Certificate in Small Business Management

Many South Africans are turning to their own resources to make a living. Most use their talents to create or produce a product or deliver a service which will give them the necessary emolument to maintain a satisfactory standard of living. We have seen many businesses fail – not because the entrepreneur does not have the skills, but because of a lack of knowledge of the requirements to start and run a business, the lack of financial control, and the lack of knowledge of marketing and sales.

The full course consists of twelve different modules, each consisting of several chapters or sub-divisions. For instance, the module on the different forms of business ownership consists of three chapters covering the various types of businesses, the formation of the various types and the forms necessary to register the business. The entrepreneur would probably take a few days to study the forms of business ownership but once the decision of which type to choose has been made, the rest will be quick.

Unfortunately, not all modules are that simple. It would be safe to say that the speed at which learners complete each module would depend on the time they are prepared to spend studying the notes and working through the assignments, as well as their prior knowledge of the subject matter. If they were very clued-up in Marketing, they would probably skim through the notes for that module.

What is important is that, at the end of each module learners are required to submit an assignment to the college. The college will mark the assignment and return it to the learner as soon as is humanly possible. Once ALL the modules have been completed and all assignments marked, AND the learner has obtained an average mark of no less than 50%, they will be awarded this college’s Certificate in Small Business Management. Moreover, they will be well qualified and equipped to start and run their own business successfully!!

Course Content

Module 1 Different Types of Business Ownership

Sole Proprietorship
Partnerships
Close Corporations
Limited Liability Companies
Various forms needed to register and run a business

Module 2 Cash Management

Daily cash Book
Deposits and Reconciliations of Bank Statements
Cash Budgets
Value Added Tax

Module 3 Financial Management

Cost, Profit and Break-even
Cash Flow Forecasts
Depreciation
Inflation

Module 4 Stock Control

Order Books
Goods Received Vouchers
Invoicing and control of orders
Stock sheets or stock cards
Buying procedures

Module 5 Marketing

Analysing your market
Identifying the needs of your customers
Difference between “want” and “need”
Creating a need
The four “P’s” of Marketing:
     Product
     Price
     Place
     Promotions

Module 6 Sales and Tele-sales

The prospect
Arranging an interview/appointment with a customer
Overcoming objections
Satisfying the needs of the customer
Retaining a customer
Closing a sale

Module 7 Merchandising

Psychology of merchandising
Positioning your products for best effect
Labelling and pricing

Module 8 Communication Skills

The art of listening
Six “C’s” of communication
     Clarify
     Confirm
     Constructive Criticism
     Crediting
     Commitment
Handling conflict

Module 9 Business Correspondence

Different forms of correspondence
Content of a letter for:
     Marketing
     Requesting an appointment
     Demanding Payment of an account

Module 10 Staff Selection and Recruitment

The Position
     Is it necessary?
     Who do I need?
          Job Description
          Man Specification
          Job Specification
The advertisement
The Applicant
The Interview
The appointment
The Employment Contract
     Conditions
     Salary Packages
     Leave and Sick Leave
Disciplinary Hearings
Dismissals

Module 11 Credit Control

The Credit Application Form
Investigation of new Debtor
Evaluation of Information received
Approval or rejection of new account
Ongoing evaluation of customers
Measurement of financial efficiency of collections
Legal aspects of Credit Control

Module 12 Collection of Outstanding Accounts

Telephonic Collections
     Preparation of call
     Getting through to the correct person
     Controlling the conversation
     Gaining a commitment to pay
Written Collections
     Types of collection correspondence
     Wording of legal notices
Handing over an account to an attorney or collection agency

The course is offered in-house or via distance learning. On registration and payment of the fees for the course, study notes and all the necessary programmes will be forwarded to the learner. Learners study at their own pace – there is no time limit or time-table for submission of assignments but note that assignments must be handed in as a learner completes it and not all at the same time.

The course is “Outcomes Based”. Students are required to complete a workbook as well as a portfolio of evidence at the end of each module, and to submit it to the college for assessment and moderation. On obtaining a minimum of 50% average for ALL assignments, the learner will be awarded the college’s Certificate in small business management.

Course Fees

The course can be paid for as follows:

A once-off fee of R18 000,00 or
R1 500 per module.

Once the learner has registered and paid the prescribed fee, course notes will be sent via e-mail. The learner can then either study from the electronic notes or print out a hard copy for their own studies.

Course facilitator

Christine Jordaan was born and raised in the Republic of South African. Christine initially obtained a B.A degree.

She studied and obtained the master’s Degrees in business leadership and Diploma in Credit Management and several other financial disciplines. She is a Fellows of the South African and African Institutes of Credit Management and the Principal of PBS College.

She has presented various public and in-house training courses throughout South Africa, Namibia and neighbouring countries, to several large corporations and Government Institutions. They are currently actively presenting courses (both face-to-face and correspondence) in the certificate in Credit Management of the Institute of Credit Management since 1981.

She has been contracted to present correspondence courses in Credit Management disciplines to UNISA and also lectured at UNISA summer schools. She has also act as guest lecturers at several colleges and universities in Credit Management and has facilitated and organised various seminars for large corporations.

She was appointed members of the National Credit Education Forum since 1997 and is a past director on the board of the Association of Debt Recovery Agents. She is presently the chairperson of the Institute of Credit Management (Africa).

She has lectured extensively since 1981.