Bet you never thought you would see the words Amazing and Processes in the same sentence, did you?
Ever wonder what makes small businesses successful? Is it their unique products? Their spot-on marketing? Location? Team?
The universal answer to all those questions is, yes.
They are all important for success. But what truly sets a small business aside from the rest is structure and organization, supported by strong business processes.
I mean, you can have the best marketing and the most fun products in the world, but if you can’t get them out the door on time or to the right location…it won’t make a bit of difference will it?
Nothing kills a small business faster than poor planning. Having clear cut business processes allows your business and your people to be effective and successful.
Business processes can cover anything from running a report to hiring a new employee, and honestly, there’s really no part of a business that shouldn’t have some form of a process in place. Nothing is too small or insignificant.
Processes don’t have to be big boring documents, they can be videos or a combination of the two. A lot of companies I work with use Loom to record their processes. The point is that it doesn’t have to be an overworked structure, they just need to be done. And here is why:
They make you efficient. Not only do you not have to reinvent the wheel every time, you know that steps won’t be missed or done incorrectly. Nothing worse than re-work or trying to figure out what you did last time.
You will have excellent customer delivery. This is to say that you will have a bar set and no matter who is doing the task on any given day, the end result is the same for the customer. This could be for anything from product design, construction, service to delivery, or implementation.
They give you the ability to manage staff shortages. Whether someone on your team has a planned holiday or you have an unexpected departure, having processes in place ensures that coverage in the important areas isn’t lost. While they might be slower, they can still be done which means you won’t have a backlog of work or unimpressed customers.
Accountability is not ambiguous. If your processes are in place (And are fit for purpose, I have to add that little disclaimer!), then there’s little room for apathy, misunderstandings, or poor quality.
Now maybe you are a smart one and you have plenty of processes in place. Have you tested and re-tested them to ensure they are fit for purpose? I’ve found that the companies I work with, they do have some form of processes in place. However, they were written at a time when the business was new or in a different place with regards to staff and revenue.
Business processes need to go through reviews, a process improvement….process, so to speak.
Poor processes lead to all kinds of errors and issues, most of all it can lead to frustrated employees. Their frustration doesn’t mean the process is bad. Again, it might just be outdated. These same employees can end up being the perfect people to make the required updates.
That takes the pressure off of you as a business owner and puts the creation or updates of the processes in the hands of those who do the work.
Business processes are meant to create a workflow that’s effective, productive, and simple. They shouldn’t be looked at as something that is a chore to complete.
Remember, the better prepared you are, the better you and your employees can perform. That results in happy customers and business growth.
Want to know more? Get in touch and find out how I can help you achieve your business processes goals.