Complex processes hurt organisational productivity and performance. It slows staff down and can prevent them from achieving meaningful due to inefficient systems. When things are moving slowly, it also means you’re not getting accurate and timely insights to make smarter decisions.

To resolve this dilemma, it’s crucial to simplify your business processes to make your organisation more efficient and profitable.

 

Why is it important to simplify your business?

Simplifying your business processes makes it easier for you to manage daily operations. When records are in order and you have a well-documented approach to getting things done, you can:

  • finish your tasks faster while exerting less energy,
  • divert your internal resources to value-adding activities,
  • have more time to focus on your core responsibilities,
  • promote accountability and transparency among team members,
  • focus on improving your products and services and
  • become more profitable.

Simplicity is the key to transparency while complexity abets ambiguity. Contrary to a complex process, a simplified one makes tasks and documentation more transparent, encouraging everyone to be more responsible for their actions.

 

How to simplify business processes

Here are the 3 basic strategies to simplify your business processes.

1. Set up a good recordkeeping system

Business records are important in monitoring the progress of your records, including the sales and expenses you’ve incurred over a specific period. It’s also critical for financial reporting. When lodging your taxes, applying for government grants or getting bank loans, business records are one of the first documents you should prepare.

However, the number of your records also multiplies as your business grows. The five-year requirement of the ATO to keep business records forces you to accumulate lots of paperwork. Digging into it when the time comes may consume a lot of your time.

To avoid this, make sure to set up a good recordkeeping system. Here are some tips:

  • Consolidate records from different departments into a single, organised system.
  • Use records management software to digitise physical documents.
  • Document your company processes in storing and accessing records to ensure all departments are complying with a universal recordkeeping system.
  • Back up your digital records as a risk mitigation measure.

An efficient record management system improves productivity as finding relevant documents can only take a few clicks. At the same time, it also provides open information access across departments which makes it easier to collaborate with other teams.

 

2. Automate your processes

Automating your business is another effective strategy to simplify your processes. It also prepares your business for Australia’s plan for a digital economy by 2030. Part of this plan is SME Digitalisation which aims to strengthen the digital capabilities of small-to-medium enterprises across the country.

Some of our recommendations to automate your processes are:

  • Use tools to automate your processes. An example is using software with intuitive functions such as Xero accounting software.
  • Make your software more efficient by using add-ons like Hubdoc, Dext or other POS systems. Doing so gets rid of the manual data entry process.
  • Create a process map of your business processes to have a better understanding of how work flows within your organisation. We recommend the use of Lucidchart for this because of its collaborative and easy-to-use features.

 

3. Outsource processes 

Outsourcing tasks outside your core expertise can be more efficient than doing them in-house. It empowers you to let go and delegate responsibilities you cannot manage anymore.

Accounting, for instance, is a time-consuming process of bookkeeping, reconciling and reporting. Instead of doing this yourself, it’s more helpful for you and your business to let the experts do the job.

Outsourcing can also act as a support to your in-house team. You don’t have to outsource the entire process, rather you can simply choose a few tasks, such as bookkeeping, to delegate so that your in-house team can focus on more strategic accounting tasks.

 

Simplify your business processes

If you need help in simplifying your business processes, ABJ Solutions is here to assist you. Our team of experts is passionate when it comes to accounting technology and automation. For more information about our services, contact our friendly team today.