Chapter Six. How will I know if my operation manual works? In the last couple of chapters, we looked at your operations manual, we were looking at the framework or the structure. And in the last chapter, I gave you an example of what type of forms you would want to include it. I understand to some of you, the list might have seemed extreme, but I am serious when I say you have to have documentation for everything. Okay, you got your organizational structure in place.

Everybody knows their responsibilities, their duties, and how to perform them step by step. Now, you'll ask yourself, when it's complete, Will it work? To know this, you have to ask yourself another question. Will the concept my operations manual be saleable? And then you'll probably have to ask, will I be able to clone it? And if so, will it provide good returns?

Yes. I want you to look at your business as a product and this is a product You want to sell? No, I'm not telling you, you have to go out and sell your property. But for you to know for sure that your operations procedure, your operations manual works. You have to put your head into a different mindset and look at your property as a product. I want to force you to think that the business system you are creating is a business you're going to sell and it would work once it was sold, no matter who bought it.

I've had many hospitality property owners tell me they have no idea how they would do this. It could be difficult for some, and it may sound a little strange for a hospitality property owner to say that they have to start thinking of their property as a system dependent business, not a people dependent business. Your system, your operation has to work flawlessly. Even without you. And yes, I've heard work without me. I'm the heart and soul of this business.

It can't work without me. Yes, I've heard that more than once. I know. It's tough. But thinking like this will not work, if you are actually trying to determine whether your system works. Don't think of yourself as a boss of the hospitality property.

But more like an engineer working on a pre production prototype of a product you want to mass produce. You want to think of Henry Ford when he was developing his system to mass produce automobiles and assembly line system, a system that could be replicated over and over again. Okay, you have to focus you have to think like Henry Ford, or Ray Kroc of McDonald's, you have to think of your hospitality property as a sample, a model of 10 hundred of the thousand hospitality properties to come at your business, your model will become a place where your theories are put to test to see how well they work before they become part of your operations, manual and operational in your business. every possible detail of your business system We'll be first tested and scrutinized intensively at your model property. There will be no detail too trivial. You have to pay attention to all the little things.

And now what you should begin to realize is that you're now working on your business and not in it. When you reach that point, you will begin to realize that the purpose of your life is not to serve your business. But instead, the purpose of your business is to serve your life. Your life and business are two totally separate things. You will very quickly begin asking yourself questions differently. Instead of saying, this is a crazy mess, how am I going to fix it?

You will say our policy for this situation is this. Is there a way this policy can be improved and if approved, will it work in all situations? You will now be wondering if this clone can be replicated perfectly. You are now working the business The business is not working you what considerations Will you have to take and factor when working on your property model, your property model has to work with people at the lowest possible skill level. your property model will stand out as a place of incredible order. your property model will have a uniform color, branding, dress and facility code.

Your property model will provide consistent predictable service to your customers. All the work at your property model will be documented in the operations manual. your property model will deliver consistent value to your customers, employees, suppliers and lenders above and beyond their expectations. Now don't get stressed. This is going to be a continuous work in progress with each aspect of your property model going through a natural progression. They will have to innovate the initial thoughts, measuring the variability and then adapting an app Adding to the operations manual.

Now you have to set your criteria. Your benchmarks. When do you wish your property model to be completed in one year 310 years? Who is your clientele? local, regional, international? Are your clientele, business people, families, singles?

What are your criteria regarding customer service, food service, cleanliness, employee training and on and on. If you don't have a firm criteria, your standards will be all over the place. This is going to be a lot of work but you don't have to do it all at once. It'll be ongoing. To help you through this initial process. I want you to use your imagination.

Imagine, if you will, your property model is working like a charm. Your operations manual has every possible situation covered. You come to your business Every day, and it's full of happy customers and fulfilled employees, a gentleman walks through the door with a sock full of money. And he tells you he has heard all about your business, and would like to have one just like it. And you say to him, let me show you how it works. You guide them through your hospitality property, showing him how each element of your business works and how it works with every other element.

You introduce him to your employees, and when he's asking them all kinds of questions, you feel confident and are able to stand back as they proudly explain how everything works. You feel comfortable with the thought. You can spend as much time with this buyer as you would like, knowing your business will not be affected. Imagine how impressed the potential buyer will be when he sees the cleanliness, order and control. Imagine how you would feel when he says your property looks good now. But what happens if you have to leave and you tell him I'm leaving for a month long cruise next week, and I don't have a worry in the world.

This might sound a little far fetched, but I've seen it work over and over and over again. There is no question in my mind, this could be your life. But you have to start by starting. Start with your criteria. Put your organizational structure in place, and determine the tasks that fall under each department, along with step by step procedures to complete them. That is how you start.

Slowly begin developing your property model and build your operations manual. Will the property model work? Yes, it does work if worked properly, it can't be done half heartedly. It has to be done intelligently, reasonably, intentionally, systematically and compassionately. If worked in the right spirit, it will work every time it's applied, because it requires the full engagement of the people working it. You will notice that when you constructively introduce the development of your property model, it will create an instant positive change in you and the people around you.

That is the key to its success. Its impact important to remember that everyone involved in this process knows the aim and the final goal. When this is done, it becomes real and something tangible. Is your head ready to explode? Or is some of this starting to make sense? I encourage you to take the time to read the chapters again.

Have your pen and paper and write down any notes and thoughts you may have.