Systemise your business to be more productive

27 July 2018

As a business owner, Managing Director or CEO, you’ll strive to ensure your business is productive. Productivity stems from having operational processes that are efficient and robust.

We’ve seen many businesses hindered due to operational systems that fall short because:

• tasks are poorly documented (or not documented),

• software is outdated, or

• processes that have grown organically over time without adequate thought for what’s needed at scale.  

Your customer doesn’t usually see what happens in the background but their impression of your business is impacted by how well you deliver your product or service. We’ve all experienced the disappointment of being let down, even by the brands we are most loyal to. Maybe it was an incorrect order, unexplained delays, an incorrect invoice, or perhaps the service was not up to scratch. Whatever it was, it’s likely a result of system or process failure or one of the team not following procedure. 

To get the most from your business, you need excellent processes and systems that meet your needs and can continue to deliver as you scale. Focus on systemising your business and you’ll spend less time putting out fires and more time doing the stuff you enjoy! 

How to systemise your business

The starting point for any process efficiency drive is to carry out a process review. 

Get together with your team and work through every operational, logistical and financial process in the business – with the aim of explaining exactly how the business works.

To make this review work effectively for you:

• List the key processes in the business – creating a complete operational overview

• Document each task in every key process – and systematically explain how it works

• Review and consider whether each step is efficient

• Assign roles and responsibilities – so it’s clear who does what, and when

• Collate everything into an operational document – providing a source of truth to work from. Make sure you also create a visual map

• Enhance your system – by replicating and, where possible, automating your processes with software and technology

• Schedule regular reviews

• Enable your team to provide feedback or suggest improvements at any time.

Whilst automation or a more efficient system is the desired outcome, the process of reviewing and documenting processes is valuable and will have positive impacts on your business. 

The documentation process can help to eliminate flaws, reduce time spent on tasks, decrease costs, and improve quality. Documentation reduces risk, is a very useful training or onboarding tool and a valuable resource should you be seeking to sell your business. 

Talk to us about systemising your processes

Working closely with your accountant is a critical part of this process, helping you to review and enhance your business model, highlight potential efficiencies and advise on best practice process and software tools for the job.

Get in touch to start systemising your business today.