Do Business Well

Some businesses reach the size or position where a great deal of internal communication and contact are necessary. Hand in hand with the increase in necessary internal communication grows a plethora of less necessary and even superfluous communication. A business may reach a stage where the extent of internal communication and reporting has got out of hand.

1. Eliminate unnecessary internal communication and reporting

People could be asking for information for the sake of it. It may take five minutes to read a report but it may take the writer and secretary hours or even days of research to produce it. They are expensive people — don’t waste their time.

2. Consider the cost of producing a report

Calculate the relevant manager’s hourly rate and overheads, including a secretary and other members of staff, and evaluate the cost of producing reports. Then think whether their time could have been more wisely spent or whether you really need them for that purpose.

3. Avoid becoming too insular in your work routines

People can become part of an elaborate overhead structure completely divorced from the real business activities of the company. Ask whether this structure is really needed or whether the relevant people could do something more useful.

4. Save typing time by using handwritten internal memoranda

Get everyone to handwrite internal memos on self-carbonising paper. The number and size of these communications will reduce dramatically.

5. Audit the need for regular reports

On the next issue of any of these reports that you send, pin a note saying that you will not send further issues unless the recipient requests it. You may find half the people on the circulation list don’t reply. Not only do they not read your report, they may not even have noticed the note you pinned on it.

6. Control the number of meetings

Check that meetings are attended only by those who really need to attend; check they are all called for a worthwhile purpose, and that they are properly prepared. Target yourself to reduce the number and length of meetings by 75 per cent. Forbid any meetings at all on three days a week and start meetings in the late afternoon.

7. Make sales conferences worthwhile

Before you hold the next one, check the minutes of the past three meetings, see how repetitive they are and how few or how many decisions are actioned successfully. Don’t hold the next meeting until satisfactory progress has been made, otherwise those attending may become cynical about the conference value.

8. Select meeting centres

It is often the custom to bring territory staff to headquarters to attend sales conferences or training sessions. Depending on the location of HQ you might be better off relocating your conferences out of town. Don’t have your conferences based where hotels, travel, food and parking are the most expensive. Base them out of town, choose a centre geared to the location of your outside staff and branches, and cut the costby half.

9. Time meetings sensibly

Arrange your business conferences to coincide with an exhibition which the same staff may have to attend for stand manning — avoid duplicating travel time and costs.

10. Limit the length of union meetings

Be firm, cut them short where possible, and if the answer has to be negative don’t beat about the bush — there’s work to be done.

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