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Use Systems to Systemise Profit

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Systems will help you steer your ship more easily, ensure consistent levels of service, and leave you and your staff with much more time to focus on growing the business, because systems ensure you don’t have to “manually” think in detail about every single task that needs to be done.

Be in no doubt, systems are vital!

Case Study:

How do certain burger chains manage to run their restaurants so well and make so much scrummy profit when it is being run primarily by gangly, pimply, hormonal teenagers?

How do they produce consistent food that always tastes the same and looks the same, no matter which country you go to? How do all the restaurants all look the same, get the same posters in the windows, with easy to use tills that look and work the same, no matter where you go around the world?

The answer is super simple systems!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could deliver outstanding customer service and amazing results on every single job you do without even thinking about it?

In the years I have been developing my businesses, all the marketing, newsletters, sales letters etc etc have all gone out on time, with no headaches or fuss.

My businesses continue to grow, even though my focus is elsewhere.

How?

I have super simple systems written on my office wall which are clear and concise, and helps me do everything I have to do, when I have to do it, without even thinking about it. My staff also have systems they follow, on paper, in the “Office Manual.”

What’s more, it’s so easy to change and adapt too, so that if I think of something else I can do for my customers, or something I want to change, I simply add it to my system, which I then use to follow the new routine consistently.

Service consistency is VITAL to your business success. Consumers would rather have a consistently good service, than great service one time and terrible service the next time, because people will be too scared to choose you a third time in case they get terrible service again.

Even though I have been selling carpets since 2004, because I still follow my own systems to the letter on every customer transaction, I can confidently ensure high levels of customer service are achieved and maintained. I can also ensure the fitter knows exactly what he has to do, where he has to go, what colour door bars he need etc. In fact, over 90% of all job go perfectly because I follow the systems I have developed over the years.

The best way to ensure consistent results and quality is achieved time and time again is to quickly establish systems.

Proper, easy to follow, written down routines and systems.

Systems not only ensure that everything goes smoothly but also reduces the possibility of forgetting to do something. After all, everything you need to do is written down so all you need to do is follow the system!

Hang on though … I am a one man band – it’s just me in the business – why do I need to do this?

Even if it is just you in your business you must still establish systems to ensure that, even if you are having a really bad day, or your mind is on something else, or you gerbil has died, had an argument with your Mum, or you just got out of the wrong side of the bed, you can still deliver knock your socks off customer service, just like every other day when everything was so much better. Without even thinking about it!

Just think:

  • Orders go out exactly like they should
  • The relevant people are called on time
  • Advertising and marketing all gets done on time
  • Your books are kept up to date
  • Your orders are flawless
  • Your business runs and grows with little “manual” thought power …

… and the list goes on.

Now, think back to that burger chain we mentioned at the beginning. Do they sell the best burgers in the world? No. Do they guarantee the best food, the tastiest food? No. People go there because they know what they are getting, because they have tasted their menu before, and like (but probably not love) the food.

Product and service consistency will show potential customers you are a business to be trusted. Here is an example of a very basic system.

Say, for example, you get a new order … what do you do?

You simply follow the “New Order System” that works for you and your business; something like this:

NEW ORDER SYSTEM

  1. Book date in diary
  2. Send worker job sheet
  3. Order stock
  4. Book it in the business diary
  5. Put it in managers diary to spot check the following day after work completed
  6. Organize work force as necessary
  7. Send invoice
  8. Send email confirmation to customer to confirm time / date
  9. Send maintenance and service manual over email

So, when you get an order, you go through this exact system every time to get the perfect result, every time.

Once you have your system, however that system looks for your business, put it in your training manual, put it on the wall, and make it part of your work process to follow this every time you get an order, no matter how often this task has been done before, and no matter how long any particular member of staff has been with the company; after all, do you know exactly when any one of your staff may go ill and need cover?

Your business system is your checklist to ensuring consistent service, no matter what else happens in your business.