Five tips for improving business efficiency

Many business owners and managers are so busy working on what their customers and clients need that they forget to take time on their own business. But being efficient is the first step in business success, so it is worthwhile investing the time.

Five key areas to focus on that will make a difference include:

1. Getting organised

Decluttering and organising inboxes, filing systems and other paperwork is essential. For every piece of correspondence received, whether physical or by email, there are four options:

• Bin it/delete it
• File it/archive it
• Give/forward to someone else
• Action it

It is important to retain a lot of financial information for tax and other purposes. Having an adequate and systematic filing system will help. Also do some research, or get advice on what information needs to be kept and for how long.

2. Reduce debt

Review current debt and the different types and interest rates being charged. With the level of competition amongst financial institutions it is worthwhile doing a comparison of offerings to see if there is a better deal - it may be possible to refinance to pay less interest. The usual rule of thumb is that high-interest-bearing liabilities should be paid off first.

Also consider paying off non-tax deductible debt as quickly as possible. For those that can afford to do so, slightly increasing repayments and increasing the frequency (from fortnightly to weekly) can also decrease the life of the loan and overall interest paid.

3. Look after cashflow

On the other side of the coin to debt is cashflow, often called the lifeblood of a business. Any business that offers credit needs to actively manage this, including setting - and sticking to - terms of trade and following up on outstanding payments. Business owners shouldn’t feel concerned or embarrassed about following up with slow-paying customers - if they’re not paying, they’re probably not worth keeping. Experience has shown that slow-paying customers often become non-paying and ultimately cost the business money.

4. Review expenditure

Insurance for both business and personal needs should be reviewed at least annually to ensure cover is adequate in the event of a claim. Reviewing other expenditures is also important. For instance, a better deal could be negotiated with the telecommunications provider, or consider if there are high bank account fees that could be eliminated, as a change to a different plan or account may be all that’s needed, rather than changing suppliers.

5. Business succession

While no-one likes to think about it, illness or death can occur at any time, and if contingency plans haven’t been made, this can leave business partners and employees, as well as family, in extremely difficult circumstances. Business succession is often perceived as being ‘too difficult’ to think about, but it is better to have some plans in place rather than nothing at all. Everyone’s circumstances are different and it is important to spend some time identifying requirements and any issues so that an action plan and time frame can be developed.

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