When it comes to business processes, things can get messy if you don't have a plan. Try these four tips to help improve your business processes and operations.
The list is short and simple so that you can get a few small wins under your belt.
Before you start, think about a process that you do daily. Get approvals, engage with customers, run reports, prospect potential clients, etc. Once you have your process in mind, follow these four tips.
- Clarify - Clearly define the goals of your process.
Become laser-focused on the goal. Start by removing parts that are redundant, outdated, and unnecessary. Ask why at every stage to ensure the need of each stage of your process. - Communicate - Communicate your process and the overall goal to everyone involved. Remember, everyone involved has a part to play, including your customers. People will operate inefficiently and mess up if they don't understand. The people on your team, are not mind-readers.
- Automate - Sometimes, you have to delegate. However, delegating may not be to a person. Use the power of automated systems to untangle repetitive tasks, follow-ups, and data collection. When done right, systems can become one of your greatest assets.
- Systemize - Systemizing your business will give you the gift of predictability and Scalability. When you remove the variation of haphazard processes providing a systematized process, things become predictable. And, when things become predictable, you can project and scale strategically.
These tips are just scratching the surface of what is possible for you and your organization when you practice Business Process Improvement, but they will help you improve and eliminate some of your frustration. So, that's a win in my book.
Don't get all tangled in inefficiency like this little guy!
Untangle Your Business. Operate Better. Live Better.
