As business owners, we all face the same problem – we have far too much to do and way too little time to do it!
You probably feel like you spend more time working on the day-to-day tasks instead of on the things that really create an impact and move your business forward.
The answer to this is to implement business systems. Creating systems in your business will deliver better productivity that will ultimately enable you to scale your business.
Systems should be at the heart of your business and company culture.
Many entrepreneurs struggle with this, but the earlier you can get good at creating the right systems, the faster you can spend time growing your business.
Why do you need business systems?
Systematising your business is important and will make it easier to run your day-to-day activities.
What does systematise mean?
“Arrange according to an organised system, make systematic”.
Oxford Dictionary
For a small business, systematising your key business systems gives everyone a correct way of doing things from employees to contractors and freelancers, therefore making your operations more productive and cost-effective.
It also allows you to measure performance against your business goals, enabling you to make smart decisions.
Not only do systems keep you informed as a business owner on what is working, but also where improvements can be made, what you should be doing more of so that you can focus your attention in the right direction to get the results you want.
They enable you to better manage your business.
What are the benefits to creating systems?
- Organises your business.
- Brings consistency to the services you provide to clients.
- Reduces time and cost as many systems will benefit from automation.
- Allows you to confidently delegate.
- Enables better decision making.
- Helps you scale more quickly.
- Having solid systems makes your business more attractive if looking for future investment or to sell your business.
4 Key systems for small businesses
1. Customer Relationship
Undoubtedly, this is the most important part of your business. Customer management systems are key to your business running like clockwork. It will improve the service you provide to your customers, increase your sales, whilst streamlining your operations.
Having processes, templates, automations and a CRM (customer relationship management) tool will allow you to manage your interactions with existing and potential customers, build relationships and improve customer service, subsequently turning your customers into raving fans for your products and services.
2. Finance and Accounting
In order to you manage everything relating to your company’s finances e.g. cash flow, credit control, taxes, budgets etc, you need a finance and accounting system. On the whole, the more you streamline and automate these systems, the less chance for human error and time consuming processes.
3. Project Management
As a small business owner you have a lot going on. Having a central system to manage everything, including your daily tasks and projects is essential. Selecting a tool that is right for you is critical.
There are many project management systems out there, all with great features. Take some time to look at what is available and how they align with your budget and requirements. Asana’s stability and usability make it our favourite to run our business on. The free version (you can have up to 15 people!) provides a lot of functionality, making it easy to manage your tasks and projects. Download our FREE Asana Quick Start Guide and get using the free version straight away.
4. Staff Onboarding and Training
Finally, making your hiring process consistent will ensure that all new hires get the right onboarding and training experience for their role, ensuring they get up to speed quickly. It streamlines administrative tasks and reduces errors. Supporting new hires with a clear onboarding and training system helps motivate them right from the very start.
Key Takeaways
In summary, it’s never too early to start, even if you are just starting out and there is only you in your business at the moment. In fact, the earlier you start putting in place the foundations the better! Organise your business operations so that you are working smarter not harder.
The power of systems is not to be underestimated. You can virtually systematise anything in your business. Setting up systems at the frontend does take time, but nevertheless, it is worth the investment as it will save you hours of time, frustration and stress in the long term. If you have a VA, why not get them to help you.
Overall, having the right systems in place is the secret to success.
Harness the Power of Systems
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