So you have been nominated to attend one of our Best Practice Networking events? It is a great privilege to be able to walk the factory floor of another company and talk with your fellow practitioners. I guarantee that you will always find something new and different. Above all else, it is interesting to see how others are tackling the same types of challenges you face every day.
How do you get the most value from a plant tour, both from a personal perspective and for your organisation?
With many site events held weekly around Australia and New Zealand, and with literally hundreds of participants involved, I thought it maybe beneficial to outline 10 useful tips:
- Be prepared – try to learn as much about the company as you can beforehand – check out their website – get your questions organised around the particular topic or theme of the visit.
- Make sure that you have your business cards with you – including pen and pad for note taking and your PPE including safety boots and glasses.
- Arrive early – traffic can be very unpredictable – by arriving early you can then talk with the host and other attendees and start your networking.
- When introduced state your expectations – What do you hope to learn? What information are you after?
- On the plant tour be courteous to the plant people you meet; introduce yourself and ask how their day is going.
- Makes notes of any information or photos that the host maybe able to send to you for future reference.
- Engage in the post event feedback and summary session – please acknowledge the positive things your saw –plus any opportunities for improvement – the host will appreciate this.
- Personally thank the host and any tour guides – exchange business cards /and or contact details.
- Make a written summary of the things you saw that could be applied back at your own facility and present this to your colleagues – you may find this feedback form, developed by one of our members, of use.
- Afterwards please send the host of the company that you visited a brief thank you note and invite them back to your facility and hopefully you will have a lifelong business contact.
Victor Caune
National Facilitator Australia and New Zealand
[email protected]
0413 718 986
NZ CSR Way – 7Nov2018