Efficiency – One Key to Success

“There can be economy only where there is efficiency.” Benjamin Disraeli

To keep pace in a competitive world, your business needs to run as efficiently as possible. There comes a time when every successful small business realizes that doing everything yourself for cost saving purposes can be counterproductive.

“Sooner or later, any company not operating efficiently will be out of business,” said Laurie McCabe, vice president of small and medium business insights and solutions for research firm AMI-Partners. Efficiency is even more important for small businesses, McCabe adds, because their resources are limited compared to large global companies.

Start with making it easier to work together. A smooth work environment between employees, partners, suppliers, and customers is a guaranteed way to boost efficiency while also reducing costs. Get a customer relationship management software if you haven’t already. It will allow you to control your communications with clients much more efficiently, so you know who you should be contacting and when. Use it to distinguish who your most loyal customers are, then focus your efforts on selling more to them. Getting existing customers to buy more is easier and much cheaper than customer acquisition.

Mindy Morrison is founder and principal of Back Office People, which offers QuickBooks consulting, bookkeeping and payroll services. Mindy has 15 years of experience with QuickBooks and over 20 years in payroll. With a degree in computer information systems and an MBA, she knows software, hardware and business. Set up. Fix up. Catch Up. Small businesses and entrepreneurs take back their weekends with Mindy’s guidance. By getting control of their QuickBooks accounting systems, business owners can spend more time doing what they do best – grow their business and spend more time with their families. She actually thinks working in QuickBooks is fun and full of puzzles to be solved. One-on-one customized training enables businesses to save time and money, protect finances and use the right software. As a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Mindy is an expert QuickBooks consultant as defined by Intuit, the manufacturer.

Mindy is a member of the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Crescenta Valley Community Emergency Response Team (CV CERT), and a La Crescenta resident since 1988. Mindy also runs the Pasadena Small Business Owners Networking Group, a free event that meets every first and third Thursday at noon.  For more information, you can reach Mindy Morrison at (818) 669-9659 or mindy@BackOfficePeople.net, or visit her website www.BackOfficePeople.net.

The Hometown Country Fair is coming to town! We have put together plans for an exciting fair taking place on April 6. Do you have something to promote or sell? We welcome vendors, profit and non-profit. Have a hot rod or collectible car?  Display it at the car show. Need service hours? We are looking for volunteers to help during the fair. Our fair is the ultimate family friendly event. We hope you mark your calendars for April 6 and join this community wide-event.

Important CV Chamber dates: March 13 – Business mixer at Bob Smith Toyota; April 6 – Hometown Country Fair.

Please contact our office for more details on any event. How to reach us: (818) 248-4957/ crescentachamber@aol.com / www.LaCrescenta.org / 3131 Foothill Blvd., Ste. D.

  julia rabago