Operations File: The lynch pin of efficiency

It is never so important than in a recession to ensure that administration services are working. It is almost pointless to invest in marketing and sales teams if once you've secured customers, clients and orders there isn't the manpower or hours to deliver your products or services because of poor or inefficient administration. The knock on effect will be an increase in complaints on from customers, a bad reputation and a loss of business. Get your administrative department right though and absolutely everything can become possible.

From databases, correspondence, supplies to processing of orders and passing on details for billing, it falls to your administration team to hold the whole thing together, to action absolutely everything and keep track of every single detail of your enterprise's endeavours. 

With goalposts moving continually it is essential that they can stay calm under intense pressure and most of all efficient. They can only ever hope to achieve those goals with a constant stream of updates on the latest information from staff at all levels of the enterprise. Sadly it is often at management level that log jams occur so vital details don't get passed on succinctly and clearly. Overcome that though, and miraculous things can happen.

The job title of Administrator covers perhaps the broadest range of levels and duties in any office environment, from those who do little more than open mail and take outgoing post to a post office, to full blown secretarial and PA skills who require speed typing, advanced knowledge of every conceivable office program, short-hand, audio typing and even managerial skills. Too many are under-valued for what they actually contribute to any operation. It is not uncommon for them to assist marketing or finance teams, book travel, meetings, venues or undertake all manner of final checks. They are the lynch pins to all business operations precisely because their stock in trade is co-ordinating and distributing information that enable the enterprise to function at all. However, lower wages and vague job titles that seldom reflect their versatility are common for a multitude of strategic reasons which can make the difference to them having employment or not. Sometimes it's a fair deal, sometimes it is not.

In medium to large organisations, is it now common for administrators to have a good level of database experience along with MS Office suites and/or the Mac equivalents, although for charities and social enterprises Open Office (which is free) is not uncommon. All systems claim to be compatible with each other, however to ensure they are in some instances can be er.... 'challenging'. 

Competition for anyone seeking a role at any level of administration is fierce at any time. If you're an expert in one database system alone, expect only employers who use that database program to be interested in employing you, regardless of how quickly you learn. However, this can be a bad move on the part of the employer, because a good administrator needs above all to be adaptable, able to grasp new concepts, procedures, systems and programs quickly given how rapidly technology advances, and that's besides whatever trends and economic forces are prevalent at any point.

In extremely general terms, there are I think only a few types of administrative 'styles', so the answer is to choose the style or type that suits your immediate needs - but look out for candidates who show promise for longer term development. There is a distinct advantage to keeping a good administrator on board for many years - they will come to know the company well and how it needs to work. Chopping and changing administrative staff can lead to all manner of missed items, confused files and lost information simply because each will organise things according to what makes procedures work most efficiently for them. This if fine if you keep them but can be disastrous if you don't and keep changing staff. Best to find out at interview stage what their preferred procedural style is to see if they are a match for your business or not.

Key types of administrators
Clerical organisers - Don't be fooled by this category of administrative support. If WildeHeads had, as originally intended set up as a business, this would have been the first member of staff I would have employed. The reason is simple - they would have handled the proof-reading, the drafts of letters, post, archives and retrieval of data for me as well as scanning, photocopying, collation of documents, invoicing, basic research, some tweeting etc etc. In effect freeing up my time to network and secure contracts. It is in my opinion, a waste of time employing any member of staff if you do not trust them to do what you have employed them for. If you are constantly breathing down their neck and checking up on them it becomes counter productive and results in two people doing the job of one. 

There is an exception to this, and that is when you enter the world of using volunteers and social firms who develop disadvantaged people (including the unemployed) to give them training and skills which will hopefully result in paid employment. Some social firms pay staff from the start so that they earn as they learn - very much the same idea behind modern apprenticeships schemes.

Data entry masters - those who are accurate and at least moderately fast at typing (50wpm is average) and/or possess a comprehensive knowledge of office suite programs. Taking the example of a clerical organiser, this is what you should hope to develop them into, but be fair - increase their salary or expect to lose them to another employer. If that happens you have to start afresh and you will usually end up paying more in time spent settling them in if nothing else. 

Detail masters - those who are meticulous but not at the expense of too much extra time finalising work. They are usually excellent proof-readers and often highlight additional items that need to be incorporated into large and complex project plans with regard to documentation.

Program masters - those who can adapt to any new program within a reasonable amount of time, learn their tricks and their pitfalls. I have never come across an administrator yet who could not improve upon the facilities and functions provided by any database program if you ask them what would help. The reason for this is simple, every business is in effect bespoke. No universally available commercial program can be. Time spent allowing new staff get thoroughly acquainted with the programs they use will always pay dividends in the end. A month of intensive learning should determine whether they can get to grips with them or not should be sufficient if not ample for each program. Much depends on what you, as their employer want them to achieve.

Speed masters - Those who either can speed type, audio type or are proficient in shorthand are the obvious administrators of this category, but they can also include 'program masters' and the next category...

Strategic organisers - those would possess an above average understanding of how administration fits into the whole operation of any organisation, business or enterprise and who use that knowledge to make all administrative duties run super efficiently. Job titles tend to reflect this knowledge, but not always. In effect they are at the top of the scale as it is their comprehensive understanding of the logistical requirements that can save many a manager, director or CEO from missing something vital. 

Of course there are also administrators who are any combination of any or all of the above too. 

Finally... GIGO
Whatever happens to be your administrative requirement, the most important thing to note is the acronym GIGO - garbage in, garbage out. It is of paramount importance that you ensure that administrators at whatever level get clear and precise instructions in order for them to be able to be productive, effective and efficient. If you garble instructions or only hint at what you want from them; if you fail to provide all the information they need to perform the tasks set, the result will cost your enterprise time and probably money.

It is far better to invest time in ensuring that administrative staff have a full understanding of your requirements at the outset to the point that you are assured that they can perform it, than dump things on them as you rush to another meeting. If you don't do this then you will only have yourself to blame for the loss of time spent correcting errors which can and does at times run into days and weeks of work having to be unpicked and done again.

The same is true of instructing any member of staff of course, but never more so than of your administrator(s). So if any of them ask you for more information or a moment of your time... my advice is make sure you make time to support them. They could possibly save you from many an embarrassing or awkward experience, not to mention costly ones.  

Operations: Marketing for all - databases

I am tempted to start regular monthly posts on the theme of Marketing for All, but I am no expert in the field and there are plenty of organisations out there who are. Social media professionals are just one side to that. However, what I do intend to do is share the basic ground rules over the coming months just as I did with my Connecting You article. As and when I do, they will appear with the heading Marketing for All.

All these things are covered by a whole raft of business adviser services far more comprehensively than I could achieve as I haven't full knowledge. As business people we need to choose from the vast array of options out there on the basis of which suit us best. They need to suit our ethics and policies, our style and nature of work and perhaps most importantly our way of communicating. We simple can not learn or gain from people who we struggle to understand. Much depends on the vocabulary used in each case. As people, we are drawn to others who communicate as we do, on the same level - more so if they share the same sense of humour and way of thinking. It's a fact - why lie about it? It doesn't preclude trading with others too, does it?

So, to business...

The value of marketing
The reason marketing has turned into such a vast industry in it's own right is simple... we can not hope to sell our products and services if we don't tell people about them. From there it starts to become obvious that to cut back on networking, advertising and promotional activities is extremely unwise in times of economic crisis and yet it often becomes one of the first things to suffer. That's illogical and a false economy in my opinion.

Crucial to effective marketing are our databases not just of pre-existing clients and customers but of  all our suppliers and contacts as they may have contacts that could easily turn into new customers of ours. Remember my tweets, "Money only works when it is moving" and "One never knows who a person knows or may come to know". ...?
Databases are in effect our foundation stones from which we can build. If we don't look after them then the whole structure starts to be at risk of collapse. What happens in a recession though?

Recession dangers
When job losses occur the database foundation stones are at high risk of getting seriously damaged, so the knock on effect is that the whole structure of the organisation is also at high risk. When was the last time you checked out if every single contact on your database is still in the same position they were in a year or two years ago?

Administrative departments as well as marketing departments are generally the ones to look after the database of all contacts, but not exclusively. It follows then that when they are affected by job losses/redundancies then the pressure on those who are left to manage the database increases - more so when the drive is to increase and build upon that database of contacts (potential clients).

There are two essential ways to avert all this though.

1. Keep your database up to date as much as possible at all times by ensuring everyone lends a hand to ensure accurate records are kept.
2. Regular reviews of the database and, if applicable, overhauls.

What happens if you haven't done this though and then there are job losses. Sadly the database, (that foundation stone to your business) is all too often one of the last things to be considered when in the midst of major restructures due to a downsizing of staff. That leads to whoever is left with a major job on their hands to sort it out. Administrative structures should be, in my view one of the first things to consider when restructures of any kind are on the cards, be it for economising on staff or indeed for gearing up for new projects and thereby increasing staff including using contractor services.

Yep, that's one of the services I offer to help fix that on a short-term contract basis far more than data entry but I do that too on occasion for clients I have a particular passion for. Just as with anyone in business, my communication style and way of working might not be yours. That's fine, because I keep stating, I believe there is room for all and I feel, it would be dull indeed if we were all the same and worked in the same way anyway. We are human beings first and last, and as such we base our policies, structures and style of working according to our collected experiences in the work environment. It's how we arrive at them isn't it?

Logical decisions work best
There is no such thing as one style of logic being superior to another, there is just logic. Decisions on structure and methods of working are based on historical facts (one hopes) and not on random ideas from all and sundry. I, at my level do not expect to ever be privy to those facts unless they are things that those who contract me deem it is necessary for me to know to do my work more efficiently. I can ask for more information to help in that, but I think I would be unwise to demand it!

Facts are crucial. When we have facts (however limited they may be even for business leaders), the best we can do is not to then make assumptions from them, but to work with them at all times and go in search of more facts to help us develop further and indeed inform our decisions. Learning is a never ending activity, or should be in my opinion. Those at the top of an organisation should have the most facts about the sector they are trading in and are constantly adapting and honing initiatives as things change in the wider world. That is why they are leading! Assuming that no one has moved on from their positions over the last two years I feel is dangerous. Check - get the facts straight.

Assumptions are not good to make but sometimes we have to. I am by no means immune to making them myself, but it is prudent to to note them as being assumptions pending further facts as and when they become available. More facts might not ever materialise so the best we can do is follow our best instincts and be prepared with contingency plans to do a u-turn if need be. Hopefully u-turns will be exceptions and more commonly business professionals adapt and adjust.

I am aware that many have all this firmly under their belt, but some don't (particularly start-ups) and even highly experienced business professionals sometimes need a prompt to review things... I know I do!

But I digress... back to databases...

Five essentials to include on your database
What should be on the database? In a word - everything. However, that's impossible as there isn't the time or the manpower unless you happen to be a particularly large organisation with all the staffing and resources and gizmos etc there are going. The essentials then...

1. Full contact details
2. Trading history (if any)
3. All expressions of interest in products and services offered
4. Communication records (in case of any complaints/disputes or new ideas). Commonly this is done through cross referencing with separate archives via short notes of dates/times
5. Interests of all contacts (sadly often missed by start-ups but vital to record as they are leads to how you can develop not only new contacts but your own products and services)

So there you have it, my basic beginners guide to databases which I hope will help readers develop   and grow their enterprises from all the lovely new contacts they are gathering from making the most of their social networking activities. At some point I hope to do a follow-up on the social networking... the next stage. When I simply don't know at this point. However, if you need that now... why not contact the professionals in that field? There are plenty to choose from, find the one you feel most comfortable with, that suits your style and company ethos.

I am currently looking for more contacts for that social networking article so if that is your profession, I will be happy to mention the first ten organisations that get in touch, almost regardless of ethical differences. I am and wish to remain as impartial as possible but I own I am human and those who talk the same language as me will naturally end up being referred to slightly more often. That's the way of business isn't it? It doesn't mean that others are not better than those I mention or prefer, does it?

Final cautionary word
Never wise to assume a thing about others really... it nearly always leads to wasted time and energy better spent dealing with facts and in positive, proactive activities.

Happy hunting for what YOU need.