Stop Recurring Problems

Some of the biggest challenges with companies today are “RECURRING PROBLEMS.” I’m talking about situations, hassles and mistakes that happen over and over again and never get resolved. These occurrences are worse when they happen to customers because if they happen too often, customers will quit doing business with you. Consider what RECURRING PROBLEMS do to employees – frustration sets in, morale plummets and so do productivity and profits.

I heard it once stated that recurring problems eat up more than 40% of the average productivity of a company. That may seem a bit high to you, but consider the fact that rarely is a problem just one person’s problem. The employee who discovers the problem will most likely get others involved in dealing with it. What they were originally doing will come to a halt, causing that productivity to be lost while a remedy is figured out.

To make this an even bigger problem, according to estimates based on a recent University of California Irvine study, refocusing your efforts after just one interruption can take up to 23 minutes. So, every time you come up with a quick fix, you are adding an additional 23 minutes of lost productivity with every occurrence.

Time, which is money, is a precious commodity that we can’t afford to waste. It is imperative to gather data on problems that are RECURRING and hassling employees and customers so you can address them. You want a process to be hassle-free, so get your employees involved in identifying recurring problems. Your employees are closest to the problem and can give you valuable insight into what is really going on. In turn, this will reduce costs, increase profits and improve efficiency across the board.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotels require employees to log all incidences of customer or employee problems or concerns and turn them in daily. This information helps them make improvements that will save them time and money, improve working conditions and morale and increase customer satisfaction. A problem identified is a blessing because you can’t fix what you don’t know to be wrong. No company wants frustrated employees or customers, and a 40% loss in productivity is a scary statistic that needs to be addressed.

But understand this: do not start this process if you have no intention of following through on correcting the recurring problems. Be responsive to the issue identified and fix it. Eliminate RECURRING PROBLEMS and watch your morale go up, efficiencies improve, complaints go down and profits soar.

Robert Stevenson is one of the most widely recognized professional speakers in the world. Author of the books How To Soar Like An Eagle In A World Full Of Turkeys and 52 Essential Habits For Success, he’s shared the podium with esteemed figures from across the US, including former President George H.W. Bush, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Tony Robbins, Tom Peters and Stephen Covey.