The Hidden Cost of "We've Always Done It This Way"

Why Growing Businesses Struggle When Workflows Don't Scale (And How to Fix It)

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On my first day as an outbound call specialist at a company, my manager was out on holiday. I wasn't given a tour of the office, no one showed me where things were, how anything worked, introduced me to my new coworkers, or showed me how to do my job.

I had to figure it out myself. And as I did, I noticed something:

There were hardly any systems in place. There were no KPI’s for salespeople. Communication happened in passing, with no notes being taken, and vital information was not shared. Multiple branches operated independently with process changes and communication breakdowns between them.

For example, 3 employees were making outbound cold calls and scheduling presentations. Still, no one was trained on how to present, there wasn’t a designated person in charge of scheduling the presentations, and there was no clear follow-up structure.

This led to chaotic double bookings, cancellations, lost opportunities, and frustrated clients and employees.

When I asked why we handled things that way, the answer was always the same: "We've always done it this way."

That phrase "we've always done it this way" is one of the most expensive sentences in business.

And I've spent the last decade proving it across operations, international B2B companies, and call centers spanning four countries.

When "Good Enough" Stops Being Good Enough

It’s easier for small teams to get away with not having formal systems. When you have 5-8 people, everyone knows what everyone else is doing. Communication happens organically when you can all fit in one room. You don’t need documentation because you can just ask those around you.

But that informal system breaks when the company grows to 15-30 people. Teams start forming, dedicated spaces are created, and communication becomes more strained. If you haven’t redesigned your systems by the time you hit 30-50 employees, you begin to hemorrhage time, money, and opportunities.

In the process of growing, it's hard to create systems, so temporary systems are placed to be reevaluated in limbo, but they often don't work. Here’s what starts happening:

• Tasks sit in limbo. Nobody knows who's responsible. Follow-ups don't happen.

• Everyone does things differently. There's no documentation, so every employee invents their own process.

• When someone leaves, everything stops. Critical knowledge exists only in one person's head.

• Leadership is constantly firefighting. Managers spend their days answering the same questions instead of focusing on growth

Story #1: The Presentation Scheduling Nightmare

Back to that company I mentioned before. After a few weeks of struggling in the role, I presented the follow up excel sheet I created to my manager. I was quickly moved into a supporting role before moving into a business analyst position that focused on admin management, data analytics, operations strategy, and workflow creation.

One of my first projects was fixing the presentation workflow.

The problem:

Three employees were cold-calling potential clients to schedule product presentations. But there was:

• 3 different mental schedules, but nothing is actually on the calendar

• No system for follow-up or communication after booking

• Constant double bookings and cancellations

• No clarity on who was presenting or what information was to be presented

• No clarity on what happened after the presentation was delivered

The solution:

I created a centralized workflow where everyone would be responsible for offering dates for a presentation. One person is responsible for scheduling all presentations, managing follow-ups, and coordinating the actual delivery. I documented every step, built tracking systems, and established clear handoffs.

The results:

• Presentations increased by 75%

• Specification likelihood improved by 40%

• Presentations are now available within 24 hours of request

• Double bookings and cancellations are virtually eliminated

• Client and employee satisfaction dramatically improved

• Company appeared significantly more professional to architectural and engineering firms

A 75% increase in presentations and 40% improvement in specifications isn't a minor win. That's transformational growth from one systematic fix.

Story #2: The Healthcare Call Center That Couldn't Meet KPIs

During COVID, I worked in a healthcare call center where we were constantly missing performance targets. The team was frustrated and lacked support. Our manager was in back-to-back strategy meetings with the VP, trying to figure out why we couldn't meet KPIs.

When I looked at our workflows, the problem was obvious:

The problem:

To submit a single patient request while on the phone with the patient, the agents had to submit two different forms on 2 different platforms with 2 different sets of questions. 

This added 2-5 minutes to every single call.

The entire team was missing KPIs because of this inefficient process. When I questioned it, I got the same response: "This is the way we've always done it." That wasn't good enough.

The solution:

I presented several workflow improvements to leadership:

1. Linked both systems so agents only had to submit one form that populated across both platforms

2. Created a comprehensive document center with SOPs, dashboards, and training materials so staff could find answers without interrupting others

3. Redesigned the documentation process to be faster and more accurate

4. Built training plans for new and seasoned staff to improve team building and team productivity

5. Created a communication center so that questions were able to be answered quickly while the agent was on the phone by anyone on the team who had access to the proper information

The results:

• Every agent achieved average call times of 5 minutes or below

• Agents had more connected, meaningful conversations with patients

• Documentation errors decreased significantly

• Team building and community improved

•  Unnecessary questions to supervisors dropped dramatically

• Patient satisfaction increased as concerns were addressed more efficiently

• Employee satisfaction improved across the team

Our manager stopped being stuck in strategy meetings and could support the team. The VP stopped asking why we weren't meeting KPIs because we were exceeding them.

Healthcare businesses, whether GPs, dental groups, or physio clinics, operate with workflows like this. Multiple systems, unclear ownership, leaders stuck in firefighting mode. It’s all fixable. And it starts with understanding exactly where your time and margin are leaking.

Stor

Story #3: When the Only Person Who Knew How Left

I’ve worked in several positions where no documentation existed, and everyone did the task differently. Oftentimes when I asked, someone would say, “This isn’t how you are supposed to do this, but here’s what I do.” This would create multiple different workflows based on each person, which proved impossible to understand.

But the most challenging was when someone left, and they were the only person who knew how to do a critical task. No documentation. No backup. No system.

The solution:

I interviewed upper management to understand the role and goal of the task. Then I tried and experimented with different approaches to understand the importance and find the most efficient method.

I documented everything from the method I found most efficient, plus alternative approaches, and presented it to leadership. Then I created comprehensive training documents.

Recently, I created a 28-page training manual with photos and step-by-step instructions for a particularly complex workflow involving multiple Excel sheets and systems.

I was asked to stay on and train the new hire for this position. I also trained several long-term staff members, so this knowledge gap would never happen again.

In fact, at every position I've held, I've created training manuals for every task I was asked to complete, no matter how mundane. Because I know what happens when that documentation doesn't exist.

TheMulti-Country Challenge

Working across the UK, Europe, the US, and Canadian operations add another layer of complexity, such as different language barriers and preferences, different processes due to different access to software systems, and time zone challenges that create communication delays.

I've been working with a company to level all branches to have the same or similar processes to support the overall growth strategy. Documentation and clear communication protocols are absolutely vital.

This cross-border operational experience is unique, and it's taught me how to build systems that work across different countries, cultures, and software platforms.

Five Warning Signs Your Workflows Are Breaking:

Based on a decade of experience fixing operational chaos, here are some of the warning signs I look for when auditing your business:

Warning Sign #1: "We've Always Done It This Way": Anytime this is an explanation for why a process exists, you're operating on legacy workflows that haven't been evaluated in years; if ever.

Warning Sign #2: No One Knows Who's Responsible: If you can't immediately identify who owns a task or project, tasks will sit in limbo. Ownership must be crystal clear.

Warning Sign #3: No Documentation or Everyone Does It Differently: If every employee handles the same task differently, quality is inconsistent, and training is impossible. When processes live in people's heads, you're one resignation away from crisis.

Warning Sign #4: Leadership Is Always in Firefighting Mode: Leadership time should be spent on strategy and growth, not basic operational questions.

Warning Sign #5: You're Missing KPIs Despite Working Harder: If your team is working harder than ever but still missing targets, the problem isn't effort; it's inefficient workflows.

What Actually Work

After fixing operational chaos across healthcare, international B2B, and call centers, here's the framework I use:

Audit the Current State: You can't fix what you don't understand. When I partner with a company, I watch how work actually flows:

• Where do tasks get stuck?

• Who's waiting on whom?

• What information exists only in people's heads?

• What processes have unnecessary steps?

• Where are communication and handoff failures?

I interview staff at all levels. I map workflows. I identify friction points. I question everything

Redesign for Clarity and Efficiency: Once I know where problems are, I redesign workflows with three principles:

• Clear ownership. Every task has one person responsible.

• Defined handoffs. When work moves between people, expectations are crystal clear.

• Simple and repeatable. Anyone should be able to follow the workflow independently.

Document Everything: This is where most companies fail. They redesign workflows... and never document them.

I create comprehensive documentation:

• SOPs with step-by-step instructions

• Training manuals with color-coding and photos (people learn differently)

• Centralized document centers for self-service answers

• Dashboards and KPI trackers for performance monitoring

If people can't find documentation, it doesn't exist. Accessibility is everything.

Train, Test, and Iterate: New systems only work if teams use them. I conduct training sessions, answer questions, and give people adjustment time.

Then I check in after 30 and 60 days. What's working? What's not? I refine based on feedback.

Great systems are built, tested, and continuously improved.

The ROI of Getting This Right

When you fix operational chaos to improve operational efficiency and workflow automation, results are immediate and measurable:

• 75% increase in presentations delivered

• 40% improvement in product specifications

• 24-hour presentation turnaround time (from days/weeks)

• Call times reduced to under 5 minutes per agent

• KPIs exceeded instead of missed

• Documentation errors decreased significantly

• Patient and client satisfaction improved measurably

• Employee satisfaction and retention increased

Where to Start

If you're thinking, "This is exactly what we're dealing with," here's what I recommend:

1. Do a quick self-audit

• How often do you hear "we've always done it this way"?

• How much leadership time is spent answering repetitive questions?

• What happens when a key employee leaves or goes on vacation?

• Do you have documentation people actually use?

If these answers make you uncomfortable, you're not alone, and it's fixable.

2. Identify your biggest bottleneck

I recommend picking one workflow causing the most pain. Fix it. Document it. Then move to the next.

3. Get help if you need it

Sometimes you're too close to see the solution. An outside perspective can identify friction points you've become blind to. (This is what I do for businesses—audit operations, redesign workflows, create documentation, and build scalable systems.)

Final Thoughts

Growth shouldn't feel like you're constantly on the edge of collapse.

If your team is working harder but things aren't getting easier, it's because your systems haven't scaled with growth.

The phrase "we've always done it this way" is a warning sign, not a strategy.

Fix your workflows. Document your processes. Train your team. And watch what happens when your business finally has the operational clarity it needs to scale.

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