Introduction
My name is James Brookes, and I have extensive experience managing teams and implementing process improvements across organizations. Over my career, I've served as a General Manager overseeing over 100 employees, an Area Manager for 15 sites, and most recently, as Head of Business Compliance in the Telecoms sector. There, I successfully delivered ISO 9001 certification across multiple sites, enabling the business to work with major companies like Amazon and Google on a global scale.
As a certified ISO 9001 auditor and process improvement consultant, small business owners started approaching me, tentatively asking, "Well, how do I get to work with Google and Amazon?"
The answer is simple, yet challenging to achieve - you need a consistent, world-class product or service that these large companies want. ISO certification simply opens the door to do business and proves the quality and consistency of your offerings.
So how do you create consistent products and services? Let me explain further...
The Problem
Businesses struggle with consistency and quality without processes. When a company lacks documented processes, quality control suffers. Each employee may have their own way of completing tasks, leading to inconsistencies. Without standardized procedures, there is no unified approach for how work gets done.
This variability in methods and quality often stems from a lack of training. New hires may not receive thorough onboarding on exact protocols. With no set guidelines to follow, they rely on guesswork. Even long-time staff may deviate from original practices, as institutional knowledge fades. Unwritten tribal knowledge gets lost as employees leave.
Lacking processes also hampers efficiency. With no playbook for performing repetitive tasks, employees waste time figuring things out. They may take longer routes to achieve goals, duplicating efforts. Without clear procedures, there's no shared understanding of the best sequence for workflows. Valuable time gets squandered reinventing the wheel.
In summary, businesses without solid processes face major struggles with consistency and quality control. They strain to deliver uniform products and services. Customers receive inconsistent experiences. And productivity suffers from inefficient operations. Documented processes are essential for managing quality, enhancing consistency, and optimizing workflows.
The Lego Analogy
Let's imagine giving a group of adults the same Lego kit to build a Porsche 911 model car. Instead of providing instructions, we put up a picture of the completed model and ask them to replicate it.
What would happen in this scenario? Despite the initial excitement of playing with Legos, frustration would quickly set in as they try to assemble this complex model without guidance. The quality of the final products would vary wildly, from decent to terrible. The time required would range from lengthy to incredibly long. Morale would be low, especially when receiving feedback on their work. Most importantly, the end result would look completely different than what was expected.
This analogy demonstrates the variability that occurs without established processes. When left to interpret requirements on their own, different people will naturally take different approaches based on their backgrounds, preferences, and assumptions. The end products will be inconsistent in quality, take longer, and frequently miss the intended goal.
Having clear instructions, like those provided in Lego model kits, helps align everyone to produce the desired output efficiently.
The Entrepreneur's Journey
The journey of an entrepreneur typically starts out strong. You're a small team, maybe just consisting of you. You're in full control as you learn your craft and develop a product or service that works.
Things start to get tricky as you begin growing and recruiting new employees. Now you have to teach each new person how to deliver the same service or product exactly how you do it. This story repeats with every new hire.
Before you know it, you have a Lego experiment on your hands. Your business becomes inconsistent since every employee does things slightly differently. Quality varies, and it takes more time to complete tasks without standardized processes.
What once worked smoothly as a small operation becomes fragmented as you scale. The lack of documented processes means your team lacks alignment. Everyone pulls in different directions, leading to mistakes, wasted time, and frustrated customers.
Growth exposes the cracks in businesses without efficient systems. Days become consumed with firefighting instead of strategy. As an entrepreneur expands their team, they lose control without processes to guide consistency.
Big Business Success
Successful companies have processes and systems in place to ensure consistency and quality across all areas of their business. As companies grow from a small start-up to a large enterprise, implementing standardized processes and procedures becomes critical.
Without documented processes, employees rely on tribal knowledge and make decisions based on past practices or preferences. This leads to inconsistencies and inefficiencies. As a company expands, these problems are amplified as more employees join without an understanding of how things "should be done".
Large corporations recognize the need for process documentation and management systems. They invest resources into mapping processes, writing procedures, and training employees. This provides clarity on responsibilities, sequence of activities, inputs and outputs, and performance metrics.
Having these systems provides many benefits:
Consistency - Services and products are delivered consistently regardless of employee. Customers have the same experience across locations.
Efficiency - Documented steps and automation improve efficiency. Employees waste less time figuring out what to do.
Training - New hires can get up to speed faster by learning the established processes.
Compliance - Following documented processes ensures compliance with regulations.
Continuous Improvement - Metrics help identify issues. Processes can be optimized over time.
In summary, successful large companies rely on documented processes and management systems to scale while maintaining quality.
ISO 9001 Overview
ISO 9001 is an international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). It provides a framework that organizations can follow to set up an effective QMS.
The goal of ISO 9001 is to help organizations ensure they meet customer requirements and statutory and regulatory requirements related to their products or services. It focuses on the effectiveness of the QMS in meeting customer expectations rather than the quality of the products/services itself.
Some key principles of ISO 9001 include:
Customer focus - The primary focus is meeting customer needs and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Leadership - Top management must be involved and committed to the QMS.
Engagement of people - Employees at all levels need to be competent, empowered and engaged in the QMS.
Process approach - Managing activities and resources as interrelated processes improves the organization's effectiveness and efficiency.
Improvement - Organizations must continually improve the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the QMS.
Evidence-based decision making - Decisions related to the QMS must be based on analysis of data and information.
Relationship management - Managing relationships with relevant interested parties can lead to sustained success.
By implementing an ISO 9001-based QMS, organizations have a framework to build in quality from the start, thereby reducing costs and improving productivity over the long term. Certification to ISO 9001 demonstrates commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
Increasing Quality
Processes are essential for improving and maintaining quality in a business. When consistent, documented processes are in place for all major activities, employees know exactly what is expected to deliver a quality result.
Without clear processes, quality will vary widely based on each employee's personal approach. One worker may produce excellent work, while another is mediocre. Customers will have inconsistent experiences.
Implementing standardized processes reduces errors and defects. Each step is defined, along with proper techniques, equipment, and materials. Employees can be quickly trained to follow the process correctly.
Processes also enable easier identification of problems or gaps that may be reducing quality. Data can pinpoint where deviations from the process are occurring. The process can then be improved to address those issues.
Overall, well-designed processes significantly improve consistency and quality. They reduce variation between employees and ensure customers reliably receive your expected level of quality. A focus on continuous process improvement enables quality to steadily get better over time.
Reducing Costs
Having defined processes and procedures in place allows a business to reduce costs in several key ways.
First, processes create consistency and efficiency. When employees have clear guidelines to follow for each task, they spend less time figuring out ad-hoc solutions. They can simply reference the process documentation and follow the prescribed steps. This reduces wasted time and mistakes, which translate into lower costs.
Second, standardized processes require less manager oversight. Managers don't have to constantly check in on progress or micromanage how work gets done. The process acts as a guide, freeing up manager time for higher-level responsibilities.
Third, processes improve accountability. With defined procedures, it's easier to identify where any breakdowns or bottlenecks occur. Responsibilities are clear, so corrective action can be targeted. This root cause analysis saves money over time.
Finally, processes enable training new hires faster. Following a documented procedure is easier to teach than tribal knowledge. Quickly onboarding new staff reduces HR overhead expenses.
In summary, well-designed processes powered by a quality management system lead to greater efficiency, productivity, and accountability across an organization. The cost savings can be substantial, especially as a company scales.
Increasing Revenue
Consistency and quality are key to increasing revenue for any business. When you have standardized processes and procedures in place, it ensures every product or service delivered meets a certain baseline of quality. This builds trust and satisfaction with customers, leading to repeat business and referrals.
On the other hand, inconsistent quality will lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of sales. For example, if a customer has a great experience with your company one time, but a terrible experience the next, they will be unlikely to return. Or if they receive a high-quality product one purchase, but a defective product the next, it damages your reputation.
By implementing quality management processes, you reduce variability and ensure customers receive the same great experience every time. This drives up sales through improved customer retention and word-of-mouth marketing. Satisfied customers are much more likely to recommend your business to friends and colleagues, allowing you to gain new customers without additional marketing costs.
In summary, consistency enabled by quality management leads to satisfied customers, repeat business, referrals, and higher revenue. It's a critical component of scaling up any successful company. Rather than chasing new customers, focus first on delighting your existing clients through standardized quality and processes. The revenue will follow.
Conclusion
In summary, small businesses often start off strong with the founder's vision, passion, and direct oversight. However, as the business grows and more employees come on board, inconsistencies and inefficiencies creep in if proper processes are not in place. The Lego analogy illustrates how quality, timelines, and morale suffer without clear instructions and standards.
Like successful large corporations, implementing policies, procedures, and standard ways of operating is critical for small businesses to scale up smoothly. A quality management system approach based on ISO 9001 principles helps create consistency, reduce costs, improve quality, and boost revenue. It provides the "instruction manual" for staff to build the business predictably and efficiently.
Small business owners should not wait to implement processes and systems. Doing so from the start will pay dividends in the long run with happier customers, employees, and bottom lines. Begin mapping your business's core processes today to build a foundation for sustainable growth and success.
If you want to work with us, implementing business processes to help grow your business, or implement an ISO, simply tap the button below and get in touch.