Does this sound like you? You’re definitely not alone! As many companies start to grow, they realize their current documentation is no longer meeting their needs. In fact, their documentation is likely hindering them. Scalable documentation, however, can make all the difference for growth and help to improve profits. Join us as we dive into the benefits of getting scalable documentation today for your growing company.
What is Business Scalability?
First, let’s cover the idea of scalability. Scalability refers to the ability to grow your business without having to invest time, resources, and effort into the processes. It also helps to reduce daily operations interruptions and improve your profits.
When businesses are scalable, all processes of the company can expand without growing pains. This includes hiring practices, project management, marketing, and, of course, documentation. When scalable documentation is done correctly, the company will be able to continue performing at high standards even under a larger workload.
What is Scalable Documentation?
Your documents, like the rest of the facets of your business, need to be able to handle your company’s growth. Without scalable documents, you could find your current paperwork and approach to new documents simply aren’t serving your goals or employees’ needs. It could also make you noncompliant.
What are the Benefits of Scalable Documentation?
Your documents, like the rest of the facets of your business, need to be able to handle your company’s growth. Without scalable documents, you could find your current paperwork and approach to new documents simply aren’t serving your goals or employees’ needs. It could also make you noncompliant.
To expand on scalable documentation, let’s describe the benefits.
Scalable Documentation Prepares Your Company for Growth
As your company changes, your needs for documentation also change. As you prepare for growth and expansion, for example, you’ll likely need plenty of documentation up front to help prepare for the adjustments, new compliance requirements, and other concerns. Scalable documentation allows you to keep up with these concerns.
Hiring new writers to keep up with this demand is a common practice, however, it’s also important to evaluate the consequences that may arise if your company decides to pause company growth, or even downsize.
Scalable Documentation Cuts Costs
With a proper scalability approach, you can avoid the expense of hiring full-time employees and outsource to a technical writing company. This will help you reap the benefits of scalability without running into the over or under hiring concerns that come with growth. You can request their services as-needed, making this a very beneficial and cost-effective solution for your company goals (whether expansion or downsizing).
Customer Demands are Met Quickly
As demands from your customers increase, your company should be able to grow rapidly to meet those demands. Fortunately, scalable documentation can offer an easy to follow, repeatable approach that can be confidently executed by your employees. This will ensure you are offering consistent, high quality customer service no matter the location or workload.
Employees are Positively Impacted
When demands from your customers increase, the demands on your employees will increase as well. Using a scalable documentation approach and communication plan, your employees will always be informed when company processes and procedures are updated or changed. As a result, this will reduce frustration and confusion among your employees and can improve the following conditions:
- Boosted morale
- Employee retention
- Work environment
- Work-life balance
Work is Efficient
Scalable documentation allows your new hires and current employees to work efficiently with each other, reducing the ramp-up time needed during company growth. The documentation provides process flows, step by step instructions, general guidance, and company-specific information that creates a united and consistent output for your clients. As a result of efficient work practices, your company will be able to earn more without spending more.
By effectively implementing scalable documentation, you will gain a competitive advantage, positioning yourself to not only confront competitors head-on but also potentially surpass them if they struggle to handle scalability issues.
Product Quality is Retained
Amidst the growth, a valid concern arises regarding the potential compromise of product quality due to inconsistencies caused by the chaotic nature of expansion. However, as mentioned above, scalable documentation can offer an easy to follow repeatable approach that can be confidently executed by your employees. Having a well-written set of documents in place will protect your company’s integrity and product quality by providing your employees with a clear outline of expectations and product specifications.
How Can You Have a Better Approach to Scalability for Documentation?
In order to have scalable documentation, you should first have a scalable company. Here are some tips to help you achieve that.
Start Scalability Planning Early
Did you know that you should start focusing on scalability plans when you’re just starting out? Even if you’re a bigger company, though, the earlier you start the better. This will help ensure your team knows exactly what to expect and you can avoid growing pains.
You will need a concept and plan for your scalability, and working from a standardized approach, rather than a customizable one, can make all the difference. Identify gaps, problems, and concerns with your plan early and adjust as needed.
This also means identifying the required documents. You’ll need to know what type of documents you require before you focus on growth. This could refer to onboarding procedures, training modules, SOPs, work instructions, employee handbooks, and more.
The stronger your approach to scalability planning now, the less painful your growth will be!
Focus on Consistency
Of course, scalability isn’t going to work if you’re only using the tactics mentioned in this post 6 months out of the year and ignoring your plan for the other half. Or if one half of your team is using one software, the other half another, yet one single piece software can serve all their needs. You could run into some serious confusion, delays, misguided meetings, and other problems down the line if consistency isn’t achieved.
Consistency is a must for scalability. In order to achieve this, it helps to have a solid brand strategy and mission statement, keep management updated about changes, and stay on top of industry changes, including regulations, trends, and customer expectations.
And consistency is so important for documentation, too! Formats and templates should be the same for your entire company. You also want to be sure that all departments have the same information. If you lack consistency in the writing, you could have departments come up with very different outcomes, statistics, and even approaches to their work, all of which undercut your company’s efforts as a whole.
Take Advantage of Technology
Some of your documentation may be printed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of technology, either! Putting your documents online or in the cloud for your team members to access, for example, is a great start as it allows them to check their SOPs, employee handbooks, and more from any location – even if they’re traveling to your new headquarters in another country!
Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can also be big game changers. They can assist with:
- Backing up data to the cloud
- Interacting with employees and customers for FAQ
- Employee tasks
- Business-related projections
- Reducing employee errors
- Identifying gaps in the business
- Measure goals and benchmarks
Work with the Right Team
You can have the strongest plans and the best technology in the world, but if you don’t have the right team backing you, your business and scalability plan won’t get far. Not only do you need to hire the correct team members for the job, you need to think of the future.
When it comes to documentation,, it is not very cost-effective to hire employees as you need them and fire them when you don’t. While you can definitely have a small team on hand, there is another route to consider.
Outsourcing can handle all of your documentation needs and wants whether your business is growing or downsizing. You can work with outsourced writers as needed, and don’t have to keep them on payroll! This approach saves you money by reducing operational costs, but it will also save you time and effort. You’ll even save time for some of your employees, allowing them to work on other pressing matters.
Growing and Need Scalable Documentation? Work with Shea Writing and Training Solutions
Shea Writing & Training Solutions understands what your business is facing as it grows. Scalable documentation is an absolutely must to ensure your company keeps up with demand without hurting your bottom line.
Want to save money and time? Then it’s time to outsource your documentation needs to an experienced team who understands your industry and requirements. Get started with us today by calling our team at 813-723-9142 or filling out this form.
As your business grows, it requires documentation that can grow with it. Having a plan for scalability is an absolute must to help ensure your company stays on track for success, growth, improved efficiency, and increased profits.
