Businesses can suddenly become very complex as they grow and evolve. Once a business decides to implement procedures and policies to keep order, the result is often a very cumbersome environment. Regardless of an organization’s size or number of employees, I think sometimes we just need to take a step back and ask, are we easy to do business with? Are we actively listening to clients, paying attention to feedback, staying in contact, and meeting the client’s needs?
Another area to pay attention to is personnel—the employees and staffing of the organization. Of course, without employees/staff, nobody would be there to take care of clients in the first place. But if they aren’t the right people who can make the client happy, the organization will ultimately fail. If employees are wreaking havoc, or even if they’re just not the right fit, it will inevitably take its toll on the business. Employees are the cornerstone of every organization, so make sure that you’re recruiting the right ones.
But it doesn’t stop there—you also need to focus on training, making sure employees have a voice, and doing what you can to keep the team engaged. It can be tough to accomplish this, though, because we can easily fall into a ‘just get it done’ attitude. There might be ideas and voices to be heard, but we aren’t actually listening to our employees as closely as we could.
There are also lots of shiny, flashy opportunities that can easily distract a business owner if they aren’t careful (I’ve experienced this myself). It’s especially easy for a successful business to decide that they should offer new products or services. However, by diluting your offering and losing focus, you will become distracted.
As your organization grows, make sure not to lose a handle on the actual cost/expense of doing business. Every business owner has the responsibility to make sure they are as frugal as possible. You owe it to the clients you serve because unnecessary increases in your costs ultimately come to manifest in the prices that you charge to clients. Always make sure to stay on top of costs/expenses and do not let them spiral out of control. It takes work and discipline to keep them in check.
If you have a plumbing related question, reach out to the team at Wisler Plumbing and Air. Contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.
