MORE TIME, MORE MONEY, BETTER LIFE!

Edward O’Leary, Abtrac CEO considers how many white collar professional services firms could make some simple changes for the better, freeing up time, literally making more money, and bringing with both of those a bit more peace of mind.

How’s the year gone for you so far? Even if it’s been a great year, we’ve all no doubt have encountered niggles and annoyances, and we all still have needs, and wants and plans for the year ahead. This is true in our lives as well as in our business.

And especially in business we all always want things to be better. So as this year draws to a close and we contemplate the Christmas break, we also start to dream of improvements we’d like to see in the year ahead. Hence the title of this blog.

Some dreams are about where we’d like to be.

“Next year I’d really like to get home from work more often feeling better about the day I’ve just spent”.

Others dreams are about things we’d like to leave behind.

“I dread each month end having to wade through printouts and chase up staff just to figure out what we can invoice on our projects”.

So how will next year be better? How good do you want it to be? And what can you do to bring about the result you really want?

Well in business, and especially in a ‘white collar’ professional services firm, which is my area of focus, achieving more time, more money and a better life comes down to one thing, getting your house in order. That’s your business information house I mean. Because in a white collar professional services firm, work done is almost invisible. There’s no warehouse full of goods to be despatched, nor stocks of raw material which you can count as the business works each shift. And there’s no cash register nor Eftpos receipts to balance on the close of each day.

We understand that it’s a truly unique business environment. People come to work and go home each day and there’s not much physical evidence of what’s actually been done. Your business is selling is its time and expertise. So the business information system you use is the only tool helping you to measure where you’ve been, and manage where you’re going, how well you’re going and where you need to be.

Sure it’s often a hassle having to put time into admin when you’ve got other things to do and many issues demand your attention. But like hiking up an ice-covered mountain, or diving into the ocean depths or indeed anything dangerous, seeing your way through requires some help. In every case you need good equipment, you need to know how to use it, and you need responsive equipment providers who care for your venture and not just for themselves.

And it’s the same in your business. In a business with no inventory, only selling its time and expertise, what will make the difference between a year that ends significantly better than this one? The answer is your business information system can make a big difference. And a big part of that is the education, support and responses you receive from the providers of the system in your office.

So how’s your business information system? Is it propped up with spreadsheets all around the office. Are admin staff always busy producing reports because your main system doesn’t give you what your need. When you call your suppliers do they respond with help or offer to accommodate you? Are they responsive or arrogant, accessible or invisible?

Now of course dreams are free. But if you want your dreams to come true, this old proverb has real meaning:

The proverb is as relevant looking ahead one year as it is looking ahead day by day.

So as 2021 draws to a close, how’s your business information system?

If it’s time to consider a change then check out our web site or our other blogs to learn more about us. We won’t even need to know you’re looking.

Or you might like to download an eBook or three from our web site, or call us or email us and we’ll be very pleased to learn more about you. We like to understand more about your truly unique business.

• Free eBook -  "Be the complete professional in your office "
• Free eBook -  "What to expect from your Project Management Software "
• Free eBook -  "Money management in your professional services business"

In the meantime, all the best for the coming Christmas break and have a restful New Year. Stay safe!