Did you know that disorganization can be very costly? I am not just speaking about your space, the clutter on your desk. I’m speaking about the disorganization in your business operations. Your back office..your administrative foundation.
The one area in your business that lays the foundation for your business to operate effectively and smoothly may be costing you and affecting your bottom. As a seasoned administrative professional, I see it so often where business owners and entrepreneurs begin to neglect the one area that should be a pillar for stability. Think about these scenarios:
- Why are you wearing every hat in your business?
You’re doing the admin, the marketing, the selling, the designing, the follow-up, the tech… all of it. You will never be able to grow a sustainable business doing everything yourself. Doing everything yourself will eventually become a costly mistake and will also lead to you becoming burnout. The solution is: you need a team. As you grow you can reevaluate each team member to determine if they are in the correct position or if they are suitable for your business. Who needs to be released? What roles do you need to add? Building the right team is part of building a solid administrative foundation. Building a team takes time, but building a team is very critical.
- You can’t locate anything!
Your files are located on multiple laptops, desktops, a random flash drive, in the cloud, sticky notes or even in notebooks but worse in someone else’s head because it was never documented. Let me say this plainly: if your policies, procedures, and processes are not written down, you are losing money, costing the company. If a team member left today, could someone else pick up where they left off? If not, it’s time to document everything.
- Do you know your numbers?
Do you know what your income was last month or last quarter? What were your business expenses? What’s your profit margin? If you can’t answer these questions, now is the time for you to begin reviewing and knowing your numbers. Business owners and entrepreneurs must know their numbers. Schedule time each month to review your books. Are there any expenses you can eliminate? That’s money you can save or invest elsewhere.
- Antiquated Systems
Are you still using software that doesn’t meet your current needs? Are you using several tools that provide the same features or service? Are you using tools or programs that don’t speak to each other? It’s time for a system check. Outdated or inefficient tools will—cost you money.
- How is your digital footprint?
When someone GOOGLEs your business, what do they see? Is your messaging the same across platforms? Is your branding consistent? Take the time to review your online presence and make sure it aligns with your vision and what your business represents.
- Your Files!!!
What about your files? Are your documents filed digitally in the cloud in an online platform such as SharePoint, One Drive, Google Drive, Drobox or Box? Or are they all over the place? Whether you prefer digital or a filing cabinet, your filing system should be organized, and easy to access. If you can’t find what you need in under two minutes, it’s costing you.
Each point outlined above ties back to your administrative foundation. If your foundation is not strong you’re losing time, money, and peace of mind. And that’s not okay. You didn’t build your business to be in survival mode.
Here’s what I recommend: conduct an administrative audit of your business—twice a year if possible, and at minimum, once annually. Take inventory. Fix the cracks. Strengthen the systems. You don’t have to do it alone, you may schedule a strategy session with us to learn more about our business audits.