How To Tell When Your Business Is Stuck (And Needs Outside Help)

Figuring out when your business is stuck is essential. Sometimes, you can get bogged down and require strategies to get out of whatever problem you’re experiencing and reach the other side. 

Occasionally, you can bust through bottlenecks internally. But most of the time, outside help is essential. 

The purpose of this post is to give you a run down so you can tell why your business is stuck and what to do to get outside help.

Stagnant Revenues

Ideally, your business’s revenues should be growing over time. They shouldn’t be stagnant. If they are, it’s a problem and could even be an indication that you should sell fast. 

If you think that stagnant revenues have to do with your operations, you might pay a business strategist or consultant to help you get through this pain point. You can use them to identify issues. 

However, if you think the problem is the market, your best option is usually to sell the company for what it’s worth today before investors find out. This way, you can extract as much cash as possible from the business and then make it someone else’s problem. 

Lack Of Innovation

Lack of innovation is another issue that you might face. If your business isn’t moving forward in this way, then it can be challenging for you to compete. 

Eventually, if you allow this process to continue, you will lose your competitive edge. You’ll no longer be able to do the things you need to do to keep pace with the other businesses in your niche. 

Usually, the best way to solve this problem is to bring in someone new with a fresh perspective. You may also want to take a look at your management structure to determine whether your people are getting in their own way. Sometimes, it is better to make hard decisions, like firing someone, than it is to allow the company to go under. 

Employee Burnout

The problem of employee burnout is also significant. If your people are just exhausted, it can lead to negative group dynamics that reduce productivity and prevent you from out-innovating your rivals. 

The best way to solve this problem is to get outside help and off-load tasks that core staff are doing but aren’t productive. For example, you could hire HR assistants or personal virtual secretaries to deal with the rote work where necessary. This way, core staff can simply focus on what they’re good at, and what they do best. 

You could also look into whether introducing new strategies might boost morale. For example, you could enact something simple like a policy where managers praise and thank staff for their hard work where warranted. 

Lots Of Customer Complaints

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Customer complaints can also be an issue in some businesses. If clients aren’t satisfied with the services you offer, they are more likely to go over to someone else.

The problem with customer complaints is that they will eventually erode your brand. People will find out about the negative experiences of your customers online or through word-of-mouth. Eventually, nobody will want to purchase your products or services. 

That’s where outside help can come in handy. The best option is to simply bring in auditors to take a look at your processes. They can show you where you’re falling down and what, if anything, you can do about it. 

Low-Impact Marketing

Another sign your company is stuck is when your marketing simply fails to generate any impact. You keep trying things, but nothing seems to be working, and you’re stuck. 

That’s where it can be helpful to hire an SEO agency. Bringing in a team of people who understand the technicalities is often what’s required to make a breakthrough, especially if you’ve been hitting your head against a brick wall for years. 

You can also look at bringing in consultants, although most SEO agencies now offer these. They can audit your site and online presence and tell you what you need to do to grow your organic traffic and boost your conversion rate. 

Inefficient Operations

You might also be stuck because of inefficient operations. If your company just isn’t progressing through the work it needs to do efficiently, that can make a massive difference in your bottom line. 

Many companies actually lose efficiency over time when they get to a certain age. They like to think that they are gaining experience, but they may actually be providing an even slower process to their customers. 

If inefficiency is a problem, the best solution is to find a lean management expert who’s worked with all the top companies in your sector. They can usually tell you what to do on an industry-specific level, enabling you to make faster progress. 

You’re Losing Market Share

What about if you’re losing market share? That’s also usually a sign you’re stuck (and you may want to sell and cut your losses). 

Losing market share often means that your company isn’t evolving to meet market demands. You may find that you’re taking greater risks, but not receiving any rewards. 

If you think that you might be losing out to competitors, the first objective is to find out why. Sometimes, they will be doing something extra that you can do to increase your market share. If that’s the case, it’s just a question of implementing whatever their strategy is. 

However, if a market research expert tells you that they’re doing something fundamentally different from you, that’s a problem. You may have to shift your entire business model or, failing that, sell up and get out as quickly as you can.

You Feel Personally Overwhelmed

Finally, companies can get stuck because their leaders (i.e. you) feel personally overwhelmed. 

If you’re in this situation, it may be worth figuring out what’s causing the stress. If it is long hours, hire more help. If it is a lack of clarity, a mentor or a coach can be of assistance. 

The key is to prioritize and reduce “noise.” If you can simply do what needs to be done to make your company a success, feelings of overwhlm are likely to subside. 

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