Systems to make your business scale
Yes, even micro and small businesses
Systems are tools that are vital to scale your business. If you have spent any time in the corporate world, you will know that every business has many systems in place. These systems could be as simple as a checklist and processes (such as a leave application process) or a complex structure like a payroll system supported by an automated time- and attendance-tracking system. The purpose of each of the systems is to make your business better, and your business life easier. It is ultimately all about working smarter instead of harder, which is what is required grow your business sustainably.
Why are systems important?
Robust systems – whether they are checklists used as reminders of what needs to be done, or complex manufacturing processes – are important, first and foremost, to guarantee consistent outputs. This will ensure that customer expectations are met, and that employees know what is required from them.Systems ensure that your business is well organised and, by having these in place, you can start looking at using technology to speed up the system, or even to automate the entire system.Finally, for micro and small businesses especially, having strong systems in place allows you to hand over the more mundane tasks. This can free you up to focus on growing your business, because that is ultimately what systems allow any business to do: GROW!
Where to start?
The very first step is to decide what to systemise. You may be tempted to start with the processes that are most important to the business, such as manufacturing, but I recommend looking at
which process or system is the most annoying, or time-consuming, or simply the one you least like doing. You’ll know the culprit when you have to do something and find yourself thinking “Oh no! Not this again”. It may be because you feel like it is annoyingly repetitive, or is taking up too much of your time. Another approach is to look at the process where things go wrong most often. You would also want to consider the process or system where the results (or the time to complete) vary wildly, depending on who performs it or when it is done.If there are multiple systems that fulfil the above, and you need to decide which one to start with, I recommend picking the one that has the greatest impact on the customer experience. In other words, which system or process impacts the customer the most, or is the earliest in the customer lifecycle?Doing this will have a snowball effect on your business. As you free up more time (and resources), you will be able to systemise more and more of your business. This, in turn, allows you to spend more time growing sales or scaling up production.
How to do it?
After deciding which process or system to tackle, you need to write down the detailed steps. This is best done while you are busy with the system. You need to make sure that you capture each and every step; and be careful not to miss the steps you do sub-consciously. For more information check out this blog:
https://sbsolutions.biz/why-you-need-know-show-your-process-flow/Not sure what a step is? Think of it as transforming something. You start with an input, then you do something to it (i.e. transform it in one way or another) and then you should have an output. For instance, when filling in a client intake form, your input is the blank form, your action would be to “Complete Client Intake Form” and the output would be the completed intake form. Another way to think of it is that you need a verb-noun combination i.e. “Do Something”.While documenting each step, it may also be beneficial to note how long each step takes. Depending on how detailed you want to be, you may need a stop watch but, generally, an estimated time in minutes is sufficient.It is also a good idea do attach copies of any documents you may need during the process. For instance, you may want to include a blank Client Intake Form. You may also want to make a note of any other tools or resources you needed to complete the process, such as a pen and clipboard, or even a tablet and stylus.Once you have completely documented the system or process, it is a good idea to ask someone else to perform the steps as per the documentation. This will give you the opportunity to see which steps you may have missed. It has also been my experience that, when you see someone else doing something, you can see great ways to improve it.
What next?
Once the process has been completely documented, you need to determine if YOU really need to perform this task, or if it can be delegated. If you can delegate it, you have a step-by-step guide to train the designee.Should it not be possible to delegate the process, it may be possible to outsource it. If you can outsource it, you can use this documentation as the basis for your contract and/or service level agreement (SLA).Even if you have managed to delegate the
process but, especially if you cannot, you may want to look at whether it can
be automated as a whole, or if certain parts could be automated. There are a
multitude of free and paid options on the market for almost anything you need,
from marketing and lead management, to accounting packages and calendar
management tools.
Finally
Once you have gone through documenting and
systemising your various business processes, you are well-positioned to review
and improve these systems. Improvement could mean removing any steps that do
not add value, reducing any variations and/or resolving any bottle necks or
roadblocks. It may also mean getting better resources, for instance moving from
pen and paper to tablet and stylus.
Not sure what a step is? Think of it as transforming something. You start with an input, then you do something to it (i.e. transform it in one way or another) and then you should have an output. For instance, when filling in a client intake form, your input is the blank form, your action would be to “Complete Client Intake Form” and the output would be the completed intake form. Another way to think of it is that you need a verb-noun combination i.e. “Do Something”.While documenting each step, it may also be beneficial to note how long each step takes. Depending on how detailed you want to be, you may need a stop watch but, generally, an estimated time in minutes is sufficient.It is also a good idea do attach copies of any documents you may need during the process. For instance, you may want to include a blank Client Intake Form. You may also want to make a note of any other tools or resources you needed to complete the process, such as a pen and clipboard, or even a tablet and stylus.Once you have completely documented the system or process, it is a good idea to ask someone else to perform the steps as per the documentation. This will give you the opportunity to see which steps you may have missed. It has also been my experience that, when you see someone else doing something, you can see great ways to improve it.