In this three-part series – From Chaos to Calm: Savvy Business Systems – I am going to walk you through how to identify, document, and implement business systems that will help save your sanity – and your business.
Lets get started.
A Business in Chaos
Are you feeling like you’re running your business like a chaotic act? Do you feel like you’re juggling too many tasks and constantly putting out fires? Well, it’s time to get your systems in order before your business turns into a three-ring circus!
Welcome to the exciting world of small business systems, where everything is organized, and nothing is ever lost… or at least that’s the goal! As the owner of any sized business, whether it is a year old or 10 years old, business systems are the backbone of any successful enterprise. They keep everything running smoothly, so you can focus on the fun stuff… like figuring out how to avoid that 3 pm slump without another cup of coffee. (Just me?)
If you’re new to the world of business systems, don’t worry – it’s not as complicated as it might seem. Basically, a business system is simply a set of processes and tools that help you manage your business more efficiently. It can include everything from your accounting software to your project management process, to your email marketing platform.
It also involves the “way” things are done in your business. For instance, if you are a product-based business, what process do your customers go through to purchase your products? If you provide a service, how do you perform the service for your customers? What journey takes them from A to B, and is that the best journey?
In this series we will be unpacking some of these questions and I will be walking you through how you can go from system slump to system savvy in no time!
Where Do We Begin?
You have your business before you, figuratively speaking, and the first step is to take a look at what’s currently going on. A good place to start is to look at how your business makes money. Start with some simple questions.
- How do you get clients in the door?
- Before that, what happens?
- Do you have to have a call with them to talk about if you could provide what they needed?
- Ok, great, what happened before that?
Do you see what is happening here?
You are identifying the process by which clients come through your door, and you make money.
While you are thinking through this process, you think about the tools you use at every step of the process.
Does the tool make the task seamless or does it need several extra manual steps to make it work? Why is that? How does this impact you and your time? Or the time of your team?
The process of evaluating your business systems is a lot about reflecting and thinking about how you can be intentional about the way your business operates. There are so many system options out there, how do you know which system is right for you?
Identifying your needs.
Quick Assignment – Grab a pen and paper, set your timer for 10 minutes and do a quick evaluation of your current business.
Think about the tasks you perform on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Are you constantly drowning in paperwork? Maybe a document management system is what you need.
Do you struggle to keep track of your sales leads? A customer relationship management (CRM) system might be the answer.
Once you’ve identified your needs, it’s time to start evaluating your options.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Ease of use: You’re busy, and you don’t want to waste time struggling to figure out how to use a new system or software, so make sure it’s user-friendly and intuitive.
- Cost: As business owners we are always looking to save money, so make sure the system or tool fits within your budget.
- Integration: If you’re already using other systems, make sure the new one can integrate with them.
- Support: What kind of support does the system offer? Can you quickly get help if you run into problems?
- Reviews: Finally, make sure you read reviews from other business owners to get an idea of how the system has worked for them. The reviews and forums are the places you can ask specific questions about the ease of use, integration with other software and how responsive the support is.
Choosing the right business systems and evaluating those you already have, can take time and research, but trust me – it is worth it. With the right system in place, you’ll be able to focus on growing your business and making those sweet, sweet profits… or at least have enough time to grab some popcorn and enjoy a well-deserved rest, because you are well on your way to a well-choreographed show!
Now that you have some ideas about what your needs are, join me next month, we will be walking through how we document our systems – and it’s not on a tight rope either! You don’t want to miss it!
