The systems and processes involved in the operation of your business can be the cornerstone of your success. At the same time prove to be an Achilles heel. Especially if they’re outdated or inefficient.
Although there are many businesses that may (and often do) rely on similar systems for sometimes years at a time, knowing when time to freshen up can prove critical in improving daily operations. In turn, prove integral when staying competitive and positioning your company for long-term growth.
There are five red flags, some more obvious than others. If any or all of these sound familiar perhaps it’s time you start considering a new way forward.
Frequent Technical Failures And/Or Data Loss
The first issue most businesses notice are a combination of system failures leading to data loss. If consistent failures or the loss of information is something you’re dealing with frequently, ask yourself:
“How long since our systems were given a full update?”
This is especially prevalent in 2018 where new software and tech is released so regularly
“When was the last time I updated my website or the platform it runs on?”
Same goes for online, where new integration and analytics tools are available to the market every week.
Bottlenecks And Backlogs
When workflow and operations bottleneck and backlogged work begins to overwhelm – frustration mounts for both clients and employees. If critical tasks or business needs feel like they’re bottlenecking, it’s important to ask yourself questions like:
- Where are the bottlenecks occurring?
- Are they temporary, or more ingrained and widespread
- Is there a way to replace the current system to eliminate the backlog created as a result of bottlenecking?
Not Delivering
Missed deadlines, botched service or not delivering what was promised to clients is another warning sign that your business or systems are no longer functioning. When delivery failures start feeling like an occurrence rather than an anomaly, ask questions like:
Are we failing to deliver in the same way or are we missing the mark in a multitude of ways?
At what point in the customer journey is the failure occurring? Note that the onboarding process during which consumer expectations are set could be just as problematic as delivery-related processes. Given that consumers may not be upset until the end of their experience with your business, it can be easy to overlook the initial interactions/client related processes.
Loss of Employees
Outdated processes and systems can and will impact employee satisfaction and retention. For example, when your systems are outdated it leads to additional work (often tedious or unnecessary) and that then leads to dissatisfaction and thoughts of working elsewhere. If your business is experiencing a high employee turnaround, then some things to consider are:
- Is the company supportive of changes/suggestions of change?
- Have employees asked to do things differently? Or has there been a window available for these suggestions to occur?
- Do staff generally enjoy the tasks in front of them?
- Are there systems I could put in place to facilitate my employee’s jobs and improve their job satisfaction?
Loss Of Clients
This naturally stems from the failure to deliver, and in most (if not all) cases, a surge in clientele loss will be seen as a big red flag by business owners. When analysing whether the loss of business stems from your processes, things to consider are:
Is the business able to promptly and correctly address client communications and/or concerns?
Where in the client experience are people finding the most issues?
It’s Time For A Change
The benefits of updating your systems and processes are:
- Better use of business resources
- Improved training for new staff
- Better staff satisfaction leading to better staff retention
- Resolving technical issues that may be turning clients away
- More time to focus your time and energy on your product or service itself
While I can’t speak for the performance of all your systems, if you’re finding your payroll solution to be inefficient or outdated, then Aurion provides an array of solutions to fit any need. We’ve been at it for almost three decades serving some of Australia’s largest clients, why not get in touch and let’s work out a tailored solution for you!
