Processes and Procedures are not really cool and it’s definitely not sexy! It is one of the most overlooked aspects of business when starting out. In the long term you will save yourself time by establishing a process and procedure for every task that you find yourself repeating in your business.
The purpose of a Business Procedure Manual is not only to help staff do their job efficiently and accurately, but also to improve business results.
So where do you start?
It’s best to start with the basics such as – what the business does, who its clients/customers are, who its suppliers are, where you are located, your operating hours and how you can be contacted.
Don’t worry about whether you are going to record the information in a notebook or in a Word document. Just choose something and start jotting things down. You can also use a voice recorder to transcribe later.
Make a list
Before you start headlong into writing up your more complex procedures, make a list of all of the processes within your business, note who can provide the information and prioritise each one of them.
Such as:
• Your schedule
• Your email
• Onboarding a client
• Cancellation of service
• Invoicing
• Your payment terms
• Refunds
• How you file
• Where you file
• Communication
• Customer Service
• Inducting team members
And so on …………
Step by Step
When you write down a procedure break everything down step by step. A good idea is to number each step and clearly explain what is required and name who is responsible. Imagine yourself training a new person and write down what you would tell them.
When process documents are written and implemented, they help your business work better and are certainly helpful if you want to bring on staff or outsource.
Still not sure then message me to arrange a time to see how I can help you create more freedom in your business whilst increasing your cash flow.
