When it comes to executing a rigorous process, colored pens and highlighters are Breezy Isaacson’s best friends.
In fact, the Dallas/Fort Worth billing specialist ordered an entire box of colored pens on Amazon last week. When she came to Datamax 2.5 years ago, the advice she received from her managers was “Do what keeps YOU organized.” So that’s what she did. For Breezy, that was colors. Lots of colors. And her plethora of pens, neon highlighters, and color-coded sticky notes work wonders for her.
Our Administrative Teams are many things, but certainly process oriented. They have to be. They trust the process, and they make sure that we respect the process, even when it means unscrambling paperwork puzzle pieces or pointing out problem areas that need quick attention.
Why must they be process-oriented?
Being process-oriented means having a systematic approach to handling tasks, focusing on step-by-step methods to achieve goals efficiently and effectively. Here are a few reasons why this is crucial:
- Efficiency and Productivity: Following well-defined processes ensures that tasks are completed in a consistent and timely manner, reducing the likelihood of errors and delays. It helps employees manage their time better and accomplish more in a structured manner.
- Consistency and Quality: Consistent processes lead to consistent results. When administrative tasks are handled in a standardized way, it enhances the overall quality of work and reduces the risk of mistakes.
- Clear Communication: Process-oriented employees understand their roles and responsibilities within each process, promoting clear communication and collaboration with other team members
- Adaptability and Scalability: Having defined processes makes it easier to adapt to changes or scale up operations. New employees can quickly understand and integrate into existing workflows.
- Problem-Solving: Process-oriented individuals are better equipped to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in workflows. This allows them to propose improvements and optimize the way things are done.
How are they process-oriented?
For one, they keep the process steady: One step at a time. Billing Coordinator Emily Nau says that it's up to her and her peers to check and mark off each step once it is completed. This was certainly the case with a large church order recently: If they hadn't stuck to the process, "this order would have been a mess," Nau says.
"This order was extremely complicated with multiple leases, different types of machines, multiple maintenances, and outbound orders (it also didn’t help that I had only been working here a few months when I got this order lol)," Emily said. "If we don’t stick to the step-by-step process, even a simple order can get hung up or experience multiple issues. Everything can get jumbled very quickly, especially with large orders. To keep everything running smoothly and get our customers their machines quickly and efficiently, we must stick to the process."
For another, they're "chameleons."
“Our job is to make sure the customer gets taken care of on the back end (once a deal is completed)... In our position, we need to be chameleons, handling different types of people and different types of personalities all the time. To succeed in our role, you have to be built a little differently," says Administrative Supervisor Yvie Majano.
For another, they’re a stop-gap between a plethora of moving parts.
In the aforementioned large (60-device) deal, Breezy and Emily both were key cogs working back and forth between executives, service, the St. Louis leasing team, the sales manager, the sales rep, and the warehouse. Breezy didn’t just collaborate openly with these players in a methodical manner. She double, triple, and quadruple-checked EVERYTHING.
“Of course, there’s some pressure, you’re the in-between, you want to make sure everything from the pricing to delivery locations is accurate,” Breezy said. “The last thing I want is for the customer to have to sign on something multiple times. I would say that it all comes down to communication, and great personalities working together on both ends.”
For another, they’re HIGHLY organized, each in their own way.
Want to know exactly what these pros have going on? Just take a look at their desk when they're working on a big account, says Administration Manager Jacqueline Campos.
“If you were to look at their desk on working on large orders, you'll see the large stacks of organized documents, spreadsheets they built themselves. They’re in the zone," Jacqueline said. "I think that everybody on the team here has to have that process-driven piece in them. They each have their own way of seeing things and understanding things, and we encourage that. I just think it works because we can’t all be alike. Due to that variety of different personalities, it makes us work as a great team."
What’s the payoff for their process persistence?
DFW Service Manager Shawn Hay says that admin is basically the central part of the company – everything flows in and out of them. The details in making sure the account is set up correctly directly affect the service department's ability to know where to go, whom to contact, and exactly where to deliver any particular device. Their accuracy is crucial.
“We’ve had some huge orders come through admin recently, and they’ve worked tirelessly to set up those last-minute orders and get them into the system. Their dedication to speed and accuracy shows up when they’ve got to be processed ASAP. They get it done, whatever they’ve got to do. They stand out by turning in immaculate paperwork.”
