The 4 Secrets You Need To Know For Good Office Management

Have you ever wondered what exactly goes into good office management? A well-run office is an office that can help a small business profit. And a small business that is successful is a great thing. There are four things you can to ensure good office management for your small business.

Steps to take for a well-run office

1. Set up routine procedures and establish protocols

Having a system in place is a major component of a well-run office. When you have regulations regarding incoming tasks and requests that can be easily followed by the employee in question, you’ve ensured the efficiency of an office.

• Computers, multifunction printers, phones, and servers: Set up a response plan if these devices encounter problems. Who will be contacted to resolve the issue? How will they be contacted? Should the person be contacted right away? Or should certain troubleshooting steps be taken? Certain problems can be exacerbated by attempts to correct the problem without consulting a point person. Determine which type of problems require immediate flagging and which ones permit for troubleshooting before being reported.

• Paperwork: All incoming paperwork should be handled immediately and follow a set procedure based on priority and urgency. Don’t let paperwork pile up on your desk, or you run the risk of improper handling.

• Digital communication: Decide how emails should be prioritized and acted upon and by whom. Also determine what kind of communications should be retained and which ones can be deleted.

2. Assign responsibilities and uphold them.

One good way of thinking about responsibilities in a way that relates to good office management is to think of them as mini-jobs. What is the responsibility? What will it entail and when should it be done? Who will be given the responsibility? When you give employees responsibilities, you hold them accountable.

If there is no one responsible for ordering more ink toner when it runs out, then who will do it? Chances are that the ink toner will not be replaced promptly because each individual will expect that another person will be the one to do it. This inefficient, and is easily resolved by making one person responsible for ordering more ink toner if they see that it has run out.

3. Meticulously keep and update your records

Record keeping is essential to good office management. Why? Because it provides you with a way to reduce your risk of liability, provide a documented history of your business doings, and serves as a point of reference if the issue arises (and it will).

Always update the records with each new customer or client, and take the time to immediately input any changes as they are made. The effort and time for this data input is low and the long-term benefit of doing it is invaluable. This part of running an office is especially important to your small business as many industries and federal guidelines mandate you adhere to Privacy Acts.

4. Planning takes priority

A successful small business and a well-managed office is dependent on one key factor: planning. Planning should be a major part of your approach to office management. Take the time weekly to focus on business planning and what office tasks should be planned accordingly. When you implement these planning sessions, you are utilizing a powerful strategic tool that can leverage your success.

Set up times for planning sessions and if you have staff, involve them in these sessions or a separate one. Use the information and input from these sessions to lay out a framework for your small business to build on. Then take that framework and plan out how you may need to guide or alter your office management routine in response.

Implement these secrets to see results

Don’t let chaos interfere with doing business. Once you start applying these essential components of good office management, you’ll be amazed at the difference – and how much more business you do.

Come Into Our Office

The Office Center, Inc. has proudly offered the Eastern New Mexico and West Texas communities with Office Products, Furniture, Equipment and Service for 45 years. We understand what it takes to keep a business office running smoothly and we are ready to help you. We currently utilize 465 vendors with an in-house product database of over 110,000 items, with much more available to us. You can Contact Us through email or Call Us at any time, we are happy to help.