How to Create a Powerful System that Operates Your Small Business

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur who wants to make it big in your chosen industry? Do you want to stay ahead of the pack and make sure you and your people are on the same page?

If your answer to both questions is a yes, then you better come up with something big—and no, it’s not just about the product or the service. What separates mediocre firms from world-class corporations isn’t just the quality or expertise of their employees. It’s the system—basically what keeps your business going.

What Exactly is this System?

Have you ever thought how brands like McDonald’s or Starbucks keep the quality of their products even across countries and cultures? How do you think a new employee working for these mammoth firms is capable of producing the same level of quality that their bosses require with only a few weeks or months of training?

‘World-famous fries’ and ‘handcrafted beverages’ have nothing to do with it. The system that these companies strictly follow that transforms employees into experts in their respective fields. And as a company owner, you need to place your system as the foundation of your business operations.

Simply put, systems are sets of methods, strategies, and sometimes, people, which help your company solve problems and achieve goals, resulting in better productivity and profitability.

How Do I Make One?

If you are starting a business because of a product or service, then there’s good news for you. You may not notice it, but you may already have a working system that you’re using to streamline everything. However, that does not mean you can’t improve it. The key is to work smart, not hard. Here are a few tips on how to create a more powerful and improved system for your business:

• Identify – The first step is for you to identify the particular tasks, activities, and issues that you want to deal with. It can be related to the production of your merchandise, marketing techniques, human resources, or even finance-related concerns.

For example, if you are aiming to improve your security system in accessing certain files, you may want to get face recognition technology or other advanced forms of biometric scanning. The key is to make sure there is a system that everyone in your company follows in order to achieve your objectives, and prevent problems.

• Analyze – After choosing an issue you want to systematize, you can now break down each activity associated with it. For instance, if you want to make a system for hiring employees, then you need to start from scratch—how to look, where to look, and which candidates qualify.

The next step may include the interview process and necessary examinations, to be followed by a probationary period for evaluation purposes. You can always copy proven systems, although it is highly encouraged that you create your own that would fit your specific needs.

• Brainstorm – This is where you’d think of ways, strategies, tools, or people to help improve how you handle a particular task or activity.

For example, some employers outsource certain services such as payroll or marketing so that they can have more time on more pressing company matters. Experts on these areas or those who already have tried and tested systems, handle these outsourced tasks, enabling them to work seamlessly and with very slim margin of error.

In some cases, you may better off checking out some of the latest business technology trends that can help improve your system and operations. These advancements in technology are becoming more important for companies that want to stay relevant in the midst of tough competition.

• Evaluate – Once your new system is applied to the particular activity, make sure to evaluate whether it’s actually helping your business operations or not. The last thing you need is spending on software, infrastructure, or people who are not contributing to your goals.

Evaluations should be done regularly to check whether your systems are still working or they need to be revised and updated.

• Improve – After checking the results of your implemented system, you may look for ways to improve the process and make it more streamlined. The evaluation and improvement stage are time consuming, yet essential in order to create a system that works perfectly for your company’s needs.

Once set, you can let the systems work for you, providing more freedom to focus on other things.

Create Your Business System Now

Setting up your business system should be one of your priorities if you want your business to succeed in the long run. Some employers and business owners who fail to do so end up burned out and exhausted because they have to check and take care of everything manually. An effective business system can do a lot of things, including securing your business against fortuitous events.

No matter how much you value your products or services, without a well-planned system to take care of the nitty-gritty issues, achieving your company objectives would be more difficult than you’d expect. So take a break from whatever it is you’re doing, sit back, and keep those analytical juices flowing to come up with your own powerful system.