Dave Meadows and Mike Sovie are co-founders of ColdCallRX, a supplier of outsourced cold-calling and lead era providers based mostly in Tampa Bay, Fla., that they began in 2020.
A method they’ve positioned their firm to scale up is by creating commonplace working procedures, or SOPs. Entrepreneurs use these paperwork to explain how they do issues within the enterprise—whether or not it’s answering a customer support name or coming into data right into a database—so it’s simpler to coach new hires.
Some later discover that once they promote the enterprise, having SOPs in place makes it extra engaging to potential patrons, who know they will step into possession with out confusion about how one can hold issues working easily. “A enterprise that may function with out the proprietor day-to-day is price far more than a enterprise that requires the proprietor,” says Sovie, who has a background in pharma, the place many processes are standardized on this method.
Carrie Wulf teaches purchasers how one can construct commonplace working procedures for nearly any process in a … [+]
Within the case of ColdCallRX, the SOPs consist of easy video clips of every process, together with written directions. “If somebody has a query, you’ll be able to ship them a fast video,” says Sovie.
ColdCall RX has organized the SOPs right into a playbook, which has a desk of contents for all of its SOPs, overlaying matters like shopper onboarding, software program programs and coaching, and digital assistant administration assist and coaching.
The corporate additionally shares a “finest practices” SOP with its purchasers to assist them get probably the most out of the connection, providing steerage on situations like what to do in the event that they get a name from a key contact at an organization ColdCallRX has been pitching on their behalf. “We’re an extension of their gross sales group,” says Meadows.
So how do you create SOPs in your personal enterprise? I turned to Carrie Wulf, an operations professional and self-described “SOP geek” at Wulden Skilled Options in Wallingford, Ct., for recommendation.
“Within the final yr there was an uptick—individuals are realizing they should put these procedures in place,” she says. “They wish to begin taking holidays. Individuals are realizing I may give my assistant this library of SOPs and they’re going to know precisely what they should do and the way it needs to be executed.”
Listed here are three tricks to begin making use of as we speak.
1. Take into account all kinds of learners. Some folks study finest from a video. Others do higher when studying from an audio recording or a written doc. Your SOPs can be most profitable in case you create them in a number of codecs. “At any time when I’m writing an SOP, I embrace a hyperlink for a video walk-through,” she says.
2. Take into account each single step. Somebody ought to be capable to comply with the SOP even when they’ve by no means labored for your enterprise earlier than. “My objective after I write SOPs is to have the ability to hand that doc over to somebody how has by no means carried out that process earlier than, to allow them to do it following the SOP because it’s written,” says Wulf.
3. Make it simple on your self. Wulf makes use of a video messaging software known as Loom to speak by means of and document the steps of every course of. In case you decide to make use of it, she suggests recording your self with a Zoom display screen share.
Finally, SOPs are a easy software. Nonetheless, they will make an actual distinction if you wish to develop your enterprise—and benefit from the fruits of your labor.