Discover 5 of the Most Common Business Process Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them
Having great business processes is crucial to business success, especially if you are first starting out. Creating templates or checklists of how each mission-critical task needs to be formatted or carried out, for instance, can save a lot of time and money, and keep everyone on the same page.
Having said that, if you do it wrong, the creation of business processes can actually hinder your success.
How can you ensure that your business processes actually help rather than hurt you? Make sure you avoid these five mistakes.
Mistake #1: No Overall Model, Only Details
It’s common for people to only focus on the details of how to perform specific tasks. Unfortunately, if your business processes don’t have an overall model or goal, the details will be disjointed and inappropriately applied by staff. You will get stuck in the weeds, and not be able to see the 40,000 foot view.
Every business process should be part of a bigger business model or philosophy. The process is the “how” of running a bigger system. Just having a bunch of “hows” without a “why” is a recipe for disaster.
Mistake #2: The Processes Are Technology-Based
Great businesses use technology, for sure. But what if that tech goes away? Your process should be able to be completed with any tools, free, preferably, or paid. It will save you a lot of time and money and help avoid frustration having to learn yet another new kind of software.
Let’s say you have an expense tracking process. The process should focus on the step by steps of tracking expenses, rather than the software itself. That way if the software ever fails, disappears, or you switch to a new system, your employees will know how to perform the actual tasks, rather than just push the right buttons.
Mistake #3: Not Enough Details
Your business process documentation should be detailed enough that a person new to the job could operate the process with a little guidance. Have the people who are best at the task create step by step documentation. Review it yourself. If you can’t follow the instructions, chances are a brand new employee won’t be able to either. Tweak as needed. Share in Google Drive so everyone can have access and input.
Mistake #4: Documenting Untested Processes
Not everything in your business should be documented. In fact, you should only document a process once it’s been proven and refined. When you are sure it is up and running properly, then you can create the documentation. Otherwise, you are writing a lot of instructions that no one will ever need.
Mistake #5: Neglecting Human Relationships
Finally, remember that processes often involve human beings. You want something that will be “foolproof.” This means anyone should be able to do what is required without a lot of training or oversight.
Imagine you have a process for handling fulfillment when you’re shipping a new product. The documentation might cover how you handle order volume, how to get samples from fulfillment, and so on. However, the documentation might not include how to actually interface with the people who run your fulfillment house, and this can be very important, because good relationships with the vendor who help keep you in business is key.
These are five of the most common mistakes business people make when they’re automating, documenting or designing business processes. Avoid these and you should ensure the smooth running of your business no matter how many people are in your company.
