The retrenchment of expenses plan and the future

[Denis_B]

And people who worked under Doug and although moaned were happy are now leaving!

[Woodytom]

Whether its Doug Ellis, Randy Lerner or Jesus Christ.... I will understand anyone who tries to minimise unnecassary expenditure in a business thats losing money.

The mans got to eat

[Denis_B]

The mans got to eat

Well GK is saving on his internet account!

[Majkee]

After going through a cost cutting exercise for my own small business, albeit on a much smaller scale, it really brought home to me how much saving there is to be made through good housekeeping.

It's the sum of the parts that count, so whilst these may seem trivial in isolation, when combing with other cost savings, the measured result can be significant and worthwhile.

Spot on! Exactly this.

[Bazdavies79]

The situation I see is rather different to the one which existed under Doug in the last five or so years of his chairmanship.

[Denis_B]

After going through a cost cutting exercise for my own small business, albeit on a much smaller scale, it really brought home to me how much saving there is to be made through good housekeeping.

It's the sum of the parts that count, so whilst these may seem trivial in isolation, when combing with other cost savings, the measured result can be significant and worthwhile.

Spot on! Exactly this.

Small things in a small business can make a difference. If you have 2 employees and can save £100 on stationery then fine. In a multi million pound multi national business the cost of ten coats is worth a damn sight less than the cost of the lost good will!

[foreveryoung]

Itk tells me this cost cutting/house keeping has stretched to the cleaners. The cleaners at Villa park for 20 years have just been kicked out because the new contractors were cheaper and said they would work weekends, if ever required, for free.

[Majkee]

Ive been away from here for a bit and have been catching up on a few debates, though still keeping full interest on football.

It seems to me a few are getting a bit to carried away with whats happening at our football club, like were the only club tightning our purse strings. selling our best players, losing fans........?

Get a grip lads, look outside the box.

Newcastle.

Everton.

Arsenal.

Just some of the clubs suffering at the moment, no money, lossing best players not wanting to bring in others. I look at these teams and think we are not doing to badly as a club. Look at Arsenal, they are a bigger more successful team than us yes, but are still selling there best players and finding it hard to replace them or release any big trasfer money. Newcastle, well who would want to be a fan of there's at the moment. I look at how people slate Lerner, not speaking, spending lots, and think, my god if any of you were Newcastle fans you would be commiting suicide by now with M Ashley's input into the club.

So on a whole I am feeling postitive about our club and seriously not sure (apart from a thin team) where all this negativity is coming from. I read one post, now we may have sold L Young and I quote, ("This board is an absolute joke and anyone who thinks that they care about the club and not the money is delu") you know who you are, 80% of the Owners are exactly the same, get a grip and lets start supporting our club come rain or shine. UTV

It looks like something big is in the air. May be it has something with new or future uefa/fifa regulations. It is not only Villa who has signs of savings/cost cutting activities (as you have mentioned).

[Majkee]

After going through a cost cutting exercise for my own small business, albeit on a much smaller scale, it really brought home to me how much saving there is to be made through good housekeeping.

It's the sum of the parts that count, so whilst these may seem trivial in isolation, when combing with other cost savings, the measured result can be significant and worthwhile.

Spot on! Exactly this.

Small things in a small business can make a difference. If you have 2 employees and can save £100 on stationery then fine. In a multi million pound multi national business the cost of ten coats is worth a damn sight less than the cost of the lost good will!

You might be surprised but you would find activities with little savings potential at almost every corner of huge companies. It is exactly as Edinburgh-Villa have written. Trivial separately, but all together might create significant savings. I work in this business that is why I have written - spot on.

[Alec]

Ive been away from here for a bit and have been catching up on a few debates, though still keeping full interest on football.

It seems to me a few are getting a bit to carried away with whats happening at our football club, like were the only club tightning our purse strings. selling our best players, losing fans........?

Get a grip lads, look outside the box.

Newcastle.

Everton.

Arsenal.

Just some of the clubs suffering at the moment, no money, lossing best players not wanting to bring in others. I look at these teams and think we are not doing to badly as a club. Look at Arsenal, they are a bigger more successful team than us yes, but are still selling there best players and finding it hard to replace them or release any big trasfer money. Newcastle, well who would want to be a fan of there's at the moment. I look at how people slate Lerner, not speaking, spending lots, and think, my god if any of you were Newcastle fans you would be commiting suicide by now with M Ashley's input into the club.

So on a whole I am feeling postitive about our club and seriously not sure (apart from a thin team) where all this negativity is coming from. I read one post, now we may have sold L Young and I quote, ("This board is an absolute joke and anyone who thinks that they care about the club and not the money is delu") you know who you are, 80% of the Owners are exactly the same, get a grip and lets start supporting our club come rain or shine. UTV

Be careful - talking that kind of sense is likely to influence the more impressionable on here to start looking at things with some perspective.

Good post. Sometimes you really are better off with the devil you know.

[Woodytom]

After going through a cost cutting exercise for my own small business, albeit on a much smaller scale, it really brought home to me how much saving there is to be made through good housekeeping.

It's the sum of the parts that count, so whilst these may seem trivial in isolation, when combing with other cost savings, the measured result can be significant and worthwhile.

Spot on! Exactly this.

Small things in a small business can make a difference. If you have 2 employees and can save £100 on stationery then fine. In a multi million pound multi national business the cost of ten coats is worth a damn sight less than the cost of the lost good will!

I think thats Naive.

Believe me when I say that my Dad was in charge of a 16m pound department in one of the biggest organisations in the country.

If they found a way to save on biro ink - They would

[Denis_B]

I think thats Naive

Do you? So what value would you place on the good will of staff and customers? Pissed off eployees do not work as well or as efficently or provide the same service that motivated ones do.

This is a business reliant on the punters being willing to be ripped off and there is a need for employees to help in that aim.

[dukes]

And ther cost cutting is getting worse really....... like Ken Wheldon at St.Andrews taking out every other bulb to save money the club now will not issue coats to outside members of staff they are signed for and handed in after every game ....presumably as not everyone attends every game they can save money on about 10 coats......which I thought they got free from Nike in any case.

Added to this staff are practically searched when reporting for duty having to hand over mobile phones, keys and wallets.... do they club think they are all thieves? Thats the way some feel!

I don't see what everyone's beef is with this, never heard of the saying 'look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves' ? People will steel anything, and why should the club have to put up with that ? I assume that this means people such as stewards, and cleaners, but maybe there has been a high turnover of staff in those area's and with it a lot of missing jackets etc. Is it really that important ? Personally I wouldn't want to wear a fluorescent coat outside of work, but as I said people will steel anything.

Regarding the bit in bold, is it possible this is during security checks ? It seems a bit draconian to confiscate these items permanently, not to mention a complicated process of holding them then reissuing them.

[foreveryoung]

Aggregation of Marginal Gains (AMG) every penny saved counts. You can work towards AMG in many ways??????

I'll get back to work now getting a little carried away, to many meetings!

[Woodytom]

I think thats Naive

Do you? So what value would you place on the good will of staff and customers? Pissed off eployees do not work as well or as efficently or provide the same service that motivated ones do.

This is a business reliant on the punters being willing to be ripped off and there is a need for employees to help in that aim.

I dont remember staff motivation being part of my post. I certainly didnt say it wasnt important.

What I said was its naive to think that a business the size of Aston Villa doesn't need to cut costs in every possible way.

Its losing money, by the bucketload. If it was my business, Id be going through every aspect of the business to see if there is a way of saving money. and whether itd be 1p, a £1 or a million wed be doing it all.

[Denis_B]

But by cutting costs surely you need to look at the impact of that practice?

[foreveryoung]

But by cutting costs surely you need to look at the impact of that practice?

A quallity business development manager can save you a serious amount of money, without impacting on any other area of the company. I.e changing for cheaper contractors, emptying the vending machines once a week (random) instead of three times etc etc. All these little things in big companies add up believe me!

[Denis_B]

fye - I think the relevant word in your last post was QUALITY! - lacking at B6!

[Woodytom]

But by cutting costs surely you need to look at the impact of that practice?

Of course, and maybe they are/will. Look Im not saying there isn't two sides to the arguement, nor am I suggesting I agree with the actions they have taken (as I know very little about goings on at Villa Park) - and frankly I don't need to - as I believe people knowing too much is why football is no longer about 'football'.

All I am suggesting is that,

Randy Lerner is not a disgrace because he wants his business to NOT lose money. If anything, hes quite the opposite. Now Im not suggesting that you are saying this, but every little thing that happens with this club atm is twisted into a dig at Randy Lerner.

I genuinely do not know why people just can't understand why he might not want to shed a bucket load of cash on something thats not profitable. I wouldn't - I just cannot get my head round why people get angry because Lerner or Kenwright for example wont. Yes its frustrating and yes it makes winning trophies and getting top 4 a little more impossible than they already are - but its certainly, by no means a crime!!

[Denis_B]

as I know very little about goings on at Villa Park

but every little thing that happens with this club atm is twisted into a dig at Randy Lerner.

Maybe there is a link there

Who mentioned anything being criminal? It's just a view on a situation that if/when it happened under Ellis was nearly a Capial crime now it's ok and the right thing to do just coz Randy is a nice man and Ellis wasn't..... althought who out of the 2 regularly still attends Villa Park?