Consider creating systems for all your sales approaches, whether your sales team operates on the road, in a store, office, or over the telephone. Ensure that each group has a distinct system in place. The most effective way to develop such a system is to involve the individuals performing the tasks. Request that they identify the most successful and consistent salesperson and determine their techniques. Encourage them to recognise common objections, concerns, frequently asked questions, and challenges they encounter, and have them collaboratively devise scripted responses. Utilising scripted answers is considerably more efficient than stammering 'I don't know' or fabricating weak responses spontaneously. Furthermore, there are tactful methods to convey, 'I am not certain, but I can investigate and return with a solution.'

One reason for McDonald's remarkable success is that customers know what to expect when they visit an outlet. It is likely accurate to assert that McDonald's may not produce the world's finest hamburgers; however, they excel in customer service. Whether you visit McDonald's in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or even Rome, London, or Los Angeles, you can expect a clean environment, amiable staff, and swift service. To ensure that your customers return, you should also offer consistent customer service, which requires establishing and adhering to standards that every team member, including yourself, is aware of.

Examples of customer service standards include:

• The manner in which customers are treated on the telephone
• The reception customers receive in your store
• The punctuality of your deliveries
• The promptness of returning calls
• Your punctuality in keeping appointments
• The presentation of your products
• The quality of your after-sales service
• The approach to handling complaints

An essential principle to remember when developing customer service systems and methodologies for attracting and retaining loyal customers is to consistently under-promise and over-deliver.

Investing in your personnel is likely one of your most significant expenditures. Ensure that you have systems in place to recruit and retain the best possible employees. Do not compromise in this area. Develop strategies for hiring not just any individuals, but the right candidates for your business. Be explicit about their roles and your expectations of them.

Consider the following aspects:

• What tasks are they required to perform?
• What goals do you expect them to achieve?
• What parameters do they need to work within?
• To whom will they report?
• How will they be remunerated?
• Collaborate with them to create diagrams of their anticipated workflow. Identify any overlap, duplication, or bottlenecks between roles in your business and eliminate them. Most importantly, establish systems for carrying out their job responsibilities.

Involve your employees in developing procedure manuals for their day-to-day tasks. These manuals should include checklists for duties, which can be signed off to confirm proper completion.

Having such resources is also beneficial for onboarding new team members. Ensure that every employee is familiar with the policies and procedures pertaining to their terms of employment, such as sick leave, annual leave, working hours, and internal courtesies. Document these policies clearly in your internal policies and procedures manual. Implement systems for reviewing team members' performance and planning promotions, and develop strategies for their ongoing training.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Systems are also crucial. Stay informed about your obligations and responsibilities in this domain, which vary by industry. For additional information on OHS, consult WorkSafe Australia's website at www.worksafe.gov.au/. This resource explains OHS regulations, training requirements, and common hazards in the workplace.

Numerous systems span the entire organisation, which is particularly relevant in manufacturing or businesses that rely on a supply chain. Frequently, individual responsibilities and tasks constitute only one component of the process. To summarise these processes, one must first identify all operational processes across the business, such as:

• Opening and closing premises
• Material ordering and replenishment
• Assembly, construction and fabrication
• Importing, packaging and labelling
• Testing, delivery and commissioning
• Maintenance and repairs
• Merchandising, presentation and product positioning
• Sub-contracting and outsourcing

Each process must then be assigned to a single individual who takes ownership of the process and is responsible for documenting it and ensuring it remains up-to-date. An individual can perform numerous tasks and be responsible for multiple steps in various processes without fully comprehending the entire process. In such cases, each team member should be aware of the complete process, their specific responsibilities within it, and the impact of their role on the process's outcomes.

Documenting operational processes and assigning them to designated individuals significantly enhances everyone's knowledge of the business. For example, if it takes six weeks to order new stock or the minimum order quantity lasts six weeks, a system must be in place to ensure stock is requested ahead of current sales to prevent out-of-stock situations or excessive stock holdings.

When the procedure for re-ordering stock is documented, everyone who relies on the stock item will comprehend the importance of their specific role.

These systems are arguably the most critical of all. Without them, your employees (and yourself) will likely spend considerable time being reactive rather than proactive. Developing systems in this area enables swift evaluation of your business, identifying what is functioning effectively and what is not.

Management Systems include:

• Establishing a business plan with action items and deadlines that are consistently monitored and adhered to.
• Conducting weekly team management meetings to plan ahead and address any issues before they escalate into major crises.
• Implementing key performance indicators and regularly measuring your progress against these benchmarks.
• Formulating budgets, targets, and strategies to achieve them, while monitoring your progress towards attaining these goals.

This encompasses aspects such as maintaining cash flow forecasts, sales and expense budgets, and monitoring them weekly or at least monthly. It also includes policies and procedures for:

• Paying creditors and operating expenses
• Authorising expenditure
• Banking
• Petty Cash
• Management reporting
• Payment of commissions and wages
• Credit control
• Debtor collection

The final point is of utmost importance. Businesses with record levels of sales have gone bankrupt due to a lack of debtor collection policies. Develop a policy, inform your debtors of its existence, and adhere to it rigorously.

Marketing is not merely about spending money and hoping for the best. It involves selling more products, identifying potential customers, and persuading them to purchase from you. Your marketing systems should encompass:

• Measuring and tracking your marketing: Maintain marketing analysis sheets for each campaign, detailing marketing expenditure and results.
• Testing various iterations of similar marketing campaigns and comparing outcomes for each.
• Monitoring all interactions with your clients and their purchasing frequency.
• Determining the most profitable products or services.
• Identifying your most profitable clients.

A database containing this information provides valuable insights into which products, customers, and areas should be the focus of your efforts.

Systems significantly contribute to the sale value of your business. When systems are in place, your business becomes less dependent on you and your skills.

Your business will be more likely to maximise its potential, capable of operating independently of its owners and key employees, and consequently, will possess a higher sale value. The purpose of developing systems for your business is to optimise the use of limited time, energy, people, resources, and money.

Implementing systems ensures that your operations are carried out efficiently and effectively, generating consistent results and outcomes. Two common mistakes businesses make when systemising include spending too much time searching for the perfect system before initiating changes and attempting to prove the system before implementation. The optimal approach is to document your current procedures before evaluating the system's effectiveness and making controlled adjustments as necessary. The best system will evolve from your diligence in implementing and utilising the system. In summary, select a system, document it, and employ it.