Managing and maximising the efficiency of an organisation can be an incredibly challenging task for managers and CEOs. As the company grows, it becomes necessary to add more specialised staff members who need to seamlessly integrate with existing teams. Additionally, there is a need to integrate new software systems and coordinate various services. This process of expanding and coordinating all these moving parts can be quite complex and requires careful planning and execution.
Here are 3 ideas we think will help you streamline your management efforts:
1. Informed Clients are Streamlined Clients
A key strategy for maintaining efficient operations is to engage your clients and guide them in optimising their interactions with your business. The most challenging type of client is the one who provides information in a disorganised manner, commonly known as the “shoebox” client. Even more problematic is when this type of client delivers pieces of information sporadically, often right up until filing deadlines. As a result, your staff must constantly switch between different files, causing unnecessary delays and disruptions to workflow. Depending on your business’s processes, these transition times can result in significant time and financial costs.
It is important to educate clients who may not have all the necessary information. From your first meeting, make it clear that your firm has a policy of only starting work on a file once all the required information is provided. While this may require some extra effort on their part, it ultimately benefits them by minimising billable hours and keeping costs down. To further help them, provide a schedule and an easy-to-understand checklist of required information for them to complete. This ensures a smooth and efficient process for everyone involved.
2. Integrate Your Processes
Whether you’ve made a commitment to your clients for transparent billing or you’re operating on a fixed rate, time management is crucial.
Here are some potential challenges that may slow down your workflow:
- Insufficient information, which we’ve addressed in the previous section.
- Inadequate manpower.
- Incorrect assignment of personnel to tasks, including individuals who may lack expertise in certain services.
- Use of diverse software tools that require translation before files can progress to the next stage.
To optimise your workflow, consider exploring various workflow software options available online. You can search for “workflow software,” “team management software,” or a combination of both terms for suitable solutions.
As your business expands, it becomes essential to implement a streamlined management system to ensure smooth operations. One effective solution is to outsource your services. Here’s why outsourcing can simplify your workload:
- No training required: Virtual employees are already well-versed in the best work practices for all types of services you offer. This eliminates the need for extensive training.
- Cost savings: By outsourcing, you can avoid expenses associated with in-house talent such as furniture, rental space, benefits, and headhunting costs. This allows you to optimise your budget effectively.
- Efficient workflow: With outsourcing, you can eliminate staggered outputs from different departments. Once the setup is established, reviewing files at the end of the line becomes a streamlined process.
By leveraging outsourcing as a strategic approach, your business can benefit from increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness without compromising on quality.
3. Set Due Dates
It is essential to establish two types of due dates within your organisation. The first type of deadline pertains to your talented employees, whether they are working in-house or remotely. While this may seem like common sense, there are still companies that adopt a “it’s done when it’s done” mentality.
However, this approach creates challenges for managers who need visibility into the workflow and any potential bottlenecks. Without clear milestones to track progress, it becomes difficult to identify slowdowns in the process. Therefore, it is crucial to set milestones throughout the entire file processing journey, from start to finish.
Initially, these milestones may not align perfectly with reality, leaving you to question whether you were too ambitious or generous with the deadlines. Adjust these due dates accordingly until each section of the workflow consistently meets them in a majority of cases. By doing so, you can optimise efficiency and ensure smoother operations within your organisation.
When expanding your services, it is important to analyse which sections are experiencing the greatest impact. As a manager, this information will guide you in identifying areas that require more attention and improvement. This approach eliminates the ineffective strategy of blindly allocating resources without a clear plan.
Another critical aspect is setting due dates for your clients. As mentioned previously, informing them about the importance of providing all necessary information upfront is essential. Additionally, it is crucial to communicate a specific deadline by which they should submit this information. Not only does this allow adequate time for processing their files, but it also enables any follow-up questions to be addressed before completion.
