Stop Reinventing the Wheel – Systemise It Instead

Introduction

Do you repeat explanations for the same tasks multiple times to your team members?

You have a bigger problem if your team members perform the same tasks differently, leading to inconsistent results.

That’s a systems problem. We are going to solve this problem during this week.

The development of how-to systems represents the essential step for creating a business operation that can function independently of your direct involvement. The goal of how-to systems is not to create bureaucratic hurdles. Organisations achieve consistency and operational efficiency through standardised procedures that enable growth.

Why You Need How-To-Systems

1. Consistency

Great service expectations extend to include the requirement of consistent delivery by every customer interaction. A system ensures that your outcomes remain dependable and consistent regardless of which team member performs the work.

2. Efficiency

When teams have easy access to well-defined procedures, they reduce their need to ask questions so they can focus more on their actual work.

3. Scalability

You can’t scale chaos. A system can grow in scale. Documented procedures create a faster and more efficient process for onboarding new staff members and delegating work as your business expands.

4. Business Value

A business with systematic approaches becomes more attractive to investors and future leaders, as well as buyers, because it operates independently from individual employees.

What Makes a Good System?

A good system is:

  • Simple – The procedure should be straightforward for users to understand and execute without unnecessary details.

  • Visual – Ideal documentation should incorporate screenshots together with flowcharts or short video explanations.

  • Accessible – Stored in a location accessible by all team members.

  • Reviewed – The system should evolve with your business through periodic updates.

  • Tied to results – Every system must connect directly to a quantifiable outcome.

Examples of Systems to Create

  • Sales Process – The sales process extends from lead acquisition through to finalising deals with clients.

  • Client Onboarding – The process of onboarding new clients starts after they sign the agreement.

  • Invoicing & Payments – The process of creating and distributing invoices together with payment follow-up procedures.

  • Customer Service Response – Includes guidelines for tone and timing alongside response templates.

  • Team Meetings – Structure, frequency, and roles.

You don’t need to build them all at once. Start your documentation effort with essential tasks that demand immediate attention or tasks you want to shift to others.

Taking Action

During this week, select a crucial business task which you perform repeatedly (or delegate to others). Document this process by writing it down using bullet points together with checklists and screen recordings when possible.

Then ask yourself:

  • Can someone execute this procedure without your direct involvement to achieve the desired outcome?

  • If not, what’s missing?

When you start creating business operations that operate independently, you will have completed your business transformation.

The final instalment of the 10-part systemisation series will appear next week when we discuss Management Systems as a means to maintain smooth operation.

Question:

What one business task requires someone else to perform it correctly the first time to bring relief to your workload?