After such a turbulent year for many companies across the globe, many of them will no doubt be looking for a way back to their previous levels of success.
Unfortunately, some were not fortunate enough to have a shot at recovery, but those who have should take advantage of their good luck and work hard to succeed. However, this game of catch-up will not be played easily. To achieve these feats, many firms may need to begin operating around the clock to make up for lost time.
If you are in this situation yourself, then know that while these times can be testing, it is an arrangement that can give your business a boost and instil you with hope for the future. Keep reading the tips below to understand how you can start to gain traction here.
Introduce Automation
Automation is an asset that you cannot ignore if you are trying to keep your business running constantly.
The industrial packaging machines from Blueprint Automation (BPA) can do a fine job of things here. They are specially built for around the clock operation and bring flexibility and speed to all your packaging processes. Moreover, they develop their innovative technologies with acute consideration to their customer’s needs, so working with BPA is highly recommended.
Of course, automation comes in other forms too. For instance, chatbots on websites can answer the more basic queries your web visitors may have at any time of the day or night. File transfers, emails, and batch processing logistics can also be subject to automation, keeping things running on your behalf when you are enjoying your downtime. Infuse your firm with these technologies, and it in many ways it shall literally run itself.
Maintain Workflow
Your employees can still be overwhelmed with work, even if you decide to operate around the clock. It is your responsibility to ensure that things do not reach a breaking point.
The first thing you should do here is hire more staff and hire well. More bodies in the business means workloads can be distributed more evenly over the 24-hour period, without risking any employees becoming swamped, overworked, and miserable. Late last year, reports surfaced over how prevalent this problem was in some companies, so staying on top of things here is key.
Should you ignore a workflow imbalance, you may find your retention rates slipping, and consequently more disruptions occurring in your firm’s daily activities. It is important to manage expectations and to collaborate with colleagues over what amount of work seems fair and right to them. Even if your company has adopted an around the clock approach, if workers are fatigued or stressed then it might even set you back.
Consider Finer Details
Your business cannot run around the clock if you cannot afford to keep your premises constantly running. A poor business strategy elsewhere may compromise your approach also.
Your electricity bills may go up, production prices may climb considerably, and your equipment may succumb to ‘wear and tear’ problems at an accelerated rate. Storage may also go into overdrive if you build your stock without having effective marketing or sales strategies to accompany the production upsurge. Ultimately, running a firm comes with a cost, and you may need to budget, audit, and otherwise manage things extensively to accommodate your relentless productivity.
It could also be a good idea to make your ‘around the clock’ availability a widely marketed point. If customers, clients, and partners know that they can reach your firm at any given time, it will bring in increased levels of business to your firm. They may come to appreciate your flexibility, thinking of you as a reliable source rather than feeling a need to compete for your attention. That sense of familiarity in the commercial world can be highly beneficial, so make your intentions public!