How can serviced-based businesses organise their business operations successfully? It is important to have a workflow and process if you are aiming for business success. Having this structure has made my own business successful, even though we still have to tweak things as we move along.
As a new business founder, especially in the service industry, you will often find you have free time on your hands, and without a workflow or routine, you are more likely to fill the time with nonessential activities. One of these is inspiration chasing, where you regularly and continuously look for content from successful people in your industry to get inspired. While it is nice to get motivated and inspired from time to time, spending time-consuming content rather than taking action will be inimical to your growth.
See Also: How to move from idea to starting your business in 30 days.
The thing is, you can be your own inspiration. Ensure you are genuinely learning and putting the lessons to practice to get value for the expended time.
To successfully organise your business operations, you need to develop a solid routine and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
In this article, we will look at how service-based businesses can organise their business operations successfully.
3 Tips For Developing A Solid Routine
1. Define your work days and business hours.
Will you operate five days a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., as perhaps the sole employee of your business at rollout? It helps to have some time off and vacation days built into your workflow so you do not burn out.
This creates not just a balance for optimal performance but also allows you to reward yourself for accomplishing tasks. It creates a positive vibe and gives you something to look forward to as motivation.
2. Develop a morning routine.
Set an alarm if you must so you do not oversleep. Personally, I am always at work before 8 a.m. except on days when I have out-of-office meetings. What has worked for me is to be out of bed at 6:30 a.m. and then start my day with a quick prayer and workout before a shower and a cup of ginger tea.
3. Set boundaries.
Stick to your business hours and close at the stipulated time. This helps guard against burnout as rest is just as important as work. Manage your time well enough to ensure you are able to get needed rest at the end of every work day (except when there are truly pressing deadlines for deliverables—and this should not be often).
Working long hours is often necessary in the early stages of a business, but the aim is to scale to a point where delegating tasks allows for shorter workdays. My own objective is to eventually hire a CEO to whom I can pass on my duties.
4 Ways To Use Your Routine To Become An Efficient Business
1. Create a template for your business proposals, contracts and invoices. Once you have a template, you can simply customize it to suit each client.
2. Dedicate set times within your work schedule for client sourcing, a vital part of your business. Choose particular days and hours for these efforts to maximize efficiency. Customer acquisition must be approached intentionally.
3. Utilize cloud-based tools such as Google Drive for file sharing and organization; these tools offer time-saving access from anywhere with an internet connection.
4. Incorporate project management tools to effectively track team progress and share updates with clients. These tools serve as an interactive and collaborative platform. Our team uses Trello for time and work management, and it has been such a great tool to track the progress of every team member.
Developing a solid routine is one of the ways service-based businesses can successfully organise their business operations. Next, we will look at developing SOPs.
4 Reasons Why You Need SOPs
Creating and implementing SOPs is paramount for optimizing business processes and achieving seamless workflows. Just as project management tools have proven to be invaluable for enhancing team coordination, SOPs play a pivotal role in ensuring consistency, clarity and efficiency across your organization.
SOPs have been instrumental in my business growth; here are the reasons you need to develop them immediately.
1. Documenting Your Process
By documenting your processes, you create a comprehensive guide that empowers your team members to perform tasks consistently and accurately.
At my own company, SOPs help us quickly onboard new team members. They also help teams familiarize themselves with established procedures, reducing training time and potential errors. Also, team members refer to SOPs whenever they need a refresher or encounter complex scenarios.
2. Facilitating Collaboration And Accountability
SOPs help create a culture of shared responsibility and accountability. When everyone follows standardized procedures, it becomes easier to identify and address any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the workflow.
Our SOPs have also helped team members better understand each other’s roles and responsibilities, fostering a cohesive and harmonious working environment.
3. Efficiency And Consistency
SOPs bring order to chaos, ensuring that tasks are completed methodically and consistently. Clear instructions and guidelines reduce the likelihood of mistakes and rework, ultimately saving valuable time and resources.
In our years of implementing and using SOPs, my team has streamlined our workflows and reduced the scope for errors. This allows our team to focus on delivering high-quality results and meeting client expectations.
4. Compliance And Risk Mitigation
SOPs offer a transparent and standardized approach to engaging with external stakeholders. When clients are confident in your organization’s well-documented processes, they are more likely to trust the delivery of their commissioned work.
Furthermore, SOPs can be instrumental in ensuring compliance with industry regulations and mitigating potential risks, safeguarding your business from legal and operational pitfalls.
Final Thoughts
Optimizing for productivity has been central to my business success. These two processes have helped us organise our business operations.
Establishing robust workflows and standard operating procedures is important for the growth and efficiency of service-based businesses. These practices not only streamline operations and facilitate teamwork but also enhance productivity by providing clear guidelines and reducing time wasted on nonessential activities.
By meticulously documenting processes, setting boundaries and utilizing project management tools, entrepreneurs can build a sustainable business poised for success and work-life balance.
This was first published on Forbes.com by Florence Chikezie, a Forbes Coaches Council Member.
How We Can Help You Register Your Business And Comply With Taxes Monthly
Send us a message on WhatsApp- 08188122223 or 08038874148 to help you with your business registration and tax compliance.
Our Essential Compliance Service Covers:
Initial Registration for VAT/TIN Certificate: Complete facilitation of your initial VAT/TIN registration process with FIRS and LIRS.
Initial Registration for PAYE, Business Premises, and Development Levy.
Monthly PAYE: Computation of PAYE deductible, remittance of PAYE, and filing of monthly returns.
Monthly VAT: Computation of VAT payable, remittance of VAT, and filing of monthly returns, taking cognizance of applicable tax laws.
Annual Business Premises and Development Levy Renewal
On-Demand Premium Services
Should your business require our ProMAX Compliance Service, which includes account preparation, auditing, and TCC filing, please contact us directly. This premium service is tailored to your specific needs and billed upon request.
Why Choose Our Compliance Services?
Peace of Mind: With our expertise, you can rest assured that your compliance needs are in capable hands.
Cost Efficiency: Save on potential non-compliance penalties with our cost-effective services.
Expert Guidance: Our seasoned professionals keep your business compliant amidst regulatory changes.
Get in touch today by clicking the Contact Us page or sending us a message on WhatsApp: 08038874148 or 08188122223.
How I Can Work with You to Start And Grow Your Business
If you want to work with me to start a profitable and sustainable business, then enrol in the Start Your Business in 30 Days Program. I will take you from idea to starting your business in 30 days. At the end of the program, you will get a registered business with CAC, logo and brand assets, admin set-up, one-on-one consulting sessions and more. Click here to enrol.
Every week, I teach practical business lessons that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. If you want to benefit from my teachings, click to sign up for the weekly business lesson here.
Promote your business to over 8,600 business owners who are subscribed to my newsletter by sponsoring my newsletter. Get in touch- Ebere@entrepreneurs.ng or 08038874148.
I am an internationally trained award-winning entrepreneur running three profitable businesses and a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council.
Also, I work with companies and established corporations to scale their impact and revenue. Reach us at Business@entrepreneurs.ng if you would like to transform your business.
See the different ways we can help increase your business success.
