When it comes to boosting a company's growth, it's common for questions to arise about the right tools and certifications needed to achieve it. There's no doubt that there is a wealth of information on business growth, with millions of tips, techniques, and secrets that could prove useful. However, the real challenge lies in the dispersion of this information, making it difficult to assimilate and ultimately hindering us from achieving the desired results.
This is because chaos ensues when we don't understand which tool to use and when to apply it. Sometimes, it's essential to take certain preliminary actions before implementing a specific tool.
1. PLANNING FOR GROWTH
As Lewis Carroll wisely said, "If you don't know where you want to go, it doesn't matter which path you take." It's surprising that despite our desires to grow our companies, 70% of small and medium-sized enterprises lack a clear vision for their growth in the coming years. If you genuinely want to take your company's development seriously, it's essential to plan its growth strategically.
To plan effectively, you need to have a deep understanding of your company's current situation. You must be aware of your figures, analyze the growth experienced in recent years, assess profitability, know the costs of acquiring new customers, and explore the markets you have yet to conquer. Understanding your company's reality at this precise moment is essential to chart the course you want to steer.
2. STANDARDIZATION OF PROCESSES
It is crucial to understand that processes are the heart of a company. Often, people confuse processes by thinking they only apply to productive activities. However, processes encompass all areas, from financial management to customer acquisition and service delivery. Therefore, standardizing these processes is essential to achieve sustained growth in your company.
When you standardize processes, you ensure consistent results, regardless of who is involved in your company. This allows you to meet short, medium, and long-term goals while providing a clear view of the results you need to achieve.
Standardizing processes establishes a solid foundation that enables you to optimize efficiency, minimize errors, and improve quality in all areas of your company. Moreover, it fosters collaboration and coherence in teamwork, as all members understand and follow the same procedures.
Remember that standardizing processes doesn't mean getting stuck in rigidity. You must be open to making continuous adjustments and improvements to adapt to changing market needs, ensuring that your processes remain efficient and effective.
In summary, standardizing processes in all areas of your company is essential to drive sustainable growth and achieve consistent results. It's a key strategy to ensure efficiency, quality, and alignment in your organization.
3. MEASUREMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF IMPROVEMENTS
Measurement and the implementation of improvements are fundamental aspects of boosting business growth. It is vital to identify what aspects to measure in your company and be strategic in defining relevant metrics. This way, you can obtain valuable insights to understand how your organization functions and ensure the growth you desire.
There are tools like the balanced scorecard and performance indicators that you can use to measure performance and the evolution of your company over time. These tools provide a holistic view of your business and help you assess key aspects in areas such as finances, customers, internal processes, and learning and growth.
However, beyond the tools, what's most important is being disciplined and taking timely actions if the results are unfavorable. Often, obstacles arise in implementing the necessary actions, whether due to lack of time, knowledge, or various excuses. Nevertheless, it's crucial to apply corrective actions diligently to get back on the path to growth.
In summary, your company's growth is driven by three key concepts: planning, standardization, and measurement. These concepts form a fundamental triangle that you must master. Each of them deserves detailed attention as they are packed with specific tools and approaches that you need to know.
In future articles, I will delve deeper into each of these concepts to provide you with greater clarity. I will introduce specific tools that you can use in your company, offering a practical set of resources.