(Business listing) Why Every Business Needs To Operate Like a Franchise

November 23rd, 2008 admin Posted in business |

By Brad Semp

One of the most popular and enduring business models is the franchise business model. More and more people are buying franchises these days. At the same time there’s a growing awareness that the franchise business model is innately helpful to any business. Just as franchise systems are based on clearly established and documented operational procedures, so too would most businesses benefit from approaching their businesses as if they too were franchise systems.

The reality is that every large organization is based on harnessing effective systems. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have grown to its current size. That’s not to say that every single large organization is an “optimal” system - just that systems were the key determinant of its ongoing growth and profitability. Having said that, it’s often hard for entrepreneurs and small business owners to model themselves on large organizations. What they really need to guide them in business development is an “entrepreneur system” to model, which they can then capture and document in a process map, such as a Cashmap.

Well, the good news is that there is a readily available entrepreneur system that small businesses can model: the franchise system. A franchise system is essentially a network of small businesses that all apply the same operational model. Typically, the franchisor creates and perfects a system for operating a specific type of enterprise. In order to grow the business, the franchisor raises capital by selling to others the rights to replicate this business system. Consequently, franchisees buy the right to be trained in, and apply, the tried and true system developed by the franchisor. As such, the franchisee can produce the same products and services as any other franchisee.

The power of the franchise model for an entrepreneur - who may or may not ever want to grow their business into a huge company nor, indeed, franchise their business - lies in the idea that systems produce predictable results. It logically follows that if you have methods of producing highly desirable results - for example, great quality products and services, not to mention high sales and profits - these should be systemized in your business. In fact EVERY element of your business can be perfected and systemized in order to produce the results you want.

By using a Cashmap, a business owner can document each process or system in their business, whether it’s how to perform certain tasks… create new products… greet customers… or literally anything that has a direct or indirect impact on business performance. This effectively gives you a “blueprint” for ongoing business development, with the end result being a business that operates in a predictable fashion, yielding predictable results. Meanwhile, by continuing to actively improve these business systems, you can ensure that the business continues to grow and improve too.

Whether it’s a Fortune 500 company, or a highly successful franchise network, a successful enterprise relies on systemizing every organizational and operational element that affects business performance. So too, as an entrepreneur or small business owner, it’s wise to develop and implement systems in your business.

Act now to receive one month of free Cashmaps that focus on helping business owners to improve revenue and profitability through “systemization”. Obtain your free Cashmaps at http://www.FreeCashmap.com

iPhone Business Professionals Applications What You Should Know
By David Horvath

In today’s business world, you have to be ruthless and constantly taking note of the changing financial environment you are in. One of the greatest ways to do this is have a device that allows you to accurately control your expenses as well as keep track of how your money is being spent. If you have an Apple iPhone, than you most likely have a life that requires detail and organization. When it comes to finances, you must be extremely organized in order to make sure that your money isn’t being thrown around. And when you have an iPhone, you are able to add applications to your device, that will help organize your life. One of the best productivity applications for the iPhone is the JustAddMoney Expense Tracker.

This amazing application not only allows you to keep track of your money, but also you are able to share this information through a multi-user online tracker. This is perfect for a business that wants to be constantly updated on the financial happenings of the company. With this application, you are able to update your expenses in real-time, by entering in checks, receipts, credit card purchases and even how much cash you currently have. Since you are able to add additional users to the expense tracker, you can see how much money everyone has spent before making the next big purchase.

One of the coolest features about this application is how it can accurately manage your finances, no matter how complex they are. If you are running a business, and you want to keep your decision making employees up-to-date with all of the financial happenings, than you can do so by creating an account for them. After you have created an account, you can transfer money from these accounts, organizing expense categories and even create financial reports based on a certain date. This will keep your financial reports extremely organized and easy to understand.

Also, when you have this application, you can have real-time updates to how much money has been spent, and where. This will save you time in waiting for your checks to clear with the bank, and also will keep you from being surprised when you open your credit card billing statement.

Another great application for the business-minded, as well as those who want to keep information private, is the Mobile Password Safe. In today’s world, it is very important that you have a secure place to store all of your sensitive passwords, and what is a better place that your cell phone. You always have access to these passwords, however, only you are able to gain this access to the passwords. How this system works is you create labels for your passwords, and then put the actual password within the application.

After you have done so the passwords are actually decrypted into your browser, which means that plain text will never be transferred to the various servers. By doing so, this means your passwords can never be hacked and you are provided with 100% safety and security. If you have many passwords to sensitive locations, or if you just want to keep your online banking password even more protected, you will love this application.

David Horvath is a iPhone Developer and avid follower of the iPhone and its technology launches. He runs an informational webiste that provides iPhone purchases and setup tips. To take advantage of his inside knowledge, more make sure you check out Dave’s site at iPhone-Skin.com

How Systems Deliver Continuous Improvement
By Brad Semp

One of the most powerful aspects of implementing systems in your business is the ability to bring about continuous improvement. There’s a saying that “what can measured, can be improved” which highlights one of the key benefits of systems.

When you implement a process - for instance, by preparing a cashmap, which documents the process from start to finish - you are NOT setting anything in stone. On the contrary, you are merely documenting the best currently known way of producing a given result.

While it might be nice to assume that you’ve discovered the “be all, and end all” of systems for that particular process, such thinking would be misguided. That system should actually be regarded as a “control” against which you will test a succession of alternative ways of accomplishing the same or better result. Once you have found a better way to do something - or a way that yields a better result - that should replace the existing system.

For instance, you may think you have discovered the best procedure for making white bread. But what if a new bread making machine is available that you can purchase cost-effectively and use to make more bread in half the time? Assuming that you run a bakery, that machine - which is part of your system for making bread - may well improve the productivity and profitability of your enterprise.

But what if, to take another example, no one wants white bread anymore? What if all your customers want wholegrain bread instead? In that case, you may need a different system - maybe a new recipe in conjunction with the same or new bread making machine and oven - for producing what could also be called a better result.

To ensure that you vigorously improve each system in - and therefore each aspect of - your business, you will, in effect, need a system for continuous improvement. Such a system will encompass all the systems in your business. By implementing - and improving - that system, you will facilitate the ongoing improvement and growth of your business. How can it not… when you are continually striving to improve things? Whether it’s how you make your products, deliver your services, conduct your marketing, employ staff, or ANY aspect of your business - all such systems can, and should, be improved.

In summary, systems facilitate - not block - continuous improvement. By understanding and documenting your business through, for example, using a cashmap, you can test, measure and improve upon the systems in your business. Once a system is documented, you can identify and apply a set of metrics to monitor progress at particular time intervals, as well as apply various analytical techniques to evaluate system performance from a number of different angles. By applying this discipline to your business, you will see your business grow and improve day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.

Act now to receive one month of free Cashmaps that focus on helping business owners to improve revenue and profitability. Clients have paid up to $2,500 for a single Cashmap - obtain 3 free Cashmaps for your personal use at http://www.FreeCashmap.com

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