This time of year you'll hear lots of talk about luck. St. Patrick's Day just passed and many people aren't ready to give up their shamrocks, leprechaun tales, and their hopes of finding a pot of gold. Most people like the concept of luck. They relish knowing there is a chance that they could get lucky and something great will just happen to them through no effort or skill of their own. Other people prefer to make their own good luck. These are the business owners who succeed and create successful companies. Today, we've got some tips to help you improve your "luck" and learn how Stockpile fast free inventory management can help.
Be Prepared
If you read our blog frequently, you've heard us say this many times before. It certainly bears repeating. No, you can't prepare for every eventuality but you do need to prepare for some. Not having cash reserves, insurance, and a disaster plan are surefire ways to bankrupt your business if something unexpectedly goes wrong. Having these things can provide peace of mind and reduce your stress level, even if you never have to use them. Having accurate inventory records in Stockpile, our fast free inventory management system, is another great way to be prepared, but we'll touch on that more later.
Research, Research, Research
Many business owners do their due diligence before they open their business but they forget to keep researching. Market trends, buyer attitudes, tax laws, and so much more are constantly changing. The lay of the land may change multiple times over the years. If you want to maintain or grow your business you'll need to stay on top of these changes and understand how they will affect you.
Don't Just Talk - Remember to Also Listen
Communication is key. You need to share your company vision with your employees. Make sure that everyone is aware of the company goals and how they can help achieve them. Clearly outline company procedures and any policies that may affect employees. Ask for feedback and genuinely consider your employees' opinions. You may be sure that your plan is the best one, but it never hurts to hear someone else out if they have a suggestion to improve something. You never know, they may see a challenge that you overlooked or have a particular insight that you were lacking. Gather feedback from your customers so that you'll know what is important to them and what they'd like to see in your business. Let them know that you are listening by communicating the ideas and reviews you've received either in your business, on your website or via social media.
Show Your Appreciation
Don't just assume that your employees and your customers know how much you appreciate them. Find ways to show them. Everyone likes to feel appreciated. There are numerous inexpensive ways to let your employees and customers know how much they mean to you and your business. Need some ideas? Check out these previous posts for some tips.
Small Business Employee Appreciation
Technology
Technology can improve your business' efficiency, make your employees' tasks easier, and help you keep track of the millions of daily tasks that you need to manage. Don't fall behind with technology. Having outdated systems, machines, and solutions will quickly impact your bottom line. We're not saying that you always have to have the latest and the greatest. You just need to stay relatively current. Know what level of tech your customers expect and be sure you're providing it. There was a time that free WiFi was an unknown concept. These days it's everywhere from the nail salon to the car wash to your favorite sandwich shop. If you're following our communication tip, you'll know exactly what your customers want.
Use Stockpile
Stockpile is a powerful inventory management tool. It can be implemented quickly and it's easy to use. Stockpile fast free inventory management is fully customizable which means you can choose to use the fields that make the most sense for your business. Thanks to areas and locations you can be very precise about where items are stored, making it easy to locate them. Plus, Stockpile is mobile compatible so you can even access your data anytime from anywhere. Running reports is a snap too. If you're looking for a free easy way to improve your business, you've found it! Try Stockpile today!
