Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). When I first heard that term I thought, “How boring does that sound”! But little did I know that SOPs would soon become one of my most favorite things!
SOPs are simply documented, step-by-step instructions for how to do something in a business. You can create SOPs for everything from ‘how to create an SOP’ to ‘how to post a blog to WordPress’ to the ‘duties of my social media manager.’
SOPs create an organized, systemized set of instructions for each task in your business. They also create clear expectations of how and what you want your team members or subcontractors to accomplish.
So why take the time to create SOPs in your business? There are many reasons why these documents are the foundation of your business, so I thought I would highlight of few of my favorites below.
Vacations
Do you own a business and want to take a vacation someday (like yesterday)? When you have SOPs in place, someone can take over tasks for you because there are documents laying out exactly how and when each thing is done. Your team members can also step away from the business and someone else can step in and know what they do and how they do it.
Training
Having your training documents in order make bringing someone new onto your team much easier. They’ll know what is expected of them and when it’s expected. You can also link up training SOPs to individual tasks so that any team member can reference them as part of the onboarding process or for ongoing tasks.
Seamless Customer & Client Service
Whether it’s you or a team member, you want customers or clients you work with to have the highest level of care and service without anything slipping through the cracks. Establishing SOPs to support this process will ensure that this happens seamlessly every time.
Increase Productivity
When you and your team know what to do and when to do it, more things will naturally get done. You can also plan out your day and your schedule more efficiently when you know what needs to be accomplished.
SOPs can sometimes be time-consuming to set up, but once they are in place there will be so much more freedom and consistency in your business.
If you don’t have any SOPs yet, don’t worry! Start small. A screen recording of how you do something saved in a central location can be a good start for many small businesses.
If you have started documenting important things in your business, I challenge you to brainstorm a list of what still needs an SOP and assign the task of creating those SOPs to the person in charge of those specific tasks.
Do you have any questions about Standard Operating Procedures? Let me know in the comments below!
Looking for a quick, seamless way to create SOP’s in your business? Check out my No Sweat SOP Templates!
