Benoit, Co-founder & CEO
4 Dec 2024
You ops team are doing a great job, but they’re wasting hours each week copying data between systems, manually creating reports, and chasing status updates. The blessing and curse of being a great operator is the ability to “make do”. All the best ops folks I’ve worked with have been brilliant and navigating past (or through!) obstacles, and working around systems that get in their way.
The “making do” mentality is simply an attitude of adapting to less than ideal circumstances; whether it’s tools you’ve outgrown, processes that create excess work, or people who block your flow. It’s common in fast-growing companies because it can feel like there’s no choice - you’re time-constrained, juggling a lot, and often just trying to stay afloat.
In lots of scenarios, “making do” can be a lifesaver. But it comes at a cost, too, from the obvious wasting time and resources, to poor customer service, higher operational risks, and massive opportunity costs. Below, we’ll explore the costs in more detail before looking at what we can do to improve things.
The obvious costs (you’re already feeling)
First, a quick look at the clearest signs that a “making do” mentality is starting to hurt you and your business:
The team are spending time on manual data entry and validation
People are starting to show their frustration (and maybe even burnout) with the manual workload
It’s taking people longer than expected to reply to customers and partners/stakeholders
You’re starting to see human errors creeping into critical processes - like customers being charged the wrong amounts, or doubling up on orders from suppliers.
All of these surface-level costs are relatively easy to see, and to quantify.
The hidden financial impact
Look a little deeper beneath the surface, and you’ll start to see other costs that are harder to quantify.
The biggest is the opportunity cost arising from your best people spending their time on manual work. Closely related is the human cost of fixing errors and spotting inconsistencies, plus your whole operation costing more because of inefficient workflows - including increasing your hiring needs, because the team can’t handle all the manual work.
Another hidden cost could be lost revenue from delays in your processes, whether that’s missing contract renewals, churning dissatisfied customers, or even losing leads before they sign because your operation appears chaotic.
The growth-killing effects (you probably can’t see)
You’re going through your biggest phase of growth so far, but what if you’re bottlenecking that growth with your “making do” mentality?
You might not immediately notice:
Your processes aren’t scaling at the same rate as your business
You’re missing important strategic insights because your data is incomplete
You aren’t able to optimise your operations
Your team aren’t finding time to innovate
Your team morale is plateauing (or sinking).
These are some of the more insidious, but just as impactful, signs that something needs to change.
The warning signs that you’re already paying these costs
If you’re still reading, you might already have recognised your company has been paying the price for a “making do” mindset. But if you’re still not sure, here’s some other signs to look out for.
Your team regularly says “that’s just how we’ve always done it”
Critical business processes reply on specific team members - even if Jo takes a holiday, she still has to log in and process payroll!
Your operation can’t handle unexpected volume spikes, whether that’s extra orders or lots of customer queries about a product update
Multiple versions of the same data exist across systems, locally on individual computers, and in reports
Getting a simple status update requires your team to check multiple systems.
The compounding effect on your business
“Making do” doesn't just create isolated problems - it has a snowball effect that impacts your entire operation. When manual workflows create bottlenecks in one area, they inevitably spread to others. That sales report that takes three days to compile means your marketing team can't adjust their campaigns quickly. The manual supplier order process means stock levels are always slightly off, affecting customer delivery times.
Your customer experience suffers death by a thousand cuts - slightly slower responses, occasional errors, inconsistent information across channels. While each instance might seem minor, together they create a pattern that erodes their trust and satisfaction.
Perhaps most critically, these manual processes limit your business agility. When market conditions change or new opportunities arise, you can't pivot quickly because your operations are tied up in rigid, people-dependent workflows. Your competitors who've invested in streamlined operations can adapt and scale while you're still trying to gather basic information from across your systems.
And the bottom line - the longer you wait to address these issues, the harder they become to fix. As your business grows, manual processes become more deeply embedded, more people become dependent on them, and the cost and complexity of changing them increases exponentially.
Breaking away from the “making do” mindset
The good news? Breaking free from manual workflows doesn't mean a complete system overhaul or massive investment.
Start by identifying your most critical manual processes - the ones causing the most pain or creating the biggest risks. Look for workflows that are time-intensive, error-prone, or dependent on specific people.
Next, evaluate your options. Sometimes you'll need to buy new solutions, other times you might need to build something custom. Modern platforms like Keel make it possible to create bespoke operational tools without investing massive engineering resource. The key is finding the right balance between quick fixes and sustainable solutions.
Consider starting small - pick one process that's causing significant pain and automate it. Use this as a proof of concept to demonstrate the value of moving away from manual workflows. This approach helps build momentum while managing risk and resources.
Remember that investing in your operations isn't just about efficiency - it's about creating a foundation for sustainable growth. Your goal should be building operations that can scale with your business, adapt to change, and free your team to focus on strategic work.
What’s next?
The true cost of "making do" extends far beyond wasted time and resources. It creates a ceiling on your growth, burns out your best people, and puts your business at risk. While the “making do” mindset might help you survive in the short term, it’ll prevent you from thriving in the long run.
Luckily, you don't just have to accept these limitations. By identifying your manual processes and systematically addressing them, you can build operations that support rather than constrain your growth. Your team can shift from managing spreadsheets to driving innovation. Your data can become a source of insight rather than frustration.
The question isn't whether you can afford to fix these issues - it's whether you can afford not to.
Want to learn more about how leading companies are supercharging their operations with Keel? Get in touch to see how we're helping businesses break free from manual workflows.
