DaveBirchall.com on Business Technology

I was recently asked to add to a column to give my hottest tips to get your technology start up off the ground. This is what I said…

My advise is to find yourself the largest piece of butchers paper you can find and and identify the possible inputs (customer arrives on website, customer call in) and desired outputs. (Customer pays invoice, Money arrives in account) Make a flow chart of all the steps that happen in the middle. Identify processes and artifacts that assist in the process and get down to some detail.

Now for the fun bit! Ask yourself, what processes can be done automatically and what tasks are more humanistic? How much of your business can be automated and what kind of efficiencies do we have as a result?

I know this can take some time, but there is an enormous payoff around the corner. The old adage is true in this case ”not planning is planning to fail” There are some clear payoffs in this area. Not only can this unify your team and clarify your goals, but it can also become a framework for the selection of your business systems as you progress with your idea. In short, this exercise helps you avoid the pitfall that I see people falling into every week…

Whether you are thinking about selecting or designing technology for your business, remember…

Technology enables good business processes, Its not a magic wand to replace them.

Get this right and enjoy the benefits for years to come.

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