6 steps to improve processes

Taking the time to streamline and prioritize processes can take any business to the next level.

During Jobber Summit, three business owners shared how good processes have improved their businesses and their best advice for implementing them. Panelists included Callum Ng, owner of Green Grads Window & Gutter Cleaners; Judith Virag, CEO of Clean Club Calgary; and TC Bliss, co-founder of Home Roots Lawn & Landscape. The panel was also moderated by Michelle Myers, founder and CEO of Pink Callers.

The panelist’s six steps for improving processes are:

1. Have redundancy in your team

   Ng says this is especially important in case of illness.

   “Make sure that someone can step up to fill the gap,” he says. “Also, try and over-hire.”

   Virag agrees with over-hiring as you never know when an unexpected circumstance can take a crew member out of rotation for a while. Though, she acknowledges that over hiring can be scary if companies go through slow periods.

2. Communication is key

   All three panelists stress the importance of communication and recommend leaning on the edge of over-communication. They say having technology in place (like Teams or Slack) where co-workers can be in constant, quick contact with one another even on weekends is a great tool.

   “Talk over the weekend so there are no surprises come Monday,” Ng says. “We make sure our team knows how to use the tool and how to use it better.”

   Virag adds weekly meetings can also help everyone stay on the same page.

   “Keep meeting minutes, too,” she says. “That way you can document what’s going on and who is responsible.”

3. Hone in your hiring process

   Everyone knows a successful business hinges on great employees.

   Virag suggests having a detailed HR manual in place.

   “Get your ducks in a row,” she says.

   Ng says finding great people is no easy feat though.

   “You can have mediocre processes and excellent people and it’s going to work, but if you don’t have the right people, your processes can be as good as anyone’s and you still won’t succeed,” Ng says.

   Ng says to remember the phrase “lean but excellence.” Having several average employees may seem great because it’s more hands on deck, but the focus should be on quality employees not quantity.

4. Remember to reassess

   As your company grows, you’ll need to review your processes and change them to reflect the current state of your business.

   “You need to re-evaluate your processes at every step,” Virage says. “For me, I ask myself, ‘Is this still working?’ and ‘Does it still work for my team?’

   “I like to say my number one customer is my team,” she adds. “So, I always make sure that they are taken care of first.”

5. Consider constructive criticism

   Part of being a good leader is being able to admit you don’t know it all.

   “If you feel like your ideas are always the best, I’d say that’s not always the case. Be open to feedback,” Bliss says. “Sometimes I have an idea that seems great, we roll it out for a week and then I have one of our guys come up to me and suggest a new way I hadn’t even thought of…It’s about humbling yourself and being able to take input from the team and create the space for the team to give feedback.”

   Bliss also shares an example about how Chick-fil-A improved their processes with the drive-through. Once one franchise started putting crewmembers out in the drive-through to try and keep up with demand, it became standard practice quickly.

6. Train to teach

One of the best processes businesses can get in the habit of is teaching training methods when onboarding new employees.

This is something Ng says he’s been prioritizing lately.

“New people are the most important. We train everyone to be the trainer going forward,” he says.

Ng says he equates it to the infamous “teach a man to fish” adage. Giving the employee the knowledge to teach others can do wonders.

“It’s been a huge thing for us,” he says. “We can put someone new with them and they can learn.”