You look across a table strewn with magazines, papers, bills, and receipts. After quickly shifting paper from the left side to the right side, you give up and rewrite the customer’s invoice, hoping you are leaving nothing out.
As you open the door you recognize a potential client who was meeting you today for an estimate for work you will provide. Oops, you forgot! As you lead her into your office, you quickly grab stacks of magazines off the chair and shove the papers on your desk to one side. What impression are you giving to this potential customer?
Does this sound like something that has happened to you? Many business owners face scenarios of chaos each and every day. Moving piles of paper one way and then another without finding what they want. A messy office gives the impression to a customer that you are disorganized, possibly unreliable or too busy to efficiently handle what they need. Chaos such as this will overstimulate your brain, give the impression your work is never completed and actually inhibits your productivity.
Are you duplicating work and missing opportunities because your office is in chaos?
Many offices have the same organizational problems that can be fixed with just a few tweaks. Below are 6 things that will help keep your office running smoothly day in and day out and keep important information at your fingertips.
1. FILE CABINET
One of the most important features of all organized office spaces is a file cabinet to file bills, receipts, bank statements and credit card statements along with other paper records such as customer’s invoices, payments and PayPal information.
The best way to go about setting up your file cabinet would be to either set up monthly folders, which is the easiest and quickest way, as you would just file all your paper records into the month it pertains to, or if you want to get more in-depth, you can set up specific folders such as utilities, phone bills, automobile expenses, insurance, bank statements, and credit card statements. The benefit of specific folders is you would not have to remember what month you filed the information in however, some people work better chronologically.
2. PHONE LOG
Every day you receive phone calls from people who want to do business with you. The importance of a phone log allows you keep track of who called you, when they called, their phone numbers and what they wanted from you. By keeping a daily phone log in a notebook or binder, all your phone calls and their information will be in one place at your quick disposal. No longer will you be shuffling through papers looking for the back of the envelope you wrote the customer’s information on.
The best thing about a phone log is you don’t need anything fancy to set it up. A three-ring binder with notebook paper or a small notebook will work fine. Each day will have the date at the top of the page once you begin to take phone calls or to take messages off your answering machine. Note who called, their numbers, what they are asking you, and the resolution. If you have to return their call, note next to their information what you need to do to complete their request before you call them back.
3. IN-BASKET
I love using an in-basket to collect mail, papers, receipts and other paperwork that crosses my desk each day. When working with your in-basket, follow this rule when touching each piece of paper. Choose to 1) act on it by making a note on your calendar, on your to-do list, or by making a phone call 2) file it in your file cabinet 3) file it in the garbage. If you have something in your in-basket that does not fit into this rule, put a reminder in your calendar so you can complete it when it comes back up and then file the paper in your file cabinet to be pulled when you need it.
Being on top of all the paper that crosses your desk will keep your desk clean, keep important paperwork at your fingertips, help you stay on top of deadlines, and as a bonus, you will have a clean office when a customer arrives unexpectedly!
4. CALENDAR
A calendar is a necessary tool for all business owners and will help keep track of daily appointments, project deadlines, bill due dates, and payments you are expecting. Your calendar can also keep track of your daily To Do list to help you stay on top of daily activities.
There are many different calendar options. You can use the calendar feature on your computer, the calendar on your phone or use a paper calendar. Use what works best for you, though you may have to try each one to see what you are most comfortable with and will use with the most ease. I personally love my phone calendar!
5. ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE
As previously discussed in this post, accounting software will ensure your invoices, estimates, payments, reports, checking and savings accounts are all in one place and at the touch of your fingers. An added important benefit is accounting software will store all this information for tax purposes for your accountant with minimal paper backup.
6. ORGANIZATION
Organization is the backbone of a smoothly running office and as you can tell from the previously listed items, will keep you on track day after day. At the end of each day, go through your phone log and note any calls that you need to return and any items that you need to follow through with on your calendar for the next day. Empty your in-basket and shred any papers and junk mail you no longer want or need and file any receipts, bills, invoices that are complete. Leaving your office in a state of organization at the end of the day will prepare you for a stress-free tomorrow.
What have you found to be the best organization tool to keep your office organized and chaos free?
Hi, I’m Karen. Welcome to my website! I will show you how to establish the framework for an organized and successful leadership and office management system.
