Are Your Business Processes Built for Now, or Then?

Businesses are rarely built with a ten-year fully funded plan for success. Hell, even if they were, the plan would be changed regularly over that time, and probably within the first few months.

In fact, most businesses and processes are built in ways that are less than desirable. When working with companies, Underpin discovers that the biggest reason something is done the way it is done is because of the mindset of ‘that’s the way it’s always been done’.

This is usually down to a few reasons:

• The person doing the job at the time the process was set up had a particular way of doing things, and they did it that way. That person might not work for the company anymore and the new person doesn’t have the same skills, patience or mindset to deliver the work.
• The business process was built in an emergency, to solve a problem that was happening right then and if it wasn’t solved soon the company would die, at least that’s how it felt.
• The process was handed down from leadership with no real understanding of the skills of the employees, and those employees have changed anyway, but it’s still done the same way.

The Joy of the Silo In Business Processes

A problem not highlighted above is that when businesses grow, individual departments rarely grow together, and it’s the connections between these different and sometimes competing departments that lead to difficulties.

The idea that departments work alone and don’t interact or grow with each other is known as siloing.

Without a full business plan and strategy, one not based solely on emergency, personality, or dictation, siloing occurs.

And to be clear, all the above happens for good reasons, and with a happy heart.

Usually, the mentality is “we need to grow sales.” Or ‘HR needs more support’. The chosen department then gets the attention it deserves, but for the rest of the company, their department doesn’t get connected properly, or the new shiny department isn’t getting what it needs from those departments left behind. Resentment grows and productivity falls.

Business Mapping

I believe that having an independent view of your entire company, understanding what is working and what is not, and then creating a step-by-step guide to grow the business in a connected, positive, and employee led way provided improved happiness and positivity

Business mapping is the process of visually representing the various components of your business, including processes, customer journeys, organisational structure, and strategic objectives. Think of it as a blueprint or a map for your business, providing a detailed overview of how everything connects and operates together. This practice helps you identify inefficiencies, uncover opportunities, and streamline operations to ensure your business is functioning at its best.

Business mapping breaks down these by creating a shared understanding of how the business operates as a whole.

1. Clarity and Alignment: One of the primary benefits of business mapping is that it brings clarity to the complex web of processes within your organisation. It allows everyone—from top management to front-line employees—to see how their roles contribute to the bigger picture. This alignment ensures that all departments are working towards the same objectives, reducing friction and enhancing collaboration.
2. Process Optimisation: Through business mapping, you can identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and inefficiencies in your operations. By having a clear visual of how tasks flow through your organisation, you can make informed decisions on how to optimise these processes, leading to cost savings, faster turnaround times, and improved productivity.
3. Improving the customer experience: It’s important to understand how your customers interact with your business. Business mapping enables you to track every touchpoint a customer has with your business, from initial contact to post-purchase follow-up. By mapping this journey, you can identify areas where customers may experience friction and take steps to enhance their experience, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

The Steps to Effective Business Mapping

1. understand what you want to achieve. Are you looking to improve efficiency, enhance the customer experience, or align your team with strategic goals? Defining your objectives will guide the entire mapping process.
2. Gather Data: Collect data from all relevant departments and stakeholders. This includes process flows, organisational structures, customer interactions, and any other information that will provide insights into how your business operates. The more comprehensive your data, the more accurate your business map will be.
3. Create the Map: Using the data collected, create a visual representation of your business processes, customer journeys, and organisational structure. This can be done using various tools, from simple flowcharts to advanced business mapping software. Ensure that the map is clear, easy to understand, and accessible to all relevant parties.
4. Analyse and optimise: Once your map is complete, use it to identify areas of improvement. Is there any way to streamline processes? Are there opportunities to enhance the customer experience? Use the insights gained from your business map to make informed decisions and drive positive change.
5. Continuous Review and Adaptation: Business mapping is not a onetime activity. As your business grows and develops, so too should your map. Regularly review and update your business map to ensure it remains accurate and relevant, allowing your organisation to stay agile and responsive to changes in the market.

For a free consultation on how Business Mapping can help you, a consultation where you can solve problems you have in your business free of charge, click here.