Leave My Business without Losing Business?
How Can I Leave My Business without Losing Business?
Many small business owners are using remote email and wireless technology to ensure
that they can leave their business when they need to without it affecting the bottom
line. You know the nightmare of missing urgent emails, appointments and supplier
updates? If you’ve got the right tools, modern technology can turn your nightmare
scenario into a dream of a well-balanced life.
Plan for your Absence
To ensure a perfectly invisible absence from your business requires planning. Be
sure to leave your day to day tasks in the hands of someone you trust. This may
be a partner, virtual assistant or employee, but be sure to adequately prepare them
for the task. Leave them with several ways to contact you, such as your cell phone
number and your business email address if they don’t already have it. Be specific
about what requires your input. They should be armed with enough information to
handle as much as you feel comfortable with them handling. They also need to know
under what situations you should be contacted.
Keep it Quiet
Do not announce your absence. If you are a new business, it may shake your clients’
trust in your company. It may also cause a slowdown in business. Often customers
of small businesses enjoy dealing with the owner. If they know that you are away
from your business, they may wait till you return before doing business with your
firm again. Prepare your replacement with
phrases he or she can use to avoid letting clients know that you are away from the
business.
Standardise your Business Email Communications (if you haven’t already)
Prepare standard form responses to typical questions. Thoroughly prepare the person
who will take your place, so that they can send professional emails on your behalf
and answer questions that might come their way. If someone absolutely needs to speak
with you or get information that only you can provide, a message can be taken and
you can then be notified by a mobile alert to your cell phone.
Rely on your Remote Email
Email is the key to keeping an absent business owner up to date and the company
running without a hitch, in his or her absence. You can use wireless email to send
messages to the office, on a daily basis. The person who is handling your typical
work tasks can send daily reports and timely questions and concerns via remote email
to your PDA Palm or Blackberry or mobile. You can even use the email preview options
on your PDA Palm or Blackberry or cell phone to quickly and efficiently review your
inbox and oversee the messages sent by the person back at the office. This will
ease your mind that things are being taken care of expediently and accurately. Remote
email will allow you to deal with matters that require your input in a time-sensitive
manner, without the other person realising you are away from your business.
By using business technology, such as your cell phone, wireless devices and remote
email to the best of their capacity, you be confident that you can be away from
your business without losing business.
Rodney Alison has served as Systems Architect on many international projects
for over a decade before turning his expertise in engineering, physics and technology
into the development of Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, the Quincerto Group. To
find out more about the mobile technologies that Rodney and his team offer
small business owners across Australia and New Zealand go to
www.teamanywhere.com.au.