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Procedures

If you want to run a true business rather than just have a job, you MUST have procedures to ensure that your business runs the same way every time regardless of whether you are in attendance or not.

Your business cannot survive if it is reliant on you as an individual.

Although writing procedures is tedious, it was one of the first things I did even before opening for business. It ensures that all aspects of the business are taken care of in an ordered and routine fashion.

It also ensures that all staff members do what is required regardless of who is working.

A side benefit of writing procedures is that it makes you think about every aspect of your business and how it must work.

We have procedures for most things from opening the shop in the morning to closing the shop at night. Ordering stock, cleaning, health and safety, you name it. All of us must tick off the daily tasks and sign the sheet each day to prove we have done what is required.

This also makes each individual responsible and accountable for their job.

By having simple procedures for all aspects of the business, we ensure that staff training is fast and efficient and nothing is left to interpretation.

Procedures provide consistency of experience for the customer also and I will touch on the importance of that in a later section.

Below is an example of our shop closing procedure which will give you some insight into how we utilize this most important of business tools.

Shop Closing Procedure (Must be Signed by Staff Member)

• Check Coffee Machine water level
  

• Check Coffee Machine ingredients levels
  

• Clean Coffee Machine – including Drip Tray
  

• Empty bins and replace liners
  

• Sweep Floor
  

• Empty Vacuum Cleaner
  

• Vacuum Carpet (Or Sweep)
  

• Clean Food Warmer
  

• Discard out of date Muffins and Pastries
  

• Clean containers & tongs
  

• Newspaper and Magazine returns
  

• Clean Kitchen and Toilet
  

• Mop Floor
  

• Put Fruit & Vegetables in fridges
  

• Discard Bakery bread that is more than 1 day old
  

• Check confectionary levels
  

• Order fresh fruit and vegetables
  

• Set AC Timers if required
  

• Turn off illuminated Open Sign
  

• Turn Off all Fridge Lights including Beer Fridge
  

• Close all Blinds
  

• Turn door Open Sign to Closed
  

• Place forecourt display produce  inside Shop
  

• Place Tables, Chairs and Umbrellas in Shed
  

• Bring in A Boards
  

• Run Sales Summary report and Close off Till
  

• Put Till Drawer and Cash in Safe
  

• Shut Down Computer
  

• Close down Cash Machine for the day
  

• Put printouts in safe
  

• Put Phone on Charger
  

• Refill Cash Machine and set for new day
  

• Turn off Advertising Screen
  

• Set Alarm & Lock Shop
  

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Signed                                                      Date

C-Store Success