When your business starts growing, you can hit some obstacles that you weren’t expecting. Hiring and retaining the right staff can be tricky. You may need to rethink your production method and your storage needs. You may also need to implement new shipping procedures. Here are some tips for these three challenges that a growing business might face.
Making New Hires
Hiring the right employees to help build your business can be difficult. Start by creating a list of what jobs regularly need to be completed that you are not good at doing. Then, prioritize your list. Create a job description for each position. Then, start advertising in places where employees who are likely to meet the requirements hang out. You need to find people who have the needed skills, but you also want them to have the right attitude to mesh into your organization. Conducting behavioral interviews can often help you spot these individuals.
Increasing Production
Look at your production area. Which equipment needs to be in what area to minimize the number of steps required to complete your most popular items? It often helps to draw out a flowchart so that you can see how production will happen. Then, hire experts to get the space revamped so that there are no electrical cords and other items in the way. You also need to think about where you will store the finished product. When you are shipping many products, it’s recommended that you have a large space to receive, inspect and store enough stock to meet your growing demand.
Streamlining Shipping
When focusing on growing your business, you also need to think about how you are going to ship your products. When you were shipping only a few items per day, the mailman was likely to pick them up when he dropped off your incoming mail. Now that you are sending many pieces a day, you need to reconsider effective shipping methods. You also need to consider your packaging and the impression that it leaves on your customers when their purchase arrives. Consider whether selling your product to an international customer base is a wise investment or costing you too much money in shipping costs.
Handling a small business on the grow can be difficult. However, you have the guts to do it effectively or you would not have started your company in the first place. Consider what help you need to be more effective, how to arrange your equipment and how to ship to your customers speedily.
