Many companies run on a tight schedule and can’t afford to be slowed down by inconveniences. Many of these inconveniences are things you may have overlooked – you may consider them part and parcel of the job. Here are just a few of the biggest offenders that are slowing down your business, as well as some advice on how you can overcome these obstacles.
Software saturation
Too much software can result in information being spread out all over the place. Not only that but it can slow your computer down. Rather than having to open multiple programmes to find the information you want, it could be worth investing in software such as Employsure that puts everything in one easy-to-find location. You may even be able to pay a software developer to make your own software that combines the functions of multiple programmes.
Frustrating phonecalls
Tired of constantly being interrupted by phonecalls? Some of these people calling you may have important information or they could be future clients – you don’t want their calls to go unanswered. However, phonecalls can eat away at your day and distract you from pressing matters. One way to deal with phonecalls is to let them all go to your answer machine, allowing you to ring people back when you’re free, however not everyone likes to leave messages and this could have negative implications. Instead, you could consider outsourcing a phone answering service such as Brainy Call – these companies can filter out the sales calls and general inquiries so that you only have to deal with the most pressing phonecalls.
Endless emails
On top of phonecalls, the endless stream of emails can slow many of us down. Keeping on top of your inbox could involve delegating periods of time each time simply for opening and answering each email. You could reduce the amount of emails you get by not publicly displaying it, but instead using a submission form on your website that leads to your email address – many people sending advertising spam won’t bother to fill out this form. Alternatively, as with phonecalls, you could delegate or outsource someone to go through your emails, filtering out the important ones that only you can answer whilst handling the rest.
Monotonous meetings
Meetings may seem like an important organisational task, but in this digital age they can often be a waste of time. If you want an update on progress from your employees, you could instead make use of project management software, which allows everyone to tick off tasks as they’re completed. If you want to brainstorm, you could find that having people email you your ideas or write them on a whiteboard is just as effective (this can encourage silent employees to speak up). As for meetings with clients, these could be reduced to phonecalls or email exchanges in most cases (video-communication could allow an in-person chat without anyone having to travel). The only real reason for using meetings should be notify people of company news and updates – and even this could be sent out as a mass email.
Arduous admin
When it comes to specific management tasks like accounting and completing the payroll, these can often be time-consuming. However, there are ways to make these tasks easier. You could outsource them to an accountant. Alternatively, you could use software to speed them up. This could allow you more free time focus on core tasks by automating/delegating these admin roles.
Image: Michi Nordlicht