TC: Organization in the World of Small Business

 TUESDAY CHALLENGE:  Organization in the World of Small Business

Lessons are learned by observation. In my case, my frequent visits to a Starbucks provided an important lesson in the critical organization needed to grow a successful business. In some cases, the line to order extends outside the door, yet, we are all willing to wait our turn. The staff takes our order at one end; several others put together our order and call our name at the other end of the counter when our order is ready. No matter how many Starbucks I visit or where they are located, the process is always the same.  It is clear that for Starbucks, the organization of time, space and work was, and still is, a serious goal. I have yet to experience any panic among the employees.

Your challenge today is to identify the processes that occur in your business. Just like in a Starbucks, there are many components at play in the successful delivery of your product or service. The development and implementation of a system is not a quick fix. Today the challenge is to identify those different parts. Each business has its own special components. I will attempt to list the most common ones that occur in a atypical business and you can add those specific to your own firm.

Take a sheet of paper and write down a specific component. For example, these may all be at the top of a sheet: (I use the term customer to refer to a prospect or client)

• When a customer calls on the phone
• When a customer walks into your office
• When you receive an order over the internet
• When you receive an order away from the office.

Under each of the headings write down what happens next; use simple sentences for each step.
Using this format, start adding to the above list such things as delivery of product to customers; customer follow up; accounting and billing process, etc. This is a project that should be ongoing in your company, not to be completed in one day, but to be continually improved in each area.

Keep these and other work sheets you create in a notebook until you have defined a process in each step of your business life; then you can create a standard manual which is always subject to change and improvement.

Your goal is to become the next “Starbucks” in your industry.

ACCOUNTABILITY TRACKER
The Tuesday Challenge includes a regular review of your vision and implementing steps to get there.  Make sure that your Accountability Tracker becomes part of your daily business life.  Review Maximizing Your Membership accessible through your dashboard, to learn how to use BizQuack to build, profit, thrive, and survive.

Good habits take 90 days to form. Use your form for 90 days and you’ll be amazed by your progress!