Deciding how many people to keep on staff can be one of the hardest decisions facing any business owner. Inventory, scheduling, and designs can all be complicated; but ultimately deal only with inanimate objects. Making decisions that involve people, on the other hand, is naturally more difficult.
The knowledge of your staff
Most people seeking a remodel or new cabinets have done significant research, and at the very least have a foundation of knowledge from which to begin seeking out a vendor for their cabinets. Make sure your staff is skilled and experienced enough to answer any question a prospect could possibly have. A slight hesitation can speak volumes about the experience level of a staff member and could lead to a lost sale. Fully train your staff before they are allowed on the floor alone and test your staff regularly. If an employee shows signs of slow growth in their knowledge of the business, perhaps they aren’t quick enough on their feet to be on your floor. Your staffing levels will remain steady if you are able to employ staff who show an ability to learn quickly and keep up to date with the latest changes in the cabinet business.
Size of staff
After you’ve decided on the makeup of your staff, the next question is how many people you should employ. There is no ideal number of employees, so here are 3 quick ways to determine if you’re over or understaffed:
- If people have complained about poor customer service, increase your staff level. Often complaints about poor customer service come from customers who couldn’t find someone to help them. That means you’re most likely missing out on opportunities, referrals or both.
- Sometimes it’s not about your customers. If your employees are starting to seem stressed in simple interactions, that’s another sign that you might need more staff – or you might need to take a hard look at your paperwork requirements.
- On the other hand, If your employees seem like they don’t have enough to do, or your payroll is putting you over your operating budget, those would be signals to decrease your staff.
Making Decisions
You’re called on regularly to make hard decisions, and you can make them. Don’t be afraid to make the hard decisions – and don’t be afraid to take some risks to capitalize on growth opportunities.
