You want to create processes for every function in your firm including developing procedures manuals. This means starting with the script that the receptionist says when she answers the phone and transfers the calls. You want this person to have an attitude where they are happy to be alive when they answer your phone. They are the first point of contact for people calling your firm so you want to create a great first impression with the ‘right’ person answering the phone.
You will want to create or update a job description for every position that includes all the responsibilities of that position so the person doing it knows exactly what they are responsible for and their performance will be measured against.
Every position in your firm should have a procedures manual at their desk. One benefit is that they don’t have to ever ask you how to do something since it is in the manual. You don’t have to tell them a second or third time because it is in the manual. When someone is out sick or gone on vacation and someone else needs to know how to do something that person who is gone did, it is in the manual. If you have to terminate someone, the learning curve is greatly reduced because you have a manual for that position. Someone new that may start might see a better way to get something done when it is documented. If you do a certain process only a few times a month, a quarter, or a year, it is all documented so you don’t have to waste time trying to remember how to do it. It may take a little while to create the proper procedures manuals but it is so worth it in the long run.
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