Starting a business and actually running it are two very different things. But while both are difficult, running a business can be more tedious than you think. This is where you must maintain the quality of your product and service, remain relevant, become a potential option to the masses, and so much more.

Running a business is maintaining it in all aspects; some enterprises fail due to not knowing how to do that properly. And it isn’t rocket science, it’s just determination, being open to new things, knowing where your business stands and how to protect it and keep it at its best.

So if you’re planning to open a business or are currently running one, below are helpful tips to run your business the best you can by keeping it healthy and functional!

Listen to your customers

One of the things that can help you know the status and reputation of your business is your customers. A great way to do so is by being open to suggestions, opinions, and thoughts they might have about your shop. This will help you improve and adjust things to make your business better.

How do I get customer suggestions?

Consider putting a suggestion box in your shop like the tables, waiting areas, and even the front desk. And thanks to technological advancements, you can now also do this online. On your website or social media page, you can attach an email so people can send suggestions and opinions.

Doing this can let you know about unnoticed problems, help you improve, and also keep a healthy relationship with your customers.

Keep staff happy

If you want happy customers, you need happy employees. Keeping your employees happy is one way to keep your business running well. Letting your staff know how much they matter to you can lead them to work productively, do their jobs properly, have a positive attitude towards customers and also maintain a good bond with you and your business.

How do I keep my employees happy?

There are various ways you can show your appreciation to your staff. May it be through improving their workspace, going on annual team building, paying them well, and so on. To give you an idea, here’s a list you can consider:

• Add leisure and essential features to the office. (Coffee machine, a water dispenser, a sofa or bean bags, good work chairs, a fridge, a microwave or toaster, and more.)
• Be reasonable with leaves.
• Get your staff insured.
• A break room where they can stay during breaks.
• A pantry area where they can enjoy their meals.
• A decent and clean comfortable room.
• An office that’s rich with natural light and brightly painted.
• Treat them to food once a month or a week.
• Practice positive feedback, or motivate them with their outputs.
• Be considerate of your employees’ time.
• Avoid contacting them during out-of-work hours.

But depending on your line of work and work arrangement, some of the listed items might be hard to apply. Nevertheless, always find a way to keep your staff happy and motivated! If they’re working from home, you can reward them with gift cards, coupons, tickets, and so on.

Get your business insured

A practical way to keep your business at its best is by having coverage. This can safeguard your business in various ways and protect your commercial property, commercial auto, staff, customers, inventory and so much more when dangerous occurrences do happen.

But if you’re a starting business or a small business owner, you can consider getting SME business insurance. This coverage is made for small to medium-sized enterprises. So you don’t need to get grand coverage when all your needs can be met with SME business insurance.

But if you don’t know a whole lot about insurance, you can always consider getting help from an insurance broker. They’ll be able to help you pick out policies, help you understand your coverage, help you file claims, help you look for good providers, and more.

What does SME business insurance cover?

What SME business insurance covers may vary since they tailor it to fit your business’s needs, so depending on the nature of your enterprise, policies may vary. But to give you an idea, here is a list of common coverages you can expect:

• Commercial auto insurance.
• Commercial & General Liability insurance.
• Workers compensation insurance.
• Business interruption insurance.
• Cyber Liability insurance.
• Commercial property insurance.
• Stocks, products, and asset insurance.

Take away

The key to a healthy and functional business is happy customers, staff, and a protected business. These are essential things to always consider plus apart from their known perks, these also bring in more benefits than you think.

A healthy relationship with your customers can keep them coming back, get them to recommend your shop, and overall help you grow as a business. And keeping your staff happy can reduce the chances of absence without official leave, amp up productivity, and overall respect their work.

Lastly, keeping your business protected can lessen the chances of setbacks due to financial crises from property damage, theft, injury to workers or customers, and more, keeping your business functioning smoothly.