Everyone who has tried to own and operate a small business knows that it can dominate your life. The workload is never ending, the customers always need something and those who work for you need constant direction. So with all that going on, how do you run a successful small business and still have time for other things in life? The answer is in getting rid of the need for giving constant direction to those on your team. You do this by creating a company manual to document policies and a training manual for your standards and guidelines. That’s right; documentation and training are the absolute answers to getting a life!
Company Manuals Document Your Procedures
A company manual spells out how you want things done. It provides consistent guidance for the direction you want your team to go. You have a choice between being available to answer every whim of a question your employees have or creating the answers and making them available in advance. By documenting all company policies and procedures you can stop all those daily interruptions and ensure that your team is capable of providing the same great service as you do! Once you have recorded all the proper methods of handling business, you can just simply reply, “What does the manual say?” when employees ask you for answers to policies and procedures. When you combine a detailed manual with ongoing scorekeeping that gives your team consistent feedback on their ability to reach company goals, you’ve got a very good chance of reducing your stress.
Training Manuals Outline Your Design Standards
But what about the fact that you know more and have had more experience than everyone working for you? The answer is a complete sales training program, where team members become certified before they are given responsibility to perform tasks and services. After certification, the team member is accountable for the responsibility they have accepted. Designing and producing a custom product is much more difficult than selling merchandise you stock for customers. It involves way too many variables to be left to chance. That’s why you need a sales training program that walks through your design philosophy step-by-step. All you have to do is hold your team accountable to the standards and practices they were certified to perform. Once your employees can design up to your standards, you can let them handle client work and you can focus on running the company.
Invest In The Right Type Of Manuals
Want to be able to take a vacation and not worry? Do you want to find time for actually managing your business? You must put these tools in place so that your team has what they need to continue with the same level of service you offer. Unless you provide these programs, you are always going to be tied to the basic elements of your business. Create the system for allowing others to excel in your business and you’ll allow yourself to enjoy what you do for a long time.
Sound simple? It really is if you invest in the right types of manuals. We’ve already made a customizable company manual and training manual for you, complete with testing reviews and certification levels. Just make the changes necessary for your company and keep the rest intact to speed up the process.
Contact Ken for more information, and get ready to schedule that vacation!
“Designing and producing a custom product involves way too many variables to be left to chance. That’s why you need a sales training program.”
