You probably use many business processes each day, but you may not realise it.
For example, your workflow, how you reply to an email, generating reports or certain marketing activities – all of these daily tasks require a process for the sole reason that you can outsource, delegate or automate this work so your business runs smoothly – and at best, without you.
A streamlined process means less errors and more efficiency.
In this blog, I’m walking you through each area of business that will require a process and the points associated with each one.
Areas in your business that need processes
The first step is to identify the areas in your business that require processes or an update of your processes.
Those areas include, but are not limited to:
- Finances
- Sales
- Lead generation
- Marketing
- Human resources
- Administration
- Client forms and onboarding
- Customer Service
- Products and services delivery
How to streamline your business processes
If you’ve ever asked yourself, what’s the best way to streamline my processes, the answer is with a plan and help from those in the know. It is at this point, you may consider getting help to streamline your business processes. An OBM will oversee the management of the project and a VA can help implement the processes from the ground up.
After you have identified the areas of your business that need processes implemented or overhauled, then prioritised where you will start (that is, the area causing your the most concern), and documented the process as best you can, then it’s time to streamline.
To streamline a business process, you must ask yourself these questions:
- What is the goal or end result you want to achieve from this process?
- What are the steps or tasks involved?
- Have you analysed the process steps to see if they are effective?
- Are there any bottlenecks in your process?
- Are there any unnecessary activities or steps in your process?
- Have you talked to the people actually using the process for their input and what can be improved?
- Can any of these steps be automated?
- Do you need to redesign or rework any of the tasks?
- Have you communicated the process to your team?
- Does everyone use this process know what to do or is training required?
- What are the KPIs associated with this process? How will you know it’s successful?
- Do you have a way to track and report on these successes and whether there are failures in the process?
- Are you committing to continuous improvement by testing the process, reviewing it and then refining it?
(Source: Smartsheet)
Ready to streamline your business processes?
Streamlining your business processes may seem like an insurmountable task, but it doesn’t have to be if you have the right people on your team helping you to accomplish the implementation or overhaul.
That’s where I can help. I specialise in business systems and processes so you don’t have to. I can manage the implementation as a project and work with your team, or become an extension of your team to get it done quickly and efficiently.
When you have proper business processes in place, you will have more time to work on your big vision and dreams. Get in touch with me today and let’s discuss how to get started and what you need to do next.
