As businesses grow they have to think about new strategies to improve their administration, sales and marketing. They draw up big plans to invest in new sales pitches and buy expensive software but they never stop to think about maintenance. It’s imperative that as you grow you improve your maintenance. When you are improving and maintaining on what you have you are building and improving on your foundation. Many companies are getting too top heavy and forgetting about the basics of what made their business a success.
That’s why many companies should look at the smaller things of the office. By all means keep investing in your sales and admin department but keep an eye on what really matters as well. Your company has been built to where it is from the hard work and endless hours your staff (and yourself) have poured into the company.
So what are these basic things I’m talking about?
Compassion
Even though compassion isn’t something you can invest in financially you should still keep tabs on it. You need to be compassionate with the people in your workplace and the things that happen in their daily lives. When Shirley from marketing needs a few extra days to adjust you shouldn’t be looking at the numbers but at the situation. Keep in mind that if you help Shirley with a few extra days at home you will be “buying” loyalty. Shirley will remember that day you helped her when she needs to put in a few extra hours, and the best is, she won’t mind because she wants to work for you. You wash their hands and they wash yours.
It support
In this modern era modern businesses should hire a professional IT support company to look after their computers and software. Because your business is growing you believe that you have more important things to invest in, but maintaining your hardware is an integral part of your business. Your administrators and sales teams need their computers and laptops to run your business and they are wasting their time when something goes wrong on their computers to find the fixes and eventually run virus scans, which they should have done in the first place. When you have an IT company they will jump in and use their extensive knowledge to fix problems and keep you updated of how you can run a smooth networking system without getting bottlenecks.
Coffee Brakes and Lunch
When people get overworked they get stressed and when they get stressed they might take it out on your clients or their work (by refusing to do the work properly). We need a time to switch off and get away from our computers, or at least interact with our co-workers and grab a bite to eat. Keep your hour long coffee brakes and you will be ensured off a fresh team with renewed energy after their well deserved break.
Not what you expected I’m sure, but as I said these are quintessential rules to running a successful Company.
Ruan Smit enjoys writing about how It support can save your business as well as help you run a successful business.