Watersport business owners wear multiple hats throughout their daily operations. However, there are several tasks that you can delegate to boost the outcome of your business performance. Learn them all in this episode.
Watersport business owners wear multiple hats throughout their daily operations. However, there are several tasks that you can delegate to boost the outcome of your business performance. Learn them all in this episode.
Hey everyone, welcome to episode 14 of the Weekly Wave podcast presented by WaveRez. I’m your host Greg Fisher, and today we’ll be talking about what tasks you should be delegating to boost your output at your watersport company.
If you're like me, you are going to want to know everything about everything in your business. However, being an ambitious learner might prevent you from effectively growing your company. For example, if you’re spending a majority of your time repairing equipment, how will you ever find time to develop your team or your business plan. Although I don’t recommend being an expert at everything, it’s wise to have a basic understanding of all aspects of your business including marketing, operations, finance, and human resources. As an owner operator, you should know what and when to delegate certain tasks so that you have plenty of time to plan, prepare, and reflect. An overworked, and overly stressed watersports owner cannot grow sustainably, and worst of all, can lead to frequent equipment damage, negative reviews, and high employee churn. Let’s look at a few areas of your business that you should consider delegating.
The first thing you should consider delegating is your marketing. Unless you come from a marketing background, you will find this task can be very costly if you are not well informed of the investments you need to make. Businesses literally throw away their money on bad opportunities because they either don’t have enough time to fully understand the program, or they don’t track it to know if it works. I understand not every operator can afford a marketing agency, but there are many ways to get help without breaking the bank. For example, there are freelance websites like Fiverr.com that you can get graphics and logos on the cheap. Also, you can use website builders such as Wix and GoDaddy to create simple websites in minutes that take very little skill. There are also great platforms such as TripShock.com that for a small commission can acquire customers without any upfront costs or marketing know-how. Be cautious of letting your employees or family members run your social media or marketing because it’s a lot more involved than just posting videos on your Instagram.
The next thing you should be delegating is your call center, or management of your booking booth. Many of us get into watersports because we love our guests, but our guests absorb a lot of our time, and this could hinder your ability to accomplish a lot of important tasks. I’m not saying you shouldn’t jump in to help your team when you’re really busy, but you’ll never be able to accomplish much if you’re constantly trying to solve guest issues. Your reservations team needs to be empowered to solve problems. They will make mistakes at times and you’ll need to live with that, but that’s why you should invest in developing your team by offering training and incentives to make sure the department improves.
Lastly, and most important, is delegating equipment repairs. For larger watersport companies, it’s not unusual to see mechanics on staff, but what if you’re a small operation? It doesn’t hurt putting yourself through a crash course on fiberglass and engine repair, but diagnosing equipment could take hours or days. If you have a great local mechanic that can quickly fix your equipment, then that’s a great way to go, but this is unlikely for most due to the rising popularity of boating. That’s why I recommend encouraging your staff to learn basic repairs, even if it means going through YouTube for the tutorials. If your team can solve some of the issues, it’s still better than utilizing hours of your day to do it yourself.
However you decide to delegate your tasks, keep in mind that there is always going to be just one of you. Developing your team to be experts in certain areas of your operation can help you become more efficient, and grow your business sustainably. If you thought this podcast was helpful, hit that like button, share with your friends and your colleagues. We appreciate comments and questions on social media. We also appreciate you reviewing the Weekly Wave on your favorite podcast app. Again, I’m Greg Fisher, and thanks for listening to the Weekly Wave.
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