Mapping processes within a small business can have such a significant impact on the growth trajectory of the enterprise. Yet so many small business owners overlook this very important area. It is not an easy or quick process but the benefits far outweigh the time or effort it takes to carry it out:
- Identify Areas to Automate
When you map out the processes required to undertake the activities within your business, you are able to clearly identify routine tasks which can be automated. The more tasks you automate, the more you reclaim your time for revenue generating or growth related activity.
- Increase Efficiency
Process mapping highlights inefficiencies. You can remove steps within a process that are unnecessary or redundant. This leads to increased efficiency, which leads to increased profitability.
- Quality Improvement
When you have defined and documented ways of carrying out business tasks, you reduce the chances of errors and mistakes occurring. You also increase the overall consistency in how your business operates. This will lead to improved quality and consistency delivered to your customers/clients.
- Quickly On board New Employees
New staff can be quickly on boarded into your business if they have clear processes to follow. Excessive time is not spent on training new members of staff or hand holding whilst they get up to speed. They can refer to the mapping documents or operations manual.
- Reduce owner reliance
When you map out your processes and document them in an operations manual, you create a blue print of how to run your business. Your team can rely on the systems and processes instead of you. Even if you don’t have a team, if you are able to automate and outsource areas of the business, this will lead to an overall reduction in reliance on you by the business.
- Makes the business more attractive to buyers & investors
A business that can only operate with the founder at the helm, is a vulnerable business. Buyers and investors don’t want to put their money in vulnerable businesses. If you becoming ill means that the business will grind to a halt, then the investor potentially may lose their investment. If the business will come to a standstill if you sell it, then why would anyone want to buy it? If you have an operations manual clearly detailing how to run key areas of your business, if you step away, the resource can be used to ensure the business remains operational.