3 Tips for Running A Business With Multiple Locations

While running a business from just one location can be difficult to manage, adding another location or two can make the challenges of running a business even more pronounced. Rather than just having to deal with the issues and potential problems that can arise at one location, you now have to split your time and attention between other business location. And while this can be tough, if you know what you’re getting yourself into and how to best manage the potential problem areas, you should be able to handle this change just fine. To show you how, here are three tips for running a business with multiple locations. 

Communication Is Key 

When trying to keep things running smoothly between all of your business locations, it’s important to remember that communication is key. Especially if you want things to be going to same way throughout all your locations, you’re going to have to make communicating with the workers at each location a priority. According to George Lossius, a contributor to The Guardian, you should create one mode of communication that each location checks throughout the day so that you can always be in contact. This could be email, video chats, calls or another way. This will help to ensure that each location is functioning the way you want it to. 

Physically Be There When You Can 

Along with communicating through technology each day, you should also try to get into each of the locations you own on a very regular basis. David Allerby, a contributor to Entrepreneur.com, writes that although you could have managers or assistant managers out at those locations, nothing beats you being able to go there and see what’s going on for yourself. Because you’re the business owner, you’ll better be able to see if things are running how you’ve envisioned them and if everyone is performing up to the level you require. 

Find Trustworthy Managers 

Because you can’t be everywhere at once, it’s crucial that you have trustworthy managers at each location who can be your eyes and ears when you’re not able to physically be there. Intuit Quickbooks shares that when you have managers who you’ve given the green light to be decision makers about certain areas of your business, this will also allow you to focus your attention on the big-picture items for the business rather than getting caught up in all the day-to-day tasks that a manager should be able to handle on their own. And while it might take a while to have managers you can absolutely trust, when you get to this point, running your business will soon become much easier.

If you’re unsure about how you’ll manage to run your business from multiple locations, use the tips mentioned above to help you realize this goal.