To scale your team, you must remove all unnecessary steps from your operation. Specifically, you need to look for “friction points” that stop your agents and staff from being productive. If an agent has to hunt for their CRM app on the third screen of their phone, they are less likely to make that dial. Consequently, you must evaluate every detail of your workflow to improve velocity.
The “No Left Turn” Strategy
Look at a company like UPS. They deliver millions of packages on time because they analyzed every friction point. In fact, they famously implemented a policy of “no left turns” to minimize delays and idling. Similarly, as a team leader, you should be looking for the “left turns” in your office that slow down your team.
Because staff members are often paid by the hour, they aren’t always incentivized to work faster. Therefore, you must go in scientifically—like a manufacturing plant manager with a stopwatch—and identify where time is being wasted.
Eliminating Physical Friction
I once noticed my staff constantly walking to a central scanner or printer. While it seemed like a small walk, it was a major distraction. Instead of letting them waste time chatting by the copier, I bought every person their own personal printer and scanner.
By doing this, they never had to leave their chairs to finish a task. Additionally, I provided dual monitors. Because they no longer had to toggle between tabs to input a listing, their speed doubled. These small “clicks” add up to massive revenue.
- One-Click Culture: Mimic Amazon’s “one-click” checkout by making it easy for agents to schedule appointments.
- Home Office Checklists: Ensure your remote agents have an elite setup. If they have a professional desk and scanner at home, they will work more than if they are at a cluttered kitchen table.
Finished Work is the Only Asset
In conclusion, remember this rule: anything that is started but not finished is waste. If you call a lead but don’t close them, that energy is gone. By practicing business process optimization, you help your agents do less to get more.
When you remove the weeds from your process, your high-performers will fly, and your rule-followers won’t get stuck in the details. Stop adding steps and start removing them.