Travelling up and down England with Isabella and Jemima can be a challenge.

So when it is time to stop there is only one option, McDonalds.

Trust me, I don’t go there for the food but for the amenities.

They are clean, there is limited menu choice, they serve you fast and there is always convenient parking.

They cater brilliantly for me as I am one of their key target markets, a stressed out parent.

From changing stations to happy meals, crayons to high chairs they know my needs and fulfil them consistently across every location.

My experience is the same every time, everywhere.

There is the lesson for your small or micro business.

As a small business owner you love to treat your customers differently to a ‘big business’. But consistency in how you provide this experience is far more important than how fantastically it is delivered.

You may have experienced the below many times.

You walk into a small business for the first time. The owner treats you amazingly, the personal service you receive is second to none.

When you return a second time the owner is busy and someone else serves you. The experience isn’t quite the same.

Next visit the owner isn’t there and you find the staff unhelpful, the service poor and the experience disappointing.

You never go back.

Implementing some simple processes into your small business to take care of repeated tasks can leave your staff free to focus on looking after your customers to the same standard you would.

These small business processes should ensure that the basics within your business are delivered correctly every time.

It could be as simple as

• A check list of questions to ask your new customers
• A schedule to follow to ensure each sale is delivered correctly
• A set way every customer is greeted when they enter your business
• A timetable of when regular tasks need to be done

Regularly repeated tasks are easy for you to document (don’t forget to use lots of pictures), make it easier to train your staff and ensure that the superb service you give your customers can be repeated every visit whether you are there or not.

Systemise the majority, humanise the minority