Improve Productivity with Checklists

I work with a small organization, and I realized that, while there is a process that they walk through when a new client is registered, there is nothing established showing what those steps are. Consequently, sometimes a step is missed.

Maybe this has happened to you or to one of your clients.

Not only does this appear unprofessional, but valuable information may not be exchanged that should be.

What strategy should you use to ensure that you no longer miss small but important steps?

1. Sketch out the process. Think about it from your point of view, as well as your client’s point of view. Think through and document each step of the onboarding process.
2. Communicate with the client. Do you have a welcome email to send? A packet of information to attach?
3. Don’t overcomplicate it! Simpler steps lead to a more streamlined process with fewer places where errors can occur. You also want to be able to easily remove a step without impacting other steps.
4. Make it repeatable. Your process should work each time you use it.
5. Review your process occasionally. Set a reminder to review it in a couple of months to ensure that it is working as you intended. And then review it again at a later date because things change over time.

A streamlined process documented by a checklist will improve your productivity and establish your professionalism.