A popular business philosophy touted by those “in the know” is simplification of business. It can overcome big problems in small or large businesses. Simplification of business is, simply, making the decision to standardize the product sold and manufactured.
Simplification is also streamlining the production, administration, and the sales and marketing process. It can also be the limiting of the number of design changes and new features for products sold or produced.
The Simplest Business
When you envision a simple business, think about a kid’s lemonade stand. It has one product, one price and almost no overhead. The more simplified you can design a business to be, the easier it is to manage and even franchise.
For example, you can simplify a business by re-accessing your market demographics. Zero in on your market to avoid being all things to all people. Automate business processes, i.e. automatic responders to customers from your website.
Orders placed on your website can be programmed to build job tickets, automatically. Other automation can speed up and simplify the process of getting a job into production. The sky’s the limit with custom programming!
This is the main reason we developed our software. It gives the end user the ability to design interactive systems without having to know how to code or program.
Another method of business simplification is outsourcing all you can. The “virtual office” is becoming a very popular business model.
Simplification of Complex Business
To be clear, business systems can be designed to control very complex business models. These can handle almost endless variables in products and features. Think of the variables involved in producing custom product, i.e. cabinets, printing, water/fire restoration, constructions, etc.
The more features, products, services and customization a business offers, the more control systems need to be in place. Lean Management can also play a significant role in simplifying a complex business, through systemization.
However, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like control systems, then using other methods is probably your cup of tea, or lemonade. The key here is SIMPLIFICATION!
Did I mention? Great systems work!
Philip Beyer, founder/president of Ebiz Products LLC and founder of Beyer Printing Inc. in Nashville Tenn., is a chronic entrepreneur, business systems analyst and consultant. Author of "System Busters: How to Stop Them in Your Business" and recipient of an InterTech Technology Award for the design and development of System100 business process management software. Beyer speaks to business owners across the country on how to bring lean, sustainable order to their businesses. Contact him at (615) 425-2652.