RM Online - We simply can't afford not to be efficient, savvy and safe in our workplace

Don't be so cheap! It's not what it costs, it's what it gets you. I hear many rental owners say that they can't afford to buy certain tools or shop test equipment or new office equipment because it's too expensive. Efficiency costs money, so I say we can't afford not to be efficient. We can't afford not to use computers effectively, either, or to maintain a safe workplace. Remember the old saying: "Give a man a fish and you've fed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you've fed him for life." Supply your employees with all the tools to do their jobs, not just half of them. Whether it's an extra terminal on the counter or some specialized tool for the shop, anything that saves time is an investment - and it's you who will win in the long run. It doesn't take a math degree to see that just five minutes saved 20 times a year will pay for a $50 tool in the first year alone. Every year after that, you win. A simple example: we all sell (or rent) items by the inch or foot. I was upset one day years ago watching an employee run around the store looking for a tape measure to sell $2 worth of pull cord. The customer was waiting, we looked inefficient and - worst of all - we actually lost money on the sale! So I purchased metal yardsticks and screwed them everywhere we measure goods - on the edge of all the counters, where we display the carbide drill and core bits, in the shop, in the yard. The cost was minimal compared to the time saved. The side benefit is that we give better service, and that's how to compete effectively, without playing the who-can-rent-it-at-the-lowest-rate game.

Computer under-utilization: without a doubt, one of the things we all are guilty of is not fully utilizing our computer systems. Whatever rental software program you are using makes no difference - they all have good reporting capabilities and we could all do a much better job of controlling our businesses. I've heard horror stories of owners losing tens of thousands of dollars due to theft and fraud, which could have been prevented if they had simply printed the right report on a regular basis and taken a minute to read it. The computer is a powerful weapon in our arsenal to defend against inefficiency and loss and its capabilities should be fully understood and implemented for us to get the most bang for our buck. It's the attitude that must change. Look at the computer as a profit center, not a cost center.

This month your assignment is to look at safety. Go around and check all the fire extinguishers. Are they all charged and in the correct places? Does everyone know how to use one? Next employee meeting, pull the pin on one and let everyone try it! Are the stairs clear of debris? Do the bench grinders have all the guards in place? The idea is to prevent accidents from happening, not be forced to fix things after an accident has happened. One trick I have used with success is when I catch employees doing something unsafe, I remind them of the obvious: they are the ones who will get hurt, not me, the nagging boss. My objective is zero man-days lost to accidents. Unrealistic? Maybe, but it's still a great goal and we have achieved it a few times over the years.