CHAPTER 9

HOW DO YOU RAISE PROFITS QUICKLY?

This chapter should interest all readers. The way I will deal with it is to ­continue with the Randy/UTC example, before providing a more general checklist ­relevant to all businesses.

I had now reached the point where I felt sure of Randy’s full attention. ‘I’m going to summarise what we have learnt so far, and then outline how I feel you can increase profits,’ I told him. I used an overhead projector and put up a slide, reproduced below.

Summary of findings for UTC

  1. 1UTC is in ten different segments, each of which requires a different strategy.
  2. 2UTC currently makes 85 per cent of its profits in the US Branded Tea business. UTC is the market leader, one-third larger than United Foods. The segment ...

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