Step 5 to Build a Better Business – Take Production Around the Mulberry Bush

Posted on Jul 9th, 2009 in 30 Steps to Build a Better Business, infrastructure and operations | no comments

Do you remember that song from childhood, “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”?

Oh, c’mon, you remember. For each day of the week, there was a little song and pantomime for what chore was to be done that day, like:

This is the way we wash our clothes,
Wash our clothes, wash our clothes
This is the way we wash our clothes,
So early Monday morning.

In Step 5 of 30 Steps to Build a Better Business, we take a cue from that childhood song. But instead of singing about household chores, you’ll be taking a closer look at how you produce your product or service.

Have you ever thought about how your product is made or your service is delivered? I mean really thought about it?  How many steps are involved? How many people? How long does it take? How long should it take? Taking the time to answer these questions and look at the step-by-step flow of your production process will allow you to very clearly see what areas you’re doing well in, and which ones may need some fine tuning or need to be eliminated altogether.

Start by outlining the steps you take to produce your product or service, from the beginning raw materials to the final, finished product.

Then, for each step, list the inputs for that step and where you get the inputs from, as well as the outputs from that step and what you do with those outputs.

Finally list who performs this step (either a name or a title), and how long that step generally takes.

Here’s an example of what all of that might look like.

Once you have all your steps outlined, take another look.  Are there any steps that are extremely difficult or time consuming? Are there inputs that could be obtained earlier in the process? Are there outputs that go nowhere at all, and should stop being produced?  Identify any unnecessary steps or steps that should  be added. Be brutally honest with yourself about the things that need to be changed. Write them down and add them to the annual business plan you created in Step 3.

Even if you’re not ready to make any changes to your production process, you now have a basic document that explains this core business function - an invaluable resource to have when it comes time to train employees, an intern, or a future franchisee.

Related Posts

1. Step 17 to Build a Better Business – Count What Counts
2. Step 18 to Build a Better Business – Document the Basics
3. Step 24 to Build a Better Business – Read a Book
4. Step 21 to Build a Better Business – Analyze A Successful Model

Sage Small Business Solutions provides inexpensive infrastructure solutions for small and microbusinesses. If you're interested in improving your small business, or implementing techniques discussed in this article, find out how Sage can help.

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