As in any other business, farmers have to use their eyes and their ‘I’s to grow their businesses. With markets and technology moving forward at lightning speed, what works well today may not work well tomorrow. A farmer has to review his or her processes regularly and adjust, taking advantage of areas for potential growth, increased productivity, decreased costs, increase revenue, and base building.
The first I is Identify.
What areas have a potential for new business? Is there an increased demand for certain specialized services or products? Are there opportunities for expansion? Are you using your time and resources effectively? Are there methods, measures or machines that would increase productivity? Is there technology that would help you analyze your resources (service time to resolution, product quality, employee engagement, sales opportunity costs) and measure their effects?
CRM software can supply the raw data to identify some of these opportunities, by tracking the demographics of your key clients and primary leads. Business management dashboards in CRM software can provide a holistic view of the business and then allow drill down to more specifics.
The second I is Innovate.
It’s time to think outside the box and create the means to go the direction you intend. You’ve identified areas that can use improvement, what are you going to do? Farmers use GPS to plant and harvest crops (among other things) so that they are no longer restricted to work during clear daylight. Could your business benefit from adjusted hours? Automated busienss processes? Telecommuters? Contracted employees?
Farmers are also diligent about using their resources wisely. How can you reuse or recycle materials? How can you diversify? What do you need to invest in training, software, equipment, or supplies to take your business to the next level? How can you strengthen your foundation (more highly trained employees, improved working conditions and tools) to build your business?
The third I is Implement.
Once you’ve identified areas of potential growth or increased productivity, weighing the costs and potential benefits, it’s time to put it into action. For example, farmers use a variety of instant measurement tools for farm planning, field mapping, crop scouting, and yield mapping. This allows for a precise application of seeds and fertilizers, conserving resources and allowing for maximum productivity.
Take the next step toward business growth today. If that includes implementing a new or more comprehensive CRM software, give Julie or me a call or e-mail today.
