Foundational Processes

ProcessesOperations and Running the Business
Written By Mollie Watkins

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How to Measure

Foundational Processes Comprehensive Consulting

Well-defined processes are the backbone of a small business' success. They not only guide the flow of the business but also bring clarity to tasks, ownership, completion, and purpose, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity.

There are various types of processes that are related to the foundational, core areas of small businesses, such as:

 

Running a business

An example of a foundational process for running a business is your business's payroll process. Ensuring you have a clear, defined process for payroll ensures everyone receives pay for their work and the pay is accurate to the time employees have logged. Here’s an example of a process for payroll:

On Thursdays at 2 p.m., Susan, the small business owner, enters payroll into QuickBooks (utilizing online time cards). At 3 p.m., Cathy, her admin assistant, prints checks and places them in the safe so that Susan can review them and then give them out on Friday.

This process allows for more than one set of eyes to check and ensure everyone is receiving the pay they are entitled to, allows for numbers to be double-checked, and sets the process to be complete by a set day every time. 

 

Marketing

Important marketing processes include ones that increase sales opportunities and improve follow-up rates. Here’s an example of a process for this:

On Tuesdays at 1 pm, Veronica, the office manager, runs a program that sends mail to prospects downloaded from a database within the agency. Then, she uploads the list of leads gained from the mail into a lead tool for follow-up by the salespeople. The lead tool includes a follow-up workflow to remind salespeople when to try again and when the lead is closed. Phone calls and activity logs are reviewed by the office manager and the small business owner on Fridays to identify opportunities for improvement, and they are then reviewed with the team members during one-on-one meetings on Mondays.

This process utilizes different programs and lists to keep track of every step, and it is followed up with reviews within the team to see where improvement can be made. 

 

Hiring/Onboarding

Finding employees that would be a good fit for your business is achievable with good hiring processes. Here’s an example of a hiring and onboarding process:

Jane, a small business owner, posts a position on LinkedIn on Monday shortly after opening. On Friday, she logs in to LinkedIn and creates a list of qualified candidates who fit the position's needs. The following Monday, Beth, Jane’s admin assistant, takes the list and contacts the potential candidates to schedule interviews throughout the week. On Thursday, after Jane and Beth have interviewed the candidates from the interviews, they meet to go over who they believe would be the best fit. On Friday, after a decision has been made, Jane contacts the candidate they believed was the best fit and schedules their first day to be the following Monday to begin the onboarding and training.

This process uses online hiring resources to narrow its search and filter candidates who fit the job requirements. After two members of the business's management look over and interview those they both see as good fits, they meet to make a final decision. This process allowed the search, interviews, and decisions to be quick and efficient so that the position was not left vacant for too long. 

 

Tips on how to maximize the efficiency of processes

Assign specific people to specific tasks

For multi-step processes, having the tasks split up and shared by multiple people can be beneficial. It can get more eyes on the system to catch errors, if there are any, and it takes stress off of all those involved because a whole process isn’t on one person’s shoulders. 

 

Standardize the processes

The best way to ensure that things are done right every time is to make processes follow a standard flow. The best way to standardize processes is to set completion dates, have a specific list of steps, and, if others need to be taught the process, teach it the same way to every new person. 

 

Document your business’ processes

Documenting your process can be helpful in preserving a paper trail, so to speak, in case little steps were forgotten or just to double-check what has been done.

 

Review your processes

Take the time to review the existing processes and see if there are any updates, changes, or new processes that would improve your business's performance. Reviews like this are best done quarterly or annually. 

For more information on processes in your business, check out these articles:

Your business has many processes that are vital to its smooth operation. It is incredibly important to maintain these processes and review them as needed. Whether your business is just starting out or has been around and just needs a change, or if you’re just wanting to make sure you have all your ducks in a row for your business’s processes, Comprehensive Consulting Solutions for Small Businesses would be happy to help you go over your business’s processes with you during a free consultation! 

 

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Mollie Watkins https://www.consultingnwa.com
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