How to Save Money on Your Business’s Operating Costs

Running a business can be expensive. You may have stock to purchase, wages to pay, office rental costs, not to mention taxes due to the IRS. All of these costs add up, which can have a disastrous effect on your business’s cash flow.

If this is your current situation, you have two choices. First, you can increase your revenue. However, this isn’t always easy, especially if your startup is in the very early stages and you have yet to break even. The second option is to reduce your operating costs. This is by far the best idea, so to help you save a few dollars and improve your bottom line, here are some helpful tips.

Cut Energy Bills

Saving money on your energy bills is always a smart option. Not only do you help your business, but you also get to save the planet. What’s not to like about that?

There are many ways to do this. Swap out old-fashioned incandescent lights for energy efficient LED lights. Install automatic cut-off switches in employee bathrooms, so lights turn off when nobody is using the facility. Ask everyone to switch off computers and printers at the end of the day. Encourage remote working and make the most of online telecoms solutions to reduce the cost of teleconferences and travel costs.

Reduce Premises Costs

Whether you rent or own your own business property, it will cost you. Rental costs can be expensive if you lease an office in a prime location. The same applies if the business owns the building. For homeowners, a mortgage is a huge expense each month. It’s no different for business owners, so any mortgage tips such as overpaying when you have extra funds or switching to a cheaper lender will save you money. In the case of a rental, try to negotiate a better deal with your landlord or move to a cheaper neighbourhood.

Boost Employee Efficiency

Employees are your biggest asset, yet they can also be costly if you don’t manage them correctly. To keep employee costs down, monitor staff productivity and deal with any less than productive team members as soon as possible. Tens of thousands of wasted man-hours are lost to sick days each year, which is extremely costly to your business and the economy. If your staff are taking too many sick days, start investigating. Is staff morale low? Can you introduce extra workplace benefits to boost morale and productivity? Do you have too many cooks in the kitchen? Run a lean business and reduce your operating costs at the same time.

Seek Out Cheaper Suppliers

Buying in stock is a big up-front expense. You probably already have credit accounts in place, but it doesn’t hurt to renegotiate better deals where possible. If your suppliers won’t play ball, look for new ones who want your business. This should save you some money.

Make it your mission to cut costs and reduce your operating overheads. The more money you save, the better it is for your bottom line.