7785 SayPro Lesson 1.8 . IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

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You can find service providers through a variety of channels. It’s best to build up a shortlist of possible service providers through a combination of sources to give you a broader base to choose from.

  1. Recommendations

Ask friends and business acquaintances. You’re more likely to get an honest assessment of a business’ strengths and weaknesses from someone who has used its services.

  1. Directories

If you’re looking for a service provider in your local area, it’s worth trying directories such as Yellow Pages.

  • Trade associations

If your needs are specific to a particular trade or industry, there will probably be a trade association that can match you with suitable service providers.

  1. Business advisors

Local business-support organisations, such as chambers of commerce, can often point you in the direction of potential service providers.

  1. Trade press

Trade magazines feature advertisements from potential service providers.

  1. DRAWING UP A SHORTLIST OF SERVICE PROVIDERS

Once you’ve identified some potential service providers, you can build a shortlist of sources that meet your needs. When considering the firms on your shortlist, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Can these service providers deliver what you want, when you want it?
  • Are they financially secure?
  • How long have they been established?
  • Do you know anyone who has used and can recommend them?
  • Are they on any approved service provider lists from trade associations or government?

Do some research and try to slim your list down to no more than four or five candidates. It’s a waste of time for you and the potential service provider if you approach them when there’s little chance of them fulfilling your requirements.

  1. CHOOSING A SERVICE PROVIDER

Once you have a manageable shortlist, you can approach the potential service providers and ask for a written quotation. It’s best to provide them with a clear brief summarising what you require, how frequently you’ll require it and what level of business you hope to place.

Get a quotation

It’s worth asking potential service providers to give you a firm price in writing for, say, three months. You can also ask about discounts for long-term or high-volume contracts.

Compare potential service providers

When you’ve got the quotation, compare the potential service providers in terms of what matters most to you. For example, the quality of their service may be most important, while their location may not matter.

Price is important, but it shouldn’t be the only reason you choose a service provider. Lower prices may reflect poorer quality goods and services which, in the long run, may not be the most cost effective option. Be confident that your service provider can make a sufficient margin at the price quoted for the business to be commercially viable.

Check that the service provider you employ is the one that will be doing the work. Some service providers may outsource work to subcontractors, in which case you should also investigate the subcontractor to determine if you are happy with this arrangement.

Wherever possible it is always a good idea to meet a potential service provider face to face and see how their business operates. Understanding how your service provider works will give you a better sense of how it can benefit your business.

And remember that your business’ reputation may be judged on the labour practices of your service providers. It makes good business sense to consider the ethical dimensions of your supply chain.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN A SERVICE PROVIDER

 

Reliability

Remember – if they let you down, you may let your customer down.

Quality

The quality of your supplies needs to be consistent – your customers associate poor quality with you, not your service providers.

Value for money

The lowest price is not always the best value for money. If you want reliability and quality from your service providers, you’ll have to decide how much you’re willing to pay for your supplies and the balance you want to strike between cost, reliability, quality and service.

Strong service and clear communication

You need your service providers to deliver on time, or to be honest and give you plenty of warning if they can’t. The best service providers will want to talk with you regularly to find out what needs you have and how they can serve you better.

Financial security

It’s always worth making sure your service provider has sufficiently strong cash flow to deliver what you want, when you need it. A credit check will help reassure you that they won’t go out of business when you need them most.

A partnership approach

A strong relationship will benefit both sides. You want your service providers to acknowledge how important your business is to them, so they make every effort to provide the best service possible. And you’re more likely to create this response by showing your service provider how important they are to your business.

 


 

CONTACTING SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Whenever there is a need to repair and maintain office equipment, the organisation must get in touch with the selected service provider. The service provider can be contacted in the following ways;

  1. Email

The person in charge of the maintenance must send an email to the service provider.

TIPS WHEN EMAILING

·         Always include a subject line and make sure it tells the recipient what the email is about, e.g. “Maintenance of Printer 0012” or “Plans for the weekend”.

·         Be very clear and specific in your email (without being too waffly). Tell the person who you are and why you are contacting them. Don’t just send an attachment and hope they will figure it out for themselves.

·         Only send attachments if they are necessary, e.g. don’t use a MS Word document to send text which could have been typed into the email instead.

·         Resist the temptation to use pretty stationery or unnecessary graphics. They annoy a lot of people and some email programs have trouble displaying them.

  1. Telephone

The person in charge of the maintenance can make phone calls to the service provider.

Tips when speaking on the phone

 

·         Always identify yourself at the beginning of all calls.

·         Speak slowly and clearly

·         Be sensitive to the tone of your voice.  Do not sound overly anxious, aggressive or pushy.

·         Think through exactly what you plan to say and discuss BEFORE you place a call.

Tip:  Jot down the items you want to discuss and questions you want answered. 

·         Do not allow interruptions to occur during conversations. Do not carry on side conversations with other people around you.  The person on the telephone takes precedence over someone who happens to walk in your office or passes by while you are on the phone.

·         Especially when leaving messages, speak clearly and slowly. Do not use broken phrases, slang or idioms. Always, always leave your return telephone number as part of your message, including the area code 

·         Always speak into the telephone receiver with an even and low tone of voice.  Especially when speaking on a cell phone out in public, be sure to monitor how loud you may be.

  1. Letter

The service provider can be contacted via post.

General Rules

The following are the key rules to be followed when writing a business letter

Rule 1 – The sender’s address

The sender’s address must be written:

·      On the top left-hand side

·      Without punctuation

·      In block form

·      Use Box 122, not PO Box 122

·      Include a postal code

·      Do not write the address if you are printing the letter on a pre-printed company letterhead.

Rule 2 – The date

The date can be written:

·      On the right-hand side or the left-hand side

·      Without punctuation

·      In the form “day month year”-  the month is never written as a number

Rule 3 – The receiver’s designation

The receiver’s designation (position) in the company may be written:

·      On the left-hand side

·      Above his address

·      Example: The personnel manager

·      Note a rule – only used if needed

Rule 4 – The receiver’s address

The receiver’s address must be written:

·      On the left-hand side

·      Without punctuation

·      In block form

·      Use Box 122, not PO Box 122

·      Include a postal code

Rule 5 – Addressing the receiver

The receiver should be addressed:

·      Address the letter to a specific individual using his/her name or title

·      If you have an informal relationship with the receiver:

o  Dear Mike

o  Only use Dear if you have established a good relationship with the person

·      If you have a formal relationship with the receiver:

o  Ms Bell or Mr Jones

o  Use this if you are unacquainted

·      If you do not know the name of the receiver:

o  Sir is used to address a letter to an individual

o  Madam is used only if you are sure that the receiver is female

o  Sir is used if you are writing to a company or a partnership

·      If you are writing to a group of people:

·      Use a title that describes how they are connected to the content of the letter.

·      Examples: Board of Directors, Investors, Students

·      Note that these words must start with a capital letter

Rule 6 – The subject line

The letter must have a subject line (heading):

·      Describe the subject of the letter

·      Must be underlined

·      Must not have “Re” (no longer used in modern letter writing)

Rule 7 – Signing off

The words that you use to sign off a letter depend on how formal the letter is and how you have addressed the receiver.

·      An informal letter should be signed off informally = Regards

·      If you have addressed the receiver by name = Yours sincerely

·      Receiver addressed with the words Sir / Ms Smith = Yours faithfully

Rule 8 – The sender’s signature

·      The sender signs his/her name below the closing phrase

·      The sender’s name is typed under the signature

·      Include (Ms) for a female sender

·      If applicable, the sender’s position in the company should be printed under the name

LEARNING HOW TO OPERATE TECHNOLOGY

 

There are different ways of learning how to use new technology in the office. Let us look at some of the ways;

  • Attending training workshops
  • Coaching by a friend, colleague or manager
  • Studying and following user manuals and other resources
  • OPERATING OFFICE EQUIPMENT

    In this section we shall learn how to operate a fax, photocopier and the switchboard.

    Operating a fax machine

    Here are some basic instructions for sending and receiving a fax.

  • Sending a fax:

    1. Make sure the fax machine is plugged into a power source and also plugged into a working phone jack.
    2. Turn the fax machine on.
    3. Obtain the fax number of the destination fax machine.
    4. Gather the documents you want to send and put them in the order you want them to be received.
    5. Fill out a separate piece of paper called a coversheet with the recipient’s name, fax number/phone number, your name, your phone number, a short message and number of pages (including coversheet).
    6. Lay the documents face-up in the fax machine feeder tray with the coversheet on top
    7. Dial the recipient’s fax number (dialling instructions for international calls)
    8. Press the “fax” or “send” button, depending on the particular fax machine model

    Now the fax machine will scan each of the document pages into its memory. After all of the pages have been scanned, you’ll hear a series of fax tones. These tones signal the “handshake” between the sending and receiving fax machines, establishing a communications link. Wait for a few minutes as the fax is sent. If the fax machine has a small display screen, look for a confirmation that the fax went through. Some fax machines will also print out a short confirmation report.

    Here’s how to receive a fax:

    1. Make sure the fax machine is plugged in, powered on and connected to a working phone jack. This phone jack can either be your regular phone line or a dedicated fax line. The important thing is that the sender has the right number.
    2. Make sure that the fax machine has enough ink in its toner cartridge. Toner cartridges usually have some sort of indicator when toner is low. Most modern fax machines will also alert you when toner is low.
    3. Make sure that there’s enough printer paper loaded in the fax machine’s paper tray. Fan the paper (run your thumb along the bottom, separating the individual pages) to avoid paper jams in the machine.
    4. If there’s a phone on the fax machine, the phone will ring. Don’t pick it up.
    5. Wait for the “handshake” tones indicating that the fax machine is talking with the sender’s machine.
    6. The fax machine will automatically begin to print each page of the fax.
    7. Check the coversheet to make sure you received as many pages as were sent.
    8. If it’s an important document, it’s office etiquette to call or e-mail the sender to confirm that you received the fax.

     

    Operating a photocopier

    1. Turn on the photocopier. Locate the power switch, usually on the top of the photocopier on the control panel. Some photocopiers have a power switch on the side. Many photocopiers have a “sleep” mode that reduces power consumption while the copier is still on. Pressing the “Copy” button on the control panel will usually cause the copier to “wake up.”

    Lift the cover of the photocopier and place your document on the glass surface underneath, called the platen. At the edges of the glass you’ll see guide marks that indicate where to position your document. Once the document is in place, lower the cover. If the photocopier has a document feeder instead of a cover over the platen, do not lift the document feeder off the platen. Instead place your document in the document feeder. Usually you will insert the document face up. Look at your document feeder. “Place document face up” or “Place document face down” will often be noted directly on the document feeder.

    1. Select the number of copies to be made. The control panel of the photocopier will have a display that shows the number of copies that will be produced. The photocopier may have a number key pad for selecting the number of copies, or it may have arrows, or a plus and minus sign, for changing the number incrementally.
    2. Select the copier’s Colour button or Black and White button if the photocopier is a colour copier.
    3. Select the appropriate size paper on the control panel. Most photocopiers will have at least two paper trays. The letter tray contains 8 1/2-inch by 11-inch paper, and the legal paper tray contains 8 1/2-inch by 14-inch paper. Most photocopiers also have a “paper bypass” feed that allows you to insert a single sheet of special-sized paper. If you need to make multiple copies on a special size or special color paper, you’ll need to place the special paper directly in one of the main paper trays.
    4. Reduce or enlarge the original image, if necessary. Many photocopiers have preset buttons for 50 percent, 150 percent or 200 percent enlargements. You may need to set the reduction or enlargement percentage using a number key pad. Consult the photocopier user manual for specific instructions.
    5. Set other image editing features or functions on the photocopier, if necessary. Many photocopiers will produce two-sided copies, copy two original documents on one page, collate, punch holes or staple. Consult the photocopier user manual for specific instructions on these options.
    6. Press the “Copy” button, which is usually the largest button on the control panel. It may also be labeled “Start.” Often the button will be green, or have green markings. If the copier has been idle, it may take a minute or more to warm up first. Your copies will be produced.

    TIPS & WARNINGS

    ·         If the copier has a document feeder and you only want to copy one piece of paper, you can usually lift the document feeder and place a document directly on the platen. The document feeder will not be activated during copying.

    ·         When using a photocopier that functions as document center, or as a network printer, always make sure you are not interrupting somebody else’s copy job. Or, if you need to interrupt a copy job, get permission before doing so.

    ·         When performing basic user maintenance, like adding toner, notice that internal parts of the copier meant to be operated or manipulated by the user are brightly colored, often florescent green or orange. Do not touch any internal parts of the copier without permission and training.

     OPERATING A SWITCHBOARD

    1. Familiarize yourself with the extensions of the employees in your office. This will help you transfer calls faster.
    2. Answer ringing phones by picking up the headset and saying your company’s greeting. Some switchboards require you to push the button indicated by the ringing line to answer the phone, particularly if you are already on a separate line.
    3. Call company employees by simply dialing their extensions. Many switchboards, however, require you to dial a number before calling out, such as “9.” Consult your switchboard manual or another employee about how to dial out.
    4. Place the call on hold by pressing the “Hold” button, if necessary. Retrieve the call by pressing the “Hold” button for a second time. While calls are on hold you can complete internal or external phone calls, answer other ringing lines or address face-to-face customers. Just don’t forget to retrieve the call on hold.
    5. Transfer a call by pressing the “Transfer” button, then waiting to hear a dial tone. Dial the extension of the person to whom you are transferring the call, then press “Transfer” again. Press the “Release” button to transfer the call, or just hang up the phone.
    6. Start a conference call by answering an incoming call or dialing a number. Press the “Conference” button, then wait for a dial tone. Dial the number or extension of the person receiving the conference call. Once she answers, alert her of the conference call, then press the “Conference” button again to connect the parties. Repeat this process with all the parties involved in the conference call, then press “Release,” or hang up, to remove yourself from the call.
    7. Place a call on speakerphone by pushing down on the “Speaker” button. Take a call off of speakerphone by pressing down on “Speaker” again.
    8. Consult your switchboard manual for additional information about the specifics of your switchboard system.








  • Neftaly Malatjie | CEO | SayPro
  • Email: info@saypro.online
  • Call: + 27 84 313 7407
  • Website: www.saypro.online

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