Knowing Small Business Fundamentals is KEY, when starting a new business or organizing an existing business. Fact is, with certain business fundamentals in place, many small business owners never get to second base, much less hit a home-run. Therefore, the dream of business ownership remains afar off.
In sports using a ball, no matter how great the player, they can NEVER take their eye off that ball. Moreover, to stay competitive, even superstars need to practice the fundamentals of the game, to stay at peak performance and avoid a slump. Therefore, coaches often remind players of those KEY fundamentals.
Coaches must teach, preach, coerce, plead, encourage, and (when necessary) REBUKE the team to help them succeed. If an athlete strays from the fundamentals of the game, there is always a price to pay. In like manner, there is a price for NOT adhering or implementing Small Business Fundamentals; the result is errors, rework, miscommunications, employee turnover, and customer turnover, etc.
Small Business Fundamentals No.1 | Systematize
To start systemizing, consider a couple of basics:
- Which employee opens your business each morning, turns on the lights, sets heat and air temperatures, etc.? Also, is there a control checklist for opening and closing? Are there procedures for setting or resetting the alarm system, etc.?
- Who answers the phone, and what’s the policy for phone etiquette? In other words, do they treat a caller like the most important person of their day, or as an inconvenience? Does the person answering the phone have instant access to necessary information to help a caller.
Processes can go on and on, but they’re not endless; therefore, they’re doable! Surprisingly, many small businesses DON’T take the time to consider these seemingly “small,” but all-important processes.
The above-mentioned processes are a few examples of HOW a small business operates. Moreover, how it operates from the time it opens in the morning until it closes at night. Therefore, writing step-by-step processes, and compiling them into an operations manual, is Organizing a Business via Systemization. In other words a TURNKEY business.
Most importantly, this organizational process is most essential in small business fundamentals; to achieve the dream of business ownership without the chaotic frustrations.
Uniquely, a systemized business can become a “Golden Goose” that keeps on giving without the owner’s constant onsite presence.
Small Business Fundamentals No.2 | Acquire Technology
According to experts, when small business owners acquire software for Business Operations, they utilize less than 20% of the software’s features. In fact, this is about the same failure rate as those small businesses wanting to implement LEAN MANAGEMENT. However, there is a fundamental reason for this under-utilization of the software; it’s due to LACK of a control processes to ENSURE proper and consistent use of the software. In other words, small businesses lack the “secret sauce” that most large businesses and franchised have implemented. Most importantly, sustains their largeness by sustaining their quality and service.
Small business owners should never stop seeking improvement and acquiring the right technology. However, to ENSURE full utilization of new technology, owners should have the right control systems in place. Therefore, ensuring the best return on their investment! In fact, our company implements control systems in job shop management software, quality control software, small manufacturing management software, and many more.
The System Buster Locator | Controlling the Systems
The “secret sauce” is a follow-up system that tracks non-conformance and locates root causes for non-conformance. In addition, this follow-up system ensures management implements the best practices for process improvements. Therefore, the process improvement may include utilizing the company’s Business Operation Software.
Furthermore, acquiring Business Operation Software or other software without a system of control, follow-up, and improvement is shoot-from-the-hip management. In fact, it’s just small-business-as-usual! We call our follow-up system the System Buster Locator.
Small Business Owner | Their Dream
In summary, the dream of small business owners is financial independence and having the time to enjoy those fruits of their labor.
Therefore, to achieve the dream spend the time needed to write step-by-step processes for how your business operates. To emphasize, how it operates from front to back and from opening to closing. Most importantly, give employees easy access to those processes and involved in writing, revising, and planning those processes.
Implementing detailed written systems in our first company, afforded me time to do many of the things I’ve dreamed about. Consequently, because of systematization in our company, we develop sophisticated organizational software and write extensively about systemology.
Did I mention? Great systems work!
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