Difference between Systems, Processes, SOPs and SOCs

Difference Between Systems, Processes, SOPs, and SOCs

If you're feeling lost trying to understand the difference between systems, processes, SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), and SOCs (Standard Operating Checklists), this article is for you. We explain each of these terms, how and where you can use them, and provide examples. With this knowledge, you will understand how these are essential to achieving scalability in your business without going crazy and scaling up all operational problems as well.

What is a system?

A system is composed of a collection of processes, resources, people, and interfaces.

What is a process?

A process is simply a series of steps necessary to complete something repeatedly. If something works well in your business and you want to replicate it, you turn it into a process. For example, a sales conversation with a potential client can be a process: first sending an email, then a phone call, and finally sending a quote for signing.

Back to systems

A system is thus a collection of processes, resources, people, and how they interact. For example, in your marketing system, various processes like SEO, email marketing, and booking appointments with resources such as Calendly and Microsoft Teams can be integrated. Within the operational system of a restaurant, various processes such as making pizzas and delivering them can be integrated.

How do we present processes?

Processes can be presented as schematic workflows or step-by-step manuals. The goal is to document them clearly so they can be delegated. This should be role-dependent and not person-dependent, ensuring your business is not reliant on one individual.

What are SOPs and procedures?

SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are detailed instructions on how specific tasks should be performed. These should be clear and unequivocal so that there is no doubt about execution and the result. For example, an SOP for a sales conversation might include a conversation script, email templates, and quotation templates alongside instructions for handover to the operations team.

It's common to describe each step in a process as a separate procedure/SOP.

Why SOCs, or Standard Operating Checklists?

SOPs are essential for quickly training people in new or modified workflows within an organization. However, once people are trained, they often do not have the time or inclination to read the entire procedure repeatedly and follow it word for word. Then, the employee often performs it from memory, leading to more errors. A Standard Operating Checklist provides a solution.

A SOC is a clear checklist that allows an employee to see at a glance whether they have correctly followed the procedure from memory. If the employee cannot tick off everything, it means a step in the procedure was not performed correctly and the employee can quickly refer to that part of the procedure to fix the mistake, significantly reducing the chance of repeated errors.

What are interfaces?

Finally, interfaces are the links between processes. For example, in a pizza delivery restaurant, there is an interface between the process of making the pizzas and the process of delivering them. Clearly documenting this helps maintain clarity on the connections and dependencies between processes.

Implementing systems, processes, SOPs and SOCs

Many people wonder where to start with identifying and implementing systems and processes. You can read more about this on our page about implementing business processes (linking to the product page on implementing business processes). We are happy to help!

Ready to streamline your operations and ensure consistency? Contact us today to discover how our expert team can help you implement effective business systems that drive success.