Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your firm, or the effort required to squeeze any up-tick in performance? Are inadequate policies and procedures a root cause? To find out, take this simple self assessment to see if this may be inhibiting real growth at your company.
Q. Can you take an extended vacation without the company falling apart?
A. If you answered "no" then you have a job and not a business. A business must have a system of standard operating procedures to ensure the work gets done correctly, even in your absence.
Q. Can your company handle a ramp-up in sales and production?
A. Hidden inefficiencies are often revealed when sales and production increase. If low turns on accounts receivable and inventory, long sales or production cycles starve your cash flow, then something is wrong. Your policies and procedures should document cycle times for your critical operating metrics.
Q. Can you effectively add more people to your organization?
A. Hiring people is simple compared to ensuring they know what to do and have the resources to accomplish their job. Policies and procedures provide the framework for a management system to oversee new employees and communicate who does what by when.
Q. Does opening a new branch office, plant or facility create havoc?
A. Expanding your operations to new locations will test the limits of your policies and procedures. Did you know that franchises are four times more likely to survive than a start-up primarily because they have a well defined operations manual? Are you running your business like franchises run theirs?
Q. Is your family happy with your work life?ȍA. If your business demands too many hours, too much stress, and too little quality time with your family and friends, then you should do something about it. A well defined system of standard operating procedures can allow you take a vacation without worry, increase sales with ease, add people to fill demand, and open new offices without trouble. Then your family will be the happiest on the block.
About The Author
Chris Anderson is co-author of policies and procedures manual products, assisting in the layout, process design and implementation of the information. He is currently the Managing Director of Bizmanualz, Inc. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Southern Illinois University.
mail to:chris@bizmanualz.com
Visit: chris@bizmanualz.com
best cleaning company Lincolnshire ..You know you need a business plan. You probably realize... Read More
You have invested a lot of time and energy on... Read More
If you are a successful franchise of a large franchise... Read More
This will make some people angry as hell, but it's... Read More
The new check cashing instant clearing will take some time... Read More
In Ohio: besides the 3-Cs you should look at Akron,... Read More
Where would your business be without a proper plan? A... Read More
As a franchisor it is imperative that you seek, find... Read More
If you're a solo professional like I am, you know... Read More
It doesn't take a Terrorist Act, Tsunami or Earthquake to... Read More
Many movies have been made about the tragic story of... Read More
"Begin with the end in mind," says Stephen Covey in... Read More
Last week we talked about a few of the ways... Read More
Many of us are discouraged by the networking events that... Read More
When you start your program to purchase your "ideal" company,... Read More
Is there a 'magical' way to exponentially grow your business?It's... Read More
Let us look at a few of the big distribution... Read More
You might be thinking to yourself, "Why should I waste... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains Dynamics is excellent fit... Read More
Much of what we heard in the mass media about... Read More
Writing a business plan can be tricky when all the... Read More
GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300... Read More
A recent conversation started with a typical question, "How's business?"... Read More
Conventional wisdom has it that there are only three ways... Read More
Too much goal setting and strategic planning can leave you... Read More
on demand house cleaning Lake Forest ..1. Largest Selection -One way that you can make your... Read More
Business planning is widely acknowledged as one of the keys... Read More
If you are in the parking business and own or... Read More
A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join... Read More
( * - the word 'product' can be substituted to... Read More
After 128 years of business, a household word, Montgomery Wards,... Read More
Can you imagine going on a road trip without knowing... Read More
If you own a mobile franchise business and wish to... Read More
Businesses tend to avoid doing their annual business plan thinking... Read More
You might be thinking to yourself, "Why should I waste... Read More
Too much goal setting and strategic planning can leave you... Read More
Richard L. Daft one of the country's recognized academic leadership... Read More
Strategic planning and consulting is the strategy roadmap to manage... Read More
I'm not talking about posting the HBO schedule on your... Read More
Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your... Read More
Why cut costs now? Efforts are multiplying to cut costs... Read More
With a heightened awareness of opportunity, ideas can often be... Read More
The format of a Business Plan is something that has... Read More
Many business start-up kits or consultants will tell you one... Read More
How you finance the expansion of your business is important.... Read More
A recent conversation started with a typical question, "How's business?"... Read More
People often ask "What makes a good business plan? Or,... Read More
A survey released by the American Institute of Certified Public... Read More
No matter what product or service you provide you will... Read More
Fun From The StartFor those with the will to start... Read More
Strategic Planning |