As a propane business owner or manager, you are constantly working to grow the business. But growing your business should not come at a cost.
It is important to ensure you’re generating “good growth.” That means maintaining control over the quality of your services and continuing to take good care of your employees and your customers, all while ensuring you are generating a sustainable profit.
Because your employees are the key to your company’s success, taking exceptional care of them by motivating them, encouraging them and compensating them fairly will pay off in the long run. Because your employees are your most valuable asset, it’s important to cultivate a culture committed to maintaining an atmosphere of trust, good will and respect for one another, while also being committed to high performance, productivity and accountability. That all wraps up into what we at EDP call “an appreciation for the joy of work.” Over the years in your business, you’ll likely face some challenges that come with balancing growth with maintaining quality and caring for your team members.
Here are some recommendations you might consider implementing to counteract those challenges:
Communicate clearly with your employees.
Ensure you are articulating the company’s goals and priorities effectively using multiple communication channels.
- Don’t rely strictly on top-down communication methods. Employees don’t want to be preached to; they appreciate an open dialogue.
- Vary the communication channels and constantly reinforce your objectives. In addition to talking to your team as a group, use other forms of written communication — not just email. Consider posters, whiteboards or other ways of keeping your goals and priorities top of mind.
- Ensure the messages they are hearing are related in a way that is relevant to their local business. This builds better understanding and buy-in.
- Develop measurements (key performance indicators, or KPIs) where applicable and ensure they are easy to understand and clearly show your team’s progress. These need to be regularly reviewed so no one is surprised by the results.
Involve your employees in the growth process.
As you work to grow the business, get input from your team members in establishing, monitoring and adapting the company’s goals and priorities.
- Feedback is essential. Seek out ideas, concerns and knowledge from all layers of the organization.
- Empower employees to assist in the process; don’t expect them to just watch from a distance.
Continuously review and adjust your goals and priorities.
As your company grows, you will likely need to regularly adjust your plans.
- Develop standard operating procedures, then train, train and train your team on how those procedures should be implemented. Train until you can’t get it wrong.
- Consistency is crucial in attaining the desired outcomes across your organization. Inspect processes and procedures, and teach to correct them, as needed.
Take time to highlight achievements.
As your team makes progress toward achieving your goals, it’s critical to recognize the hard work and effort that is put into helping you achieve them. Failure to recognize and celebrate success can lead to failure over time as recognition is not part of the process. Whether you bring in donuts and treats on a Monday morning, host a fun midweek team lunch or schedule a Friday afternoon pizza party, ensure your employees’ work and effort is recognized and rewarded. A personal note of thanks or a simple thank you can go a long way as well.
Evaluate all results and understand failures.
Without criticizing individual employees, be clear about initiatives that are working as well as those that are not working. Ask your employees for input on ways to improve the initiatives that need to be scratched or at least adjusted.
Don’t forget your customers.
If you’re going to grow and succeed, your business goals must enhance and maintain the value your customers expect from your company.
- Are you ensuring your phone is answered in a timely manner? Are your team members always friendly and courteous to your customers? Is your billing accurate and timely? Do you resolve customer problems quickly and to the customer’s satisfaction? Do you empower your employees to resolve customer problems and concerns? And how about your online presence — can your customers find the information they are looking for on your website, and can they easily order from you and pay their bill online?
- Technology is evolving rapidly, and it’s critical your team embraces it. Leveraging technology to operate efficiently and respond promptly to requests will earn you a positive reputation and help you grow your business, largely through word of mouth.
The Bottom Line?
Growing your business without sacrificing quality — and while taking good care of both your employees and your customers — can be a challenge. But it is an important challenge and will pay dividends for you and your company for years to come.
