TASC Force for profitability continued
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After 12 months have elapsed since the end of the course. a further visit is made to ensure that no unforeseen problems have arisen in the interim. However, many of the business improvement groups have continued on a voluntary basis after TASC has completed its work providing a useful medium for exchange of ideas and a source of information by inviting guest speakers.
The service is, of course, confidential and the companies featured here agreed to make public their experience.
Some of the things which are discussed at the business improvement group meeting will be obvious from what has already been said. Apart from explaining and suggesting accounting procedures, other subjects of general interest to hauliers are also included.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the course is the skill acquired by managers to interpret and use the figures which reflect their company business trends. The most comprehensive figures, ideally presented. are of little use without that skill.
The initiated, however, are able to understand the picture which management information paints and, by identifying adverse or advantageous trading, they can discard the one and encourage the other.
One subject which is not discussed is that of industrial relations. I was somewhat surprised, at first, to find that this important field was omitted from the discussions. It was pointed out, however, that because the companies concerned are relatively small, managers are usually on friendly terms with other employees.
Till now, the TASC service has been confined only to those small companies within the scope of the Road Transport Industry Training Board. The present levy cut-off has precluded the really small outfit, such as the owner-driver from taking part.
As pointed out by Mr Richard Clayton. at Newport. these would seem to be the very people who would benefit from instruction.
This, he thought, would affect the well-being of other hauliers by helping to eliminate unrealistic rates which the owner-driver tends to quote througl ignorance of real operating costs.
With the advent of the new industria training proposals, however, it migh well be that the TASC service woul( become available to the one-mat company as the Board became mon self-supporting.