Organise Your Business in 9 Steps

Becoming more organised has countless positive effects on your business and your employees. A complete transformation in organisation won’t occur overnight, but by putting strategies in place and remaining consistent, you can make big change with small steps. 

Here’s how to organise a business in 9 steps. 

1.Ask a question, find a solution

You’ve heard people say ‘tidy space, tidy mind’. A decluttered office space is paramount to keeping you, and your business organised.

We recommend starting simply by placing items in their designated, and preferably labelled place. One Irish factory operates on the principle of ‘where you ask a question, that’s where you should find the solution’ [1]. What this means is, on the wall behind where the hammer usually hangs, there is a label saying ‘hammer’. On the hammer, there should be a label saying ‘ground floor tool wall’. You may have seen other variations of this, for example in a commercial kitchen, the shape of certain cooking utensils have been traced out around their designated location on the wall. 

Another useful idea is to create an online master inventory that states where items should be kept. If for some reason the labels have fallen off the hammer and the wall, you should be able to look up its rightful place and return it without wasting any time.

It doesn’t matter what way you want to do it, labeling things will prevent lost items and wasted time, keeping organisation and productivity as your top priority.

2.Make micro-improvements using the Kaizen method

Kaizen means ‘change for the better’ in Japanese. It means to make small, cumulative changes to your business that amount to large-scale changes over time. It’s looking for micro-improvements that improve operational efficiency and can completely transform your business with consistent implementation over time. Within the Kaizen method, innovation is always at the forefront. 

The Kaizen method is also known as the ‘two-second improvement’ method, as it looks for ways to shave literal seconds off operations. For example, if employees take part in a 15-minute meeting every morning, then employers should find a way to reduce it to a 12-minute meeting. That’s an extra 15 minutes freed up in just one week - a full extra meeting! 

Another example is rearranging an office or warehouse so that employees have to spend less time walking around looking for equipment. Instead of the printer placed 40 seconds away, it’s moved to 15 seconds away, saving 25 seconds a trip. If employees use the printer four times a day, you save 3.33 minutes daily, roughly 15 minutes a week, and just over an hour a month, 66.666 minutes to be precise. That’s an extra working hour that can be used more constructively, freed up by a 25-second improvement. 

3.Innovate the workspace

Now that you’ve cleared and organised the workspace, you should consider making additions and adjustments to the existing equipment and decor.

Working in an ambient environment has been proven to reduce stress in employees. You can breathe life into your workspace by opening some windows and letting in natural light and adding some greenery. Adding plants has been shown to increase productivity by 15% through improved concentration levels in some cases [2].

Other pieces of equipment which might help include:

• Standing desks: improves posture, heart health and stamina levels, as well as productivity. 
• Cable organisers: keeps wires untangled and tidier 
• Barcode scanners: for simple inventory management
• Cold water tank: water reduces fatigue and boosts mental performance [3]

4.Go paperless

Harness the power of cloud technology and go digital with your data. The cloud is an extremely secure online storage space where you can store confidential information, allowing you to access every important document in one place. This totally eliminates the need for bulky, outdated metal filing cabinets, saving you floor space, and allowing you to find and access documents at the touch of a button.

Cloud storage is fully encrypted, yet can be accessed anywhere the owner chooses if they have a smart device and internet connection. This means that business owners can check up on their business operations remotely, and feel confident that their data is securely backed up. 

5.Use marketing software

Creating a marketing strategy can feel like operating a minefield, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. If you’re trying to grow your business, a simple way to start new customer outreach is to use a dedicated marketing software.

Marketing software is beneficial as it allows you to plan outreach in bulk, and set a time in advance when you’d like to send it out. You can also personalise communications to include customers’ names if they’re in your database, or if they’ve signed up to your mailing list online. This allows you to connect with returning clients on a deeper level, without the need to memorise customer profiles and follow-up emails. Stay focused on business, while the marketing software handles communications. 

A great service you can use to create great marketing campaigns is Mailchimp, which provides stunning email templates for email outreach to business customers and the general public. 

6.Sync your accountancy software

Your finances are one element of your business that you can’t afford to become complacent with. That doesn’t mean that managing finances requires constant attention, rather, you should keep them organised in order to have the best control of your profits and expenses. 

Link up with Quickbooks or Sage to make the most out of your income and to ensure it’s being spent sensibly. 

Accountancy software enables you to create automatic invoices, improve cash flow and help ensure that your employees are paid on time. Bookkeep and organise tax with ease by simply snapping a photo of your receipts, and letting the accountancy software extract and analyse the data.

7.Use an online booking system

A booking system isn’t only useful to those in the hospitality sector, but anyone who takes bookings and clients. Whether you run a beauty salon, a bar, a consultancy firm, a tutoring business, or a car wash, you probably need a scheduling system. Continue taking bookings without staying glued to the phone or diary by allowing customers to book themselves online whenever they please. 

Take deposits for an extra layer of security, and never lose a sale from double-bookings or awkward, ‘let me check my diary’s again. Block off time from your schedule for any reason, change appointment times and send automatic notifications and appointment reminders, and check your availability from anywhere. 

8.Use Order & Pay 

Order & Pay allows you to put an element of control into the customer’s hands while improving the organisation of your business. 

Order and Pay services are just like click-and-collect, or click-and-deliver services. Here, customers can simply scan a barcode or enter a URL and order directly from your website. They can choose between delivery, tableside ordering or click-and-collect, adding versatility and convenience to your business. This straightforward software lets you offer top-tier delivery services without facing exorbitant fees. 

Import your full menu or product catalogue and include notes like allergens or nutrition information. Payments are automatically processed without any requirement from you or your staff, and order details are sent immediately. Send order status updates to customers for a better experience, letting them know when to collect or if any amendments have to be made from your end. 

Drive repeat business by offering your customers a clean, user-friendly service that prevents mistakes and forgotten orders and over/under-payments. The ordering process has never been more straightforward and organised. 

9. Effortless organisation with Epos Now

All of the above mentioned integrations and apps are available through Epos Now’s point of sale (POS) technology. Point of sale is an all-in-one solution that has been designed specifically for merchants, to make daily life easier and to improve operational efficiency. 

With Epos Now, you can sync your sales data directly with your accountancy and marketing software, which informs and improves the accuracy of these apps. Customer activity is monitored and analysed, and detailed reports are sent back, allowing you to make better-informed business decisions. You’ll also receive feedback on sales performance by time and date, helping you spot trends, and adapt to run special promotions to suit customer behaviour. 

Your POS system is completely customisable to the needs of your business. Add bonus features and remove those you don’t need for a completely streamlined service that puts you at the helm. 

Request a callback with one of our expert advisors to learn more