Plan, Implement, Track

The secret to successful planning is to implement the plan then measure success. You do this by tracking actual results vs. planned outcomes which creates accountability. A plan without measurable milestones will be prone to failure. Measurable milestones are also key indicators that can be used to determine whether or not you are making progress on your plan.

Beware The Gray Areas

Most plans are made up of details that are black and white, i.e. sales increase of 25%, hire three new employees, etc. However, it's those pesky 'gray areas' that get us into trouble. 'Gray' areas are results that are difficult to quantify but important to success. Areas like:

• customer satisfaction;
• increased market awareness;
• staff training; or,
• your sustainable competitive advantage.

These are difficult to measure but not impossible.

Improve Results - Measure The Unmeasureable

How can we measure the unmeasurable? Break it down into smaller parts or add new processes that make the entire process more prone to measurement. Let's look at customer satisfaction for this exercise.

First, you'll have to establish a benchmark for the current situation. To do this, you'll want to survey customers to establish current perceptions and performance standards. Say, for example, there are three potential problem areas where you want to measure customer satisfaction:

• turnaround time from inquiry to quote;
  
  
• reduced delivery time;
  
  
• the time it takes to resolve shipping problems.
  
  

Next, interview customers (10 or 100, you decide) to establish a benchmark of current performance. Then you tabulate the data and inform staff of the need to improve these three key areas.

You then undertake a training program to reinforce customer service policies and procedures. You monitor results and make modifications and changes in the customer service model over an eight-week period. At the end of the eight weeks you interview the same customers, as well as some new ones and compare the results to the first set of survey data.

If there was no measurable increase in any of the three areas, you can go back and revisit your training program, procedures and policies, and look for areas that need further improvement. Using this approach will measure and increase accountability in customer service areas that are essential to your success.

Implement what you learn in your business plan. Don't have a business plan? Now you can learn how to write a business plan.