ABOUT "BACK UP YOUR BUSINESS"
Would Your Business Keep Working?
Our message for owners of small-to-medium-sized businesses in New Zealand is vitally important.
Suppose you were unable to get in to work tomorrow or were unable to communicate with your employees and customers in any way. Could your business prosper?
A single day "off the grid" probably wouldn't matter too much, because your troops would carry on, but multiply your absence by a week or a month? A serious accident or illness or even an extended trip abroad could take you away, and chances are that by the time you return, your business would be in bad shape. Why? Because nobody knows it or runs it quite like you.
Back Up Your Business
That's where Back Up Your Business comes in. It's a short, practical, step-by-step guide for business owners and managers on how to "back up" or absence-proof a company by setting down all the systems and processes and policies that make it work. By writing an operations manual, an acting manager, employee, temp or friend could step in, access the documentation you have provided, and be able to run your business smoothly when you can’t.
How To Write An Operations Manual
The key to Back Up Your Business is the creation of a Business Process Manual, or operations manual. This reference document pulls together all the disparate facts and knowledge about the business and documents it in one place. This might seem to be a daunting task for a busy owner or manager, but Deborah makes the task much easier by providing a comprehensive and easy-to-follow operations manual template. Furthermore, not every company needs to document every one of the steps she maps out because some things will not apply. Buy your copy NOW.
Back Up Your Business draws on Deborah’s wide experience and knowledge in a range of businesses.
In her role as an Executive Assistant and Office Manager she worked for private businesses, medical, real estate and tertiary organisations and local government. This gave her extensive insight into how companies work, as well as an awareness of the serious need for companies to have a robust, in-depth Business Process Manual that ensures business operations and processes are run correctly.
What Is A Policy And Procedure Manual?
Back Up Your Business begins by looking at the organisation in overview, an exercise many business owners and managers experience as a "light bulb" moment. It asks them to set down what the business is, what it does, who its customers and stakeholders are and how it actually provides its products and / or services.
Each section of the 70-page operations manual template takes a step-by-step approach to cataloguing key areas, from equipment and office systems and administration to purchasing policies, human resources and OSH policies, to financial management and insurances. Deborah encourages owners and managers to link the information they gather to their computer files.
A Business Process Manual can certainly be used as a print document, but since we live in an online age, it is easier to keep and find information online and certainly faster and easier to update it. Updating and reviewing should be scheduled into the calendar every year.
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What Are The Benefits Of A Business Process Manual?
The value of a Business Process Manual is fully realised when a business owner or leader is suddenly absent and/or incapacitated. But a Business Process Manual isn't just about a worst-case event. It is an asset. It is important to the daily operational efficiency and profitability of your company. If you own a franchise, a Business Process Manual is a great way of sharing with others what makes your business unique and special.
If you are contemplating a succession or sale, it makes your business a more attractive proposition for the new owner because all the information they need is easy to find.
If you are selling your business, this manual provides a seamless process for the purchaser. They may wish to make changes when they purchase the business, but the first few months of ownership are vitally important, and they need this information on hand to operate.
In every case, a Business Process Manual is a very worthwhile investment. Every responsible manager backs up the company's computer files, so why not do the same for your whole business?
Phone me or email me to arrange a time to meet so we can discuss how to write an operations manual specific to your business.
“As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.” Antoine de Saint Exupery
Thinking about risk management? I can show you how to write an operations manual to safeguard your business.
Call 021 997462
WHY YOU NEED A BUSINESS PROCESS MANUAL
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If you are unable to work then an acting manager can step in and use this manual as a guide.
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If you are looking at hiring new or temporary staff a Business Process Manual will save time with training.
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If you sell your business then the new owner has a seamless process to take over the business without the need for you to stay on in your business for sometime as a consultant – you can take the money and go.