47
COMMENT
Who’s who at the
Specialized Carriers
& Rigging Association
CHAIRMAN
Michael Battaini
Sheedy Drayage
San Francisco, CA
PRESIDENT
Ron Montgomery
Intermountain Rigging & Heavy Haul
Salt Lake City, UT
VICE PRESIDENT
Alan Barnhart
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Memphis, TN
TREASURER
Delynn Burkhalter
Burkhalter
Columbus, MS
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Bruce Forster
Rigging Gear Sales
Dixon, IL
ALLIED INDUSTRIES GROUP CHAIRMAN
David Wittwer,
Hays Companies
Salt Lake City, UT
CRANE & RIGGING GROUP CHAIRMAN
David Cowley,
TNT Crane & Rigging
Longview, TX
LADIES GROUP CHAIRWOMAN
Cathy Moore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
TRANSPORTATION GROUP CHAIRMAN
Geary Buchanan,
Buchanan Hauling &
Rigging
Fort Wayne, IN
SC&R FOUNDATION OFFICERS
President:
Robert Moore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
Vice President:
Stephanie Bragg,
Bragg Companies
Long Beach, CA
Treasurer:
Jim Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging,
Piqua, OH
Y
our philosophy, your
products, your day-
to-day operations –
nothing on this list will guarantee that
your company becomes successful. You
have to plan for it. And even then, if
the planning isn’t bolstered by a clear
definition of strategy, a comprehensive
grasp on resource allocation and a
measured focus on both the short- and
long-term future, then you’re likely
setting yourself up for hardship, or even
failure. Industry leaders don’t arrive at
the top by accident, and in an industry
such as our own, if you’re not striving
to get better, there’s a good chance
you’re getting worse. Corporate strategic
planning provides a roadmap for any
organization, and it should be a strategy
that we familiarize ourselves with on a
recurrent basis.
“It takes as much energy to wish as
it does to plan.” Former First Lady
Eleanor Roosevelt could have been
referring to any number of hot-button
issues ablaze within her era, or perhaps
she was simply preparing for a picnic
in the park. Enduring as it may be, her
statement withstands the test of time,
not because it’s wildly inspiring, but
because it’s true. Effective leaders of
truly successful companies recognize
the need to consistently develop and
maintain a strategic fit between an
organization’s goals and resources, and
a changing marketplace – including the
opportunities that arise within such an
environment.
Corporate strategic planning is a semi-
formal process most of the time, and
is used to examine an organization for
the purposes of framing out long-range
decisions – which inevitably shape the
annual program of work, the overall
business plan, the customer base and
even the budget. Establishing a 3- to
5-year direction for your company
allows you to look ahead and anticipate
changes in your niche, or the industry
overall, and address the entire operation
both internally and externally (unbiased
input from outsiders can often play
a key role in allowing a company to
successfully adjust to its industry and
its customer/client base). Additionally,
a comprehensive strategic plan allows
companies to initially address any
immediate internal concerns, thus
avoiding persistent impediments to
success. Worth noting: some leaders have
been known to set 10- or 20-year plans.
Strategic planning is paramount to
staying competitive in the marketplace.
Some folks simply don’t adhere to it,
while others are meticulous planners. It’s
often pretty easy to tell the difference.
Effective companies define objectives
and assign metrics to them. It allows an
organization to say: “Ok, here’s where we
want to be – here’s where we are. These
are our goals and objectives. What are
the metrics that tell us we’re achieving
these things?”
In general, a strategic plan asks at least
one of three questions (which is a nice
way of saying, if you’re going to take the
time to set up the meeting, you should
address all three questions).
1.
Do we still do what we set out to do?
2.
Who is our target audience and
customer base?
3.
How do we get better?
It may not seem like much, but this list,
when properly assessed and expounded
upon, pretty much lays the groundwork
for any effective strategic plan. Do you
have a mission statement? Is it still
relevant, and does your business adhere
to the definitions of it? Have you been
able to maintain your existing customers
while adding new ones? And has your
company evolved with the times in such
a way that your audience still sees you
for who you want to be? Finally: what
can be done to enhance operational
ability and results while improving both
internal and external efficiency?
Simple questions that can make or
break your bottom line.
■
NOVEMBER 2013
ACT
Make or break your
bottom line with
corporate
strategic
planning.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Joel Dandrea
5870 Trinity Centre
Parkway, Suite 200
Centreville, VA 20120
Ph: 703-698-0291
Fax: 703-698-0297
The roadmap
for success
