5 Ways Small Businesses Benefit from Consistent Processes

It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. That may be true when it comes to living life, but not necessarily when operating a business. A business thrives when repeatable, predictable, unchanging processes are in place. Why? Because they enable a company to deliver goods and services consistently, at a profit. 

Let’s look at our friend, the local pizzeria owner, to see how this works. 

The question we’ve asked a lot lately is, How Does Your Project Taste? It’s based on the premise that a pizzeria owner frequently asks customers how their pizza tastes during the course of a meal, in order to maintain consistency of process. How do consistent processes benefit the pizzeria? 

1. Builds Trust - When you order your favorite pizza, you hope to get the same great tasting pizza every time. It’s why you spend your money again and again at a particular restaurant. The dough is made the same way, the right amount of sauce and cheese is slathered on the dough, which is then complemented by the perfect ratio of toppings. Every. Single. Time.  
2. Provides Stability - It takes well-trained employees to deliver the perfect pizza each time. Think about the chaos and frustration that would occur if pizza baked at 425° for 15 - 20 minutes sometimes, and other times it baked at 500° for 10 - 15 minutes; if sometimes green peppers are sliced lengthwise, and other times cut into cubes; if the owner randomly changed standards, and chastised those who can’t keep up. 
3. Allows for Scalability - Wow! This pizzeria is so successful that it’s time to open up another location right down the street from where you live. One of the largest benefits of having consistent processes is the ability to scale. The owner knows exactly what it takes to open a new location and be profitable quickly. He understands the labor, supplies, and overhead needed, because standard operating procedures are being followed. 
4. Gives The Owner Something to Measure Against - Today, the pizzeria made pizza. But let’s say they made gyros yesterday. Last week, hotdogs were on the menu. Next week is going to be steak. It’s hard to compare sales, cost of goods sold, expenses, and other key performance indicators if everything is so willy-nilly. Sticking with one, or a few types of food allows the owner to monitor the health of his business.
5. Identifies Outliers and Trends - Every now and then, someone calls in an order for a pineapple pizza. No big deal. It’s a one-off menu item that can be accommodated with the small can of pineapples in the back. This would be considered an outlier, but something to watch because it’s not the normal order. Perhaps the owner notices four more pineapple pizzas are ordered the next day. Then, 12, the day after. What is going on here? A new “normal” has emerged and the owner can adjust business accordingly as the demand changes. 

The above are just a few ways that consistent processes benefit the pizzeria owner. Do you see how they would also benefit whatever you do? You may be running a small business, PMO, or department within a large corporate entity. Make sure you have consistent standards and processes in place, and people will continue beating your doors down to do business with you!