How I Helped a Start-Up Streamline Their Processes and Boost Productivity
Starting a business is no small feat, especially when it comes to juggling all the administrative tasks that come with it. I had the pleasure of working with a client, a start-up in the charity sector developing an innovative app. They had only been operating for a few months after receiving funding and were struggling with the usual start-up chaos.
The Challenge
When I first met with one of the owners, it was clear that their days were bogged down with admin tasks. From bank reconciliations to repetitive reporting, their time was consumed by activities that pulled them away from crucial strategic planning and growth efforts. With no processes or templates in place, everyone was constantly asking them for information, which was all in their heads or on their personal hard drives. It was a textbook case of disorganisation getting in the way of progress.
My Role
My role was pretty broad from the get-go because there was so much to tackle and I was able to draw upon my past experiences and knowledge.
The first priority was setting up their XERO accounting software, which they hadn’t done yet. This was crucial for managing their finances more efficiently. I ensured that their chart of accounts reflected their business and reporting requirements by customising the detail to make it more meaningful.
The next priority was to establish a centralised location for all generic information, rather than having it scattered across various hard drives. This involved setting up a structured file system with permissions to ensure the right people had access to the right information. Given that this client was using Google Workspace, I leveraged Google Drive and other Google Apps to streamline this process.
From there, I implemented some good practice processes:
Centralised Receipt Storage: - Setting up a place for all purchase receipts, making reconciliation in XERO much simpler.
Annual Leave and Movements Calendar: - Creating a shared calendar so everyone knew who was available and when.
Due Diligence Information Area: - Collating all necessary information for funding applications into an easy-to-access system. This saved a ton of time and energy by eliminating the need to recreate information for each application.
Once these foundational processes were in place, I shifted my focus to creating financial reports and dashboards. This provided the business owners with up-to-date, accurate data, enabling them to make more informed decisions. To do this, I ensured we had a process and timeline for other team members to submit crucial information required for reporting.
The Results
The impact of these changes was immediate and significant. Team members were able to find the information they needed without constantly interrupting the business owners, fostering greater independence and ownership of their day-to-day tasks. The processes I put in place even inspired the team to organise themselves better, adopting more efficient filing systems and workflows.
Conclusion
Helping this client streamline their processes was incredibly rewarding. It allowed the business owners to focus on what truly mattered: planning and strategising for growth.
If your business is struggling with similar challenges, feel free to get in touch. I’m here to help you put processes in place that will save you time and hassle, so you can get back to doing what you do best.
Get in touch with me here: https://www.vtaservices.co.uk/contact
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