If you are reading this, then you have clearly made it to the New Year 2013. And for that, I wish you a prosperous year ahead. I know people have a culture of making resolutions at the beginning of each year although most of these resolutions barely last two weeks into the year. However, it is much easier for companies to plan for a better year as it is actually part of their DNA. They need to increase their profits in one way or another. Therefore, every year, they try to probably cut costs, increase efficiency or grow their operations all in a bid to increase their profit margins. In order to achieve an increase in either the profits or efficiency of the business, some things should be done and some should be stopped. Without actually exhausting the list, I will now make an effort to highlight a few things that companies hoping to succeed in 2013 ought to think about seriously.In the New Year, companies should not keep rude secretaries and receptionists. These people are often the face of a company and so if they are not ready to smile and be courteous, then they should be replaced as soon as possible. Companies should drop a defensive attitude when it comes to public relations issues. It is quite acceptable to make errors and a reasonable line with promises of better services is always better than a defensive arrogant tone. Clients need to trust your company not necessarily winning arguments with your staff. In this New Year, companies must stop taking their staff for granted. Respect your staff, train them and motivate them if you want them to perform better. A high staff turnover is a danger for any organisation worth its name. Therefore do all you can to see to it that you retain your workers and keep them happy. As the year kicks off, it is also very vital that companies stop henceforth the habit of hiring unskilled labour simply because they are your relatives. This simply translates in giving your own relatives a chance at seeing your company go do. If you must hire a relative then their skills should be a major starting point. This being 2013, please remove those old fashioned suggestion boxes from your company premises. When was the last time you saw a person with an idea or complaint walking to the suggestion box? In this era and age, complaints and suggestions are posted on Social Media platforms. The above point automatically means that companies should get with the programme and establish a robust presence on social media platforms in order to get a pulse on how things are going or should go. The most basic ones to start with are Facebook and Twitter all of which are actually free!In 2013, companies should do away with any annoying small charges like charging someone for packaging after they have bought food from your restaurant. Others want you to pay an extra Rwf50 for an envelope even when they have just spent over Rwf2500. It is 2013 and we all ought to be smarter about the way we do whatever we shall be doing.