It’s The Small Things You Do That Put Your Business At Risk
As a business owner, you want your business to survive into the long-term.
As a consequence of this, you wouldn’t take any major risks that could jeopardize both your reputation and your finances.
So, you wouldn’t gamble your profits on a betting site. You wouldn’t forego public liability and commercial auto insurance in an effort to cut costs.
And you wouldn’t hire untrained workers for high-risk positions. You wouldn’t do any of these things, because you (we assume) know better than to risk your business in such ways. Hoorah for you!
However, it’s the small things you do that could put your business at risk. They’re so small that you might not even notice them. But you neglect them at your peril, as your business could be put at risk because of them.
#1: You forget to say thank you
When did you last thank your employees for the hard work they put in? It only takes a second to offer an appreciative word, but if you rarely (or never) bother, then you might actually be affecting morale in your workplace.
And when this happens, productivity will take a hit, work won’t get done, and your profit margin will diminish!
Take the time to thank your employees then. You might make more effort to smile at your employees too, and you might also start a conversation with them that isn’t about a work-related matter. It won’t take long for you to do, and after doing so, you should see an upshift in your employees’ productivity in tandem with their raised morale.
#2: You work during your lunch hour
Being a busy business owner, you might work during your lunch hour in an effort to get work done. And you might think this is the sensible thing to do, as the more you do in your allotted work hours, the less need there will be for you to work overtime. But you are hurting your business this way.
For starters, your productivity will take a hit once your energy starts to flag. This will affect the quality of your work, and you might end up having to do overtime anyway.
On a regular basis, this might lead to the debilitating effects of burnout. Your health will also suffer in other ways if you don’t take the time to eat or exercise properly.
So, don’t forego your lunch break or any other break time during the day. It’s essential to exercise, eat healthily and take time to chill out, as otherwise, you will hurt your health on both a mental and a physical level, and the health of your business will fail as a consequence.
#3: You ignore a customer complaint
Pesky customers! They are always complaining about something, be it a late delivery or an issue with one of your personnel.
And while you probably respond to most complaints your business receives, you might occasionally ignore one or two as you have better things to do with your time than deal with every bit of aggro that comes your way. Big mistake! Every customer is important, and they need to be treated as such.
So, despite your busyness, always make amends with an apology and a vow to do better. And heed their complaints, so you can make the necessary changes to your business.
You see, if you don’t, that customer might continue to complain, but this time to others on social media and on business review sites, and that could be the start of the downfall of your business. Yikes!
Take heed then, and thanks for reading!