Organization: structure, rules and risks
Show how your business works in practice, which rules apply and how you handle risks.
Step 13 of 18: Online business plan
Video: how to describe your organization in the Business Planner.
A plan can add up on paper and still get stuck in practice. Who answers the phone when the owner is ill? Which permit do you need before the doors open? And what happens if the checkout system goes down on the busiest day of the week? The Organization chapter answers those questions. It shows that behind the idea there is a business that works in real life.
Three parts in the Business Planner
- 01
Structure and processes
You describe the organizational structure, the main processes and any partnership agreements. Who does what, how does a client move through your business, and what have you agreed with partners?
- 02
HR and compliance
This covers permits, your terms and conditions, employment terms and how you safeguard quality. It shows that you know the rules of your industry.
- 03
Risk and compliance
You describe your automation, the biggest business risks and how you have covered liability, for example with insurance.
You can use Improve and Inspire with every field. A green check mark on the tab shows which parts are already complete.
Naming risks builds trust
Many entrepreneurs keep this part short, afraid that risks will put a financier off. The opposite is true. A plan without risks looks naive. A plan that names a measure for each risk shows that the entrepreneur thinks ahead. Check permits and obligations with official sources, such as the government portal Business.gov.nl and your municipality.
Example: a salon with a fixed stand-in
In the demo, the owner runs the salon and is its color specialist. The senior stylist stands in for her when she is away. A freelance stylist rents a chair on quiet days and works with her own clients. The salon follows the collective labor agreement for the hairdressing sector and discusses reviews and complaints in the monthly team meeting.
The biggest risk is the dependence on the owner for color work. The measure: the senior stylist is being trained as a second color specialist. If the booking system goes down, there is a paper backup calendar, and business liability insurance covers damage caused by treatments.
- A measure for each risk: what do you do if it happens?
- Cover: who takes over during illness or holidays?
- Insurance: which damage have you covered, and which not?