Standardized = Streamlined
Streamlining your operations doesn’t have to be a monumental task. In fact, some of the best changes you can make are often the most simple.
One of our favorite, simple ways to streamline a business’s operations is to standardize the way it collects information.
It’s one of our favorites because it not only creates efficiencies across your team and client experience, but it also facilitates the development and use of analytics–which you need to make informed, intelligent decisions in your business.
In practice, this can look like:
Implementing accountability with your sales and client services teams around what type of information to collect from leads and clients, as well as how, where, and when lead and client notes are entered into your CRM
Leveraging form-builder software tools to collect information about new leads/clients or applicants for an open role.
Whether it’s a new lead intake process that dictates what information must be collected, a client intake form on your website, a hiring application, or service call forms your field technicians fill out after every client visit, standardizing information collection is an easy win on the road to streamlined operations.
And with so many businesses relying on software to boost productivity (or at least trying to!), as you revise and standardize information collection in your business, it's worth asking yourself if you can leverage existing tech for this, rather than adding anything new into the mix.
Look for opportunities in your productivity suite’s form builder (Google Forms or Microsoft Forms), your website’s form builder, and even forms that originate in your CRM (that can likely be mapped to your CRM data fields).
Remember, these are meant to be simple shifts, not massive overhauls. Pick one thing you can streamline with a form or process and try it out. And then get feedback from your team–and even your clients if you can.
We often suggest a client intake form as a good starting point, but you know your unique business best, so begin with what works for you!
And if you need help along the way, this is a great project to bring to a Operations Sprint with us.