Social Services Agency Improves Business Development and Operations

“I was asked to assist a local social services agency that assists the developmentally handicapped. They came to me about a year ago as they were ready to open a 12,000 sq .ft. warehouse. They had procured financing for, the warehouse but had no plans for utilizing it. With my background in marine transportation, warehousing and international logistics, I was the best candidate in our local SCORE Chapter to help this agency analyze what they were about to receive. The project departments of the agency were so focused on their social mission and the employment of their clients in worthwhile work, they hadn’t spent much time developing their business acumen. I was happy to help in this area.

After we formulated a Business Advisory Committee with various constituents with business experience, we began to dissect the business problems of this agency. We acknowledged that they do good work, but we worked to instill them with this fundamental issue: they are in business and need to run it with a profit-making mentality. It was even more vital to assume this understanding since today's economic reality is that of severely reduced funding of social agencies of all types by federal, state and local governments.

Once this strategy was established and accepted, we began a concerted effort to return to business fundamentals of soliciting paying contracts from local businesses by emphasizing our largest leverage advantage: raise your local social conscience profile by supporting a local agency, while getting your day-to-day business processes done. We took the tack of taking advantage of their social conscience to garner any projects which our clients are able to do, and to produce a win - win proposition for these local companies.

Our business development track record has improved significantly in the past year (unfortunately not able to be quantified, yet, with statistics, since no records were kept in prior years of proposals submitted, win rates, or any revenue trend lines - these have now been imbued into the agency). In addition to keeping the clients engaged in worthwhile work, new revenue sources and new projects are now the focus of the agency employees.”

John Hollett
SCORE Jacksonville (Chapter #86)
Jacksonville, FL