Why Better Processes Are Your Secret Weapon

By David Collier, Consultant at The Epitome Group

Let’s cut to the chase. . . if your business feels stuck, you’re not alone. A recent report shows only 2% of UK startups hit £1m turnover within three years, and productivity growth has flatlined for over a decade. But here’s the good news—tiny tweaks to how you work can deliver big results.

 

The Problem – We’re Busy, Not Productive

Most SMEs I meet are drowning in day-to-day fires. You’re working harder, but growth stays elusive. Sound familiar? The data backs this up.

• 56% of SMEs have less than 6 months’ cash reserves.

• Only 7% of firms scale past £3m turnover.

• Labour costs and economic uncertainty are top concerns.

But here’s the kicker – productivity isn’t about hours logged—it’s about eliminating wasted effort.

 

Start Here – Fix Your Hidden Leaks

1. Map Your Processes
   If your team’s best practices live in someone’s head, you’re vulnerable. Document key workflows (even messy ones!). One client saved 10 hours/week by spotting duplicate tasks in their order process.

2. Automate After Simplifying
   Throwing tech at broken processes just breaks them faster. A bakery manufacturer  client of ours tried automating invoicing but missed a step—customers got double-billed. They fixed the workflow first, then automated, cutting errors by 80%1.

3. Track What Matters
   Only 14.5% of SMEs achieve sustained growth. Why? They don’t measure the right things. Pick 3 KPIs tied to customer value (e.g delivery time, repeat orders). One logistics firm cut delays by tracking “idle time” between shipments.

 

The Proof – Small Changes = Big Wins

• Firms using external business advice saw 22.1% higher productivity.

• Process innovation (like streamlining inventory) boosts sales growth 7x vs. non-innovators.

• Micro-businesses adopting basic tech (like accounting software) grew 28% faster.

 

Your Action Plan

1. Weekly “Waste Hunt”
   Gather your team for 15 mins every Friday. Ask: “What slowed us down this week?” Fix one bottleneck each month.

2. Steal These Free Tools

   • Trello for visual workflow mapping

   • Xero for automating invoicing (cuts late payments by 6.4 days)

   • Google Forms to survey customers on pain points

3. Invest in Skills, Not Just Software
   Training budgets are tight, but 72% of growing SMEs upskill staff quarterly. Focus on problem-solving skills—not just tech.

 

The Bottom Line

Growth isn’t about magic bullets. It’s about doing the boring stuff better. As one client told me “We stopped chasing shiny objects and fixed our shipping process. Now we’re hitting targets we thought were impossible.”

You’ve survived this long—imagine what you could achieve with 20% less wasted time. Start small. Track progress. Repeat.

Need a fresh pair of eyes on your processes? Let’s chat over coffee—virtual or real. Sometimes a 30-minute audit uncovers years of hidden growth.

 

Enterprise Research Centre, State of Small Business Britain 2024 ONS Business Insights and Conditions Survey, 2024 UK Innovation Survey, 2024. Click here.