Why document your systems?

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When a key employee leaves after being with you for many years, here's what could leave with them: 

• customer trust, including understanding each customer's unique personality and how best to serve their needs 
• the detailed knowledge of how things are really done in their position
• their ability to quickly, efficiently and effectively resolve problems
• their ability to confidently, competently and quickly make decisions 
• their internal capital - how much the team relies on their knowledge and support
• their ability to train new employees
• your deep trust in them to execute without requiring your time and input
• their direct or indirect impact on growth
• their impact on smooth running operations 

Documented systems ensure work flows predictably, consistently, and clearly even when key people are gone.  

In some cases, one person may be the only one who knows how to perform their role. Capturing as much of this knowledge capital now will bring incalculable relief when that key team member departs.

Your company requires the need to hire new employees frequently and it's taking them too much time to get up to speed in your view. 

Documenting the processes & procedures they will be performing will absolutely reduce the time from onboarding to a productive contributor, while giving them the very resources they need to be competent in their role. 

The company is not performing consistently in a few or several areas, causing a negative impact to productivity and quality.

Improving consistency requires improving efficiency. Documenting every step of your processes & SOPs will absolutely move you in the direction to resolving this.

The company is experiencing inconsistent service or product delivery, more complaints, weaker reputation and a greater number of less than 5 star ratings on social media.

Companies with well‑documented support/self‑service processes see 10–30% higher customer retention and 25–40% greater lifetime value.

You are far more an employee owner, instead of the chief growth architect of your company.

Your company is suffering in several areas because you don't have the time to focus on leading it. 

Documenting then delegating the processes and SOPs you find yourself continually doing, whatever the reason, is a must if you want to free up time to focus on running and growing your company.

And not just vague improvement — I'm talking real time freed from operations every week. 

You cannot scale if you don't document your processes & procedures. No wiggle room for compromise here.

If you want to maximize value for your company, documenting an absolute must do.

Another common sense solution here: don't attempt to optimize or automate a processes that's not fully understood. 

First document it so you clearly know what you have and how it works. Then incorporate AI to optimize it.

Think Risk & Security Management as well.  With all the technology in place, let's protect the business against downtime, fraud, and cyber threats, not just describe how work gets done.