By Joey Gabra
Special to YNOT

The typical eight hours of operation a day is an outdated practice that only retains a foothold in the “normal” worker’s life. Businesses usually operate for around 10 to 14 hours in a day, and it’s easy to assume the longer hours are driven by the goal of gaining more profit.

You’d be partially correct in this assumption, but the reality is that there is so much to do just to keep a business running in a single workday that it would not fit in an eight-hour shift — hence, longer operating hours as a necessity of normal and not just profit.

Who sleeps anymore?

Building a career, running a business and operating a company is about making educated guesses and command decisions. Sure, planning and structured targets are number one and two on the list, but the sheer unpredictability of the target market leaves room for making tough assessments based on limited — and, at times, non-existent — data.

Time lost due to delays is customers lost due to inconvenience, thus any inconvenience is money down the drain. Many leaders take this to heart, which is why every minute counts. Every decision and idea counts. That’s what the 2:00 am call was for or what the weekend emergency meetings revolve around. That’s why bosses and managers work 16 hours a day spread unevenly within 24 hours.

The global economy makes it necessary for businesses to be more aggressive. This same economy is a slave to the whims of the consumers in this “I want it when I want it” world. That’s why your eye bags become a normal facial feature, and that’s why you’ve been getting more grey hairs than you’d expect – assuming you still had hair to spare.

Compensating for the unpredictable

Though there might be difficulty in some businesses running 24/7 due to the reality that extra work, extra shifts and extra staff directly mean extra expenses but not result in bigger profit, most online services and global businesses only need to find the right supplier or operations provider. It’s a matter of finding the proper fit.

Shouldering the full weight of 24/7 operations is the most expensive way to run a business; however, there are options out there. Operations support providers who charge by the hour can handle the 16 hours that your 9-to-5 cannot. Revenue sharing outsourcing firms can share the weight/risk as well or, based on experience, companies that get paid per task.

Per task companies do not drain your finances. They get paid when you earn. They work when there is work. They charge per call, per email, per chat or per item handled. In turn, they work harder because it means they can earn more.

Finding a supplier like this erases the possible losses of the unpredictable, thereby giving the business the ideal start and end for working beyond 9-to-5: Extra work, extra shifts and extra staff directly resulting in extra expenses AND bigger profit.

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If you’re in the mobile sector of the adult industry, you’ve likely heard of Joey Gabra. His list of credentials includes previous employment as managing director for Affil4You, and marketing manager for Twistbox Entertainment and American Mobile Ventures. Gabra has built strong business relationships by delivering what he promises, which often comes at his own expense. Combining humor with sharp business acumen has made him respected by both peers and competitors, leading to numerous industry awards. In 2015 and 2016, he was named Businessman of the Year by the YNOT Awards. These days, he’s applying his expertise and expanding his reach as solutions director for New Media Services. He may be reached at jg@newmediaservices.com.au.