Managing From Home (Or Elsewhere): Tips for Small Business Owners

It’s important to keep a close eye on your business, especially if it’s just starting up or still growing, which is why most small business owners and/or managers are oftentimes seen being the first to go in and the last to go out of their small business’ office or shop. However, certain circumstances could prevent the owner or manager from going to the shop/office. In fear of operations going awry and negatively impacting the business (or even the brand), some managers make the poor decision of closing shop temporarily or limiting operations until they’re back.

Luckily, with advancements in technology, it’s quite possible for you to continue managing and supervising your business even when you’re away. Plus, it’s good to start making your business easy to manage or supervise remotely as early as possible so as to ensure its continued operations and eventual growth later on.

#1 A Reliable Workforce and a Trusted Point Person

If your business is managed by someone else you trust (i.e. a qualified manager you hired, or a business partner that also functions as a manager), then you can rest assured that your business is going to run smoothly even when you’re not around. However, in the absence of one, you’ll need to ensure that your workforce is reliable and to appoint your most trusted and capable staff as your liaison of sorts (i.e. your point person). This point person would be the one you’ll be keeping constant communication with to perform various spot-checks on different parts of the business’ operations and also inventory.

#2 Know Exactly What You Need and How to Do It

It’s essential for you to be systematic and concise about which aspects of the operations you need to supervise and how. For example, if you wish to keep an eye out on your inventory while you’re away, you should establish how frequently you need to have the staff in charge to check or track the inventory. Or, if your business is more service-based, you’ll want to monitor leads (customers who have approached to inquire or set an appointment) by having one of your staff log all leads and their contact information. Additionally, if you’re worried about stocks and goods being stolen, you’d want to have CCTVs all over the place.

#3 Communication Plans and Medium

Communication is the core of any business or organization, and it’s immensely vital when it comes to remotely supervise and manage your business while you’re at home or somewhere else. As such, you should have a plan, system, and reliable medium that allows you to quickly communicate with your staff (and also vendors and clients, when needed), and also for your staff to promptly contact you whenever something comes up. This is where the next tip comes into play…

#4 Make Use of Technology

There are various hardware and software that can actually make it possible for you to remotely manage and supervise your business remotely for an indefinite amount of time. Basically, you’ll want to utilize technology for communication and administration, operations management (workflow, inventory, project management), and finances. There are cloud based business solutions that can provide you all the tools you and your staff would need for your operations that also allows you access to any aspect of your business (finances, inventory, appointments, etc.) anywhere with internet access and any device that’s hooked up with your cloud-based system.

Conclusion

Managing and supervising your small business remotely can be a scary prospect, especially if you’re used to being there ever since the business started. But, with the right people, plan, and technology in place, you’ll be able to manage your business at home anytime you want (and not just when certain circumstances force you to do so).