Managing the dependence on key people
Prezto is a firm believer in the process defined in Systemology; we will use these well-defined techniques to help businesses minimise what is described as Key Person Dependency.
To increase the business's value and the owner's well-being, we put systems in place to remove the need for owners and managers to micro-manage all daily tasks.
Prezto has identified the main areas where a business becomes dependent on people rather than the actual process:
A chef with recipes and prep lists in his head or notebook makes the owner and business dependent on them. We help document recipes in a central digital location, so anyone who needs access can get it.
Bar and kitchen staff who record stock levels with a handwritten list keep that information from other parts of the business, creating dependency.
The front-of-house manager needs to document tasks so that if they're busy, the duties are already assigned.
Training new staff verbally means the business relies on the trainer to get it right. This form of dependency needs to be removed with task lists and cross-checking that the correct process has been taught.
Most importantly, an owner who needs to micro-manage because the process has not been documented and staff are not accountable makes themselves a key person of dependency.
Our team is acutely aware that most forms of Key Person Dependency will reduce the value of a business.
Any prospective buyer will quickly identify that the owner or chef has no documented way to share any form of internal process or recipes, and they could ruin the business when they move on.
Creating a way for businesses to be protected from any staff member holding information to safeguard their role reduces those dependencies also.
This system-driven documentation helps manage staff in many ways;
Tasks can be delegated to and carried out by anyone who is trained to do them.
Internal promotions are easier to manage, waiters can become managers, and sous chefs can become chefs when the systems are documented and understood.
The value proposition that Prezto shares is the concept of creating businesses that do not rely on any single person to run smoothly. Most businesses that have no Key Person Dependencies become more valuable because when new owners step in, everything runs exactly as it should - smoothly.
