Cathy has the typical problem of a paper chase every time she needs to do something, whether that be orderinbg, emailing, paying accounts etc she needs to find the paperwork nessesary check it and reply or process individually each time. This is time consuming especially when her paperwork is all stored in an in tray until she goes through it piece by piece.
NOT GOOD!She designs a new system more thorough than the in/out tray system which is only one part of a larger system.
Step one: Sort into categories.
- Supply
- Clients
- Product
- Business
- Personal
She sets up a file draw for each categorie and a row of pockets for each categorie.
Next she breaks these categories into smaller ones such as
SUPPLY
- Hardcopy of suppliers details
- Invoices
- Purchase orders
- etc
Each item has a pocket also which is where the hardcopy and up to date information is stored.
Cathy purchases some stamps Processed, Faxed, Mailed etc
SEE THE SYSTEM AT WORK
Monday morning cathy has set aside 1hr from 9am - 10am to sort and process all incoming mail online and off. Hard mail is first as once online it is easy to be distracted.
- As the mail arrives it is sorted into the corresponding pockets.
- Starting at the first pocket each piece of paper is dealt with individually, if a reply is needed it is done, if an order needs to be placed it is done. If this is not possible it will be put back into the pocket until further information is gathered to be dealt with at a later date.
- Once the paper is dealt with it is stamped faxed, processed etc and if no such stamp available it is ticked top right corner in red
- Next it is filed in corresponding file draw.
This process takes place each and every morning which helps organise the business, keep clutter down and creates and energy in the business as there is continual problem solving and oversight. The momentum gathered in starting the day well continues and helps get more done.
Once the hardcopy is finalised the online tasks begin.
The backup system here is MYOB which is another story but using this software helps a business maintain clarity and keeps financial side to the business in check. This in turn helps the owner oversee the entire business and allows for instant information.
Cathy would first recieve and reply to all emails. Business related will be printed and a hardcopy placed in either the pocket or files once dealt with and stamped.
Banking, ordering, etc all finalised and hardcopies printed and filed.
Printing hardcopies is wise in that if there is ever a problem you can double check, you have a record, you can attend to it at a later date and if placed in a pocket you are less inclined to ignore it and move on where online it is easy to think "I'll do it later" and not!
This simple system suits cathy.
It gives her a timeframe, a guideline, a backup of hardcopy, keeps clutter down, opens her eyes to the important tasks and more importantly gets them done thereby streamlining the business.
The system can be further broken down by adding an in/out tray for dealing with incoming mail less regularly or mailing less often. Phone systems can be utilised to deal with enquiries and software can backup the system with automatic printing of specific forms. There are many ways to tweak a system to suit the business or person.
For cathy the problem was not only clutter but also her own procrastination. The new system helps her avoid this and also allows her time to research properly before acting on paperwork.
Another problem she has in with training staff so she will next move on to creating an operation manual to help clarify each task in the business and keep everyone on the same page/
These systems are not solid. They need to be tweaked, changed, refined to suit the individual purpose. If for example Cathy found she was spending too much time sorting and dealing with each piece of paper she could break it up further into days. eg Monday bookeeping, Tuesday ordering etc. By completely seperating each task they can seem more manageable.
Try creating your own system even a simple paper shuffle can help enormously.
I don't see McDonalds for instance dropping their system for creating the perfect French Fry. Why would you when it works so well, when a 16yr old can step in an see exactly what needs to be done.
Not all busineses have simple systems but you'll find almost all have some sort of system wether it's to get the trains to run on time haha or the sheet metal throught to the final product systems are at work everyday, all around us so why not utilise them in your business?
