11 Reasons Why You’re Building Business Systems That FAIL

The internet is full of self-proclaimed system gurus who say, “Building business systems like this? You’re doing it wrong! That’s why you have failed systems.”

Then, they transition to their pitch:

👉 Hiring their VA agency
👉 Firing team members
👉 Joining their $10,000 mastermind program

Sound familiar? We don’t know about you, but we’d rather skip the guilt trip and show you how to build business systems properly. This post will cover 11 common problems that may undermine your systems and how to resolve them. 

Check out the video or read the recap below!

Problem #1: Building Business Systems Without Communicating

Many small business owners eagerly dive into new systems without considering the people involved. While a go-getter mindset is great, you don’t want to forget about your team. 🧠

When you leave your staff in the dark, you may experience resistance as employees stick with the original processes. For instance, let’s say you want to reconstruct your invoice system, but you neglect to tell your accountants, accounts receivable clerks, and CEOs.

As a result, you may:

❌ Create unnecessary confusion and stress
❌ Breach your crew’s trust
❌ Cause mistakes at work
❌ Add to everyone’s workload

Instead, prioritize communication as you introduce new systems and processes. 

Schedule a team meeting to discuss the changes, explain why it’s happening, and allow everyone to share their two cents. Being transparent is the best way to get employees on board and ensure smooth sailing with updates. 🚢 

Problem #2: Creating Systems Without Commitment

Testing, testing. Is this working? We appreciate team players who try new things. After all, they want to find the best solution for the company. But this pattern can quickly become a commitment issue.   

As soon as they experience a minor bump in the road, they may be ready to hit the ground running and see what’s next on the horizon. 👋

This half-in, half-out mentality doesn’t allow space to master anything. For example, you can’t know the ins and outs of a new software without:

✅ Taking time to explore the interface 
✅ Working through minor issues
✅ Learning about the features (basic and advanced)
✅ Using the program every day (for at least two months!)

After discussing the latest changes with your team, create a plan to help implement them.

Intentions are fantastic, but without a roadmap, you’ll fly by the seat of your pants. Instead, make it easier to commit by establishing a step-by-step process. If you don’t know where to begin, use this guide to systemize your business. 

Problem #3: Applying Solutions to Problems That Don’t Exist

Business owners hear the same message on loop: Don’t constantly put out fires. Be proactive! 🔥

Yes, but you shouldn’t build business systems “just because”. There should always be a reason to develop them. When you create solutions to problems that don’t exist, you undermine the value of all your systems, adding to digital clutter and confusion. 

With new systems contradicting old ones, you’re teaching your employees that most business systems are pointless and don’t offer value. If your team doesn’t see the value, they’re less likely to comply. 🙅‍♀️

Before you build business systems, make sure you’re resolving a real problem in your organization. 

📖 This is one of the many lessons we teach in our signature program, ProcessDriven Foundations™. Check it out and apply our frameworks, templates, and expert guidance to your business today!

Problem #4: Handing Off All the Responsibility

Having one or two people take the lead seems like an excellent idea. That is until you realize they’re the only ones fixing and improving your systems. While you could blame the rest of your team for not taking the initiative, the problem is a little deeper: They may feel disempowered. 👎

Why should they lend a hand when they know Susie will take care of it? After all, she knows what she’s doing, and they don’t. Their assumption leads to inaction. When in reality, everyone should play a role. 

If you want to create efficient systems, encourage accountability and ownership. Whether it’s updating an automation or revealing a flaw in a workflow, it’s important to invite all your employees to get involved. 

Problem #5: Not Taking Any Ownership

Making one or two key players manage everything is a problem. Now, imagine a worse scenario where no one takes initiative. Without direction or a gentle nudge, everything falls by the wayside, from your SOPs to your procedures to your processes.

By the time you check-in, you discover that it’s been months since anyone has implemented, used, or referenced your business systems. Yikes! 😱

To avoid this catastrophe, consider appointing a steward to remind everyone to engage with your systems. 

You can motivate your team by expressing how vital their role is in your business. When people feel valued, they may be more inclined to help with solutions. In addition, clarify your expectations and let them know their responsibility to support your systems. 

Problem #6: Moving Forward Without Everyone Onboard

Have you ever been in a situation where you believed you knew best? This predicament can occur in organizations, too. Many employees believe they have the best method for getting work done. But ultimately, you want everyone to move together as a unit. 🤝  

That’s pretty hard to accomplish when you have a gap between belief systems and zero communication. You can’t bridge the gap between old and new systems without common ground.

So, how can you ensure everyone’s on the same page? Have every employee participate in the creation process, from the first discussion to feedback to implementation.   

There’s no reason to surprise your workers only to have them reject your ideas. That’s why it’s essential to make it a team effort. Show them why they should care about the change and how it will impact them. 

💡 Pro tip: Try our free assessment tool, Systemization Snapshot™, to determine how efficient your business is. This audit can help you clarify areas that require additional support and resources.    

Problem #7: Not Embracing Feedback

One of the biggest culprits of failed systems is poor work culture, where opinions are not embraced or celebrated. When you foster an avoidant environment, everyone will follow the status quo without question. The “yes man” attitude can make your team feel uncomfortable to speak up when something isn’t working. Before you know it, your systems shut down. 💥 

Rather than waiting for this to happen, consider ways to improve your work culture by giving your staff a voice. Review the following questions during your reflection:

• • Do your employees feel comfortable to share feedback or new ideas?
  • How does your team navigate work mistakes?
  • How are disagreements handled?
  • Do you have a collaborative environment? If not, how do you intend to establish one?

To build business systems effectively, develop a feedback process that allows your company to improve continuously. It may include:

💬 Receiving input from your team
💬 Brainstorming new solutions
💬 Implementing their recommendations 
💬 Revising systems and processes every quarter

While this may seem like an extra step, ensuring everyone feels heard and included is well worth it. 

📝 Quick note: It can be challenging to receive constructive criticism. But remember not to take it too personally. The point of feedback is to improve the final result. Try to welcome it with open arms. 🤗 

Problem #8: Employing Single-Use Appliances

Many small business owners treat their companies like a puzzle, trying to piece together the bigger picture. For example, you may implement a new software if your current HR program isn’t working.

Swooping in for repairs seems like the best solution, or does it? Fixing tiny parts of your business doesn’t allow you to renovate the entire structure. So you end up with this result:

🧩 A single-use appliance here
🧩 A single-use policy there
🧩 A few single-use software in the distance 

And much more digital clutter!

All of which can waste tons of time, money, and resources. It can also make your team lose faith in your business systems because they seem tedious and confusing.  

Our tip? Develop a strategic approach where you resolve multiple issues at once. 

We recommend starting with a no-code management tool, like SmartSuite (👈 affiliate link). It’s flexible and allows you to create workflows and templates based on your business model. 

💡 If you want to learn more about having a centralized hub for your business systems and processes, check out our free training, The Blueprint. 

Problem #9: Distracting Yourself With New Systems

Have you ever caught yourself tinkering with internal systems instead of getting actual work done? Don’t worry–we’ve all been there before!

✅ Yes, improving your business is essential. 
❌ But not always at the expense of your productivity. 

Don’t make the mistake of procrastinating with your business systems and processes. There’s nothing worse than allowing five hours to pass by without touching your to-do list. 😱

Focus on developing processes that will pay you back in a week or a month. If the system you’re working on now won’t save you time in the near future, consider putting it on the back burner for the time being. Revisit your priorities and discuss the next steps with your team.   

Problem #10: Making Too Many Changes at Once

Change can inspire you to go the extra mile. Like spring cleaning, it feels impossible to stop once you get started. After all, you’re already decluttering, so you may as well do deep cleaning. But what happens when you apply this mentality to your business systems? 👇

Let’s say you create a new policy, which leads to a new HR software, then a new email marketing program, and then a billing software update. It becomes a domino effect, where you overextend your budget and team. 

Updating multiple areas = a long road of uncertainty and stress 

Let’s just say– you won’t get ahead by burning out your employees. If you want to apply changes, try this approach instead:

✅ Focus on 1-2 changes at once.
✅ Let your team master them. 
✅ Allow breathing room between transitions.

Business systems boil down to how people work. When you introduce something new, you challenge your team’s habits and behaviors. Do yourself a favor and take it one step at a time.

Problem #11: Neglecting Maintenance

It’s one thing to build business systems, and it’s another to maintain them. Without upkeep, you end up with outdated processes and protocols. Can anyone relate? ✋ 

If you’ve made this mistake before, take this opportunity to remedy it. Here are a few ways to incorporate updates in your business: 

• • Create goals and expectations with maintenance in mind. 
  • Have your employees revise SOPs and review commonly-used portals every quarter. 
  • Add routine check-ins to your business calendar and project management system.
  • Schedule maintenance days.

Bottom line: Take care of your systems. 💪 

Build Business Systems With Intention

Developing business systems is challenging, especially if you’re new to this world. So, if you’ve made it this far, congratulations! 🎉 

Now that you’ve found us, we invite you to join our community and use our resources below to guide your process-building journey. 

👉 ProcessDriven Foundations™: Our step-by-step signature program to help business owners like you develop sound systems that make sense in your PM tool.

👉 Indie Ops Network™: A virtual community that connects small businesses with high-level industry pros. It includes vetted recommendations, virtual coworking and networking, and a whole lot more.

Good luck, and enjoy the process!