Elizabeth Potter | Systemized For Play Ltd. | Small Business Consultant

One of the most common struggles for many small businesses is delivering consistency to customers and clients. It’s not hard to figure out why – the typical small business features a small number of employees often responsible for a wide-ranging variety of tasks. While a larger business often assigns an employee to a very specific role, small business employees are often required to perform a variety of functions each day.

As a result, consistency is rare. Because most employees can’t focus on a single task, results can vary. An order that was delivered on time last month may arrive three days late the next time. Exceptional customer service one week may be followed up with poor service the next. It’s a common tale—but it’s very damaging for the business.

It may be counter-intuitive, but consistency is more important than excellence. Now don’t get me wrong, excellence is something we should all strive for. But studies have consistently shown that consumers value consistency. They like to know what to expect when they interact with a business. That’s why a restaurant like McDonald’s can be so successful—not because they make the best burgers in the world, but because they create a predictable, consistent experience for their customers.

If you stop to think about it, you’ll realize that even when you walk in to a McDonald’s location for the very first time, you already have precise expectations. And those expectations are consistently met.

But how can a small business deliver consistency, especially when every day can seem like a battle just to get the doors open and to keep the customers happy?

One word: systems.

Creating systems allows your employees….  Continue Reading: http://www.systemizedforplay.com/articles/create-systems-to-deliver-a-consistent-customer-experience.php