Company efficiency is key in guaranteeing customer satisfaction whilst protecting your business from wasted time and resources.
A business necessity that will help increase company efficiency by tenfold is organisation. An underrated skill, not always possible to be grasped as easily as some would expect.
However, it is indeed a skill that should always be applied to the highest standard in order to maximise its benefits.
- Procedures
Understandably, following procedures can be difficult and there may be some aspects that may seem entirely unnecessary. Nonetheless, failing to follow any step of a compulsory procedure could produce a kink in the chain, inevitably causing issues further down the line.
If possible, make sure your procedures are relevant and as concise and clear as possible. This way, employees are more likely to want to follow them, as well as being able to follow them with ease.
For instance, as a tradesman, you may have a strict procedure in place to ensure the project is quoted accurately and carried out without any hiccups. At the end of this process, the project is expected to be handed over to the customer in a way that leaves them feeling happy and satisfied with their experience.
Without this, it would be very easy for a customer to be under-quoted should something unforeseen crop up. Or, a step could be missed out during the installation process, provoking animosity from the customer due to your company mis-interpreting their requirements or a simple check being missed.
- Communication
Regular communication is especially important to ensure organisation is being implemented and that everything is running smoothly. This should be a priority for every single business and isn’t restricted to any specific industries.
Lack of communication in the workplace is often the main cause for oversights, misunderstandings, and delayed reactions to urgent matters.
Ways in which you can improve the level of communication with your employees include:
- Weekly morning meetings to discuss what is planned for the upcoming week. Providing employees with an opportunity to raise any concerns and ask any questions. On top of this, employers can supply the answers needed to guarantee employees have everything they need to get on with their week.
- For employees who don’t have an office to visit every day, such as locksmiths, employers could choose to give out their personal phone number. This can be a massive comfort for employees to know they can contact their boss with any worries or queries regarding their job.
- Lastly, scheduled and private meetings with employees every couple of months enables them to unburden any uneasiness they have about general work, clients, or other employees. By doing this, you’re able to provide the support they need and have an insight into how things are really going at an employee level.
- Focus on quality instead of quantity
Often, the pressure from those above pushing for more sales, shorter deadlines, and less chat can inspire the snowball effect. In hindsight, this sort of pressure will result in more jobs being completed within the set timeframe, but said jobs are more likely to be completed at an unsatisfactory standard. Something your company wouldn’t be proud to be represented by and may leave customers feeling underwhelmed.
If you notice this in your workplace and are unsure as to why there is unnecessary pressure being forced onto employees, it may be worth reviewing how jobs are booked in by the admin team and how managers plan for this work to be done.
All factors such as unrealistic time frames, over-optimistic goals, and bullyish behaviour can lead to a drop in quality as the focus for employees has shifted to quantity as opposed to doing the best they can.
Ultimately, poor organisation is the first sign that your company isn’t being run as efficiently and cost-effectively as it could be.
Procedures ensure jobs and customer interactions reflect the company in a positive light, building a strong case study profile to attract new business. Regular communication also provides a safe and secure platform for employees to discuss anything that may impact the quality of their work. Furthermore, by focusing on quality instead of quantity, you’ll ensure that your output is the best it can be.
All in all, strong organisation is crucial for any business to progress, grow, and produce qualitative work.