Raising Standards: 7 Ways To Improve Your Business

How well does your business run, and are you working as efficiently as you need to be? You can enhance your operations in many ways to benefit the business, but in some cases, the more you do, the less impact changes have; in fact, they can even make it worse.

With this in mind, here are 7 changes you can implement to allow you to improve standards without interfering with operations so much that you have the opposite effect.

In This Article:

7 Steps for Improving Your Business Operations

Try these steps to improve how your business operates so you can focus on your area of expertise.

1. Have (and Communicate) Expectations

You cannot raise standards if your team doesn't know what you expect and is on different pages regarding expectations. You need to be clear and open about what you desire so everyone knows where they're at and what they need to aim for. Avoid being confrontational or overly critical. Deliver your expectations consistently with support to help lay people align with what you want.

2. Utilize Software

Software can be a game-changer when it comes to efficiency. According to the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, 80% of the results you achieve should come from 20% of the tasks you do. By implementing software that can handle these tasks, you can achieve results faster and more easily, freeing up time to concentrate on other aspects of your business. For example, if you're spending a significant portion of your day on invoicing and payment processing, software like Xero AP automation can streamline these processes, saving you time and effort.

3. Improve Collaboration

If your team isn't working well together, you can bet things aren't rolling out as smoothly as they need to be, and you're getting uneven results. Take some time to work on strengthening collaboration and team relations so that everyone can work together better. Arrange some activities outside of work, such as team lunches, sports events, or volunteer activities, and hold meetings so that everyone can clear the air and discuss anything they feel needs to be brought up so that you can move towards a more collaborative working environment for improved results.

4. Provide Feedback and Recognition

When it comes to elevating what you do, you need to be able to ask for, deliver, and accept constructive and positive feedback. You need to breathe an atmosphere within your company that strives for success, and open and honest feedback is part of that. The more people understand how they impact the company and their contribution, the more they can accommodate what they do to meet what is needed. Feedback helps to make changes where change is required and address any inadequacies. 

In addition, recognition for a well-done job means that employees will know that what they do matters and is valued and noticed by you. Over time, with praise and recognition for a job well done, you can expect your team to go above and beyond to get things done as per your requests, as they know their efforts are appreciated.

5. Hold People Accountable

Every single person in your organization needs to be held accountable for their actions as this helps to breed a culture of accountability and keep standards high. Everyone needs to have explicit roles and duties; you know who to talk to if they don't meet these. But if people know they will be held accountable for delivering on certain aspects, then they are more likely to get the job done and take pride in what they do, as they will know what they need to do to make things happen.

6. Identify Inefficiencies

Inefficiency breeds waste, and the last thing you want when you're trying to improve standards is for waste to drag you back down. Take a look at each process you make and follow it from start to finish. Is it as efficient as it can be, and what is holding it back? Can you make changes to improve how it's completed or change the process entirely for better results? Look for what isn't working, find fixes, and move forward with implementing a ‘leaner working model,’ a term used to describe a more efficient and waste-reducing way of working, that reduces waste from what you do.

7. Be Open To Change

One thing you can do that might not be as easy as it sounds is to be open to change. Sure, as the business owner, you will have your own ideas, concepts, and industry experience. However, closing yourself off to new ideas and ways of thinking will only result in you stagnating. Instead, ask for ideas, invite creativity, and work with those around you to make beneficial changes to spearhead success.

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