Let’s talk about your procedure manual. What procedure manual, you ask? Well, the one you should have (if you don’t). Even if you’re the only person working in your office, you should have a procedure manual. Why go to all the trouble to write out a procedure manual? For one, writing things out will help you find places you can improve. Another reason to put one together is to help you prepare for the possibility of hiring help in the future. Even if you don’t ever plan to hire someone else, having a procedure manual will benefit you and your business. Today I want to share some tips to help you create a successful procedure manual.
I have found great success having my manual online. Because I have a virtual office, this makes it easy for everyone I work with to access it. Make sure it’s secured so that not anyone can get in. I also like to have my manual be editable. Even my tier 1 employees can make changes to my manual, allowing for better ideas and giving another set of eyes to catch mistakes. I like to break my manual down into positions, job descriptions, and tasks for each assignment. Where possible, I attach a short video to demonstrate the process, include a short description of that process, and a checklist to guide my employees through the task.
This may sound complicated, but taking the time to put together a well-thought-out process manual is key to running a business smoothly. Even if you don’t think you have a process for something, chances are you do. Take a moment to stop and think about how you perform a given task, and write it down. Doing so will help you refine your process, and will allow for others to perform tasks in your business with efficiency and confidence.
For more information on this subject, please listen to The Appraiser Coach Podcast Episode:
