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Post by gary on Jul 19, 2007 21:28:01 GMT 1
CRO is a lucky country with so many foreigners want to live and hopefully open a business. I think Croatia should be thankful and make entry for the foreigners as easy as possible. Banking is a good example - they made a huge improvement in the banking practice, OK they bought it dam cheap, but still they fixed the mess. Telecom - bought by the foreigners again, is not a bad example. I think the tourism is next and more foreigners buy the properties and start the business - better for everybody. Sorry, nobody wants to buy CRO government. I was under the impression that the Croatian Government has been bought numerous times?
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Post by irac on Jul 20, 2007 5:25:40 GMT 1
Gary, don't you know, they might get a deposit, but never sell, they'll always welch on the deal. Thus "on paper" you keep your things in order.
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Post by Carol on Jul 20, 2007 9:42:01 GMT 1
justapixel: 1. banking. they could learn about how to structure more intersting products, like fixed rate loans and they could learn about phone banking. 2. lawyers, could learn about accountability and proactivity. 3. HR managers: I don't know where to start on this one. 4. business managers: could learn about optimising profitability by reducing prices and why making a profit is a good thing 5. Croatian tourist board could learn about advertising and maybe introduce some training for those who are in the tourist industry 6. architects could learn about new design techniques and working with their customers. 7. Retailers could learn about new products and responsibility for faulty goods. The art of gaining a reputation. 8. estate agents - why you should do some work in return for your fees All of the above could learn about customer service.
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Post by justapixel on Jul 20, 2007 19:50:02 GMT 1
justapixel: 1. banking. they could learn about how to structure more intersting products, like fixed rate loans and they could learn about phone banking. Since virtually all banks in Croatia are owned by larger foreign banks, I think they are very well aware of all different products and packages available elsewhere and have decided that current packages fit public sensibility and needs better. I hold my own grudges towards banks here, but they're mostly related to clueless employees, i.e. middle management that should have made more informed and enthusiastic. 2. lawyers, could learn about accountability and proactivity. I'd rather not talk about lawyers. Anywhere. 3. HR managers: I don't know where to start on this one. It's true, they're terrible here. Except for one I've met, but he's an exception that proves the rule. I think mostly anybody having no more useful skills is prone to end up in HR. 4. business managers: could learn about optimising profitability by reducing prices and why making a profit is a good thing Younger managers do it all the time, but old guard are used to monopoly based situation where reducing prices brings no benefits. It's a matter of time till the free market forces sweep that kind of mentality from the board. 5. Croatian tourist board could learn about advertising and maybe introduce some training for those who are in the tourist industry Members of tourist board are political aparatchiks bowing to major party. Anything related to government here can be considered utterly useless. 6. ar ects could learn about new design techniques and working with their customers. Why do you think so? 7. Retailers could learn about new products and responsibility for faulty goods. The art of gaining a reputation. That depends on government regulations and it will take many battles till consumer rights are fully established here. In a market so price sensible as this one, people tend to overlook reputation and go to the lowest bidder. 8. estate agents - why you should do some work in return for your fees All of the above could learn about customer service. Receding property market that we have now is the right time to sit and wait till scumbags and do-nothings get weeded out. By forces of market that is. .
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Post by Carol on Jul 20, 2007 20:53:37 GMT 1
architects - i've used 2 in croatia myself. neither designed what i wanted or paid attention to detail. noth considered themselves artists who should not sully their minds with designing to a budget. then my clients (i am an estate agent) use other architects with similar or worse results - the i'll design what i like and you are not allowed to see the plans until i've finished them and am issuing my invoice attitude. Moreover, why do they think its radical not to suspend the hot water tank over the bath? I could go on forever about the bad design i've seen from some very expensive architects, but you get my point?
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Post by justapixel on Jul 21, 2007 12:52:13 GMT 1
ar ects - i've used 2 in croatia myself. neither designed what i wanted or paid attention to detail. noth considered themselves artists who should not sully their minds with designing to a budget. then my clients (i am an estate agent) use other ar ects with similar or worse results - the i'll design what i like and you are not allowed to see the plans until i've finished them and am issuing my invoice attitude. Moreover, why do they think its radical not to suspend the hot water tank over the bath? I could go on forever about the bad design i've seen from some very expensive ar ects, but you get my point? I get your point but I don't get why this forum's profanity filter (why is it on anyways?) taxes building planners. .
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Post by irac on Jul 23, 2007 5:50:14 GMT 1
I think only 2 of our banks are domestic (HDZ) owned.
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Post by Carol on Jul 23, 2007 6:18:06 GMT 1
hpb and which other?
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Post by Carol on Jul 23, 2007 6:23:19 GMT 1
Just because a company has a foreign owner does not mean that it adopts the products and business practices of the parent company. If coca-cola opens a factory in croatia, then its more or less the same formula to make coke but if a foreign banks takes over HPB then it will be for diversification and the continuous battle for earnings growth only.
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Post by irac on Jul 23, 2007 6:32:18 GMT 1
Privedna have foreign majority ownership (and a healthy slice owned by the government). Podravska and Jadranska are the only 2 I know of who are 100% domestic.
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Post by justapixel on Jul 23, 2007 8:52:30 GMT 1
Just because a company has a foreign owner does not mean that it adopts the products and business practices of the parent company. If coca-cola opens a factory in croatia, then its more or less the same formula to make coke but if a foreign banks takes over HPB then it will be for diversification and the continuous battle for earnings growth only. New owners tend to enforce their own policies in the businesses they have acquired. They try to adapt to the market but sometimes fail by blindly copying their home market solutions to the new surrounding - I've seen a few such failed attempts in the telecom business. .
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Post by irac on Jul 23, 2007 9:05:04 GMT 1
Societie General have found that with Splitska. They bought in good faith but were left with largely outdated equipment (there was severe asset stripping in the weeks before the sale went through), massive debt (properties were mortgaged to the hilt, or else rented with outstanding bills) and employees who were being paid NOT to come to work. They will probably turn it around if they look further down the line, but it is a nervy time.
Justapixel is right when saying about adaptation, and it is a precarious balance. One bank that has worked it well is Erste.
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Post by justapixel on Jul 23, 2007 9:50:48 GMT 1
Societie General have found that with Splitska. They bought in good faith but were left with largely outdated equipment (there was severe asset stripping in the weeks before the sale went through), massive debt (properties were mortgaged to the hilt, or else rented with outstanding bills) and employees who were being paid NOT to come to work. They will probably turn it around if they look further down the line, but it is a nervy time. Justapixel is right when saying about adaptation, and it is a precarious balance. One bank that has worked it well is Erste. We're in business relation with Splitska Banka and it's a can of worms. SG were unlucky to open it and are now having a host of problems. From what I've seen, SG people are as clueless as SB people, but more in distress. .
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Post by darcy on Jul 23, 2007 10:10:47 GMT 1
Foreign ownership is not enough, but it is more likely to get the ball rolling then if it is owned by a Croatian entity. That does not mean Croatians are unable to run a business, but to do that they first have to leave Croatia. Sorry, but that is how it is. At least I know a nice list of once excellent Croatian businesses successfully ruined.
Foreigners have a huge problem bringing the quality staff and that is the reason why it is not easy to get money back from any Croatian investment. But, Croatia is a lucky country - once you are close to your retirement age, you can finish your career in Croatia working in the morning, sailing in the afternoon! I hope people will start picking up that idea.
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Post by Carol on Jul 23, 2007 11:31:02 GMT 1
finish your career or do it all the way through?? Whenever i try to get soemthing done in the afternoon, I am met with a wife who says no can do, my husband is "sleeping"!
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