Why Every Profitable Company Needs Standard Operating Procedure
Written by Charmi shah
June 3, 2021
Training Manager
SOP stands for a standard operating procedure that is a functional manual and consists of step-by-step guidance for running varied aspects of your business.
Why Should Every Business Have SOPs?
Every business should have standard operating procedures so that every individual of an organization is on a single track for deciding how a particular task should be carried out. When there is any disagreement or divergence about how something should be done, all the employees can refer to the SOPs to figure out what the standard expectations are about that task.
Are you not being able to understand how this will unfold in any real-life scenario? Well! Then consider an example on e-commerce sector standard operating procedure example. Suppose a customer is asking for a refund. Then, in that case, the employee cannot decide on their own about the procedure of refunding. And also, he/she can't decide whether the customer should get a refund or not. They have to go through that part of the standard operating procedure guideline that says about refunds and follow all instructions accordingly.
Regrettably, many new businesses do not have proper SOPs.IT is because they initiate the business on a shoestring budget and thus neglect the generation of SOPs. The problem is understandable. SOPs might seem like a luxury and not an essential requirement. When you are running a business that is trying to obtain a product, you spending time as well as money on some of the internal documents might seem like an expense you cannot afford to have. This way, the task of crafting SOPs gets pushed back so that fewer resources must be dedicated to getting your business off the ground and building momentum.
But taking out some time for generating SOPs will increase the profit of the business. Therefore every profitable company needs standard operating procedure guidelines.
Top 8 benefits a profitable company gets for having the standard operating procedure.
1. Saves time: When a new employee comes, SOP helps in having a short learning curve. A well-crafted template provides both visual and written data, making it easy and fast for the new employee to grasp things. It is then easy to review until and unless the employee has perfectly learned the task. Thus, a well-written standard operating procedure checklist is like a lifeline for knowing how things work.
One simple example is if your employee is required to wear a uniform, then by referring to the SOP, he can know where to do the measurement, how to maintain it, and who to give when the day is over. So, isn't it a great time saver?
1. Saves loss of money: When an essential business investor leaves or gets fired, work wouldn't be put on hold. By referring to the standard operating procedure checklist, somebody else can quickly take over the tasks, and thus the work continues without any delays or any mistakes.
2. Low cost with good teamwork: Because of SOP, it becomes straightforward to figure out the policies or procedures for handling a repeat situation or tasks. It helps all in the team to work in a synchronized manner.
3. Get more outcomes per employee with reliable delegation: A suitable standard operating procedure includes the operation structure and contains small job requirements and upgraded information for any employee to implement the specific task. If you are required to delegate a particular task, you can observe at a glance who will be reporting and who will be assisting you. You can easily avoid micromanaging because it is clear who is responsible for what.
4. Enhance profit with satisfied customers: As there is a standard way of dealing with queries, promotions, refunds, etc., you can easily ensure that each client is being treated fairly and equally. It increases interactions. Because of this, you can offer the best possible customer service.
5. It helps build consistency and a premier quality culture: Consistency of behaviors, services, and products brings specified characteristics and perception for your company. Friendly customer interaction is streamlined anywhere you go. Because of this consistency, it is easy to make a decision when you think of tire services.
6. High-level commitment to utilizing procedures due to participation: Creating SOP should be done with a communal collaboration. The inclusion of a team not only assists you in giving you a clear picture of the flow of the process and provides your team a perfect sense of ownership and belonging. A buy-in is essential while implementing a new procedure.
7. High-productivity with young employees: Our present generation of employees, the minute they log in and start manipulating their games and other gadgets, know how to control interaction and destiny within the parameters. These generation workers always seek those companies who have a clear structure as well as direction. And a company having a clear SOP will help them pursue a high level of service and competitiveness. They can foresee their career path in your company.
Thus, we can see that a perfect standard operating procedure is one way to enhance quality and productivity consistently. This is the reason why every business should have it.