Under the Consumer Protection Act, your business will have a legal responsibility to complete any deliveries correctly. Deliver the wrong goods, at the wrong time, and/or to the wrong place and your customers may cancel their orders altogether without penalty.
At first glance that may seem reasonable, but it lends itself to abuse. What if you deliver one minute late? What if a customer orders a thousand green widgets and a red one is accidentally included? A nitpicking customer could find reason to reject almost any order.
Excellent operational systems and a standard trading agreement specifying clear delivery terms should help you mitigate much of this risk. However, you could also consider adapting your business model, like outsourcing deliveries (and letting your supplier carry the risk) or operating as a mobile entrepreneur (and using a mobile point of sale to eliminate the need for deliveries in the first place).
How will the Consumer Protection Act impact your business?
Almost 200 pages long, the Consumer Protection Act is one of the most important pieces of business legislation to be passed and the vast bulk of it will take effect in October. Join me on Wednesday, September 22, and learn about the critical new responsibilities which the Act will introduce.
Date: Wednesday, September 22
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Venue: Belmont Conference Centre (Rondebosch)
Fee: R75 (includes refreshments)
Seating is limited, so please book early if you want to attend. You can do so online (from the Events and Workshops section) or by contacting me directly (all my contact details are at the end of this newsletter).
Regional Courts can now deal with civil claims
Certain civil matters can now be referred to the Regional Courts – an attractive alternative to the High Court. Read on in the Legislation and Tax forum.
Dismissal for theft no longer automatically justified
Don’t assume that dismissing someone for theft or dishonesty is automatically legal. Two recent court judgements have thrown a spanner in the works – find out more in the Human Factor forum.
Innovation Spotlight: Hippity Hop Shoes
A few months ago, I reported on a growing mobile entrepreneurship trend. Hippity Hop Shoes, a mobile shoe shop, is an excellent example of this innovative approach to business. For more details, pop into the Food for Thought forum.
Brainstorm online with Bubbl.us
Bubbl.us is a completely free online brainstorming tool for creating and sharing mindmaps. Check it out by visiting www.bubbl.us and discover other helpful free applications in the Useful Tools forum.
