(Growing Your Business Series: Part 6)
In Part 5 of this series (http://bit.ly/KZgksB) I discussed how I have owners track their time for a two-week time in order to identify tasks they are performing that occur on a regular basis and have no direct impact on the customer, and consider either outsourcing them or delegating them to their employees.
A question I frequently receive is, “When should I consider outsourcing?” To this I give them a three-part test:
-If the task occurs one time – outsource it! Examples of this are setting up a computer network, establishing a website, and installing an accounting program.
- If a task occurs on a regular basis but has no effect on the customer experience – outsource it! Examples of this are preparing your payroll, preparing monthly sales tax reports, advertising campaigns, and your monthly bookkeeping.
- If a task occurs on a regular basis and has a direct impact on your customers – FOCUS ON IT!
Remember, the key to your business success is to concentrate on what you do well. Every business, no matter what the industry, is really in the business of getting customers, keeping the customer as long as possible, getting the customer to come back more often, and getting them to bring their friends.
Now, this doesn’t mean you can ignore everything else. The back room stuff (like paying your payroll taxes, paying your sales taxes, collecting your receivables, controlling your inventory, managing your employees, etc.) can cause your business to fail fast! But if you don’t have sales, the rest doesn’t matter.
Remember – a business without sales is called a hobby!
Until next time, thank you for your continued support and let’s make this year our most profitable year ever!
