Operations are a core function of running a business well. They can also become bottlenecked, a time drag, increase costs and interfere with the productivity and success of other departments. Bottom line, operations that are not functioning well cause your company to lose money. 

Small business owners focus daily on multiple aspects of running their businesses, and it is easy for operational practices to start to slide. It can become one of those “I will get to it, I’m putting out fires elsewhere”. Sometimes it is a quiet problem that silently grows, like a weed in a garden. You are busy, marketing efforts get set aside, customers complain about excess packaging on products, and you pay invoices only when and if you remember. The list can be long, but it has negative consequences if business operations are an afterthought.

What Are Business Operations?

They refer to all the day-to-day activities a company performs to keep running and deliver value to its customers. These activities are the key to ensuring a business produces its products or services efficiently, strategically and meets its goals. Operations are the backbone for supporting innovation, maintaining happy customers, monitoring the external market and staying current with regulatory requirements. 

Operations are the company vision and strategy in action.

The goal

To run the business smoothly, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and ensure consistent results. 

Operations include all functional areas

• Sales and marketing

• Product or service delivery

• Finance and accounting

• Customer service

• Administration and HR

They involve systems and processes

• Standardized workflows (this is where Standard Operating Procedures are used)

• Tools and software

• People (employees or contractors)

How to Make Business Operations More Effective

1. Keep it Simple 

In the information age, with overwhelming amounts of data coming at us, it is easy to get “shiny object syndrome” and get distracted by the next best app, AI tool and social media trend. When chasing a quick fix, buying software you don’t know how to use, with no plan to implement it, means problems don't get solved in your business. Learning and exploration are very valuable, but they can also lead to overwhelm, distraction and losing sight of what you really need.

The market is flooded with what everyone is selling - that is business. Your interest must be in what works for you and what you need to operate effectively currently and in the future. The less complex your system and processes, the easier it will be to troubleshoot and fix issues when they arise.

2. Assess and Clarify What You Need

What is working well for you, and what is not? Take a look at your business and what feels good. Are revenues growing, you’ve hired great talent, and your workflows streamlined? Are there areas that are struggling? Perhaps customer service is inconsistent, there is no system for financial management, projects are frequently delayed, and problems with quality control. To solve the problems, you need to identify what is going on - not just the obvious on the surface, but deeper.

Look under all the layers and see what is what. Then you aren’t band-aiding a deeper problem by settling for the obvious. Ask questions, listen, look at data, and follow the clues. Some fixes will be easy and quick, others will require a project plan to get sorted out.

3. Set Up Basic Systems and Tools

When setting up operational systems, don’t overlook a simple system or a favourite tool that you already know how to use. A basic spreadsheet can take you a long way. Don’t discount the power of Excel or a Google Sheet if that is what you know and are comfortable using. Automations with specialized software can be highly valuable, but they only work if they are the right ones for you, are set up properly, and you know how to use them. 

Examples of simple common tools I often see clients using: Microsoft Office 365 or Google Workspace (for tracking, emails, reports, documents), Asana or Trello for project management, Wave or QuickBooks for financial management, ChatGPT or CoPilot to prompt quick, simple ideas and templates.

When I first started out in online business after years in traditional office settings, I spent too much time looking for the right financial software for my business. In the end, I stayed with an Excel spreadsheet and a few years later moved over to bookkeeping software. This saved me a lot of time, expense and stress than taking on a new software I didn't need in the early days. I had worked as a bookkeeper previously, so an Excel spreadsheet was easy for me and my tool of choice at that point in my business. 

4. Track Analytics and Review Regularly

This is where Standard Operating Procedures come in handy. When you have a system in place, you can set up tracking and more easily diagnose what is working and what isn’t because you can see a pattern that tells you a story. Further, you can assess the energy, time and resources that will be needed to solve the problem.

For example, monitor your key performance indicators, check marketing statistics on your website, client outreach, acquisition, and retention. It is important to have a routine for tracking all areas of your business operations - monthly and quarterly financial reviews, goal tracking, and indicators for strategic alignment.

5. Delegate or Outsource 

As business owners, we cannot do everything ourselves or expect to be good at all areas of the business. If we try, we will be miserable, and the company will lose out on tapping into our best talents. Having the right crew to support you in your business allows you to draw upon support and bring the best skillsets and personalities to your company.

For example, if you don’t like preparing marketing content, have a VA or a copywriter take the digital marketing tasks off your plate. If you struggle with technology, bring in a tech specialist, or have a tech-savvy staff member manage it for you. It is smart business to recognize your strengths and your weaknesses. The beauty of the virtual business world is that you can access fractional help for small to large projects, and you don’t have to pay for the overhead of a full-time employee. If you have a rockstar team already in place, lean on their strengths and remember to tell them how much you value having them on your team. After all, happiness matters for you and your staff. Feeling fulfilled, inspired and growing in who you are means your business will respond in kind. Lean on your strengths and outsource the rest.

Conclusion

Business operations are the hub of your day-to-day activity in your company. They can have a profound positive and negative impact on the healthy functioning of your business. They can significantly affect your results and company sustainability. Your bottom line suffers from ineffective, costly, time-consuming operational practices and systems. By taking a look at the five simple ways to manage your business operations, you can work to improve your results. The key is to keep things simple, assess, make decisions, track and delegate when needed, and put best practices in place to thrive.

Feeling like you are in over your head with business operations? 

Click here for a FREE 20-minute call with me, and we’ll have a look at what you are struggling with. I can advise you on what direction to take to start getting things sorted out simply and easily.