In business, we are always striving to find new methods and tools to enhance our productivity and our bottom line.
And very often, we set a new plan in motion with the understanding that we are going to have to spend a little time on implementation and training. That is part and parcel of any new endeavor.
But what we often fail to consider is the amount of FUTURE time that must be allotted to keep the system in effect. Many of these complex tools require daily maintenance tasks or continual input and updating.
And so as multiple business systems are set into motion, it isn’t long before the sheer burden of time commitment exceeds the ability to maintain the operations in good working order.
At that point, a decision has to be made, as there are only two choices: A business must either hire an employee to take care of the additional necessary perfunctory tasks, or decide to limit the systems in place to the minimum number of the most cost effective tools.
My preference is the latter. Decide what works, dedicate the time and capital resources to maintain it, and eliminate the less effective systems that demand the most and return the least.
It sounds easy. But it is hard to cast aside tools in which we have already invested a lot of time and money.
But it is a necessary element of conducting a successful business.
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Agreed - sometimes just updating photos, for example, can be hugely time consuming when you use:
two MLS
Realtor.com showcase
three specialty land sites
your personal website
virtual tour
not to mention places like Trulia, etc.
Richard
Good post and I agree...not everything you place into your business plan is going to work for you...It is a constant struggle with agents I manage and coach to get them to let go of what has stopped working (or even never worked) for them. It is like the stock they purchased on a hot tip and became married to and even though the value is dropping and all indicators say sell!, sell! they want to hold on until it rebounds...
Remember the definition of insanity is to continue to do the same exact task over and over again hoping for a different result... Good luck to all!
If hiring an assistant is not an option, then it's best to go forward with the tried and true methods that have provided you with the success you enjoy. It's OK to implement new methods all the time. But it's more important not to lose the focus of the ones that got you where you are today.
Richard, I have given this blogging system 30 months to show results and it has, now that appointments are coming due to this effort...I will have to lower my amount of posts, to stay current with clients. That was the plan, and I'm going to stick to it.
When one first takes on a new process and devotes time to learning it, much time is consumed at the expense of something else. Eventually the learned process is in place and if it doesn't keep ones day busy enough, one must set about learning something else, and eliminating what doesn't work. Sometimes it's hard to give up trying to relist a listing you've had forever, but it might just be the best thing for you. Giving up a work process that isn't as great as you expected can set you free as well.
I have cut out many things I do. Right now I am so short of time that if you cloned me, I could about 2/3's done each day!
Richard, I had a similar situation with Windows based and newer Apple based systems. I converted EVERYTHING over to Apple and couldn't be happier. Parallel or multiple systems sometimes is an inefficient and insane way to run things.
Very true. I also think it is a decision to be made before we adopt that new tool or business strategy. What will have to give in order for this to take place in our existing busienss plan.
I would like to be able to hire someone else to fulfill some of the tasks in my business, but like you, I resort to the latter.
I have two closings early next week and they are taking a lot of time. Each deal takes more time these days.
It seems each and every transaction is getting more involved than ever before and the tasks that generate the leads has to be at the top of the list. I prefer to do things myself so I try and keep the systems streamlined.
Hi Richard!
This brings to mind a transaction management program our office invested in. A large local brokerage had used it, so we assumed that it must be a good product. What we discovered was, while it might be a good system, the learning curve was huge...way more than any agent would be willing to even attempt. So, it died on the vine without ever getting out of the ground. Sometimes you need to know when to cut your losses. We learned quickly!
Richard:
It is often difficult (and expensive) to delegate responsibilities to others. And, actually, if you want something done right you really have to do it yourself. That fact alone makes it necessary to eliminate less effective systems to enable you to have some control over the way everything is accomplished.