What are the four ‘R’s that make a successful business?

By John Corban –

We have come to the end of a busy financial year, so now is a good time to start planning your business for a successful new financial year. Start thinking about what worked well over the past 12 months and what could be improved.

Following the four ‘R’s will help you develop your business with more efficiency, effectiveness and provide more satisfaction.

Re-Engineering
In business we tend to continue doing everything the same way until someone comes along and shows us a better way. Re-Engineering is the process of looking at all the main tasks you perform each day and see if they could be done more efficiently. Looking at these tasks with another person could help. Initially, just look at the ones that take most of your time.

For example, quoting takes a lot of time for business owners. It is a crucial process that must be done, but the question is: How can you do it with more efficiency, accuracy and in less time?

1. Only quote the jobs that are worthwhile to your business in terms of potential profit and being a good fit for your business.

2. Have your most common quotes set up in your quoting software or spreadsheet, so you can copy and paste the major elements so it reduces time quoting each new quote.

3. Update a list of materials and their prices for easy access.

4. What about getting an estimating company to do your larger quotes? Such companies do exist.

5. Employ a part-time or full-time estimator (if your business can afford it) and train him/her.

Restructuring
Do you need to re-structure your workload? Have a look at all that you do and see what you can delegate to bookkeepers, an office assistant, a social media assistant, another employee. You might think it will cost you money, but it would be costing you much more by not being free to work on more important areas of your business.

What about re-structuring your team? Even if you have a small team, the areas where they are slower and less skilled would be better outsourced.
I know not everyone has that option, but re-structuring is all about getting the team and your workload working more efficiently.

Re-inventing
Imagine if you closed your business and decided to start fresh. Which of your current team would you want to re-employ? Which clients would you want to work for? What systems would you use and which would you stop using?
Re-inventing your company every 12 months by asking these questions and acting on the answers, is a great way to stay fresh and ahead of the game.

Re-organising
Organise your day so you are providing greater value for your company by doing the things that count. Tidy your desk and computer. When your physical environment is tidy and in order you will be able to think more clearly.
Re-organising office shelves, storage sheds, stock in a retail area, a job site, will have a positive spill-on effect throughout the entire business and team.

In a Nutshell

• Go through your main work processes and make them simpler and more efficient.
• Look at your workload and your team’s responsibilities and see what can be changed.
• Imagine starting your business today, what would you do different?
• Organise your computer, desk and files, then help your team to do the same with their system.
• Pick one of the 4 R’s and start applying it, so the beginning of the new financial year will gain great momentum.

John Corban
Business Coach for Landscapers, Horticulturists and Nursery owners
Mob: 0433 27 1980
www.landscaperscoach.com.au