All right, no one reading this wants to think of their business like McDonalds’s, right?
Yet, what is admirable about McDonald’s?
Their awesome systems. I mean, think about it.
Could you, hiring teenagers, make a hamburger taste the same in Vancouver as Vienna?
Their systems run like a well-oiled machine, and that is what makes them, as a business, a money-making machine.
Their system is the business, not the burgers.
The consistency is stunning and it is not magic — it is the systems.
And any business, from a property management firm to a cross-border customs broker, can learn from it.
What exactly defines a workable system? Let us explore…
The Outcomes Repeat
In a workable system, the outcomes are identical, every time, and here is the key – the system runs independent of who is doing it.
A Big Mac in Toronto tastes exactly like one in Tokyo because the process never changes.
An example in our online, virtual business is invoice processing.
It does not depend on who is in the office even. We use Plooto and ApprovalMax to create repeatability, which builds trust and avoids surprises.
Simple Over Clever
Complicated systems break. Simple ones scale.
McDonald’s does not hire gourmet chefs. It hires students and trains them with timers and visual cues. The brilliance? Anyone can follow it.
If your people, in your business cannot explain your systems, then they are too convoluted, or worse, non-existent.
Plug-and-Play Training
A workable system should train people — not depend on them.
New hires at Starbucks do not “figure it out.” They follow a playbook, make drinks in a specific order, and learn through repetition.
How do you know if your systems are being followed?
Am glad you asked!
The answer is amazingly simple – by the outcomes.
Consistent outcomes, as you defined them to be, are the test of workable systems.
The key here is to build your systems backwards, starting from your committed outcomes.
Everyone Knows What Success Looks Like
A great system does not just do the work — it makes expectations crystal clear.
Shift managers at McDonald’s track drive-thru times, order accuracy, and cleanliness — every hour.
How can you replicate?
Set measurable targets in each department in your company.
For example, “Invoices paid every Thursday,” or “Vacancy reports updated monthly.” Then make performance visible — with dashboards or simple KPIs.
Backed by Tools (Not Just People)
The best systems do not rely on memory. They rely on tools that keep things on track.
From grill timers to digital order screens, McDonald’s builds automation into the workflow.
Do not wait for someone to “remember” to do something.
In our business we use software to keep everything on track and consistent.
Our procedures are documented in Keeper.
We use tools like Xero, HubDoc, Plooto, and ApprovalMax to automate the routine.
Same Experience, Anywhere
A workable system creates consistency, even when people or locations change.
Starbucks does not leave it to chance. Whether you are in Saskatoon or Seattle, that flat white will taste the same — and take the same three minutes.
Built to Improve (Without Breaking)
Good systems do not get stale — they evolve without creating chaos.
Think CANI – Constant And Never-ending Improvement.
McDonald’s tests new menu items constantly — but within the existing system. No reinvention needed.
For your business, build in feedback loops. Meet monthly to review what is working and what is not.
“What is clunky? What is unclear? What is being skipped?”
Then tweak. No overhaul required — tweak. That is how you grow without breaking the machine.
Final Thought
If you must be there to make it work, it is not a system — it is a dependency.
You do not need to run a billion-dollar empire to benefit from better systems. Whether you are managing a church budget, running a cross-border logistics team, or juggling cash flow at your construction firm, systems are the key to growth without burnout.
We help businesses just like yours put those systems in place — and keep them humming.
Thanks for reading…