Fusion Blog

The Real Value of Business Systems...

FACT: Most small businesses do not have the systems they need and as a result
            they are neither making the profits they should be nor reaching their
            potential market value.
FACT: When a business without systems has a problem, generally the only person
            who can fix the problem is the business owner.
FACT: If the business owner is always busy fixing problems the business will never
            move forward reach its full potential.
FACT: Business systems are easy to implement.

Having the correct systems in your business is an integral part of growing a business and although it may feel like an “elephant” task, when you chunk it down it is much easier than you think it is.

A system is just a description of how things are done in your business. Systems enable results and experiences to be duplicated they create a consistent experience for your clients (and clients love consistency!)

Whilst the project may seem daunting and not a high priority right now, there are many flow-on benefits for your business including:

   •   Increased profitability
   •   Increased business value
   •   Predictable outcomes for you and a decrease in stress levels
   •   Increased client retention
   •   Easier recruitment and a faster induction for new team members
   •   Less chaos
   •   Less wastage
   •   A better quality of life for your and your team

Implementing systems will have a direct positive impact on the value of your business. Systems will also give you greater leverage - a greater outcome for less effort. In fact, business systems are considered to be a key component of your business value multiplier.

So to help you increase both your profits and business value, I would like to help you eat that elephant by giving you a 6-step plan which will get your systems implementation project off to a great start.

Six Easy Steps to Increasing Your Business Value
1. Make a list of all of the positions in your business:
    E.g. Marketing Manager, Operations Manager etc. You need to create a
    manual for every position.

2. Assemble your systems manual shells:
    Here’s a suggested list of sections for your manuals:
       •   Business Overview
       •   Products and Services
       •   Policies
       •   Position Description
       •   Systems

3. Identify and assemble the company-wide manual contents:
    The Business Overview should have 4 sections:
       •   Business Background
       •   Business Story
       •   Organisational Chart
       •   Strategic Objectives

The Products and Services section should include a description of your products and services, ultimate benefits, positioning statement and unique selling points, company brochures, price lists, catalogues, leaflets and a basic competition analysis

The Policies section should include the “what and “why” of your business rules such as your Code of Conduct, Employee Handbook etc.

4. Identify and assemble position-specific manual contents:
    This will include the Job Description, Performance Appraisal and  Employment Contract.

5. Establish the systems:
    The systems are “how” things are done. Systems can include lists of steps, checklists
    and flowcharts. Your systems should be so clearly defined that anyone could follow
    them and undertake the task successfully.

6. Establish accountability for the master copy and a system to keep the
    manuals up to date.
    Someone needs accountability for updating the systems. This is not a “set and forget”
    process. Your systems should be constantly reviewed and updated as part of your
    standard operating procedure. This one thing alone will put you heads and shoulders
    above your competition.

To complete the project you will need a plan. It’s a good idea to create a master list of systems required and then make it a team effort completing one or two systems every week. And there is no better day to start this project than today…remember the ROI on this project is potentially worth millions to you!

Do You Want to Learn More?
To learn more about Business Systems and how to apply them in your business, we invite you to join us at our upcoming 1-day intensive workshop, Systems Mastery. Consultants charge many thousands of dollars to create business systems using the same refined processes that you will learn here for a fraction of the price. You will spend the entire day working “on” your systems and we will share with you some tools and templates to give your project a massive kick-start.

Systems Mastery is being held on Thursday the 22nd of September 2011. Your investment is just $495.00 and includes a 70 page manual, tools and systems documentation templates that you can implement straight into your business. Your investment is also covered by our 100% money-back guarantee. Don’t miss out… we will not be running Systems Mastery until October 2012. Click here to book now.

I look forward to seeing you there.