How to Ensure Consistent Deliveries in Business

My profession as a business coach requires me to meet with entrepreneurs regularly. Hence, drawing from my years of experience, I have identified on-time delivery of goods to be one of the many challenges that an entrepreneur faces. Inconsistent or irregular delivery not only impacts the flow of funds but also influences the sales cycle of the business. 

Inconsistent deliveries impact a business in some of the following ways:

Delay in delivery is an outcome of process lapse and inconsistent communication within the organization. Conscious enterprises that follow the process of Turnaround Time (TAT) normally deliver on time and are able to maintain relationship levels with their customers. 

Turnaround Time (TAT) and How it Works 

TAT requires breaking down the scope of work to its finest details and assigning timelines to each activity. These are budgeted timelines and require constant review by adding the actual dates against each activity. 

To understand this concept better, let us take the example of a project-based business that is into the installation of conveyor belts. The entire process of installing a conveyor belt is subdivided into finer steps: designing, sharing of design to the concerned team members, procurement of material (for instance: electrical panel), fabrication of material, dispatch of material, assembly of equipment and commissioning.

After each of the above-mentioned processes is divided into smaller parts, every operation is allocated a certain amount of time and mapped with the actual time it takes to complete that operation. During the analysis, it is imperative to find the time it takes between two procedures, to determine where precisely the delay is happening. Following this method, makes it possible to identify and inform the concerned stakeholders, enabling them to take instant corrective action steps rather than waiting until the end and being caught completely unaware. Proper and well-timed communication of delay to the client even lets them manage their operations.  

To ensure the success of the TAT mechanism an entrepreneur needs to develop a culture of 

1. Problem-solving (rather than crisis management). The team members should timely update the development of the project. 
2. Regular review of data and reports.
3. Clear communication

Following the above-mentioned process of TAT religiously can rid organizations from the hassle of inconsistent deliveries. 

Also read – 6 Simple Hacks To Become Consistent