Across a wide range of sectors, businesses are downsizing and restructuring their workforce to stay afloat. Some CEOs find the negative impact of layoffs as a major issue to deal with, but others embrace the situation and advocate for automation as a response to revenue decline.
Productivity and technology don’t have to go hand in hand with cutting jobs or scrimping on employees. Tursun Alkau, the founder of an innovative moving company, dived into researching robots, only to find out that humans have creative abilities that machines lack.
“It turned out to be more efficient to enhance people with technology rather than replace them,” he said.
Alkau believes in harnessing human creativity to drive innovation and optimize productivity. As a result, his company, MyProMovers, which started a few years ago from one man and a truck, has grown to 60 employees and 20 vehicles.
MyProMovers now serves 4,000 customers a year, including U.S. military personnel, White House secretaries, diplomatic missions, and luxury brands. Here’s Alkau’s blueprint for success.
Equip your employees with cutting-edge technology
“When I first got into the moving business, most companies were stuck in the Stone Age: their equipment was a total disservice to the workers. Those trucks were practically relics, with holes in the floor and all. It was like everyone just accepted it as part of the gig. Owners were all about pinching pennies, with no real plan for the future. Investing in new equipment has not only boosted productivity but also attracted the best workers.”
Boost your workers creativity
“I’ve experimented with numerous robots, but machines still have much to innovate to catch up to human creativity, even in the moving industry. A person can quickly figure out that, say, taking off one sofa leg is all that’s needed to get the whole thing through a doorway. Meanwhile, a robot might spend ages trying to figure it out. Instead of replacing workers, we chose to free them from inefficient tasks. For example, we use AI to respond to reviews.”
Enhance human abilities with technology
“We’re using robotic exoskeletons, which are wearable structures that boost human strength, ensuring our workers’ safety while on the job. They also provide productivity data, allowing us to make necessary adjustments. Apart from that, we’ve introduced special electric stair-climbing hand trucks for moving heavy safes. This has significantly reduced injuries and recovery time, ultimately enabling us to serve more clients and expand our business.”
Alkau’s strategy of focusing on people helped his company thrive in today’s tough business environment. His example shows that empowering employees not only enhances efficiency but also creates a competitive advantage in the market.