Developing Systems for Consistency in Your Business [Intro]

When I sit down and think about the companies whose services I use, the brands I buy and the restaurants I eat at, there’s a glaring similarity among them: consistency. Every time I buy, I know what I’m getting and it’s why I keep coming back. I bet if you look at the products and services you buy often, you’ll find the same.

Consistency doesn’t happen by accident. Profitable, growing businesses put consistency on the top of their priority list. They have strategies and systems in place for how to execute each area of their business with consistency.

What’s the payoff for consistent execution?

An exceptional customer experience that people rave about.
Repeat business and customer loyalty.
Referrals from satisfied customers.
Less time and resources are wasted in your business.

No matter if you operate a business on your own or have dozens of employees, creating strategies for consistent execution will help you sustain long-term growth and success. How can you start the process of developing consistency? Let’s take a look!

Where consistency counts.

There are specific areas of business where, if you lack consistency, you’re going to lose. These areas of your business should be your primary focus for developing systems for consistent execution.

Customer Experience. Businesses that succeed in delivering a consistent, positive experience every time have customers that keep coming back, tell their friends and are less likely to be price-sensitive.
The Transaction Process. Great businesses don’t just put on a good show for the customer. They also pay strict attention to the details of each transaction behind the scenes, and develop processes for consistency. Preparation and follow through are equally as important for business growth.
Housekeeping. This includes items such as marketing, bookkeeping, networking, etc. Things that don’t directly relate to making money. For small business owners, startups and sales professionals, we’re often the ones taking care of all of these tasks as well.

Developing consistency systems.

We want our systems for consistency to be repeatable and teachable. This will allow us to scale our business in the future if we decide to hire more people or expand our business by ourselves. When I create systems for consistency in my business, I start by:

Writing everything down. I know the steps that I need to take to deliver consistently, simply through my years of experience in business. But, when I write down those steps, I’m able to refer to them each time and avoid forgetting crucial details.
- HELPFUL INSIGHT: Walk through each process in your business and list it out on paper, step-by-step.
Making people aware. Consistency is more than one person; it’s your entire organization. As a solo business owner, it’s easier for me to control consistency. When I do receive help on projects, from my wife or other friends and family, I let them know about my processes. If you have employees, it’s important that each person understands the ins and outs of the systems and why they are so important.
Executing with intention. I refer to my plans every single day until they become engrained inside of me. Even then, I review and adjust my systems for consistency at least once a month.

[VIDEO SERIES PART 1] FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH, 2017 – Consistency for “housekeeping” items in your business.

Before things really start to heat up this Spring and Summer, I want to challenge you to develop systems for consistency in your business! Join me later this week for an in-depth look at how to develop consistency with your business’ housekeeping items. Those would include things such as: