Randy Westlund, founder and CEO of Awning Tracker, presented a session on productivity for small businesses on October 15 at the Expo 2018 Pre-Conference in Dallas, Texas. According to Westlund, if productivity is not managed closely, small businesses can lose money.

Three key areas that Westlund discussed during the session included communication, workflow and teamwork.

Mistakes are one of the biggest factors that cause small businesses to lose out on profitability. From miscommunications to jobs that need to be redone, mistakes can impact business opportunities, profits, reputation and team moral. Communication is by far one of the most important factors in any relationship, including business relationships with customers. For small business productivity, clear and effective communication is essential.

Being careful to effectively manage workflow is another productivity area that small business owners should focus on. Westlund’s tips for helping to effectively manage workflow include investing in software, being sure to track the status of various jobs and reducing double data entry.

Teamwork can impact the productivity of a small business. Westlund noted that it’s important to make sure a business has a mission that is clear and easy to understand so that all team members are always on the same page. Acknowledging achievements and offering employee buy-in opportunities can also help a small business build team camaraderie.