There are several reasons why you’d want to build systems and processes in your business. The main ones are:
1. Precision and consistency. By having set business processes for how tasks should be completed, you will get consistent quality results.
2. Time and money savings. When employees know precisely how to do something and do it the same way each time, they eventually become much better and faster at performing the task. This saves time and money, and gives you a competitive advantage.
3. Scalability. When you have set processes for completing tasks, it’s much easier to hire and train new employees and grow your business.
4. Free your time and build business value. Developing and implementing systems allows your business to run without you. This frees up your time to focus on building your business further (and taking time off) and makes your business more attractive and valuable to potential acquirers (because it’s not dependent on you and the acquirer can see how the business could continue to scale and provide value).
Each of these are compelling reasons to build systems and processes in your business, and is why building systems is one of the pillars of an 8-figure business.
Here are 4 simple steps to follow to develop systems in your business:
Step #1: Look at your current business processes
In developing your business systems, you should first look at the key tasks and processes your company performs on a daily basis.
For example, if you operate a laundry business, your business processes will include cleaning the laundry machines, managing customer drop-off orders, sweeping the floors, paying the bills, ordering supplies, etc.
Next, assess each of these processes to figure out which ones to focus on systematizing first. For example, figure out which processes, if improved, could most improve customer satisfaction, revenues and/or profits.
Step #2: Develop your business systems
Once you’ve identified the initial process(es) to improve, it’s time to develop your business systems. In developing your systems, start with the outcome, that is, how should the task or process look at the end when it is completed flawlessly.
Then work backwards to figure out the best steps to achieve that outcome. When doing that, and comparing this to your current processes, try to look for the most efficient steps and eliminate any unnecessary ones.
Importantly, in doing this, you must write down the system on a sheet of paper. Yes, it’s as simple as “Step 1, do this” and “Step 2, do that.” The key is to make it easy and foolproof so any of your employees could follow it.
Step #3: Test and redesign your system
When I develop a new system, I like to complete it myself a few times in order to test it.
Importantly, when doing this, I look at the most challenging and/or time consuming parts of the system and then brainstorm ways to improve it. Consider this: if you create a process that allows a task to be completed in 9 minutes instead of 11 minutes, and that task is done twice a day by two employees, that improvement will save your company 49 hours of labor each year.
Also look for routine things that can be automated, such as the payment processing. For instance, manually writing customer receipts might take a minute while an automated register could create a receipt in seconds.
Step #4: Test-run with the team
Once you’re done with redesigning your first business system, now is the time to implement it. To make teaching others faster, it helps to prepare as much as you can, and to actually demonstrate or allow them to see a demonstration of how the work is to be done.
If you’re there in person, show them or have them watch someone in action to model going through the system. If it’s work that is done on a computer, create a screen recording so others can watch to learn it.
The best way to train employees is by having them perform the process on a real-life order or project. Then the work that needs to get done is completed, and you get to see their performance and give feedback.
Then, over time, encourage your employees to try to improve your existing processes and systems. Have your checklists and flow charts readily available so they can follow them and propose new ways of doing things. Because as more and more of your business’ processes become systematized, and your systems become better and better, your revenues and profits will soar and your business will be the envy of your market.
The Secret Formula to
Building a $10 Million Company
If you want to build a $10 million+ company, you must focus on building Value. And to build Value, you need to follow a specific formula.
On this page, I layout the precise formula for you.
As you scroll down the page, you’ll see the important schematic below:
Don’t be overwhelmed by its complexity, by the time you see it, it’ll make perfect sense. And you’ll be able to follow it to dramatically grow your business.
Click here to learn how to grow a $10 million+ company today
