Why do we continue to live with inefficiencies rather than finding solutions to fix them and when really is the right time to act?
For years, I’ve worked in the automotive sector moving in and out of different roles and businesses within the industry. I’ve been at the forefront of operations handling customer enquiries and complaints, to being on the backend assisting dealerships at an OEM distributor level. A mindset that stood out to me the most throughout the years is the reluctance within businesses to adapt, change, and introduce new ways of thinking. Why is it that when offered a solution to a problem, we tend to find ourselves saying, “It isn’t the right time to implement”, or “Let’s add it to our spreadsheet for now?”
Ask yourself this, prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, how many times have you discussed implementing new business solutions with your team and thought perhaps it isn’t the right time? And out of all the new business solutions presented to you, how many do you think could’ve put your business in a much better financial position if implemented sooner?
My point is, no one can really identify the right time to take action or implement new business strategies. What we can do however, is continue finding ways to reduce the possibility of our business being brought to a halt by factors that could’ve easily been prevented. For example, if your business were to sustain significant damages from a flood, fire, or earthquake today, will your data be safe and available for you to continue operating? If your answer is “I’m not sure” or “No”, then you may need to start thinking of new ways of doing things today.
With more pressure on businesses to operate in an environmentally conscious manner, businesses are forced to look at ways to digitise operations. With digitisation comes higher levels of automation, secure cloud environments, remote access to files and systems, and reduced operational costs across the board – with all these benefits, why are we still hesitant to act immediately?
No longer would you need to print out every VOSA, repair order, and supplier invoice. No longer would you spend ludicrous amounts on paper and ink. Just take a moment to consider how much you could save by reducing your printing while having a positive impact on the environment too! And it’s not just saving on printing… what if all these invoices could be emailed to a dedicated inbox which is automatically sorted, allocated, and processed. The potential for resource saving is undeniable.
So when is the right time to make a change or implement a new business strategy? If you ask me, there is no better time to begin the process than right now as we’ll never know what is around the corner. After all, you don’t know what you don’t know, so what is the harm in speaking to someone today? Who knows, that conversation could generate your business thousands of extra dollars in revenue every month.
