If your service station lacks organisation surrounding basic tasks or if your employees could use a greater sense of independence, what you need to solve your problems is a set of standard operating procedures or SOPs.
SOPs bring organisation to a business. They are written instructions that describe how to perform a task or activity that is done often, and these instructions should be clear and precise so anyone could follow them.
We put together seven reasons why your business needs standard operating procedures – if you don’t already have them in place, you’ll see why you should.
Why Implement SOPs?
1. They promote positive change.
If your employees have ever complained that they’re not sure what they’re supposed to be doing at work, if they’ve talked about wanting more structure, or if you want to ensure that tasks are being carried out the right way, SOPs can help. They can promote the change that people are looking for at your service station because they streamline the way that things are done. When you write an SOP, you’re fostering efficiency, reliability, and predictability for your employees.
2. They produce results you can count on.
In business, consistency is key. SOPs leave little room for error because everyone who uses them follows a set of standardised rules that get standardised results. If they aren’t in place, it’s possible for employees to miss certain steps, make mistakes, or be entirely clueless about the procedure in general.
3. They improve employee training.
New employees can use SOPs to learn about your business and understand how common practices should be done and how often. This is a tool that they can use to get up to speed on their own, without you having to walk them through each procedure.
4. They can help you identify holes.
You’ll be able to spot where you have gaps in service when you have SOPs in place. You might be leaving out important information when it comes to operating procedures, and writing it down to create standard operating procedures allows you to fill in those gaps.
5. They can increase safety.
When employees are following an SOP, they are following procedures that are proven to be safe and efficient and they are less likely to come into harm. SOPs can also help you with compliance and keep your service station from getting fined.
6. They can improve efficiency.
SOPs eliminate questions that slow down certain processes and business decisions. Employees get things done right the first time when they’re following standard operating procedures.
7. They standardise customer service.
If you don’t have SOPs in place, there could be gaps in your customer service – for example, you might not know how to solve a problem related to a complaint if one should arise. With SOPs in place, you’re not only doing your employees a favour but your customers as well.