by Harry Selent http://www.scheduleview.com

Of all concerns in today's fast-paced business world, time- management has to be among most crucial. The smallest error in our records can throw off timing of your entire day, or worse yet, lose us an important possible sale. As entrepreneurs, we strive to stay on top of things, running our businesses with maximum efficiency. Old fashioned schedule management can be time consuming and frustrating, and can actually cost us profits. There are several ways to streamline your scheduling and records management system to make your business more efficient. Here are just a few suggestions to help you get started. The first and most crucial element of schedule management is ensuring that you have quick access to your records at all times. In a busy work environment you need to know exactly who you're seeing, when you're seeing them, and why you're seeing them. This enable you to always be ready for your clients. An effective system keeps you well informed, eliminating time wasted in asking repeat questions to establish client needs. Maximizing your efficiency while with a client is crucial for enhanced profibility. Another effective schedule management technique to ensure greater customer efficiency is to always book your client's next appointment while they are still with you for their current one. It is far easier to reschedule someone for a haircut or doctor's visit while they are present, than to try to track them down after they've left. Be proactive about your booking, and then use a reminder system, either through email, phone, or post, to remind your clients that they've made appointment. Also important in scheduling and record-keeping is maintaining past service records. If you have quick access to a client's past record, you'll know what services they've used in past and what they may be due for. With this information you can turn appointment to your advantage by re-selling client a service they may have used in past, or even cross-selling any services that they might not have taken advantage of. In addition to maximizing your efficiency while you are with your client, there are several ways to increase your productivity while client is away. By effectively managing your client records you can maximize your time efficiency and increase profits as well. Schedule a regular time for reviewing your client records. Scrutinize your books to see which clients have not been in for a visit who perhaps should have been. In an industry that offers regular service, (say a lube shop or a dentist's office) this is a great way to keep up on who needs an oil change or a teeth- cleaning. Once you see who is due for service, a simple call to customer can make an easy sale. Also, review your records so you can keep track of clients who frequently miss or cancel appointments. If there are too many of these, consider introducing a fee for cancellation or no- show, or simply drop customer from your clientel. This is an excellent way to make sure that you're being compensated for your valuable time. Staying on top of your record and scheduling needs is crucial to success. By applying these simple techniques to your systems you will find your time being used more and more efficiently, and . with heightened efficiency comes greater customer satisfaction and greater profits.

When you reach level 4, you're now an Investor. Your interests now extend above profits. You now want to know your Return on Investment or ROI. At this level, your ROI comes from buying businesses, building them up and selling them. Ideally, you should be buying a business performing to 25% of capacity and you sell when they are performing to 70% capacity. If you want to know *7 Rules to Buying a Business,* just email me at

You've now reached pinnacle - Level 5. A true Entrepreneur is more interested in how much capital they can raise for their next enterprise. An Entrepreneur is recognized by number of zeros in his/her annual income. Don't be type of person I call *looking good, going nowhere.* You've all seen them. The type of person that buys latest autos, flashest clothes.

The path to true entrepreneurship is hard, but anyone can reach top. Remember, knowledge and wealth go together, not time and wealth! Time is irrelevent. It doesn't matter whether you're 17 or 70. Gain knowledge you need to get there - and you will! Wealth is dependant on 2 things - Cashflow and Assets. You use a business to create cashflow and then obtain assets. Bill Gates is a prime example. Did Bill Gates become richest businessman in world by selling software? Some of you are nodding your head and saying yes. Wrong! He sold software to create a cashflow. He became richest man in world of business by selling his company - or more precisely, by selling stock in his company. He obtained assets. Remember, cashflow + assets = wealth.