Triple-checking your work? STOP!

Are you triple checking your work?

Why?

To be extra accurate? Because you entered it wrong before? Because your boss told you to? Because it was in the job manual?

If your workflow requires that much checking, your system needs an overhaul.

Suppose you’re entering invoice information into QuickBooks and you need to ensure that all your line items are accurate. You might double or triple check that. Why? Because your order entry system is likely detached from Quickbooks, necessitating double entry.

So the time you’re putting into being extra careful each day or week could instead be going towards developing a system that doesn’t require the double-entry and instead uses what QuickBooks includes in their product. Or you could invest in an automated tool that exports and imports the information so that you don’t need to retype it. Yes, that may take hiring a programmer or developer or other whiz. But in the long run you’re going to make fewer errors and all that time you’re checking and double-checking can go towards more substantial and rewarding tasks.

Computers may be a bit dense and concrete regarding our intentions and wishes, but they are rarely inconsistent or sloppy. We, however, are both inconsistent and sloppy. So we check our work all the time. We have to write “this leg” on the leg we’re about to amputate, or we have to put pieces of string on our fingers to remember to do things.

When it comes to your business, however, your employees are likely checking and double-checking their work constantly. Think of the times you’ve gotten up to your hotel room and the key didn’t work. Yes, the hotel could have checked and double-checked the key, but that’s a ton of work. So they don’t. What’s the fix? Triple checking?

No, it’s making a key entry system based on a card you already own, like your own credit card, or making one that’s based on your fingerprint. Or another idea that’s out of the box.

Innovation in your business may come from getting rid of all this apparent “thoroughness” you’re trying to implement. Double-check? Ok. Triple check? You’ve got a problem.

Our consultants can give you ideas on how to streamline your business.