Top Ten Business Systems Necessary to Run a Business Profitably Good systems support the business owner by helping him/her to make good decisions. Every business has several key systems that when run properly will help the business to be profitable. Monitoring the systems and watching key measurements in the system will help the owner to know when to make changes and when to keep doing the same things. Having an operations manual for your business will allow you to have one place to go when you want to redefine a process or update a key measure. The operations manual is also helpful to new employees as they begin to learn how your business works.
Marketing systems 1. Prospecting System – What are the activities that you participate in on a regular basis that generate prospective clients for your business? Once you know the answer to this then you can define a system that works for you i.e. it generates the number of prospects you need to fill your business with ideal clients or to sell your forecasted amount of product. Be sure to define the steps of the system clearly in your operations manual and then work that system consistently by tracking the results to insure effectiveness. (See measurement systems)
2. Prospect Conversion System – What do you do once you have a prospect to convert him/her into a client? Define the step by step method to move the prospect from having many questions to having a thorough understanding of the benefits of the product or service so that they are ready to sign a contract or make a purchase.
Accounting systems 3. Cash Flow System – How does cash flow through your business? Determine the amount of cash you need to keep your business running properly and then develop a process to review the cash flow periodically to see how the business is doing. Have a process in place to predict an excess of cash or declining amounts of cash. Develop methods to handle both conditions. This will help you to see why cash is so important to the life of your business.
4. Bookkeeping System – Keeping up to date with how your business is doing financially is imperative for the business owner. Keeping track of expenses will help you to make good buying decisions. Watching the inflows of your business will tell you if your Prospecting and Prospect Conversion Systems are working. This is an important system that can be done by using software or by hiring a bookkeeper. In either case the owner must look at the reports to understand if the business is profitable.
5. Billing System – Sending out bills on a regular basis helps to keep your business financially healthy. What are the inputs necessary for the bill to be generated? Be sure that those responsible for the inputs know when they are due and who gets them. Who is responsible for generating the bill? Define this important system and check to make sure it is followed properly. A late bill or a bill that doesn’t explain the charges clearly can create customer dissatisfaction.
6. Payroll System – Whether you are a solo with part time help or a company with many employees it is necessary to define the time frames and methods that you and your staff will be paid. It is important to determine who is responsible for this system and what the inputs are that are necessary in order to have the system work properly. A poorly run payroll system creates employee dissatisfaction.
Personnel Systems
7. Hiring System – Define the steps you take in order to hire each type of employee in your business. What must be done before the hiring takes place? What is needed during the search? What is the decision making process? Once a decision is made, how are the candidates notified of the decision? All these questions must be addressed in your hiring system.
8. Appraisal System – Each employee is entitled to feedback on his/her performance during the year. Most companies have a formal appraisal at the end of the year. There are steps involved in the formal appraisal process as well as the inputs to that evaluation during the year. It is important to have your own unique process that is clear to employer and employee.
Office Systems 9. Measurement Systems – Define the key measurements in your business and then a process to keep track of them through out the year. Each measurement must be reviewed with a particular frequency and adjustments made to the business based on the trends the measurements show.
10. Workflow system – Define how the work flows within your business. How does a client file flow through the office? How does the phone get answered in your practice and how does the call get handled? What happens when you take on a new client? How does the work get tracked? Who makes the decision when there are conflicts? Define the inputs of each employee involved. Where are the handoffs within the workflow? Look for places with no coverage and define it.
If you have good systems, your business runs more smoothly. Systems also help to identify problems that are impacting your profitability. With good systems you have time to do your work and have a life too!
Top Ten Business Systems Necessary to Run a Business Profitably - To learn more about this author, visit Alvah Parker's Website.
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Alvah Parker
(Visit Alvah's Website)
Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (The
Attorneys’ Coach) and a Career Changers’
Coach as well as publisher of "Parker’s
Points", an email tip list and "Road to
Success", an ezine. Subscribe now to
these free monthly publications at her
website www.asparker.com/samples.html
Alvah Parker began her career as a high
school chemistry teacher. She later
transition to a sales career at AT&T. As
a Sales Professional at AT&T for 15 years
she was elected to the prestigious Counsel
of Leaders for the top 3% of the sales
force. After leaving AT&T she
transitioned into a coaching career and
also volunteers as a SCORE Business
Counselor where she advises and counsels
small business owners.
Parker’s Value Program© enables her
clients to find their own way to work that
is more fulfilling and profitable. Her
clients are attorneys and people in
transition who want to find work that is
in line with their own life purpose.
Alvah is found on the web at www.aspar
ker.com. She may also be reached at
781-598-0388.
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