There are five organizational forces that play a decisive role in the successful scaling up of a company. These forces are People, Commerce, Operation, Financial Organization and Technology. Briefly put, they are as follows:
· PEOPLE. If you are unable to attract good experts who believe in the mission of your company, it will also be difficult to scale up. The professionals who work in and with your company are the DNA of your unique service.
· COMMERCE. What can you do to recognize potential customers in the shortest possible time and convince them, or rather have them conclude that your services are the best solution for their challenges? This requires a well-oiled marketing and sales machine.
· OPERATION. If you scale up, you will provide more services (products) in a shorter time. How do you ensure that every customer receives the optimal support so that he or she experiences the best ‘customer journey’? This is your operational process, designet to make all your employees work together as one team.
· FINANCE. Growing your company leads to more income, but also more expenditure. Improving your margin is the healthiest way to grow. That requires a firm grip on where your money comes in and goes out. In the start-up phase, you spent every euro, pound or dollar yourself; now other people in your company will also spend the corporations’ cash. Can you keep a hold on these spendings?
· TECHNOLOGY. For many entrepreneurs, the topic of technology is not exactly riveting. CRM and other packages just have to work, right? Nevertheless, you can create a great competitive advantage by delving into technology. The right tools are closely interwoven with optimal internal communication. Communication, in turn, is a decisive factor in cooperation, and is therefore a direct influence on your customer’s experience.
Company culture is the glue that holds all of this together. You, the founder, will greatly influence company culture and will determine how employees interact and deal with challenges. At the same time, an effective structure makes it clear who is responsible for which tasks and how decisions are made. Balancing and aligning culture and structures simultaneously is essential for creating a solid foundation for growth.