Processes help businesses run smoothly. Change is a necessity for business growth. So how do you assess whether you need to roll out a new process? Read on to find out.
A roll out is the introduction to a new product, service, campaign, or process. It is the launch of a new operation that must be built out ahead of time.
A roll out happens when it is time to create a change for your business. Whether it is a large or a small change, there should be guidance in place for your team to make the change.
When rolling out a new process for your business, you must prepare step-by-step instructions and demonstrations to teach your team the new skill.
Read on for advice on identifying the time for change and how to roll out a new process.
The purpose of a roll out is to promote change. While staying consistent is good for business, staying stagnant is not. As your small business grows and evolves, your processes must do the same.
At times, change can be intimidating. However, as a leader, you must be aware of what is best for your business and adapt accordingly. If you have a gut feeling that it’s time for a change, you’re probably right. But there are other things to consider other than just intuition.
See below for three signs it’s time for a change.
Small businesses rely on their customers for success. While consistent and loyal customers are a huge part of it, so are new customers. Widening your consumer base is always a plus because it often works like a chain reaction — they tell a friend who tells a friend, and so on.
If you find that your customer base has flattened out, it’s time to take a look at your current customer acquisition process. Whether that is a marketing strategy or a promotion, take another look at changes you can make.
If your profits have flattened or dropped, you’ll need to analyze why that could be. If you use financial management software, you should be able to get comprehensive data on your business trends.
Figure out two components: outside factors and controllable factors.
Outside factors are things you cannot predict (like a global pandemic). Controllable factors are things that you can work on through different processes and strategies.
Once you’ve taken a closer look at those two aspects, you will be more equipped to create a process for change.
As your business grows, so will your needs. Whether it’s policies, software, financial practices, or any other standard operating procedures, it’s important to make sure they are always serving a purpose.
A best practice is to complete a cross-check each quarter of everything that helps your business run. Keep what’s working and reassess the rest.
Now that you know when to make changes, let’s talk about how to do it.
You’ve done your reflecting and you’re ready to roll out a new process. But it’s important that you do it correctly, as people react to change differently.
Keep reading for five strategies to roll out a new process and implement change seamlessly.
Once you have identified the improvement you’d like to make, you need to design steps to achieve it.
As you design the process, you should consider:
As a leader of your team, you must be able to provide them with a framework to complete a new task. Keep these tips in mind as you move forward.
Before you do a full roll out of your new process, you need to make sure it works in practice. Bring on a few trusted employees and have them try out the new process.
When you do this:
It is important to have your employees provide feedback because they will likely be the ones performing the process. Before the full roll out, make sure that the instructions make sense, they are efficient, and they reach the goal you intended. Having your team as another set of eyes can help this.
Once you have worked through the troubleshooting phase with a few employees, the next thing to do is to teach your entire staff. Because change can sometimes be met with resistance, it is important to do it in such a way that will promote positivity.
People appreciate feeling included. This is why communication is key to creating a positive work environment that is open to growth.
When it comes time to tell your team, be prepared to:
Depending on how big this change is, it might take your staff some time to learn and adjust. While you should always hold your team to a high standard, you should also allow them time to grow.
Your staff needs to know that they have a support system. You need them to buy in. Employees are more likely to be productive and stay with your business if they feel supported and appreciated in their work environment.
In order to promote employee support:
When you rolled out this new process, it was for a reason. You created it for a reason, but you need to make sure that reason is still relevant.
Maintaining the best practice of checking your processes quarterly includes new implementations. No matter how new something is, you need to make sure it is serving a purpose for your business.
When checking for change, ask yourself:
If you can answer yes to all of those questions, then you’re good to go. If you answered no to any of those questions, then break down the process to see what edits you can make. It takes humility to change your own processes, but that is part of being a strong leader.
Growth requires change. To ensure the success of your business, change is a must. And how you roll out that change matters.
Remember:
Sources:
How To Create a Sample Rollout Plan Template | Indeed.com
5 Tips For Successful Small Business Employee Training ⎸ Forbes
The 5 Qualities All Successful Leaders Have in Common ⎸ Northeastern University
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