If you want a better small business, then you need better systems. Systems are how you move from the realm of vision and ideas into the day to day of how everything runs. Without good systems, you feel exposed and vulnerable. And when you’ve invested everything into building your business, you deserve more.
Typically, we find that initial systems don’t meet the business’s growing needs: gaps that result in lost sales and missed targets; stress caused by long hours and trying to keep up; and in some cases, firefighting and dealing with customer issues are a concern.
Looking for an in-depth guide on the Business System? Check out Business System: An Essential Guide to Growth. This guide explains what it’s all about, why it’s important to business, and the steps involved.
Organised
Systems is how a small business is organised to get work done. Every business must use its resources to create & deliver value to its customers. The business achieves that through how it organises and carries out work. That way, you get delighted customers and more profit when done well.
It’s not just for one part of the business. The whole business must work together. For example, you can’t deliver to a customer without making sales. Sales needs marketing. And you can’t do much without people and technology. So really, the whole business is one system made up of many smaller systems.
Growth and Profit
Every small business should set its sights on growth and profit, and systems help you achieve your goals. I was a co-founder in a start-up to scale-up, and as we took on more customers it was getting more chaotic. We had to create order to help manage all the moving parts. Our sales system was working well, but as we on-boarded more customers, other parts of the business had to catch up.
Profit is about using time and resources well. I find that there’s more waste when it’s disorganised. I also see poor organisation results in duplicating work or doing something that’s not needed. Good systems help you to focus and be more efficient.
The method behind your brand
If you’re a small business, you don’t want your systems to be the same as your competitors. You want a brand that stands out. That secret sauce is from capturing know how, methods, and what makes your brand special.
We can all have good intentions, but without commitment and action that’s all they are. In a small business it’s key to have systems so you can keep your brand promises. Systems enable you to be true to your word.
Excellence
So far, we’ve talked about being organised, planning for future growth, and delivering your brand promises. However, things are always changing, and that means constant innovation to keep up. Once you create systems for a small business, you must keep evolving. Making small and regular improvements creates excellence, and helps you be the best at what you do.
Finally
We have a methodology to help small business leaders get to grips with all their business systems and be more in control. If you’d like to have a chat, give me a call on 01344 266567 or contact me on rhounsell@kr5consulting.com or DM on LinkedIn to start a chat.
KR5 Consulting are an independent business consultancy specialising in business technology and transformation. We support senior leaders, looking to be more effective in harnessing technology to empower employees and improve customer experience.
If you’d like to explore the ideas in this article further or need help and advice, please contact Rogan at rhounsell@kr5consulting.com – to arrange an informal chat.
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