Improvement

5 Ways To Increase Startup Process Improvement

Is your new business in a slump? Review these tips to increase process improvement for your startup venture.

Keyword(s): Process improvement

Upon starting a business there are many factors that can contribute to its derailed progress. A key factor to look out for is how business processes get conducted. Business processes are a series of segmented tasks that come together to achieve a given goal.

If you fail to optimize your business processes for efficiency then your startup venture may end up in a slump. To avoid such a situation it is high time to consider business process improvement.

So what is process improvement?

Process improvement refers to the proactive method of analyzing processes within a business. The reason for the analysis is to organize and optimize the various processes. The main aim for process improvement is to streamline your business processes. Such that every task within a process adds value to the goal.

If your startup business seems to be in a downward spiral, consider looking at your processes. If you are not aware of how to improve processes in your business you have come to the right place.

We have compiled seven essential process improvement steps you can use to get your business thriving. To learn more keep reading.

1. Analyze your Business Processes

Once you realize you need business process improvement, start by analyzing the processes that stand out as inefficient.

Analyzing business processes involves checking the steps each process follows. This allows you to discover where the inefficiency occurs and how it affects the entire process. This way you are able to

• Identify where the problem originates from
• Device an adequate process improvement strategy

Remember, an effective business process strategy involves

• Analyzing
• Identifying
• Fixing a problem within a given process.

Sometimes you have to commission or omit a given task in order for the process to become efficient.

When it comes to analyzing your current business processes, follow the simple steps below.

• Write down the process and make a note of why you deem it inefficient
• Break down the process into the individual steps it follows
• Vet the purpose of each task as well as its relevance to the process. If a task has no purpose or its relevance is in question then you have identified a potential problem.
• Make a list of the people involved in the process and access the tasks they perform

2. Improve on the Processes Related To Customers

Every time a client complains about something, chances are a business process needs improving.

When you begin process improvement for your business, it is advisable to start with processes that will improve customer experience. Start by looking at the business processes that have the most impact on a customer’s experience.

It could be the time it takes for a process to complete or the process doesn’t meet customer experience standards. Sometimes it is your UX that needs an upgrade. Make it simpler for customers to access your business processes.

You would get surprised by how much a good UX design can improve your business.

3. Simplify Your Employees Duties

A key problem with startups is that employees have to take up many obligations. This is due to a limited workforce. As a result, business processes tend to become sluggish. Sometimes they get tangled up because different tasks get handled by different employees.

If a business process involves different sets of people corresponding towards a single goal, chances are the process is inefficient. The inefficiency arises from the fact that there is no systematic approach to the process. Mainly because different people are working at different paces on different tasks. Yet the tasks need to get streamlined into a single process.

An effective business process improvement strategy involves minimizing the duties each employee performs. If minimizing their duties is not an option, try allocating related tasks.

You can organize your employees into groups where each group works on a single task. The tasks can get sub-divided into simpler tasks for each employee. The accountability for the entire process can lie on your most reliable employee.

The reliable employee can act as the coordinator or process director. They should mitigate and oversee the seamless integration of individual tasks. Thus combining the tasks into an optimized and efficient business process.

4. Consider Automation and Outsourcing

Automation is the new trend in business process improvement. Business apps have made it easier for business to automate processes.

For instance, cloud-based technology has made it simpler to share data. Cloud technology allows employees to access business resources and communicate remotely. Hence they can work remotely as opposed to having to come to the office to access resources.

Hence, automation allows your startup to improve its business processes. Thus boosting workflow and efficiency.

Outsourcing is another strategy for process improvement.

For processes that take up a lot of time and manpower, it is wise to outsource them. By outsourcing, you ease the work burden on your employees. Thus they are able to perform optimally on their regular tasks.

This allows you to focus on the key aspects of the business and save time on time-consuming tasks.

A few examples of how to use automation and outsourcing for process improvement include:

• Web and Cloud-based applications
• Online work-spaces
• Business process outsourcing

5. Concentrate on the Organization

In order to maintain efficient processes, you need to establish a process improvement strategy centred on preparation and organization.

This involves ensuring your employees have the necessary equipment, time and skills to perform their tasks. By providing the above factors, you guarantee that there will be no shortcomings in your business processes.

Organizing tasks in a systematic manner based on their priority is also another way to optimize your business process improvement. If your employees work on the tasks that are most important or time-sensitive, then the entire process will not get held back by any delays.

Conclusion on Ways to Increase Startup Process Improvement

Whether it’s a startup or an established business, it is essential to note that process improvement is a continuously evolving process. Hence, every year or a few months take some time to reflect on your business operations and determine how best you can improve.

You will need to keep up with business process improvement trends as well as to measure the performance of your business processes. The key here is to maintain an attitude of continuous improvement.

Are you looking to improve your business process by implementing the best business applications and design solutions? Get in touch with us and let us handle help you achieve your business processes improvement.