Brian Calley President and Chief Executive Officer at Small Business Association of Michigan | Official website
Brian Calley President and Chief Executive Officer at Small Business Association of Michigan | Official website
Entrepreneurs and small business owners often face overwhelming to-do lists, with tasks ranging from client work to bookkeeping. Implementing effective systems can help manage these responsibilities, reduce stress, and achieve business success. Business systems are documented processes that provide step-by-step guidance for essential operations.
Effective systems aim to eliminate inefficiencies by identifying the best way to complete a process. These systems break down operations into steps, outline roles and responsibilities, and create documentation that serves as a playbook for teams. This approach promotes consistency regardless of who executes the process or when it is completed.
Karen Hairston emphasizes that reliable systems build trust with customers and team members alike. "Clients can expect professionalism and superb attention to detail every time they work with you," she notes. Employees also benefit from clear expectations on producing quality work through these systems.
Systems enhance productivity by removing redundancies and unnecessary work, allowing more focus on innovation and building client relationships. They also lay the foundation for scalability.
Hairston identifies five areas where businesses can develop core systems: client onboarding, service/product delivery, client offboarding, team management, and financial management.
Developing an effective system involves several steps: identifying specific needs, mapping current workflows, designing optimized workflows, documenting the system, testing and refining it, training staff, implementing it consistently, and reviewing regularly.
Recognizing when it's time for a new system is crucial. Signs include frequent mistakes in execution, bottlenecks causing missed deadlines, staff frustration with outdated protocols, customer complaints about inconsistencies or oversights, and leadership frequently addressing related issues.
Hairston concludes by noting that running a thriving business requires balancing many tasks but implementing robust systems provides infrastructure for growth while maintaining sanity. "With this commitment to developing effective systems," she states, "it’s entirely possible to have both a booming business and a life well lived."
By Karen Hairston; originally published in SBAM’s January/February 2025 issue of FOCUS magazine
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