As a small business owner, you have a lot on your plate. There’s a lot on your mind and the minds of your employees, too. Some days, it feels like nine a.m. becomes five p.m. in a heartbeat. At times like this, you spend most of your time just trying to keep the ship afloat.
Professional success is largely a mental game, after all. If you believe you are getting things done and doing good work - then you will probably get things done and do good work!
As this is the final Business Leaders tip for the year, it is timely that we look to the new year and how to be more productive, efficient and above all effective in the new year fast approaching.
The following are steps you can take to ensure that your team is put in the best possible position to effectively manage their time.
1. Provide them with tools to manage their time
A great way to help your employees organise their time and increase efficiency is by providing them with the tools to do so. First up, is ensure each employee has a system for managing their time. If not train them to manage their time and you will save time.
The digital age has created various software solutions capable of managing everything from employee calendars to contacts and customers.
With the right system, including every employee having a daily, prioritised ‘things to do’ list, employees can plug important data into their daily and monthly schedules - like meetings, activities, projects and engagement reminders. Once an employee finishes a sale or solves an issue, they can record the data in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool from the interaction so that it is easily accessible the next time they need it.
2. Make sure there is clear communication
Effective communication plays a critical role in managing the time of employees at any small business. If employees are able to seamlessly share and communicate vital organisational and customer information using the business-wide CRM, they will have a clearer understanding of the big picture in any given situation.
• Maintain an updated database of shared customer information,
• hold weekly team meetings, and
• set the tone by communicating directly with each member of your team on a regular basis.
Do whatever it takes to ensure there is an excellent stream of communication within your organization because a little extra effort now can save a lot of time in the long run.
3. Manage employee time with customers
Another way to help your employees manage their time is by keeping track of their customer service experiences. Your employees are the faces and voices of your business, and you work hard to provide a pleasant experience for your customers.
You want each experience to be beneficial and productive for your team and your patrons. Have a process in place so that your staff knows how to route different problems in order to expedite service. The most efficient way to boost your customer experience is to decrease wait time. When one employee can’t solve an issue, they should have the necessary tools and information to transfer their client to the person most capable of meeting their needs promptly.
4. Cross-train and delegate responsibilities
Small businesses are better positioned to grow lean if they emphasise the importance of cross-training employees and delegating responsibilities effectively. Employees who are trained to serve multiple functions for the company can be moved around based on current needs as the business grows. Cross-training and properly delegating your workforce to help out where they are most needed is a great way to manage the time of the most important asset a small business has - it’s employees.
Successfully managing your time and the time of your employees will boost efficiency and create new growth potential for your business. Your employees will be able to increase productivity and customer satisfaction by dealing with issues quickly.
Be the leader that encourages your team’s success through effective time management solutions.
