Starting your own business is both exciting and exhausting. You’ve got a million and one ideas buzzing around, even more tabs open in your brain, and a what-seems-like a never ending to-do list that only seems to get longer. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Fortunately, there are straightforward methods for streamlining business processes to achieve smoother operations without sacrificing sleep or sanity.
Whether your business is just getting off the ground or you’ve been at it for some time and need to break away from the chaos, streamlining business processes can lead to significant savings in time, energy and most importantly, money. With that in mind, let’s break down the things that will actually make a difference and won’t require a business degree or take up too much of your time.
See what’s already working
Before you dive into anything else, you need to take a step back and look at how your business is running right now. What’s already working? What definitely needs improvement? Are there parts of your processes that feel clunky or overcomplicated?
You don’t need any tools or software for this either. Just sit down with a pen and paper (or a doc on your laptop) and write down all of the things you do each day. Then go through each process and ask yourself if it’s helping your business or whether you’re actually just wasting your time.
If (and when) you come across something that feels like it’s sucking all of your time and doesn’t do anything beneficial for your business, it’s time for a change. Or, you might even choose to cut it out completely. This initial “fat trimming” is a crucial first step in streamlining business processes. Once these inefficient elements are removed, you can then focus on further optimizing the remaining operations.
Automate the repetitive things
No matter what industry you’re in, every business has those boring administrative tasks that take up way too much time, but are important for your business. Things like sending emails and posting on social media take up so much valuable time, but help your business chug along. Luckily, these tasks don’t always need a human touch all of the time. That’s where automation can really save your bacon.
There are so many tools out there that can help you schedule emails or line up a bunch of social media posts. And, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to use them either. Most of them are very user friendly now, which means you can automate lots of monotonous tasks and get on with other tasks that will help move your business forward.
Imagine how much time you could free up if you didn’t have to spend half an hour scheduling for social media and then another twenty minutes replying to emails each day! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, automation can help with invoicing, appointment scheduling, stock reminders and so much more.
Outsource when you can
We all have those tasks that we can’t stand doing, and when it eats into your limited time, other areas of your business may suffer. That’s where outsourcing can be quite literally your best friend. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to employ someone full-time either. You can start small and get a freelancer to come in and do some bookkeeping for you or write a few pieces of content for your website.
Even if it’s just for an hour or two each week, you can concentrate on the other areas of your business that could really help move things forward for you. Not only that, when you’re not eyeball deep in tasks you hate, you’ll have more energy and motivation to focus on the parts of your business that excites you.
Say yes to artificial intelligence
AI has been around and widely available for some time now, but now it’s time to hop on board and take advantage of what it can do. Artificial intelligence is easy to use and it can do so much for your business.
Firstly, streamlining business processes can save you time through things like drafting emails, generating content ideas, or even help with customer support. Secondly, it can help you improve your business by looking at data and telling you which products are selling best, where your time might be being wasted, and even which products customers click on the most.
Like with automation, you don’t need any special qualifications to use AI either. Most of the tools are very user friendly and will integrate with the apps you already use. So, say yes to artificial intelligence and reap the benefits that come with it.
Keep your team in the loop
It’s easy to go off on a tangent and bulldoze through things yourself. However, if you’ve got a team, whether that’s employees or freelancers, it’s essential to keep them in the loop. And don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you need to schedule long meetings every week or micromanage anyone. All you need to do is make sure that communication is simple and effective.
It can be as simple as a shared Google Doc or even a group chat on Slack to make sure that everyone is up to speed with what’s going on. When everyone is in the loop, things will naturally get done faster and with fewer mistakes because no one is having to chase for updates or guess what they need to do next.
Ditch the paper trail
We live in a world where there’s quite literally no reason to be using paper files anymore. Everything is digital. And it’s about more than just saving the environment too (which is a great reason alone to ditch the paper trail). You don’t necessarily need a full-blown document management system either. All you need is a simple way to keep everything important in one place.
You can take pictures of receipts you receive with an app, send invoices by email, and store all of your documentation in cloud folders like Google Drive. Not only does going digital mean you’re doing your bit for the environment, but you’re also clearing clutter, and it means you can find things quickly when you need them. Just make sure you name your files well and you’re well away.
Make processes repeatable
Wherever you can, make your processes repeatable. Every time you do something in your business, take the time to ask yourself whether it would be easier if you had a template or a checklist. You’ll find that the answer will most always be yes.
You can do things like create templates for emails with your most common replies or write down the steps you take to onboard a new client. Even things like saving your most commonly used hashtags in a convenient place will save you so much time.
These small things might not seem significant individually, but they collectively contribute to streamlining business processes. And, if you do grow your business and hand things off to someone else, having these systems in place makes things so much easier. Even if you’re a solo operation, it saves your brainpower if not anything else.
Use the right tools for the job
There’s no shame in using tools to make things easier and faster. That doesn’t mean you need to sign up for every subscription out there, but a few well-chosen ones can really make things easier for yourself.
For example, you could use Trello for project management and to make sure that tasks don’t get forgotten about. And for things like managing customer relationships, you can use HubSpot’s free CRM tool. Take the time to test some tools out to see what works for your business. Don’t be afraid to ditch tools that create more work or complicate things.
Review and tweak regularly
When it comes to streamlining business processes, it’s not something you do once and then forget about it. You need to constantly be tweaking things. So, once a month, take the time to ask yourself what’s working and what’s not. Is there something that’s eating too much time? Is there a tool that you’re paying for that’s not worth it anymore?
It doesn’t mean you need to do a complete overhaul either. You just need to constantly make small tweaks for the better. And in time, you’ll notice business improves and things feel much more smooth.
Don’t over complicate things!
Ultimately, the core objective of streamlining business processes is to simplify operations. So don’t fall into the trap of overplanning or setting up ten different apps when one would do the job.
Start with the basics. Focus on where your time and money are going. Look at what drains your energy and try to fix that first. There’s no one-size-fits-all method here. Do what works for you and your business.
If you’re not sure where to begin, pick just one thing from this list and do that first. Then move on to the next. You’ll be amazed how much smoother things start to feel when you make even the smallest change.
