Are You Inspecting What You Expect

Many small business owners have processes setup within their businesses to define how specific tasks within the business are handled. Examples of processes could include how leads are delegated, how service follow-ups are performed, and how lead follow-up is executed. Entrepreneurs will work with the team member (or members, depending on size) that will own the process. There may be a follow-up on the process once a month or quarter.

Some processes need follow-up on a daily and weekly basis compared to a quarterly basis – the team member or staff person is NOT THE BUSINESS OWNER and may not do the task exactly as the owner does. This causes discrepancies in the expectations of the process and the actual outcome or productivity of it. ​

In our experiences at Comprehensive Consulting Solutions for Small Businesses, we have noticed a significant gap between what business owners think their staffs are doing and what is actually being done.

Usually it is the ownership difference mentioned above, but could also be that the right staff aren’t in place. To ensure that processes are being completed correctly and efficiently and by the right team member, a business owner (or a manager of the employee, if not the owner) should INSPECT what they EXPECT on a weekly basis at a minimum.

We are not saying that business owners should micromanage every process - what we are saying is that business owners should understand (observe the process in action) and measure productivity to ensure processes are done correctly (measure calls, lead activity, etc), identify any problems proactively (before they blow up), and review feedback and process improvement opportunities with the staff member (individual one on ones or small number of team members at one time). These activities will ensure that small businesses’ expectations are the reality!

Some common realizations that come from business owners that INSPECT what the EXPECT -

• - There is too much on the staff person’s plate
• - The staff person has a lot of free time
• - The staff member is doing their job and the jobs of another staff member
• - Duplication among team members
• - There are missing pieces of the process
• - Identify opportunities to improve efficiencies
• - The staff member is completing the process as they understand or interpreted, but not how it was meant to be done (perception is reality)

We can help your business tackle this piece of your small business puzzle - call us today for more information at 479-935-2488!