This time of year makes me think about vacation and all the trips I’ve taken over the years. Much like a business, my approach to packing and managing travel has evolved and improved so that I can efficiently get on the road or in the air without stress. And how you pack your business’s “luggage” can make or break your trip.
Our family vacation, year after year, meant packing up our car, driving to Sandbridge, VA, and renting the same beach house every August. My sister and I were allowed to bring one suitcase and whatever we were willing to keep at our feet (a duffel bag full of toys/books/etc.). Our suitcases had to fit in the trunk after my Dad’s golf clubs (#1 priority) and our parents’ suitcase. This process was dictated by my well organized parents (much like when you work at a company you don’t own) and felt frustrating as a child - especially for my sister who always had to have an outfit for any potential scenario.
In college, my friends and I would sometimes road trip to various locations to visit friends at other universities or attend a football game at another school. On those occasions, the car was haphazardly packed, and we threw anything and everything in without regard to space or need. Snacks, drinks, multiple bags – it didn’t matter and was never organized. It worked for us but inevitably ended up mixing up clothes or searching for a shoe that ended up lost in the mess. I equate this with the very beginning of a company – in the early days, a business owner throws everything at the wall, sees what sticks, and moves forward like that. And that’s how you end up with “that’s how we’ve always done it” and wasting hours and dollars.
As I progressed in my career, I traveled for business and experienced both the negative consequences and positive benefits of traveling with others and checking luggage without regard to the size of the rental car or distance to the destination. I could bring workout clothes, work clothes, leisure clothes, and laptop/other business equipment. We knew when and where our meetings would be and could make everything work. This is probably the phase most business owners are in – everything works, they’re making money, they don’t see a need for change however frustrating and inefficient it is for employees.
My evolution as a traveler occurs now, when I now meet my girlfriends for long weekends or even multiple-week foreign travel. I try to bring as little as possible because we try to fit everyone into the rental car, which means I usually take carryon only. We try to coordinate flights in/out to reduce airport wasted time, and carryon is the fastest way through the airport. I have learned to fit everything I need into carryon luggage (they’re always amazed at the number of shoes and outfits I bring in a small bag, in addition to the beach canopy to keep us out of the sun when we lounge on the sand) and tell my friends to “stand back” as I pack our rental car trunk full of luggage, so no one is holding more than a purse on their laps. This is where your business could be – no wasted space, a place for everything, and everything running as smoothly as possible. Are there hiccups sometimes? Yes, but they can be handled easily because your new customers are onboarded quickly, you’re delivering your service/product more efficiently, and your accounting is running smoothly, all while earning more money.
How is your business’s “luggage” packed? Are you throwing everything in the car and figuring it out as you go? If you’d like to improve your operations and move easily and swiftly through your day-to-day, you can easily do this with my help. You too can experience the ease and efficiency of packing your business “luggage” with more clients and less wasted time.
Creating standard processes ensures you are delivering the same quality product and/or service to your customers every time. Contact me todayto learn more https://beckinsights.com/take-action
