140 - How dependable are your systems?

We hear a lot about systems these days.

Look at massive companies like Amazon or FedEx.

They have designed, implemented, and are constantly improving their systems to make it possible to deliver products nationwide, even globally, in just a few days.

But, it only takes one person to cause a break in the system no matter how automated it is.

Every system you have in place has checks and multiple balances.

I have yet to see a system working flawlessly without some type of weak point or glitch because they are designed by humans.

We have all heard that term, there's a glitch in the system, but we aren't only talking about technological systems.

As an example, I'll use the hotel industry.

International hotel chains have multiple systems.

Systems are set up for reservations, scheduling, billing, purchasing, maintenance, and a multitude of other things, all with checklists.

Checklists help keep the systems running smoothly, containing actions that must be performed daily, weekly, monthly, and so on.

Every inch of a hotel is documented, from the parking lot to the reservations, dining area, and guest rooms.

Something as insignificant as cleaning the space behind the refrigerator in each guest room is documented.

Nothing goes unchecked.

If employees aren't trained properly to follow the systems you have in place, how dependent are they (the employee and the system)?

The proper information must be put in to ensure the system is accurate.

When an employee inputs false data it creates a breakdown in the system. (Dust building up behind the fridge)

All systems boil down to people working in an organized manner so that a business runs efficiently.

What systems do you have in place?

Who cleans behind your staff refrigerator?

More importantly, how dependent are your systems?