Businesses are constantly trying to expand so they can increase their revenue generation. Fewer organisations, however, realise how much they could also increase their earnings by improving the running of their company, and increasing their profit margins. Inefficient and poorly optimised companies can lead to a lot of unnecessary money being lost to expenditure, which is even more frustrating when it is avoidable. In addition, inefficiency can cause unnecessary delays, which can negatively affect your chances of customer retention. Before you invest in expansion, then, you should try to make your business operations as optimised as possible. Here are a few simple ways you can improve your business’s efficiency.
Streamline Your Shipping Operations
If you’re in a goods-based industry, you will know the importance of your supply chain to the success of your business. Making sure your shipping processes are optimised is often crucial, since not only are logistics costs one of retailers’ largest expenses, but customers nowadays expect fast and cheap (if not free) delivery. The best shipping operations are thoroughly planned, so you know the exact materials you’ll need, and won’ t therefore overspend unnecessarily. Correct planning also means your delivery times will be more predictable, which will help manage customer expectations. You can even use same day delivery at a higher fee to cater to customers who want their items urgently. Buying packaging materials in bulk will also save you a substantial amount of money in the long-term, so try to find the materials which can be used for as many of your products as possible. Investing in automation software may also help businesses make their shipping quicker and more cost-effective. These software programs use algorithms to determine the quickest and cheapest route and shipping carrier for each delivery you need to make.
Reduce Your Electricity Bill
If you’re paying or leasing commercial premises for your business, electricity will also inevitably be one of your largest overheads. Therefore, if you are not already doing so, you should be working to minimise your electricity costs. Turn off any electrical devices after hours or when they are not in use. This will quickly and dramatically reduce your expenditure. From there, you can also invest in energy-efficient lighting, which uses a fraction of the energy cost of traditional halogen bulbs.
Encourage Working from Home
If your employees are able to complete their work remotely, homeworking offers the opportunity for business owners to radically slash their expenditure. Facilitating remote working can allow companies to downsize or even get rid of their office space entirely. This enables businesses to massively reduce their leasing, energy, and Wi-Fi bills. Contrary to popular belief, employees working from home may actually increase levels of employee productivity, as well, which may further improve your business efficiency. To ensure every employee has sufficient internet access, you may have to invest in further electrical and networking equipment, however. In addition, as appealing as this route may be, it is important that you only pursue it if it will not affect the quality of the services you deliver.
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Guest Author Bio
John Moran
John Moran is an American who enjoys the fine art of living well. His interests include anything wine, food or nature related especially when enjoyed with friends and family.
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