When establishing your business it is important that you set up your systems and procedures. The end result of solid systems and procedures is consistent quality that will keep your happy customers coming back for more. After all, if McDonalds can do it to ensure their success, why can't you? It just requires time and effort.
The first step to building your company’s systems and procedures is getting the big picture of what your business is all about. Many businesses start off with a 2 or 3 sentence "Mission Statement". Everything keys off of this mission statement. The way you run your business, the set up and the plans that you put in place, need to reflect the mission statement of the business, which is often a reflection of the way you live your life.
If your primary focus is simply selling goods to a client it can be easy to set up your systems and procedures. Why? Well, it has to do with the fact that your client is purchasing a tangible object. Before he or she purchases it the good can be tested, experienced, and compared with other products. So, if you are selling an item, or fabricating a widget, you are in for an easier road than if you decide to offer different services as part of your business plan.
Services are harder to produce a hard and fast set of systems and procedures for. Unlike selling goods, selling a service requires you to provide your client with an experience, and one that will benefit them at that. Solve their problems and make them feel good while you are doing it, and you are sure to retire a successful man.
If you are only selling goods it is likely that you will be able to quickly put a business plan in place that will work for the needs of your clients and promote better business. Setting up systems and procedures that work for selling services, on the other hand, might take a little more time and effort. Don’t get discouraged if you have to rework your business plan several times, or more, until you get it just right. Trust me, it is worth the effort.
