If our staff is sufficiently self - motivated /
inspired/ achievement - oriented, then internal follow - up should be entirely
UNNECESSARY!
This may take some time.
It also pre supposes that every member of the staff
Knows "What is expected of him/ her"
This means goals / Objectives / Targets are well -
defined for each member of the staff - and fixed in a definite TIME - TABLE.
Then, these have to be clearly communicated, so
everyone knows
1. What
is expected of him (qty)
2. Of
what quality
3. When
(Time).
These 3 are Performance - Criteria.
These criteria must be laid down for each type of
activity.
If we do not
have any NORMS, we can evolve them historically, by keeping OUTPUT - RECORDS on
a daily basis - for each staff member, even if he is doing different type of
work on different days.
An operator
/ officer/ Manager must sign "ON" before starting an activity and
sign "OFF" at the end.
Each ACTIVITY (Type) itself will be CODED/
NUMBERED, which he will enter while starting.
And record /
History will be cumulative as also the hours spent cumulatively.
So cumulative Records/cumulative hours - Average
Productivity
This will be low in the beginning and improve as
each staff member acquires knowledge / skill.
After a time, it will taper - off and stabilize.
Any improvement (in a person's productivity -
level) beyond this stage can only come through
. Change
in Methods
. Change
in Technology (eg. voice Recognition)
I have digressed abit. Let us get back to
"Follow - Up". At the beginning (or the end) of each day, we need to
look at the screen and find out.
1. Bio - Data’s
remaining to be entered (at each of the SIX/ SEVEN levels which I have defined
elsewhere)
2. Bio - data’s
remaining to be converted (treating this as a different level)
3. ESR
remaining Unattended (i.e. Searches yet remaining to be conducted against ESR's
recd.
NOW ESR itself, could be recognized at different
levels such as .
A. A stray remark heard at a party that XYZ co. is
looking for ABC vacancy to be filled.
B. An "Inquiry (oral)" at a meeting/
party by an officer/ manager of any company that he is looking for such - and -
such person
C. An "Oral" request from a regular
client (could be telephonic)
D. A "letter / fax" request from any company
(including a regular client) - may or may not know / accept our TERMS.
E. An ESR recd. from a client (without advance)
F. An ESR with advance need.
These are arranged in ASCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE
and COMMITMENT.
Till volumes of requests, falling under 5 and 6 is
substantial enough to keep us busy, we will have to attend / entertain
other types of requests as well. This is the only
way we can build up a healthy client
etc.
So while Entering the request in the computer we
must define its LEVEL.
At the end of the day, system must tell us, at each
level, how many requests have remained UNSEARCHED.
4. Having been "searched" for how many
ESR we have yet to send out bio - data’s/ one line statement?
5. How many (which) "Interview - call"
letters remain to be sent - out?
6. How many "Invoices" remain to be sent
out? for which appointments? for which out - of - product expenses?
7. How many "Payments" remain to be
collected ?from whom?
-
Chronologically
-
Value wise
8. How many bills (of Suppliers) remain to be paid?
How many are overdue? (buy and credit extended by supplier)
9. How many "Mailers" remain to be dispatched?
10. How many letters (from clients / associates/
candidates etc). remain to be answered?
11. How many
papers/ bio/ Regi forms remain to be "filled" ? whether manually or
electronically.
12. How many "bio - dates" remain to be
CODED? Critical activity because without coding, a bio - data will remain
outside the SEARCH - ORBIT ! !
13. How many
"Advt" remain to be entered?
14. How many letters are pending typing?
Basically, we are trying to define the
WORK BACKLOG SITUATION.
Idea is to minimise "arrears" - If
possible eliminate altogether
Idea is to drastically
reduce out "Response - Time". This has to be our USP (Unique Selling
Proposition). This is what must differentiate us from all other Agencies. 14 activities
listed above are not comprehensive. As each backlog situation becomes apparent,
we must write down that activity. This
way the list will grow.
For each of this activity, we should make one
person responsible. If the volume is too much for one person to handle, we should divide the
responsibility amongst 2 or 3 person. But with sharpness/ without overlap or
ambiguity.
Eg.
Enter Bio - Data.
Divide
. One person for level "1
. Two person for level "2 to 5"
(A to L
- One person
M to Z
- Second person)
. Bio data
Conversion (3 persons)
A to J
K to T
S to Z
h.c.parekh 