For the last two days, my shower has been leaking. I put a bucket underneath to capture the water which I then dumped into the tub for future use. After all, I am paying for the water anyway so instead it going down the drain, I can use it for something else! This workaround requires me to dump the container every few hours making sure that I don’t spill it on the trip between the standup shower and the tub.
Drip, drip, drip
I told my husband two days ago about it. First he suggested calling the handyman. Since it is a holiday weekend and the situation is not an emergency, there is no point; we wouldn’t see him until Tuesday anyway.
Drip, drip, drip
So I asked my husband can he just fix it himself. He hasn’t had time in the last two days, but he did this morning. He went to his toolbox, grabbed a wrench and fixed it…or so I thought! He fixes all kinds of stuff so I thought it would be a piece of cake. It turns out that he doesn’t have the right tool after all.
Drip, drip, drip
So our current situation is this:
Like many business owners with no specialized expertise in a particular area, I am still doing the workaround trying to avoid the extra costs.
My husband is frustrated because he couldn’t solve this issue. He is no plumber or handyman but he knows related stuff. When business owners have an issue, we go to an employee or a friend who knows related stuff. We get them to tackle it and realize that they may not have the time, the tools or the expertise to resolve it.
Now we are waiting for the handyman who we won’t see until Tuesday at the earliest. Like a plumber, he has the time, tools and expertise but without the high cost. If my pipe was busted, I would call the plumber but this issue is short-term so the cost of a plumber is not justified.
Many small business consultants are like the handyman, they get the short-term issue resolved at a lower cost. If you have a long-term issue like busted pipe or perhaps a regulatory or IRS issue, you call in the plumber, lawyer or accountant, not the handyman.
Drip, drip, drip
So now, we will wait until Tuesday, pay a few bucks and hope to have the issue resolved by the outside expert who has the time, tools and expertise to get it done.
More to come…
Drip, drip, drip
When you find projects, tasks or activities that you MUST invest your own time to complete, you want to be as effective and efficient as possible. But what does effectiveness and efficiency really mean? It means doing the right things right!
How do you know that you are doing the right things? Strategic planning and goal setting are the key. The right things to you may be different than the right things to me or someone else. The right things are based on YOUR values and beliefs, YOUR goals and dreams….
So once you determine that you are doing the right things, how do you know that you are doing them right? By managing your resources such as time, human, supplies, materials, tools, environmental, goodwill, etc.! Invest in employee training and development, energy efficiency, organizing the workplace, stakeholder relationships and automation/IT infrastructure.
Feel free to share your initiatives for efficiency and effectiveness.
Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. |
Jim Rohn – Famous Quotes http://t.co/Mc2fgaD
Time is finite. Once you lose it, pass it or spend it, you cannot get it back. Money, however, can be made, earned and spent, even in these economic times. So how do you make or save money using the same amount or less time? Cycle time reduction, of course!
Cycle Time Reduction is what big corporations do! It involves special project teams, flow charting software and lots of money, right? Wrong. Its something we all do, everyday. It doesn’t have to be something big or complicated. Back when I first started the business, I worked with a client on reducing the amount of running around she did as a solopreneur. One of the biggest time and energy savers was simply moving a portable file folder to a different location! This simple change resulted in a 15% increase in efficiency for her core process. Can you imagine?
Think about HOW you operate and WHY you do things the way you do them. You will be surprised at how easily small simple changes that make a huge impact can be achieved. Then you have to figure out what to do with all that ‘extra’ time…
Filed under: Leadership, Process Improvement | Tags: accountability, all-in-one, business owners, community service, development, multi-function, multi-tasking, organizations, planning, professionals, resources, training
As business owners and professionals, even as parents and community service volunteers, we are all used to multi-tasking. Its the inevitable situation where we MUST get 2, 3 or 10 tasks done simultaneously. Unfortunately, when we timeshare our brain while multi-tasking, our overall effectiveness decreases.
Now when we think of multi-function, the all-in-one printer/fax/copier/scanner is a good example. Our smartphones which we use daily serve as not just a telephone but also an internet access point (some are even serving as internet hubs now!), an email server, a wristwatch, a calendar/planner, a stopwatch, a camera, a GPS device, etc. These devices perform the various functions with little impact between them. For example, the camera function of your smartphone has little impact on your ability to use it as a calendar. While there is some degree of immediate loss of function, advances in technology are overcoming those obstacles.
I know, I know, people are not machines but job descriptions are like machines. There are many moving parts whose goal is to get something done. I submit that allowing your employees to be multi-functional instead of requiring them to multi-task results in a win for your employee and your customer then ultimately for your bottom line!
Let’s take the example of a receptionist since most offices have them in some form or fashion. This person is most likely a high school graduate although they may have had some college or even trade school training. Their job includes not just answering phones but probably also filing, scheduling, correspondence, supplies and internet research. A typical day probably includes responding to a ringing phone, email and inquiries dropped on their desk by the owners/partners and salespeople.
If we look at just one of their tasks, say answering the phone, there is a great opportunity for adding value as this is a key Point of Connection between your customer and your organization. Instead of just answering the phone and taking a message while simultaneously sorting the mail or making a supplies list, just a few additional seconds with the customer can add to your bottom line.
Most good receptionists build relationships with customers. Something simple like asking about their family can go a long way. But did you realize that a client relationship management system tied in with your project management system and easily accessible by the receptionist can not only enhance that relationship but also streamline your operations? If while taking a message from a caller the receptionist can also note to the customer that a salesperson is trying to reach them, they have documents due back to the office or perhaps a key date for their account is approaching do you think it would help? The receptionist now has a project coordinator function.
What about increasing revenues? In this same system, when the receptionist sees a certain project underway or notices a certain characteristic about a customer, they can mention another related service or product. If the client expresses interest (many times clients are unaware of new or related items) the receptionist can make a notation on their account for the salesperson to follow up. Even if the client says no this time, they may agree after the 5th or 10th time! In this scenario, the receptionist has a assistant salesperson function.
I am sure that there are other instances that you can think of. This receptionist has gone from multi-tasking to multi-function!
So now the big question, what does this mean for my business, my employee and my customer?
Your business, with some investment in training and technology, develops a more valuable employee and a loyal, satisfied customer. The functions are more integrated resulting in less rework, fewer communication gaps and better workflow. Your operations expenses are reduced due to fewer correspondences and a better project management system. You increase revenues with upselling and better customer relationship management.
Your employee realizes that they are adding value. They also will enhance their resume with new functions, training and skills.
Your customer gets the help they need the first time and spends less time navigating your bureaucracy!
Please share some areas in your business where you believe that multi-functioning can add more value than multi-tasking.
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Filed under: Process Improvement
According to one of my favorite books, the E-Myth Revisited, most people who start their own business experience what Gerber calls an ‘entrepreneurial seizure’. You are a specialist (or technician) who decides to go out on your own and create a business. The hard part is that being a technician (one who does the work of the business) is very different from being a manager (one who makes the business work) and an entrepreneur (one who works on the business). It requires a different mindset and skillset.
Regardless of whether your specialty is law, taxes, baking or woodworking, you are an expert in the work of the business. But what happens when you grow and bring in others to do the work of the business? In fact, the only way an organization CAN grow is to employ others to do the technical work so that the owner can direct (manager) and lead (entrepreneur). Of course, they don’t do it exactly the way YOU would do it? Their experience and talent are different.
So how do you ensure that your customers’ needs are satisfied and your reputation stays intact?
- The first step is to decide which work must be done by others and what skills, competencies and experience is required.
- Next is to use a selection process that will yield the candidates you desire (Note: this may take some trial and error to get it right!).
- Third is to institute a training process that not only orients the new employee to the company but also trains them in their new responsibilities.
- The last step is to KEEP training them on a continuous and regular basis.
These steps may seem simple and common sense but the devil is in the details. I recently talked to a client who was experiencing frustration in hiring a suitable front desk/clerical/customer service employee. They had 6 different people in that position in the last 2 years. After a consultation, I determined that the problem was that their selection process did not include competencies, skills and experience only tasks and duties. No wonder they were not getting the type of employee desired!
This may all seem like more work for you but think of the upside of selecting good employees and training them correctly and systematically:
- They bring creativity, resourcefulness, contacts and experience.
- Another person can help bring your process into focus by viewing it through their perspective.
- You can delegate (not dump!) responsibilities off your plate to an employee within their competency
- Your organization will grow faster with less effort
Of course, if you hire the wrong employee, as many of us have done, you can end up with a burden who drains your energy and your wallet! So by using this process to select employees, then instituting a systematic training process, you can increase the upside and decrease the downside.
What are some processes that you have put in place that has yielded strong employees?
Filed under: Process Improvement
Oftentimes, we think that IT systems, software and all that stuff is the provenance of the big guys with IT departments or outsourced contractors. As long as we little guys have basic, off-the-shelf software and the ‘cloud’, who cares? Well, I recently came across a simple example of why we should care and that IT DOES matter.
With my busy life (business, family, volunteer work, etc.), I rarely watch my favorite shows live. Not having mastered the DVR technology, I typically watch On Demand.
So yesterday, I watched last week’s episode of Undercover Boss. The CEO who went undercover in his own company was Steven Foster of Lucky Strike Lanes. They have 20 locations throughout the country (why isn’t there one here in Delaware?!).
The employee he shadowed that day was checking in a customer who had reserved lanes. As he printed out the information from the reservation system and MANUALLY keyed it into the lane management system on the same terminal, the CEO realized that there was a serious process breakdown with their IT systems. As the customer waited patiently, he was thoroughly embarrassed. The two systems didn’t talk to each other!
After his time undercover, the CEO reported back to his board. This process breakdown was a major issue that he wanted addressed immediately. When a board member responded to him by saying that both the systems used the same platform so they could easily get them to talk to each other, I realized that this was a teachable moment about the role of IT in a small business, especially the small stuff.
Let’s look at this situation from both perspectives – the company and the customer – and through three different lenses – people, process, profit.
What is the employee experience? Frustration. Aggravation. Acceptance of a flawed process. Trying to make the best of a stressful situation. Embarrassment. Apologetic for keeping the customer waiting.
The customer waits longer than necessary. Exasperation. This happens EVERY time. Come on already! Losing precious time with family and friends. Maybe this company really doesn’t have it together?
The process is broken. It fails to meet the objective of delighting the customer. Achieve accuracy or speed but not both. Why not both? Its not that communications between systems iis not possible, just overlooked. Small stuff.
How much is it costing the company based on Triple Bottom Line measures (social, environmental, economic)?
Depending on the platform and the interface complexity, it could only take a software engineer anywhere from a few minutes to about a week’s worth of time and effort to fix. Even if you add in some vendor time and additional software modules, the cost is far less to fix than to continue the status quo.
IT DOES matter. Especially, the small stuff.
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proc·ess 1 (pr
s
s
, pr
ss)n.
2. A series of operations performed in the making or treatment of a product
rou·tine (r
-t
n)n.
2. A set of customary and often mechanically performed procedures or activities.
Many organizations begin with clear processes in place. Historically, those processes have served the organization well – after all they’ve allowed the organization to achieve past results. However, they often get stuck in “doing things the same way because that is the way we’ve always done them”, in other words, a routine!
As your customers’ wants and needs change, have your processes changed to meet those demands? In order to create sustainability, you must focus on ensuring that your customers are getting what they want (product/service), when they want it (timeliness), and how they want it (quality). If any piece of the process does not have the customer’s current best interest in mind, what does that do to your ability to grow and maintain a loyal customer base, and in the longer run, your sustainability? When was the last time you looked at or improved your core processes to better serve your customers and achieve your strategy?
Whether you are a service or product based organization, process is a critical element to an organization’s success. We have found that in order to be successful, organizations need to do the right things (efficient) for the right reasons (effective) based on current conditions and current customer needs.
Process improvement is critical to sustainability because bad processes will kill good people. People come to work to do a good job; however, bad processes often prevent them from doing so. Is your organization doing the right things for the right reasons? Processes are more successful if they are management driven, employee supported, and externally customer focused. Are your processes management driven, employee supported, and externally customer focused? How do you know?
Please feel free to share either a good or bad example.
What is waste? These are the factors we look to control when working with clients. All five factors are important to the operation of a profitable and sustainable business.
W – water conservation and purity. The impact of how an organization uses water is reflected in their water and sewer bills of course. It also impacts the health of the employees and in many cases customers. Water purity with regards to dumping is regulated by state and municipal agencies; disregard for the rules could result in fines for the organization.
A – air quality. Manufacturing facilities can be major polluters so much that Cap and Trade legislation is being considered in Congress. Even if organizations don’t have a plan to manage emissions now, if the pending legislation passes, all businesses large and small must actively manage them in the future.
S – solids management. Recycling reduces the growth rate of landfills that use up valuable land and pollute the ground water. Businesses have a number of arenas where they should look to manage solid waste: 1) the by-products of their manufacturing process; 2) office output such as paper, ink cartridges, e-waste, etc.; 3) recycling or reuse of their end product. Sustainable organizations manage all three.
T – time management. Time is the most precious resource because once you throw it away, you cannot get it back. Through cycle time reduction activities and root cause analysis, organizations can resolve those issues that take employees away from productive, revenue-generating tasks.
E – energy efficiency. Conserving energy, especially in power and transportation, has a direct and measurable impact on the bottom line of any organization. Power conservation is achieved through managing lighting usage, managing electronics usage, HVAC maintenance and generating energy from renewable resources.
When an organization consciously manages these factors, you can reach any sustainable or strategic goals you set!
Growing Your Green 