Fixing the Plane While Flying it – A Business Owners Dilemma

True story.

A husband-and-wife team were struggling to manage their small residential service business without succumbing to burnout. The husband routinely worked 70 to 80 hours a week in the field, while his wife handled human resources and other office issues. Despite the business generating enough to cover expenses and pay employees, revenues had plateaued, employee morale was low, and the owners’ work-life balance was…well, out of balance. They urgently needed help to improve their situation.

Through a local referral, the couple connected with Endurium Advisors. What followed was a remarkable tale of renewal and rebirth for both the company and its beleaguered owners.

The husband now works just a quarter of the field hours he used to, allowing him time to enjoy life outside the business. The wife has been able to step away from the company to focus on other long-cherished pursuits. The workforce is now engaged and happy, and best of all, the company is more profitable.

How did these business owners manage to work fewer hours yet see increased profitability? The answer lies in challenging the conventional belief that merely working harder yields better results. Throughout our lives, we're bombarded with motivational slogans like 'outwork the competition,' 'success isn't for the lazy,' and 'push beyond the limits. While these mantras have their merits, it's essential to complement hard work with smart, strategic actions.

Recognizing that hard work alone wasn’t the answer, the business owners partnered with Endurium to uncover the key areas holding them back—and the solutions that would drive meaningful change.

In assessing the business, Endurium discovered several areas where change was needed to improve the outlook of the company. This involved,

• Rejuvenating the company culture
• Reducing the owners’ operational load to prevent burnout
• Refocusing the company on strategic growth

After receiving approval for their recommendations, the Endurium team got down to business and began the transformation the company desperately needed.

Collaborating closely with the owners, the team improved communication, strengthened employee-management relations, and enhanced compensation. They recruited and trained additional field technicians, while implementing standard working hours.

To address inefficiencies, they applied Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to a tedious task: the office manager spent 5.5 hours daily printing work orders and manually entering information into QuickBooks.

Recognizing that any rules-based computer activity can be automated, the Endurium technology team designed and implemented an RPA solution, cutting the task to a fraction of the time with 100% accuracy. This freed the office manager to focus on higher-value customer interactions, highlighting RPA’s dual benefit…boosting both employee and customer satisfaction.

By deploying RPA, employees can concentrate on or be reassigned to more meaningful customer engagement roles. For example, employees with outward personalities can be re-deployed in customer relations, sales support or event coordination roles. Those more introverted employees who prefer to work independently can be assigned to handling customer inquiries through email or chat, providing thorough and thoughtful responses. Those with a creative side can develop content for the company's website, blog, or social media, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.

Studies consistently show that companies with strong customer support tend to have increased customer loyalty, positive brand reputation, lower customer churn and a willingness to pay more for a product or service.

While these changes alone may seem subtle and possibly within the reach of the owners to eventually recognize, their true power lies in their collective and strategic implementation. Business owners often find themselves so engrossed in daily operations that they have little to no time to focus on broader business improvements. As our title references, owners know the plane needs fixing but they must do so while simultaneously flying it as both actions are critical.

By providing an outside perspective and a broad, unbiased view, Endurium’s business transformation experts zero in on what is needed to make the business a winner. As our success is directly linked to our clients' success, we are wholly committed to making a tangible difference.