In this article from our CPA practice management forum, we cover the vital skill of being able to delegate effectively to your staff. This skill is a crucial component that…
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Other Businesses
Since 1983, we have focused on providing our cients with proven practice management tools and successful Sterling implementation, all leading to a truly thriving business which in turn increases their standard of living.
Andy Ritter, CEO R&R Networks
Two years ago I started an IT company specializing in setting up and maintaining PC networks for clients in the medical field. It hasn’t been easy. Not only is it a competitive field, demanding peak customer service at a moment’s notice, finding qualified technical personnel who were genuinely interested, efficient, and team players seemed next to impossible.
Each new employee I hired seemed to believe that he was the indispensable expert, that his way was best, and that if something wasn’t working, it was my fault for not providing him with what he needed to get the job done. One-for-one they were most interested in a paycheck than building the company that was supporting them. They were more concerned with what they were doing after work than in being professional.
I was beginning to believe everything was my fault until I contacted Sterling, and had a long discussion about the good and the bad aspects of my business with a Sterling master consultant. It was as if I’d been living in the dark until he turned on a light.
I discovered that it wasn’t all me, that better employees did exist out there, and that Sterling’s program could reveal where a potential employee was coming from before I invested the time and money on someone who’d only have to be replaced.
Talk is one thing. Results are something else. The proven Management technology I’ve learned from Sterling, and implemented in my company, has helped me organize my business with a practical logic I never thought possible. I discovered that it’s actually possible to get a whole organization on the same page and working together.
We’re still a start-up company, but I am already seeing how, with Sterling’s help, I’m gaining an incredible edge over the competition.. My stress level is dropping, and my profit margin is rising!
In a world of constantly upgrading technology and demanding clients, it’s hard to imagine any IT company continuing to function over the long haul without the powerful management technology Sterling has to offer.
Andy Ritter, CEO R&R Networks
Shirley A. Calahan, Vice President, Calahan Funeral Home, Inc.
Twenty-two years ago my husband and I established the Calahan Funeral Home, Inc. We started with an attitude that if we served each family with sincerity and professionalism everything else would fall in place. We have done well by most standards.
Our clients have steadily increased and our profit margin reflects that increase. However, we were burned out and needed help with our growing staff. As you are aware, our industry can engage our emotional and physical energy at any time—24/7. On top of this, we found ourselves doing many of the daily tasks that could be delegated with a properly trained staff.
Three years ago, I was introduced to Sterling Management by our family chiropractor, Dr. Julie Klarich. The technology they teach had helped her bring order and systems into her business and her life. She explained that they could help us with our staff issues. Well, at the time, my husband wouldn’t even discuss the idea of attending such a management training program. However, over the next three years, we continued to feel overwhelmed and burned out to the point of losing our drive to pursue the business.
Then in December 2004, after hearing my continual story of being tired of being tired, Dr. Klarich again mentioned her success with Sterling. After hearing Dr. Klarich’s story a second time, my husband and I were convinced we needed this technology in our office.
For example, we had a problem with staff upsets and complaints in the office. This is one of the first areas that Sterling taught us how to handle. We immediately introduced a policy to deal with this and are witnessing positive results. We also had a problem with staff training. We now have a program to handle this with our consultant guiding us through the steps of getting our staff properly trained.
My husband and I both agree that the personal successes that we gained from just attending the classes were immediately worth our investment and we are looking forward to even greater successes.
Shirley A. Calahan, Vice President
Victoria Porras, President & CEO Victory Productions
I founded Victory Productions in 1995 with the purpose of putting high-quality educational materials in the hands of children. We initially worked on translating existing educational materials from English to Spanish. Today, we develop and publish our own content across all areas of the curriculum, convert printed materials into innovative teaching applications and offer consulting to educational institutions to define their technology, content and curriculum goals.
My first few years in business, I did almost everything myself even though I had between 5 and 10 staff at different times. I personally managed the employees, ran the sales department, went on sales calls, and went on business trips. The more we grew, the more I needed to get organized. In 1999, I signed up with Sterling for business consulting.
I began with their In-Office-Visit program. Sterling sent a consultant to my office to implement the different parts of their program and train the staff. With my input, the consultant created an organizing board for the company based on how our company operates. The organizing board defined each employee’s functions and what they were supposed to be accomplishing. The consultant trained the staff on the organizing board and how to use it to reduce confusion and be more efficient. Instituting management by statistics gave me a way to see how productive each employee was and monitor the company’s growth. I also learned specific steps to take to revert statistics which were going down and reinforce statistics which were going up.
Following that, I continued my consulting which was customized to my business. My consultant helped me align my business activities so my goals for the business could be more easily reached. I also had personal blocks which I wanted to remove. My consultant helped me find the causes of these blocks and gave me the tools I needed to get rid of them. I value her exterior viewpoint and that I can draw upon her experience. I use her as a sounding board for ideas about my business.
I have gone to Sterling to study their management courses. I have also sent some of my employees for training so we all know how to use their tools in the company. Sterling has also returned to my offices to train the staff or to resolve problems caused by our growth. It’s very beneficial to have a consultant at the office with a completely external point of view.
Since starting with Sterling, my business has grown 400% despite the recent recession. Having a consultant with an external point of view who gives me tools and helps me through the difficult areas of my business is very much worth it.
Victoria Porras, President and CEO
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