In this podcast episode, host Rob Lawrence interviews Andy Skinner, the founder of AMS Business Consultants, about the critical role of business processes.

Andy, a seasoned Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, shares insights from his extensive experience in process improvement; revealing the importance of understanding and designing effective processes for startup businesses to enhance productivity and customer satisfaction.

Andy also describes practical steps for capturing and mapping business processes and emphasises the need to measure processes from a customer's perspective. The conversation also explores the value of aligning processes with customer requirements to drive operational efficiency and growth.

In this episode you'll learn:

Introduction to AMS Business Consultants (00:01:00) Andy's background, AMS Business Consultants, and qualifications in process improvement.

Understanding Business Processes (00:02:02) Andy explains lean six sigma, process improvement, management, and design for businesses.

Early Career and Lean Six Sigma Training (00:03:12) Andy's early career, introduction to lean six sigma, and becoming a certified blackbelt.

Importance of Processes for Small Businesses (00:06:21) Discussion on the significance of processes for startups and the impact on productivity and customer experience.

Capturing and Mapping Processes (00:10:37) Practical steps and tools for capturing and mapping business processes.

Founder's Involvement in Processes (00:13:59) The role of business owners in performing processes and the importance of designing processes for the business and customers.

Process Design and Improvement (00:15:49) The application of process management, improvement, and design based on business needs and customer perspectives.

Understanding Customer Needs (00:22:26) The importance of understanding and meeting customer needs to deliver value-added services. The importance of communication, customer service, and continuous improvement in online retail businesses.

Continuous Improvement and Program Evolution (00:24:35) The importance of continuous improvement and evolving processes in the "Start Build and Grow" program.

Process Design and Redesign (00:25:07) Process entitlement, process design methodology, and redesigning processes for rapidly growing businesses.

Implementing Performance Metrics (00:26:51) Establishing a dashboard for visualising and understanding performance metrics in business.

Measuring and Improving Speed of Response (00:27:30) Measuring speed of response, using the right tools, and setting up processes for tracking performance metrics.

Aligning Tools with Processes (00:28:53) The importance of defining processes first and then finding tools that fit the process, not the other way around.

Essential Business Measures (00:31:40) Example of critical measures like speed of response, speed of order, dispatch, and target delivery time for product-based businesses.

Utilizing Data Analytics (00:33:43) Leveraging website data analytics for future marketing activities and gaining valuable insights.

Importance of Good Processes (00:35:15) The significance of good processes in delivering consistent outputs and understanding customer needs.

Process Improvement for Reducing Carbon Footprint (00:37:22) Using process improvement to...