Flexibility is one of the keys to staying ahead of the game in this challenging marketplace. With technology changing faster than ever before and the economy still recovering from a major crisis, being flexible lets your company roll with the punches, no matter what they may be.
But in a world of business plans, invoices, delivery schedules, memos, and emails, staying flexible isn’t always possible. However, there are several ways to stay nimble in business. Here are five specific instances where leaving room to move can help you grow a better and bigger business.
Office Space
Staying flexible with office space is a no brainer. You have no idea how fast or big your company will grow in the next six to twelve months. Why on earth would you sign a multi-month contract for office space? Picking virtual office space that has a flexible month to month lease can help you grow with the size of your business instead of being limited by your lease.
Tech Contracts
Internet service providers and autoresponder programs only scratch the surface when it comes to the type of tech contracts that are required to help a business run. From service contracts to hardware rentals, technology is essential to a modern business. Starting out with the lowest service contract available is a great way to stay flexible. You don’t know how a particular tech company will work with your company until you test them out. Before committing to a long term contract, test the waters and find exactly what you need.
Software-as-a-Service Subscriptions
Many CRM programs and other essential pieces of software for business are cloud based, meaning you’ll have a monthly subscription contract for their use. These generally have three different tiers of service that include a number of different features at each level. As complete as the previews of the software might be, only a test of them with your own input and at your own company will let you know which of the features are most important to you. This is another way staying flexible can help save you money.
Business Plans
There’s no discounting the importance of business planning in a successful business. However, this doesn’t mean that your business plan has to be set in stone. The purpose of a business plan isn’t to limit you to a set way of thinking about your business. It should adapt to your changing needs as you learn more about your market and your position in your business. Re-evaluate your business plan once or twice a year to be sure that it’s in line with the current state of your business.
Outsourcing
When you decide it’s time to outsource something outside of your company for the first time, you may get carried away and outsource too much. When you find someone to outsource to you shouldn’t hand them the keys to the kingdom right off the bat. You should test them out on a short project first. This allows you to stay more flexible and get rid of someone that might not be a fit early on – rather than find out months later and thousands of dollars into the process.
