Standard operating procedure (SOP) documents are sets of step-by-step instructions that guide employees through a specific task. SOPs ensure consistency, enhance productivity, and improve quality control across all areas of your operation.
Simply put, an SOP is an outline of who will do what and when. And that’s important, because according to data from Gallup, only around half of workers know what’s actually expected of them.
Whether you follow Systemology, EOS, or any other framework for building your business systems, SOPs are at the very core of how things get done. This checklist will help you make sure they get done right.
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“In every business, systems are the behind-the-scenes playbooks for everything that gets done, from how your business operates to how your sales team engages with customers,” explains Marcela Kerbs, CEO of BustNMoves Moving & Storage and Owner at Marcela Kerbs Consulting, in a session on streamlining operations at the Virtual Movers Conference.
Documented or not, SOPs exist in your business. And the way Marcela sees it, they can “significantly impact your business’s efficiency and quality of work”.
By taking the time to step back and document her systems, she and her husband Taylor were able to grow their business to four locations, 10 moving trucks, and four packing vans. And today, she only works 15 hours per week.
That alone is pretty compelling. But in case you’re still not sold, let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest benefits of creating SOPs.
Tired of answering the same questions from team members over and over again? Believe it or not, employees spend more than 25% of their time searching for the information they need to do their jobs.
SOPs streamline your moving processes from A to Z, ensuring that every step from initial customer contact to requesting post-move reviews follows a consistent set of steps that everyone can follow. By documenting and storing them in one central place, you can spend less time repeating yourself and more time on tasks that move the business forward.
When it comes to your reputation, you can’t afford to cut corners. SOPs ensure that all customers receive the same high level of service regardless of the day, time, or team managing their move. By standardizing your team’s interactions, responses to inquiries, and resolution of issues, you can maintain a strong reputation no matter what challenges are thrown your way.
Accidents are a part of life in the moving industry, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t preventable. SOPs that include detailed health and safety protocols for things like proper handling techniques and what to do when dealing with hazardous materials can help significantly reduce the risk of accidents, injuries, and damage to furniture and household goods.
Every moving business is different. Your SOPs won’t look like everyone else’s — and that’s ok.
Copy and paste the below checklist then customize to your own processes for a streamlined system that works.
1. First Contact
2. Move Details
3. Service Overview
4. Prepare Estimate
5. Deliver Quote
6. Follow-up
7. Quote Adjustment (if necessary)
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1. Confirm Booking
2. Documentation
1. Assign Crew
2. Confirm schedule with customer
Move day
1. Inventory Checklist
2. Equipment & Crew
3. Move Day Execution
Post-move follow-up
1. Customer Follow Up
2. Documentation Update
1. Invoicing
2. Payment Processing
3. Outstanding Payments
4. Documentation
Believe it or not, these playbooks can actually become a key profitability lever for your moving business.
Documenting your client flow is the perfect way to kickstart your SOPs. You could use a free tool like Lucidchart or Creately, or follow Marcela’s advice and start by answering seven simple questions:
Before creating a standard operating procedure document for any process, you need to have a clear end goal in mind:
Writing SOPs isn’t exactly the sexiest task in the universe. The good news is, you don’t have to do it yourself. Experts like Marcela recommend hiring a detail-oriented “system champion” to help you out.
“Designate someone knowledgeable as the go-to for questions about the process. Include additional team members to prevent bottlenecks and ensure smooth operations,” she suggests.
After choosing your system champion, loop in an expert top-performer to provide them with all the information they need to create a well-oiled and well-documented process for all the right workflows.
Ask your system champion to shadow your top-performer to observe and document them executing the task live in real time. Using the information gathered from your top performer and other credible sources, you will then create a step-by-step guide detailing your process. There’s your written playbook.
Don’t try to cram everything into one “perfect” SOP. Instead, use bullet points to simplify complex or multi-step processes and set a date to review and update your SOPs based on any new lessons learned or changes made.
Keep in mind, your SOP documents should also be simple to find. Use a centralized system that everyone can access with a clickable table of contents to help team members locate answers quickly.
Whether you’re training new employees or getting existing top-performers on board with a new service, system, or process, the right SOPs will help keep everyone on the same page.
“It's been really easy to get people trained up. It usually takes about a week before they're up to full speed when we hire new salespeople,” says Wade Swikle, CEO of 2 College Brothers.
Find out why ambitious movers like Marcela and Wade choose SmartMoving to systematize their moving businesses. Get your free demo today to learn more.