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Small business owners and managers are responsible for everything from handling marketing to helping employees stay on task. All these little administrative duties take an estimated 240 work days per year when things are going right!
That’s a lot of time that you could spend doing other things like helping your company grow.
Managing the business takes work and it’s not uncommon to struggle a bit, especially when you’re first starting out.
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Wondering what you can do to streamline your local small business and help it become the company you know it can be?
In this guide, we’ll look at a few tips that will make managing local businesses both simple and fun.
Lead by Example
Employees respect managers and are more likely to do as they’re asked when you lead by example.
If you expect employees to be on time or show up early, make sure you do the same. If you want them to interact with customers in a certain way, show them how to do it or give them the right tools to make it possible.
When employees see you doing the same things they’re expected to, it helps send a message of consistency.
Don’t Play Favorites
Some employees are naturally more driven than others, but favoriting those employees and letting them get away with behaviors you don’t tolerate from others is unfair.
Worse, it’s the mark of a bad manager.
Even if there are employees you like more than others, it’s important to be impartial. Treat them the same way you treat others in the company.
Be respectful and expect them to do their job to the same standards as everyone else. If they mess up, address it just as you would with any other employee.
Delegate When Necessary
For many local small business owners, knowing when it’s time to delegate or outsource tasks can be a challenge.
It seems easier to handle everything on their own. Doing so puts strain on their time and forces business owners to divide their time with tedious administrative tasks.
Instead, recognize when you’re struggling to take care of tasks and ask for help. Your staff members can often help with tasks like monthly inventory and some may even have specialized skills that can free up your time even more.
If no one on your staff can help, outsourcing the task to an experienced professional can help free up your time and let you focus on heling your team and business grow.
Understand That Change Happens
As the owner or manager of a local small business, you need to be prepared for change. You never know when you’ll need to switch to a different supplier or an employee might walk out in the middle of their shift.
This forces you to think on your toes. If you panic or resist those changes, your team will notice and be less confident in the business itself.
Understand that change happens and be prepared to deal with it when it does. You can always ask other supervisors for advice or suggestions on what to do to deal with the changes in a productive way.
Communicate
Clear instructions and open lines of communication go a long way towards making employees feel appreciated.
If there’s a problem or you have concerns, don’t wait for your employees to notice. Talk to them as soon as you can.
Encourage them to do the same if they notice anything that could be improved. This will show that you value their opinions and can help employees feel appreciated and important.
Streamline with the Right Programs
Automation is a simple way to cut costs, simplify your labor budget, and let employees focus on what they do best. And let yourself do the same.
Automate what you can, when you can.
Invest in scheduling software to make planning shifts (and your labor budget) easy. Let a local small business marketing firm handle your social media updates and schedule those out for you.
The more you streamline those daily tasks, the more organized your company and your operation will be.
Plan Out a Budget
Budgeting is key to any business’s success. Before each quarter, examine the sales and expenses from the same time the previous year. This will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Once this is done, you can start budgeting for labor, inventory, utilities, and routine maintenance.
Whenever possible, stick to this budget. If you have money left over, it can be used for employee bonuses or to pad the next quarter’s expense account.
Look for Ways to Cut Costs
Part of a successful manager’s role is helping the business run as efficiently as possible.
Once the budget is established, look at where your money is going each month. Are you spending more on overhead costs that you’d like? Look for ways to cut those costs.
This can be as simple as asking employees to lower the thermostat when they close or switching incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs.
Stick with What Works
New technology, apps, and even management techniques are constantly being developed. It’s tempting to try them out, especially if it seems like they might make a difference in a small business.
While trying these things can be helpful if you’re struggling to stay on top of tasks, you don’t always have to.
If you have a system that works, stick with it. This will help make the work environment more consistent for employees and easier for you to identify when something needs improvement.
Focus on Employee Retention
When you have happy employees, clients and customers are more likely to be satisfied with your services.
Why? When you run local businesses, customer experience can make or break sales.
Because happy employees tend to stick around with a company longer. This lets them get to know your clients so they can , in turn, offer better customer service.
Give your employees the tools they need to be happy. Offer benefits whenever possible, take their opinions into consideration, and make sure they feel valued.
The longer an employee stays with you, the less time you’ll have to spend interviewing and training new hires. Over time, this will save you money.
Let Our Team Take the Strain Out of Running Your Local Small Business
As the owner and manager of a local small business, you don’t have time to worry about scheduling appointments or missing out on sales opportunities. Contact us today to see how our software can help streamline your local business.
