Key to a Successful Business - Step 2 - Get Organized?
If you are interested in a successful business get organized. It sounds simple enough but you would be surprised how much difference it makes. For example if I ask you now could you find the last invoice you produced for a customer? Could you find the invoice you produced for them six months ago? Do you have more than one place to file items on your computer?
Getting organized is one of the keys to providing a slick service to customer. Have you ever sent something to the wrong address? Or how long does it take you to produce and invoice? If you have a book-keeper could you produce this yourself?
Getting organized does not have to be difficult here are some tips for organizing your computer system.
Create a folder on your C Drive call it document store, if you have a server set this up on there and make it available to all. On this have a file called Customers and then have a folder broken down alphabetically. E.g. A - G, H - M, et under each have a customer folder, For example the customer might be Bexley Council have a folder for Bexley council. Under this folder have folder for each year 2008, 2009. In each year have folder for correspondence, Quotes, etc.
Save your documents in the following format YYYY.MM.DD Detail eg 2008.12.02 Bexley Council Quote
Now that may sound confusing but the result will look something like this:
Document Store -
-Customer
- A - G
- Bexley Council
- 2005
- 2006
- 2008.12.02 Bexley Council Quote
- H - M
- N - T
- U - Z
How long do you think it would taker me to find the Bexley quote in a hurry. In addition having the date range in this format means that all documents are listed in order by date. So that you can quickly see which is the most recent document?
Other folders under your document store could including marketing - a place for your marketing material, systems a place for your procedures, products a place for details of products.
Once you have built this document store, there are two key rules to follow:
- keep everything on it, don't allow anyone to save anything on there desktop, in their c drive all documents should be on document store. If they wish to keep personal stuff on your system then set up a personal file on your document store.
- get a back up system in place and make sure you keep this off site. Make it one persons responsibility to take the back up home with them.
There are plenty of other ways to get organized including:
1. Getting a database - the subject of my next article
2. Organise your paper work - Have a good filing system and stick to it.
3. Consider the less paper office - Scan in any documents that you may need to keep and then shred them.
Getting organized is a key step in building a successful business. Think like a big business and take organization seriously because not being organized could hold you back and seriously damage your wealth.
If you are interested in finding out more about this visit maidstone accountant
Look out for future articles including:
Step 1. Decide why you are in business
Step 3. How to get the most from a database
Step 4 Understand your accounts
Step 5 Make time to work on your business
Step 6 Systemize your business
Step 7 Get accurate management accounts
Step 8 Produce a plan and make it happen
Step 9 Market your business
Step 10 Get an image and make it fit
Step 11 Aim for the WOW factor
William Wood BA ACA specialises in helping small businesses achieve their potential.
William runs Accsys Business Advisers, http://www.accsysltd.co.uk a firm of Business Advisers and Chartered accountants in Maidstone, Kent
По материалам: http://ezinearticles.com/
Опубликовано: January 10, 2009