Some small-business owners prefer to surround themselves with technology, not people. Equipment and software do not complain or take time off and work most of the time, says John Shaw, CCIM, solo practitioner and owner of Nomad Investments in Menlo Park, Calif., whose office is crowded with two networked computers, a color printer with scanning and fax capabilities, and two phones with headphone adapters. He uses Dragon voice-activated software with a portable computer to type documents. The chore of keeping costs low plagues most small-business owners. One strategy is hiring agents who work on a commission-only basis.
Owners don t have to pay additional salaries and benefits and can make money by charging a desk fee.
Owners should take caution when hiring commission-only agents, however, and thoroughly check their background before bringing them on board. If they are commission only, Jaffe says, they could use inappropriate sales tactics to make a buck, which could reflect badly on the company. Many small-business owners attempt to keep a tight budget, but not at the expense of their company s productivity. Tenn. Green purchases used office equipment to save money. Propp reduces overhead by buying office supplies in bulk to obtain a discount.