How to Get to the Next Level - Streamlining your Business Process

As I work with clients on their websites, I realize that for many of us, we are learning how to run our business at the same time as we are learning how to work the website.

For example, if you have a membership organization, common business process functions include:

A) developing a list of current members,

B) tracking down members to pay their upcoming dues,

C) collecting paper checks,

D) processing new applications,

E) updating existing member information, and

F) offering members-only access to certain types of information or bonuses, discounts, coupons, or secure/confidential information

As part of our job, I help identify potential website functions to match an existing business process.

A general rule of thumb is that if there is a paper form for a particular process, an equivalent web-based form and outputs may be created to handle the same information.

For example, a Drupal site can be configured to:

A) display a list of current members in your roster,

B) auto-send an e-mail reminder notification for members who are coming up on their annual dues payment,

C) accept online payments,

D) accept new member applications based on your pre-defined rules,

E) allow users to edit their own contact information, and

F) allow members-only displays of information, that only a logged-in member may access

In my opinion, people on a membership committee have a primary directive to focus on member support, to provide outreach and networking opportunities between members, and to create additional benefits to existing members... if people are focusing too much on paperwork, it may be time to upgrade to a system that allows you to use technology to more effectively carry out your mission.

By identifying bottlenecks, you have more information about where to find a solution. From our perspective, many solutions come from a web-based version of a current paper-based process.

We recommend you work with someone who understands your needs and can translate your pain points into solutions -- but this requires you to understand your internal strengths and weaknesses first!

Understand your business process, then find ways to maximize your money and time by streamlining your process.

Feel free to contact us if you want an external perspective on your current organizational situation.