Susan says… Number 3 – The “BBCs” Boring But Critical List To Grow Your Business

Our Business Advisor, Susan George, is a highly effective economic development professional with extensive senior management experience in both the private and public sector. We wanted to make the most of Susan’s wealth of experience and she hints and tips on relevant topics throughout the year.

We asked Susan:

Question – What are the boring but critical things to do to grow a business?

When it comes to helping your business succeed it is quite often the boring bits that get overlooked.

Here is a list of some of the boring but critical elements to running a business that often get overlooked.

• Be vigilant – maintain a focus on excellent customer service for your clients.
• Be reliable – do what you have agreed to do, on time or communicate any delays to your clients.
• Be consistent – review sales and revenue figures from the previous day to track performance.
• Be aware – update inventory levels and reorder supplies as needed.
• Bottom line – monitor cash flow and reconcile transactions in the business accounts.
• Be a leader – for those with employees, assign tasks to employees and ensure they are on track with their responsibilities.
• Be a planner – review upcoming appointments, meetings, and deadlines.
• Be up to speed – review any new regulations or compliance requirements relevant to the business.
• Be customer focused – address any customer complaints or concerns promptly and professionally.
• Be online savvy – update social media channels or your website with any relevant news or promotions.
• Be on it – review and update the business’s financial records and bookkeeping entries and send out invoices speedily.
• Be forward thinking – plan and prepare for any upcoming events or promotions.
• Be a lifetime learner – keep learning and keep up to date, be open minded to learn new skills to ensure your business is benefiting from new technologies.
• Check emails and respond to any inquiries or messages from customers, suppliers, or partners.
• Check your business direct debits, ensure you are paying the agreed discounts with your suppliers and that you need the services that you are paying for via direct debits.
• Check equipment and machinery for any maintenance needs or issues.
• Communicate with suppliers or vendors regarding orders or deliveries.
• Clean and organize the workspace to maintain a professional environment.
• Check and update the schedule for deliveries, pickups, or service calls.