharika Raman

I have worked for Leads 2 Business from January 2015. I started in the Leads 2 Quotes Department for Directory, in January 2020 I was promoted to the Deputy Head of Department for Leads 2 Quotes and in July 2021 I was promoted to the Accounts Department as a Debtors Administrator. I enjoy time with my family creating memories, I like to socialize but also enjoy time to myself so I try to keep a balance by indulging in some quiet time when I can. I see myself as a realist, amazing wife and awesome mom…I am sure my family would agree.

Tips for Buyers using L2B

To receive the best and relevant prices for your tender, take into consideration the following:

When Creating the L2Q Bill Request:

  • Ensure that the Vendors / Subcontractors are given enough time to price the RFQ, too short a lead time and they will be unable to submit a price.
  • Provide a start date, as this will determine whether their schedule will allow them to price.
  • Provide an accurate location (physical address or GPS co-ordinates) where the work will take place.
  • Provide as much information as possible, i.e., drawings or scope of works, etc.

When Sending out the RFQ’s:

  • Read the description of the company before selecting, as some companies might only do a specific part of a trade and it might not be the work that needs to be priced.
  • Select the companies that service the applicable region and send them to a select list.
  • Only send to one contact in the same company, as selecting multiple contacts in the same company may cause confusion.

After RFQ’s have been sent:

  • Respond to queries that may be sent to you from the Vendors / Subcontractors.

By following the steps above, you should receive a spread of prices to assist in compiling your tender, and as always, the L2Q Department is available for assistance and will assist in following up on prices still required.


To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Cecile Van Deventer

I joined the L2Q Team in 2006, as a L2Q Support Assistant and have been the HOD since 2010. I supervise L2Q Bills, Daily Tender Bills, Control Lists and Directory.

Your Essential Guide to Productivity

posted in: Life Lessons 3

How it’s going – 2021

We’ve already completed one month in 2021. How productive have you been so far? I’ve seen so many posts this year with people saying they simply don’t feel motivated or productive at all while using the phrase “February is the new January”. That’s basically the 2021 version of I’ll start next Monday, right?

Let’s Break it Down

Dan S. Kennedy defines productivity as follows:

Enter Your Essential Guide to Productivity: tips with optional further reading links because as we know, “Time is money”. For further motivation (to keep reading), the benefits of productivity include reduced stress, increased engagement and improved self-confidence and who doesn’t want more of all that?

Productivity Tools

Right off the bat lets start with some productivity tools that I use (do you use any of these?):

Trello – for organizing and prioritising projects
Slack – communicate, share files and connect with apps easily
Grammarly – an AI-powered writing assistant that helps with spelling, grammar and more
Google Keep – capture notes and get reminders
Google Docs Editors – Google’s office suite which includes Google Docs, Google Sheets and more
Google Workspace Suite –  collaboration tools like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites and more
Skype / Zoom – video communication and collaboration
AnyDesk / TeamViewer – remote desktop sharing and file transfer
Dropbox – file Storage and Sharing

Productivity Tools are great but in the end, they don’t make you productive they just assist with the process. So what does? One commonality that stands out after research is MINDSET. As we all know the mind is powerful so it’s no surprise that this is the main component for productivity.

Your Essential Guide to Productivity

With only so many hours in the day, you want to use them in the best way right? So, let’s keep it short with 10 Tips:

Start – this one is obvious, to be productive you have to start somewhere
Plan – create a detailed breakdown of how you plan to achieve goals and focus on these
Be Deliberate – be conscious and intentional with your actions
Deadline – set goals with completion dates in mind
Accountability & Tracking – take accountability and track your progress
Workspace – this goes without saying but creating and maintaining a space that assists you without distractions
Take Breaks – breaks help you to de-stress, re-charge and re-focus
Fuel – your body (and brain) needs fuel to perform optimally
Stop Multitasking – according to science multitasking divides your attention and impairs your ability to function optimally
Say No/Delegate – not everything is equally important so prioritize or delegate

In Conclusion

Keep in mind no project or initiative is perfectly planned even though it may seem that way from the outside looking in. Work hard and do your best. Your customers and/or colleagues will tell you where improvements are needed which means you’ll get the opportunity to improve things that actually matter.

In the name of #KeepingitReal and #Authenticity, I personally struggle with taking breaks, not multitasking, saying no/delegating and on top of that I am a perfectionist. If you’re the same, remember you are a work in progress so don’t beat yourself up when you fall short. Get up, dust yourself off and remember consistency is key. Find methods/techniques that work best for you and you’ll see changes.

WATCH The Science of Productivity from AsapSCIENCE on Youtube for a scientific take on Productivity.

Sources/Further Reading:
Personal Productivity eBook
EmpMonitor
Paldesk
DoIT
INC
HeySpace


To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

How to make the most of our Tenders?

posted in: Did You Know 0

The Inside Scoop:

Ssssshhh, don’t tell the boss! I wanted to share some insider secrets with you. A brief look behind the scenes and into the research “engine room” of our company. I am hoping that you can use this information to your advantage. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

As you know, Leads 2 Business is keenly focussed on smarter ways to do and create business opportunities.This approach is not just about the information we deliver to you, but an integral part of our business ethos. Each month we capture literally thousands of tenders, yes, you read it correctly, THOUSANDS!

With this much tender information being pumped out on a daily basis, we have to find a smart and effective way to prioritise researching the subsequent tender awards.

How do we know?

Every Tender we send to you has an option to be monitored.
Monitoring a lead allows you to follow it through its life cycle
or assign it for follow-up within your team.

What is not so apparent is that we, in turn, use this monitoring
information as an indicator that this tender is important, creating
a priority flag back to the research team for follow-up.

It then becomes very important for you to monitor a tender!

How to Monitor a Tender

Monitoring a Tender can be done from selecting a recipient from the drop down box “Assigned to” on the tender.
Alternately, it can be done in bulk from the search results page first selecting which tenders you want to monitor, followed by “Actions”, “Monitor selection”. It will then present the same list of recipients as is available from the individual tender view pages.

Ways to get our attention

In the event you have not monitored a tender but still need the award information and the tender is now closed, you can email your request through from the tender page by clicking on “Request Award Information” button and someone from our research team will then follow up with you.

Tools you can use

There are more tools integrated into our tender notifications that we know will help you stay ahead. Specifically, our site inspection, follow-up and closing date reminders, which offer timeous alerts. An area for notes directly relating to the tender or contacts you may have reached out to. Our document collection and/or site attendance on your behalf through Infomessenger. (Gauteng only)

Making the most of your tenders is quite an exhaustive topic…

Here are the common points for consideration :

Subscribe

It may be seemingly obvious, but a valuable subscription to Leads 2 Business is a smart, streamlined approach.
We shoulder the cost of a research team and send you what is important to your business.

The number of filter combinations across categories, industries, geography and keywords creates a uniquely customised solution for your business lead pipeline. If you would like to know more about subscribing or taking a free trial, please send me an email on TarynD@L2B.co.za

Refine Your Profile

Making sure your profile on Leads 2 Business is tailored appropriately to your business requirements so that you get the lead information.

Your Advisory Settings Profile explicitly dictates what is received in the Daily Advisory email.

Steps to Action in Identifying opportunities


Go through the daily Advisory email thoroughly each day.

  • View the full details online.
  • Monitor & Request BoQ/ SI register/ Bidders Lists as soon as possible.
  • Set Reminders.
  • Email the researcher, if there are any discrepancies that you identify or if you need assistance.
  • Make Notes.
  • Download DTAs. (Daily Tender Advisory)
  • Keep a record of DTA numbers, instead of partial descriptions. This helps when searching.
  • Dismiss those unwanted DTAs, that are cluttering up your Search Result. (Be extra careful of dismissing DTAs by mistake)
  • Take advantage of our free online training, live support, telephonic support or in person training. (In person training is availble by appointment and only in selected areas)

Key Vocabulary to Understand:



  • Details Change:The details pertaining to the original tender have changed, please review the new details supplied in our notification.
  • Short Lead: This means there is a very short lead time or a very short time within which you can respond to this tender opportunity.
  • Awards: After the closing date, all the tenders are checked for basic compliance with the tender regulations. Non-compliant tenders are disqualified. The compliance of the products or services offered and the price is considered. Then all compliant tenders are listed in order of price. Those in the lowest price tender list are in the lowest price group. Preference points are given to suppliers on the list of lowest price tenders are first verified. Preference points are only awarded after the most expensive tenders have been excluded, as this makes the process faster and fairer. Those with verifiable information come out with the best preference points and are therefore awarded the contract.
  • Re-tenders: the issue of a second or subsequent request for tenders on a proposed contract.
  • Withdrawals: the contract has been withdrawn and there is no longer an opportunity to tender at this time.
  • Cancellations: the contract has been cancelled and there is no longer an opportunity to tender at this time.


About Taryn Duckham

I am a lover of marketing, customer centricity and the art of influence. Being able to effect this through analysis, content and front end design is part of my work, my great love of creatively solving problems that reach across as many parts of Leads 2 Business as I can.

What you didn’t realise about the difference between Public and Private Tenders

64-Blog-Header-What-is-the-difference-between-Government-and-Private-Tenders

Public Tenders vs Private Tenders

 

The difference between public tenders and private tenders is that public tenders are advertised in the public domain and are open to the public, and private tenders aren’t.

 

Can I go home now?

No.

Right….

 

The first problem is the terminology. Public vs open, private vs closed etc. I tend to favour “Public” and “Invited” when describing the difference between these two types of tenders. “Private” can be misconstrued. When someone asks me after a “private” tender, my first question is; are they looking for tenders from Private entities (which could be public or invited) or do they mean “invited” tenders? Private entities make use of publicly advertised tenders as well. Not a lot to be perfectly honest, but it is a way for them to freshen up their supply chain. So for the sake of clarity, I’m going to stick to “Public” and “Invited”.

Public tenders are predominately Government. That is literally the entire point of Government Procurement. The Government is spending the “People’s money”, so it better be out in the public domain where everyone and their uncle can have their say. [tweetthis]The five pillars are: Value for Money, Open and Effective Competition, Ethics and Fair Dealing, Accountability and Reporting, and Equity.[/tweetthis]  “Open and Effective Competition” is represented by the public aspect of advertising your tender notices. These tender notices are advertised in newspapers (not for very much longer, apparently), eTenders, Government Tender Bulletin, Provincial Tender Bulletins, Government websites, Provincial websites, Municipal websites and Notice Boards. The information is out there to be found. If you can find it, then you can participate. Anyone can rock up to a site meeting or a tender closing; no one can stop you. However, the award is very much dependent on how you fulfill the specific criteria required. Anyone can play the game, but only the professional and serious have an actual shot at winning. Plus, generally fly-by-nights and chancers are not appreciated or tolerated. So don’t be one of these. Just don’t.

 

Public tender notices can be advertised by private entities/ companies as well. It isn’t very common, like I said; but it does happen. Most private entities have their own Supply Chain Management Department and processes. This department handles the supply chain process for that company. Does the company need a cleaning company or a new security company? Does the furniture need replacing? Are they considering building a new headquarters? These are the same types of questions that Government has to deal with, but it’s not out there for all to see. The private entities will usually utilise their tried and tested methods that they’ve been using for years. This rarely involves advertising to the public. The most common tool I’ve come across, is the Supply Chain Database. Private companies would have their own database that they maintain. They approach those companies listed, as they would already have a history with that company so there’s a certain sense of trust and expectation of product or service. Private entities, just like Government, do not want to be wasting their time and money on chancers. How do you get listed on a private entity’s database? Ask! Do you have a Supplier Database? Yes, awesome. Who do I send my company details to? What’s the procedure? You will never learn, if you don’t ask.

 

Unlike public tenders, invited tenders are generally only heard about after the fact. You tend to hear about them from your mates’ brother’s sister-in-law who overhead it at a bar brawl. Like bread crumbs scattered in the wind, and you have to chase them back to the source. Invited tenders are held very close to the chest. This, unfortunately, gives them a bit of a shady reputation. Not necessarily the case, since companies nowadays have time considerations and budgets that don’t really allow for un-invited delays and inclusions. The sad fact is, if you weren’t invited; then be prepared to be bounced from the party.

 

Government utilises invited tenders as well. Which is a neverending source for debate and scandalous speculation. When it’s all on the up and up, simply time and money are against going out to public tender. For example: an Emergency. When an actual emergency occurs, say a natural disaster, nobody is going to tolerate the Government or a Municipality going out to public tender. Why? It takes too long. So tenders are invited. Where would the contractors be sourced from, you ask? The applicable Supplier Database. Verbal quotes, or more likely written quotes are called for. In emergencies, the aim is to fix the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible to prevent further issues. Bear in mind, that all decisions related to this situation would have to be recorded. All decisions concerning Supply Chain Management, have to be recorded. Otherwise, a certain word starts surfacing “misappropriation”.

 

It’s also interesting to note, that “lack of planning” does not constitute an emergency. If suddenly a pen cannot be found in your Municipality for love nor money, then this is not an emergency but terrible terrible planning. It’s pencils for you, until the tender can be awarded.

 

Invited tenders can be the chosen form of procurement when specialty works or products are required. Supply Chain Departments are supposed to have an idea of who can do what for them. It they know that there’s stacks of suppliers of a certain product, then it’ll be open competitive bidding for them. But if they know there’s only two companies that can supply a certain product, it’s not viable to go out to public tender. Both companies are invited to tender, and one is awarded. There’s cases where there’s only one supplier/ contractor. That guy gets asked to price. It’s too costly and too time consuming to go out to public tender, when you already know who your suppliers could be. This actually implies that there’s a bit of common sense being utlilised in the Government. Someone actually hoped to save money and time, by not relying on mindless bureaucracy. Treasury Regulation 16A6.4 comes into play, but it has to be recorded and reported. Everything has to be recorded and reported.

 

Invited tenders can also be the result of other supply chain processes: Panels, Pre-Qualifications and Expression of Interests (EOI). These are the most common. Think of it as a gathering of potential suppliers/ contractors. They are assessed and then invited to tender. Generally, the pre-qualification/ EOI are out in the public domain. But the invited tenders will be behind the scenes. I tend to see these for long term projects, where a certain aim is hoping to be achieved. The idea being that if the Government wants to refurbish an entire Province’s schools (for example), then going out to tender for each individual school is just nuts. Get a group of potential pre-qualified contractors together in one go, and then divvy the jobs out as budgets and time allows.

 

When hoping to do business, hedge your bets.

 

If you want to work with a private company, talk to them. If you want to continue working with the Government, talk to them as well. Whether it’s public tender notices or invited, information is key.

 

 

http://www.treasury.gov.za/legislation/pfma/supplychain/General%20Procurement%20Guidelines.pdf

http://www.treasury.gov.za/divisions/ocpo/sc/Guidelines/SCM%20Jan900-Guidelines.pdf

 

About Claire Donaldson

I started working at Leads 2 Business in February 2005, and have served as Head of Department of Daily Tenders from 2007 until the present. I oversee both the Daily Tenders South Africa and Africa Departments.

General Safety in South Africa

Leads 2 Business : Safety

Crime in South Africa, like many other places in today’s world, can be a problem. Despite some negative perceptions about crime in South Africa, it’s generally safe & friendly, all you need to do is take sensible precautions & follow some general rules in order to stay safe.

 

Personal Safety Tips

  • Be aware of your surroundings
  • Avoid unfamiliar areas & walking alone
  • Avoid wearing/displaying valuables & large amounts of money
  • Take ATM Safety precautions
  • If you travel inform someone of your destination
  • Ensure that you know relevant emergency numbers
  • In a robbery situation, remain calm & do not resist
  • Take a self defense course
  • Don’t leave animals in the car
  • Trust your instincts at all times

 

Home Safety

  • Fencing & Gates
  • Alarm, CCTV & Intercom Systems
  • Dogs
  • Security Lighting
  • Ensure gates are locked at all times & keys/access devices are in a designated area

 

Vehicle Safety

  • Keep doors locked & windows closed
  • Do not leave valuables locked in the car
  • Park in well-lit places
  • If something seems suspicious, rather drive away
  • Vary the routes that you take & do not give strangers a lift
  • Ensure you have sufficient petrol
  • If you are in a road accident, drive to the nearest police station
  • Have your keys ready before approaching your vehicle
  • If you feel you are being followed, rather drive to the nearest police station

 

Safety Tips Unique to SA:

  • Look out for potholes
  • Beware of animals on the road & other native creepies and crawlies
  • Swimming in rivers can be dangerous due to hippos, crocodiles & bull sharks
  • Take Malaria precautions (repellents, nets)
  • Take Tick precautions (to prevent tick-bite fever)
  • Avoid drinking water from Rivers (Bilharzia & Cholera)
  • Sun protection (even on a cloudy day)
  • Beware of Remote Jamming
  • Beware of Taxi’s while driving/ walking
  • Keep updated on Load-shedding Schedules & take pro-active measures

 

Although it seems like you’ve just been handed a mountain of Safety Tips they are not there to prevent you from enjoying life. Keep them in mind & make them part of your daily routine & they will become effective habits before you know it.

Think of it like Dr George Cui, “Safety First, Then Healthy, then Happy, then Wealthy.”

 

P.S. Please add your Safety Tips in the comments section below.

 

Further Reading:

https://www.travelground.com/blog/10-ridiculous-commonly-asked-questions-south-africa/

 

 

 

 

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

Time Management Tips for your Business

Time Management Tips for your Business

 

As Dr. Seuss says:

 

“How did it get so late, so soon?”

 

When I think of time management, I immediately think of the Bar-One chocolate. For a 25-hour day. It always seems as though there are just too few hours in a day. An 8-hour working day is only 480 minutes. This, however, is one issue that chocolate (unfortunately) cannot solve. Effective time management is the answer.

 

Time management is the process of organising and planning how much time you spend on specific activities. Being busy is not the same as being effective and spending copious amounts of time working on different activities throughout the day, often leaves you with little to show for it at the end of the day. Most of us are familiar with the phrase “work smarter, not harder”.

 

Time management is a skill that everyone can learn. Here are ten tips that I believe will assist you in developing the skill further:

1. MAKE NOTES. For me personally, this is one of the most important tasks. Make a note of everything you need to do, instead of trying to remember everything in your head. This will help you to plan your day.
2. ORGANISE YOUR WORKSPACE. A cluttered workspace creates distraction. Only keep what you need on your desk.
3. PRIORITISE TASKS. Divide them up into three groups, from most important, to moderate and least important. Always start with the most important, even if you can only complete a small part of the task.
4. SET TIME LIMITS. Setting time limits is very important for keeping focused on the task at hand, and to avoid procrastination.
5. KNOW YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS. Review your work on a regular basis to ensure that what you are achieving, is in line with your goals and targets.
6. DELEGATE. You can’t delegate everything and anything, however, if there is someone else with the necessary skills and time, they can assist you by taking on the task.
7. USE A CALENDAR. This is a useful tool for managing your daily activities. An online calendar tool, i.e. on your mail client, enables you to access your calendar from wherever you are. Use this calendar to mark out deadlines.
8. TARGET TO BE EARLY. When you plan to meet a target on time, you will either be on time or late. However, if you target to be early, you will most likely be on time.
9. KEEP THE BALANCE. It is important to manage your time so that you can include various aspects of your life into your day, such as work, family, friends and your health.
10. Last, but certainly not least, TAKE A BREAK. If you overwork yourself, you will tire yourself out and become less productive.

 

And so to end, I would like to leave you with the following thought:

 

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” – Michael Altshuler

 

Sources:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_00.htm
https://ascendtraining.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/competencies-of-great-supervisors-part-13-time-management/
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/top-time-management-tips0.html
https://ascendtraining.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/competencies-of-great-supervisors-part-13-time-management/
http://www.cimaglobal.com/Thought-leadership/Newsletters/Insight-e-magazine/Insight-2012/Insight-October-2012/First-things-first-prioritising-tasks-for-better-time-management/
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/20-quick-tips-for-better-time-management.html

About Bianca Warwick

I had the privilege of joining the Leads 2 Business content team in January 2012. I work in the exciting Projects department, following the progress of construction developments in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State.