Many small businesses – and small teams in large ones – work hard without working smart. More effort is exerted than necessary and the results are that the business is less efficient.
So how do we work smarter and more efficiently?
The answer to this is dashboarding. A dashboard is a tool many newer businesses are using as a means of charting the work they do and projecting future outcomes where applicable, such as in sales and the green energy sector.
Among the common programs to create a dashboard are Microsoft Excel and the Numbers app.
How to Create a Dashboard
Using a spreadsheet, the top rows should title the tab. Below that, the columns for important data need to be input. The rows on the left hand side that run from top to bottom will note the project, customer, or prospect.
Using a Dashboard to Track Sales
For sales professionals, the dashboard not only helps you stay on track, but also enhances your progress and increases your income. When you dashboard, you’ll not only have your customers’ information in one place, but you’ll also note important information such as:
- When you called last
- When you’ll call next
- The reason for calling
- Notable information
Additionally, many sales people like to note how many “points of contact” they’ve made so as to track just how many times they have to call someone to make a sale.
Secure Your Future With a Dashboard
David Katz was an intern with a green energy company in New York City when he was preparing to graduate from Columbia University. The position was only meant to last the summer, but during that time, Mr. Katz did a complete overhaul of the company’s energy measurement and billing methods via dashboard.
When the summer ended, the dashboard was deemed too valuable to lose, as was its master. Mr. Katz is now one of the top players at this company that may go public in the next five years.
If this wasn’t enough, the dashboard also added to the young man’s legacy. Those in his circle have replicated his actions and dubbed the process he enacted as “pulling a Katz!”
