Turning Problems Into Opportunities

We often say that creating systems and processes doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, and today, I want to share another example of what that can look like in practice. 

All businesses encounter problems–including businesses that specialize in creating systems and processes. 😉 And when a problem happens, after you get done apologizing to anyone involved and fixing the downstream effects, your next step is to determine what you can do to prevent that problem from happening again. 

Some ways you can do this involve creating:

• Routines

• Processes

• Systems

• Policies

And possibly all of the above.

Ultimately, you need to create some type of structure in your operations that will lead to that problem not happening again.

Let’s talk through an example of a problem and what solutions we’d recommend implementing so you can see how this comes to life. 

Problem: You just invested in new client relationship management (CRM) software and got it all set up with your templates + tested everything to make sure it's working how it should be. Shortly thereafter, you have a sales meeting with a prospective client and you send them a proposal using your new CRM. They respond to the email saying that they’re confused about how to navigate your proposal.

Solution:  Apologize to your prospective client, shoot a screen recording video walking them through how to navigate the proposal, and then implement the following into your Sales Process:

• Update the email template you use to send the proposal with a short sentence or two about how to navigate the proposal

• Update your Sales Process Standard Operating Procedure (or create one!) with a step for shooting a quick proposal walkthrough screen recording when proposals are sent to prospective clients

• Adjust your proposal template to provide clearer instructions about how to use it or how to navigate to additional sections or pages

• Example:  if your proposal has multiple pages and the submission buttons can be customized, change them to have direct language like “Submit + Next Page”

It’s as simple as that. And if you don’t already have a Standard Operating Procedure for your Sales Process and don’t have time to create one right away, then make sure you at least create a checklist. You don’t have to move mountains to make sure you get important steps recorded so they’re not overlooked! 

What’s a problem that has occurred recently in your business that you can turn into an opportunity? Book a Free Discovery Call–I’d love to brainstorm solutions with you!