Don't Reinvent the Wheel – Use a Workflow

Have you ever found yourself slogging through the same mind-numbingly repetitive task for the umpteenth time and thought to yourself, “There’s got to be a better way?” There probably is! It’s called a workflow. We use this concept extensively at Luneer Mgmt. to improve the efficiency and performance of the brands we serve.

Workflows are essential to unlocking your potential as a small business because they’re designed to save precious time and energy so you can invest it back into high-return activities. Read on to learn the formal definition of a workflow, how it can benefit your business in practical terms, and some key use cases to get you started.

What is a workflow?

IBM, a world leader in system design, defines a workflow as “a system for managing repetitive processes and tasks which occur in a particular order." A workflow is essentially the way you complete a process. It’s not quite the same thing as the process itself. The process is the stuff you do. The workflow is the method, procedure, tool, or automated system you use to get it done.

Modern business workflows have emerged from a long line of brilliant design thinkers applying their minds to the problem of how to get work done more effectively. Frederick Taylor, a mechanical engineer from the 1800s, is often considered the founder of the workflow concept, which arose out of his theories of scientific management. Another workflow theorist whose name might ring a bell is Henry Gantt, who developed the Gantt chart still widely used in project management and industrial engineering. If you’re interested in Gantt charts and other ways of visualizing project timelines, have a look at this helpful explanation from Indeed.

How can a workflow help my business operations?

We’ll get into specific workflow categories in a moment, but the key benefit of a workflow is that it streamlines your processes to improve consistency, communication, speed, and return on investment. Workflows ensure consistency by establishing a standardized path or procedure so that the same process can be executed the same way, every time. They improve communication by providing a centralized method for sharing ideas to facilitate faster, more effective collaboration. In addition, workflow software often offers automated pathways for particular tasks, and this, in turn, increases the speed of delivery. Finally, well-designed workflows reduce the cost associated with miscommunications, human error, and time-consuming tasks. Ultimately, all of these savings in terms of time, energy, and money go back into your operations, helping you create a better customer experience, build a stronger team, and reach your business goals more efficiently.

Where can I use workflows in my business operations?

Workflow design thinkers organize workflows into different categories depending on the types of activities they support. A few examples that are especially applicable to online business operations are process, project, and delivery workflows.

1. A Process Workflow facilitates a predictable, repeatable process that occurs the same way every time.

Some prime examples are employee and client onboarding. Both of these processes follow roughly the same steps, beginning with a contract agreement, information gathering, project launch, orientation, welcome package, and goal setting. A workflow guides the steps of this process as they apply to your specific business needs. Software integrations such as Customer Relationship Management platforms centralize process workflows, keeping all the documentation in one place, and automating many of the steps to save you time while minimizing the possibility of error. At Luneer Mgmt, our favorite CRM is Honeybook, and we offer Honeybook intensives to get your new workflow up and running so you can keep doing business without missing a beat.

2. A Project Workflow is a structured path to guide a project through from start to finish.

Content creation whether for social media engagement, email marketing, or a business blog follows a fairly standard set of steps. For instance, writing projects start with defining the scope and objective of the work and then proceed through researching, outlining, writing, editing, formatting with images and backlinks, approving, publishing, and promoting. Even for simple projects it helps to have a checklist to ensure each of these steps gets done. In and of itself, this checklist could be considered a workflow. For more complex projects or when multiple team members are involved, we recommend using project management software such as notion, which allows you to create flows and assign tasks based on the status of the project.

3. Delivery Workflows define how products or information travel from point A to point B.

Package shipping and email delivery are two examples of this type of workflow. For e-commerce, the steps usually involve receiving an online order, processing payment, retrieving the item from inventory, packaging, and shipping. For an email campaign, this process might look a little more abstract. It could begin with a visitor subscribing to your newsletter, which then triggers a welcome email followed by periodic emails with progressively personalized content to nurture the lead. Email automation integrations often include workflows to help you structure your email marketing campaigns and send your messages on schedule. We especially like flodesk because it not only manages message delivery but also offers customizable templates to help you create visually appealing marketing content.

4. There are many other types of workflows out there depending on your need.

Some of these include request flows, which are often used in customer service ticketing systems, and purchase flows which govern applications like online checkouts. For more examples, take a look at this useful breakdown from teachtarget. Whatever process you have in mind, there’s almost certainly a workflow to help you manage it.

Workflows are essential to business operations success, but what are some of the potential challenges to consider?

A well-implemented workflow will save you a lot of time, energy, and stress while helping your team operate more effectively and improving your business’ bottom line. But the key word here is well-implemented. Some factors to consider in setting up and maintaining effective workflows are automation, communication, and adaptability.

1. Workflow automation requires human guidance.

Automations don’t teach themselves – at least not yet! Take the time to train yourself and your team on how to make the best use of your new systems to see the greatest benefits and prevent user error. Moreover, too much automation in the name of efficiency can damage your employee and customer relationships if not balanced with a human touch. We’ve all experienced it – the moment our brand loyalty died on the phone waiting to get through to a real human on the other end of the customer service line. Don’t let that happen with your business! Make sure to take some of those time and energy savings you gain from automation and reinvest them back into fostering your team and customer relationships.

2. Workflows need to be communicated to be effective.

When you implement a new system or standardize an old one into a formal workflow, take the time to communicate the change to your team and customers as appropriate. You might have developed the perfect workflow, but if your team or clients aren’t aware of where they fit into the process, they won’t be able to take advantage of the improvements you’ve made and miscommunications may arise. It’s always a good idea to preserve and communicate your workflows in writing. This might involve updating your website, welcome package, or training materials to keep everyone on the same page.

Adapt your workflows to your business, not the other way around.

Workflows only work if they work. You may find that pre-packaged workflows don’t always fit the details of your business operations. Some workflows are case-specific, meaning they need to be customized for special business applications. When launching a new project or experiencing growth in your business, you might not always know what steps make the most sense right away. Take the time to explore your options, consult your team, get feedback from customers, and stay open to adjustments along the way.

Standardizing workflows for your business might seem like a lot of effort up-front, but the long-term payoff is undeniable. The great news is you don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel every time you perform a process, and you also don’t have to come up with your workflows from scratch. There’s a long legacy of design thinking to tap into on this subject and productivity experts to help you along the way. If you’re not sure where to start in setting up effective workflows, don’t hesitate to get in touch. With wide experience in project management and workflow software integrations, we’re here to help you get organized and set up the proper integrations so your business can start running better than ever.

WRITTEN BY: DEBORAH STEVENSON