Its All In The Systems

Have you ever noticed french fries taste the same at every McDonald's? The same can be said for Subway and its Italian BMT. How do these fast food icons replicate themselves at nearly 40,000 locations when some eateries struggle to get it right in a single restaurant? The answer is simple: it's all in the systems.

Picture yourself waiting in line inside McDonald's. Look across the counter and you notice the shiny french fry machine. Standing in front of it is a high school student. What is she doing?

Chances are she's executing a procedure someone trained her on the first day. A system that goes something like this: "Take the bag out of the freezer. Empty french fries into the wire basket until full. Lower the basket into the hot oil. Push the green button. Return the bag to the freezer. When the buzzer rings, push the red button. Take the basket out of the oil and empty fries onto the holding area. Sprinkle the salt shaker four times over the fries. Take a white bag and fill it with fries using the silver utensil. Place the bag under the heat lamps. Repeat with different size bags until the basket is empty and all fries are ready to serve."

I spent six years in the franchising industry as head of marketing for an international franchisor. Today, as a professional business coach, I help small business leaders develop and implement systems to make their companies work like McDonald's and Subway.

Franchising is a major part of the U.S. economy, accounting for 14 percent of private-sector employment and more than $1.5 trillion of annual economic output (International Franchise Association). The fastest-growing franchising companies ? names like Curves and Quizno's ? understand the impact of having detailed systems for every aspect of their operations.

A common approach taught to new franchisees ? originating in Michael Gerber's book "The E-Myth" ? is to work ON your business and not IN your business. This means taking time to step back and plan where you want your business to go, then setting about working your plan.

Think about your employees. Do all understand their specific role in making your business successful? Or do you occasionally have thoughts of, "Why can't they just get it?" If you find things falling through the cracks, then treating your business like a franchise would mean creating a job description for each position.

These one-page summaries identify every responsibility, with specific details such as which positions take out the trash, answer the phone and batch credit card charges each day. Taking the time to create these will transform every position into a meaningful role, ensuring you have all of the bases covered. It will allow you to hire for specific positions, enabling you to focus on finding the right people, which will help you achieve greater productivity.

I previously co-founded a sports travel company. One of our biggest clients was Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, where we often took more than 1,000 people to events. I also received executive training at the Disney Institute. From these frequent interactions with Walt Disney World Resort, I learned important lessons that I continue to share with clients. The most valuable of these are the "4 P's of Disney":

Planning ? It's almost a clich?, but it is truly important to know where you want to go?or you may wind up somewhere else. Take time to organize your thoughts, consider options and make educated decisions before setting out in a direction.

Processes ? Make sure you have systems for every aspect of your business, from unlocking the front door in the morning, to handling upset customers, to turning off the lights at night. The more organized your procedures, the better likelihood your employees will be able to execute them.

Partnering ? If you have ever been to Walt Disney World, think about all the kiosks and shops that sell merchandise. Now think about designing, manufacturing, ordering, taking delivery and disseminating products throughout the four theme parks each day. It requires orchestrated coordination between multiple departments. Whatever the size of your company, be sure your employees understand the importance of partnering together.

Performance ? Disney believes if you can do it, you can measure it. Take time to measure your performance. Then adjust your plan, re-measure and adjust again?always moving forward in a continuous improvement cycle.

Treating your small business like a franchise by developing systems that work may not make you the next Blockbuster, but it may enable you to better serve your customers and increase sales.

Copyright ? 2005 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he's been there ? as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.

---

Delegation: When to Delegate, Who to Delegate to

There are some very simple guides for delegation.Most people delegate based on not wanting to do something. They simply walk out to their secretary or the closest sub-ordinate and ask them to do/finish... Read More

5 Tips For Creating Great Jobs

1) Create A Powerful "Mission Statement"-When your business mission is clear, every part of your business will improve, because you have a clear, definite major purpose. You will more easily attract people that... Read More

How To Own A Business... Instead Of A Job

Every business is run by someone who took on a risk with their time and money. So I believe that person should be rewarded. Too often as business owners we forget to enjoy... Read More

Dont Get Side-Tracked By The Nay-Sayers

You, the Entrepreneur, are 'normally' a type-A individual. One who has little patience with the establishment ~ he or she likes to do it 'his/her way' and that's OK if you know the... Read More

How To Decrease Profits Without Really Trying

Hurting your sales efforts can be accomplished easily with the proper guidance. The following effective yet simple ideas are designed to generate results when implemented into your sales strategy.? Don't listen to what... Read More

Encouraging Behavior That Gets Results

You're the boss, and you have every reason to feel good about your organization.You've built a great team.You've put strong players in every spot.You have clearly defined procedures for every part of the... Read More

Giving a Good Appraisal Interview

Although this performance discussion is an opportunity for you to discuss your employee's work during a given period of time, it is also, and importantly, a time for you and your employee to... Read More

Indecent Proposal in the Workplace ? An Overview of Workplace Harassment & Employer Liability

An allegation of harassment in the workplace is a growing phenomenon facing companies across the U.S. The following is an article derived from a 2003 seminar I attended at the National Business Aviation... Read More

Get Out Of The Stone Age: Give Leadership Talks

160 years ago, the newly invented electric telegraph carried the first news message. The message zipped 40 miles in a flash over wires from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.The public was dazzled -- except... Read More

Uncovering the Secrets to Effective Performance Management

In many ways there are no secrets to implementing effective performance management. Performance Management is a process and a process which if implemented effectively should ensure that both employees and managers remain both... Read More

Best Workplaces

The Best Workplaces report (Financial Times, April 28, 2005) notes many factors in common with Managing Creativity and Innovation.Material reward is not the sole factor in determining satisfaction. Microsoft UK offers acupuncture and... Read More

Project Managment: Land the Plane Stop Doing and Start Succeeding

We all spend time on planning vacations. If it's not you then it's probably your significant other or travel agent. Think of the time we spend choosing the destination, getting the best airlines... Read More

25 Great Ways to Find the Right People and Not Break the Bank

Are you trying to hire dozens of hourly workers or a senior executive? Where do you look and how do you get the word out? There are many ways to find the right... Read More

Can A Business Still Be Profitable When People Skills Are Absent?

In our current world of rapid and amazing technological advances, many entrepreneurs have managed to dramatically limit the need for staff in highly profitable operations of all kinds.It is therefore tempting and believable... Read More

Planning Your Recruiting Efforts Can Help You Find Great Employees

Today, companies have an ever-expanding list of options available to them when it comes to sourcing new employees, from advertising in newspapers and trade journals to powerful, cost-effective recruiting options available through the... Read More

10 Steps When You Need Help in Your Business

If you think ahead and plan, many nightmare panic and chaos situations can be overcome. By ensuring that you have a great group of people around you, there will be more to fall... Read More

Thoughts on Empowerment

People are empowered when they are given the authority and responsibility to make decisions affecting their work with a minimum of interference and second guessing by others.Empowerment is an overused and under?practiced term.... Read More

Learn How To Get The Most From Your Team

Being a leader isn't easy. Every one looks to you to make decisions, resolve disputes, and to carry all the responsibility. Being a leader can be a lonely job.Some of us are born... Read More

How to Make a Difference Every Day

Every day, everyone can make the world a better place. It's simple; it's quick and it is free. All it requires is a recipe containing you (yes, that's YOU!), awareness and a natural... Read More

Time for Change - Clearing the First Hurdle

"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but... Read More

Counseling Interviews for the Marginal Employee

ACTIVE LISTENING: The most frequent cause of failure in therapeutic counseling interviews is the interviewer's tendency to talk too much. Numerous studies have shown that in counseling interviews the average manager will talk... Read More

Whatever it Takes!

I have a sign on my office door. It pretty much summarizes my philosophy of life.The sign simply says?.."Whatever it takes."Short. Simple. To the Point."Whatever it takes," means exactly that. That I will... Read More

Communication Mix-Up

My friend Delia is the owner of a small private school. This spring her school is experiencing the crunch of reduced enrollment for next September and all staff have been asked to take... Read More

The Power of ?Ask?

For Call Center managers, it is not a pipe dream to improve employee moral while increasing productivity. It may even come easy to some to find fresh, new ways to reduce performance problems.... Read More

Towards Intercultural Understanding

An individual's ability to forge effective relationships across cultures is influenced by a very personal and highly complex mixture of emotional and cognitive processes. Anyone contemplating an overseas posting feels apprehensive about stepping... Read More

Poor Employee Performance: How to Deal

KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS: "Document !Document! Document!" Keep a record of periodic performance reviews, incidents of unsatisfactory performance, conferences where warnings are administered or terminations are announced. Issue warnings and terminations in writing as... Read More

Smart Hiring: What Makes the Right Employee?

Good hires do not happen by accident or luck. In this economy, employers are finding a large pool of available workers. But finding the right employee for a position is still a challenge.... Read More

Meetings and Road Trips

Managing a meeting is like setting off on a long car trip with friends or family. You need to plan your route, pay attention to the rules of the road, consider what will... Read More

Pitching to Employees

The senior flight attendant on the WestJet flight was starting the routine safety talk: the bit about flotation vests and emergency exits that we ignore at the beginning of every flight."If we could... Read More