Scalability
If the restrictions and changes associated with COVID-19 have taught me anything, it is the need for a business to be scalable. I’m fortunate that my company is built around the provision of short notice and strict customer deadlines, so I have systems and a team in place to respond to a fluctuating workload.
However, it’s taken a lot of time and effort to arrive at a suitable structure and approach that allows the business to respond to demand. These are the areas I focused on to arrive at my business model – hopefully, my process may assist another business owner during these testing times.
Structure – Identifying the essential members of a team required to manage a project effectively and efficiently from start to finish, replicating this structure as project numbers fluctuate. Staff work from home which helps to minimize overheads, and the team’s complementary skill set allows for the flexibility of job sharing, holiday relief, and succession planning.
Systemisation – Developing official procedures for each work process to benchmark standards and create a quality control system, including reflecting on the challenges faced throughout each project and adjusting our systems accordingly.
Induction – Utilising an official procedure to educate new team members about the organisation and its work processes, conducting appraisals of individuals, and addressing ongoing training needs and career aspirations.
Automation – Reducing the need for tedious, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks by utilising tools such as templates and developing resource libraries, in addition to outsourcing fundamental components such as collation and printing.
Communication – Holding regular, short, structured team meetings and implementing an internal messaging system to promote the sharing of information.
Utilise a business structure that encourages automation and provides flexibility so that your organisation can respond to the ever changing needs of today’s world and be a valuable resource for your key clientele.
Author: Phil Dewick, Owner and Founder of Dewick & Associates