5 Ways To Supercharge Your Business Efficiency

by Alex B. Magazine Editor & Digital Marketer

The start of the new year is a great time to review all aspects of your business. A focus on general efficiency is essential, as it will ultimately save time, energy, and resources. But where to start? Efficiency can feel like a very general term, so it is important to identify specific ways to optimise it.

Below are five key ways to help improve the overall efficiency of your business. With an efficient, smoothly run business, you will have the best chance of achieving the growth and success you deserve!

1. Use Time Blocking And Task Batching

Studies show that switching between multiple types of task throughout the day is especially taxing on energy and attention. This might include switching from a meeting to working alone, or from telephone calls to pitching, for example.

Task batching involves grouping similar tasks together — such as meetings or phone calls, emails, and admin — and time blocking involves allocating the specific time to do it. Many people find that they even theme a whole day of the week, with Mondays reserved for focused work alone, Tuesday for meetings, and Wednesdays for errands, for example.

Whatever works best for you, focus on approaching similar tasks together on the same day so that the switch between each task is not too jarring or demanding. This can make a huge change to your productivity overall, as you are not wasting energy on the switch itself, but can expend it just on the chosen task.

2. Hire Professional Couriers

More entrepreneurs than ever are discovering why getting logistics right is crucial for their business. If your business uses the postal service a lot — whether for incoming or outbound items and products — it could be a great time to consider a professional courier.

Relying on the regular postal service can be sufficient for a very small business or start-up. But as orders and deliveries become more regular, it is important that you can meet demand. This includes not putting a strain on your own schedule, but also ensuring that customers are never left waiting or disappointed.

Professional couriers often have access to the best routes, tracking technology, safety measures, durable packaging, and more. If you find you are spending a lot of your time on deliveries and postage, consider using a courier to upgrade your overall efficiency.

3. Optimise Your Equipment

Faulty, slow, or inappropriate equipment can cost businesses hundreds of hours a year. This includes software and online programmes, as well as physical equipment such as printers, industrial equipment, and even business transport.

Now is a great time to ensure that everything is functioning optimally, or even to consider upgrading. Although there may be an initial financial outlay, it can still be an investment overall — saving your business time and resources in the long run.

List all the equipment — physical and non-physical — that your business relies on and consider whether this is optimal. This can include anything from upgrading your software, to exploring how you can make your business vehicles last longer.

Once everything is functioning optimally and within your budget, watch your overall efficiency soar!

4. Hire Experts

There is no shame in knowing when someone else knows better! If you are struggling to keep up with areas of your business, or else believe that something is not your strength, why not hire an expert to handle it?

This can include accountants, auditors, and personnel, as well as positions such as SEO professionals, GDPR experts, web designers, social media marketers, and more.

Start by identifying the key aspects of your business as well as where you would appreciate more support, then call in an expert on either a quarterly or annual basis.

5. Automate & Delegate

Wherever possible when running a business, automate or delegate. Identify the key aspects of your business that only you can do. This could include creative direction, pitching, or other key tasks that require your focus and presence, and are also difficult or impossible for others to replicate.

Tasks that could be done by others can be delegated to them, and other tasks can be automated to help ensure smooth and optimised processes. Many business owners find this especially helpful in terms of invoicing, accounting, or payroll, for example.

By aiming to optimise your business over a long period of time — making adjustments as you go — your increased efficiency will maximise your time, budget, and overall growth!