Even outside peak season, FAOs can find themselves besieged by phone and e-mail, working hard to keep up with the latest changes in federal regulations or the newest department project. To manage the demands on your office, consider changes that build efficiency into processes and give you more control over your schedule. By introducing just a few modifications, you may be surprised at the extra time you have to devote to other priorities like campus enrollment or student outreach.

A streamlining formula

Even the best-run businesses can be improved. Good office managers consider every aspect of operations as an opportunity for making the business stronger. If you’re looking for areas to strengthen in your office, think about some of the following suggestions.

• Design your work space to be efficient for you and your customers: Plan a space that moves foot traffic logically and efficiently to any available window or front-counter staff. If you have the budget, consider an information kiosk staffed by someone who can answer questions or direct students. Behind the lobby counter, create an area for your staff that gives them easy access to what they use most, e.g., applications and procedures. Set up an archive room or section for outdated files and books; this helps minimize clutter.
  
• Automate your processes with technology if you can: Student applications, loan management, student job placement—these are all areas that can be automated to some degree with the help of software. Even setting up mail merges in your favorite word processor can cut down on the huge volume of correspondence schools handle. Consider buying off-the-shelf software if you have the budget, or look more closely at the capabilities of the software your office currently uses.
  
• Manage interruptions: Sometimes the key to getting things done is to safeguard your time as much as you can. For phone calls, voice mail may be the best answer your customers can expect, at least for a couple of hours. For e-mail, check your messages at designated times and consider turning off any automatic notifications. "E-mail addiction," the compulsion to check e-mail on a constant basis, is running rampant in many offices, according to publications like the Chronicle of Higher Education. And if you have too many walk-ins to your office behind-the-counter, offer to meet at another time.
  
• Learn to say "no" diplomatically: If you’re overwhelmed with work, you may need to occasionally resort to politely refusing a request. You can offer to help at another time. Or you may be able to bargain for additional time also.
  
• Review your processes: Have a committee from your office team evaluate procedures on an annual basis. You’ll be able to tap into your staff’s insight about the best ways to get things done. Ask for a report at the end of their evaluation that offers recommendations and provides a blueprint for making more improvements.

To Learn More

Industrial engineers analyze the work of plant assembly lines and industrial complexes. Various organizational consultants have been doing something similar for business offices for years. If you’re looking for books on improving office practice, read through some of the following suggested titles.

• First Things First by Steven Covey
• Getting Things Done by David Allen
• Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern

Chansone Durden is an Account Executive Team Manager with TG serving schools in MASFAA. You can reach Chansone at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2513, or by e-mail at chansone.durden@tgslc.org. Additional information about TG can be found online at www.tgslc.org.