"This Is How We Do It" Is Always the Wrong Answer

No, it’s not sexy, but was the last time you and your team sat down and reviewed the processes that run your business? Not as part of a crisis response. Not during a new software implementation when you’re forced to dust off outdated process documents (if they even exist). But really, intentionally, looked at how things are done.

If you’re like most leaders, the answer might be “not recently” or worse, “never.” And that’s a problem—because outdated processes are not just clunky and inefficient; they can actively harm your business, your customers, and your employees.

Antiquated Processes: The “This Is How We Do It” Trap

Here’s a story a colleague recently shared: he’s banked with the same institution for over 30 years. He has eight accounts with them—personal and business. When he went to apply for a personal credit card he was met with a barrage of requests for documentation - proof of address, income verification, multiple copies of IDs, the works.

Mind you, this is a bank that already sends him monthly statements—meaning they have his address on file. They know him well enough to have handled his financial life for three decades. Yet, he was treated like a stranger. When he asked why, the answer was a shrug and, “This is how we do it.”

That phrase, “This is how we do it,” is the corporate equivalent of a parent telling their child, “Because I said so.” It’s not an answer; it’s an excuse. And it’s usually a red flag for an outdated or illogical process that’s never been questioned or worse, questioned and never addressed.

Why Process Reviews Matter

The reality is that business processes are rarely designed to stay static. The market evolves, customer expectations shift, and your technology advances. Yet many businesses fail to revisit their workflows, let alone update them to reflect these changes.

Processes that made sense five years ago often no longer align with your goals—or even basic common sense. But unless you intentionally examine them, make updates and then communicate them to your teams and colleagues, your business may be stuck in the Twilight Zone. Worse, you’ll end up frustrating your customers and demoralizing your employees.

The Customer Service Domino Effect

Think about the last time you were furious with a business and you took it out on a customer service representative. Maybe your mobile service dropped a call for the third time that day, or your internet was inexplicably slow or non-existent during an important meeting. You called the provider, demanded answers, and probably vented your frustration to the poor customer service rep on the other end of the line.

Here’s the truth: it’s not their fault. They’re at the mercy of the same outdated processes that are failing you.

When you don’t keep your systems and workflows up to date, your employees bear the brunt of customer dissatisfaction. If you genuinely care about your team—and you should—why subject them to complaints they’re powerless to resolve? By addressing broken processes, you’re not just improving customer satisfaction; you’re protecting your employees’ morale and mental health.

The Process-Software Connection

Often, businesses only review their processes during software implementation projects. This is when the need becomes unavoidable: you sit in process design workshops, mapping out the “current state” (which is inevitably outdated) and debating how things should work with the new system based on new capabilities and industry best practices.

The problem is, if you’re not in the middle of implementing new software, process reviews tend to fall by the wayside. Why? Because it takes time, effort, and a willingness to face the possibility that…to be nice, there may be significant opportunities for improvement.

But here’s the kicker: waiting for a software project to force this conversation is backward. Your processes should drive your tools, not the other way around. If you want your technology to work well, your workflows need to be solid first.

The Cost of Inaction

Let’s break this down into concrete consequences of neglecting process reviews:

1. Inefficiency: Outdated processes slow everything down, from onboarding employees and new clients to responding to inquiries. What used to take 10 minutes now takes 30 because the system requires unnecessary steps.

2. Customer Frustration: When customers encounter outdated systems, they feel it and it makes them angry and lose faith in your business. Think of the endless hold times, repeated requests for information, and the unnecessary hoops you make them jump through. How many times have you heard (or said) “This business is a mess!” or “Do you guys even know what you’re doing?” or “I’m done. Cancel my subscription and I’m moving to the competition”.

3. Employee Burnout: Broken processes leave employees stranded. They can’t provide the level of service customers expect because they’re fighting against the very systems meant to support them. It frustrates them – sometimes enough to quit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met with employees who share that they have provided this feedback to leaders (sometimes for years) and are ignored. Not the type of environment anyone wants to work in.

4. Lost Revenue: Whether it’s a customer walking away after one too many frustrations or an employee leaving for greener pastures, outdated processes have a direct impact on your bottom line.

How to Get Started Making Positive Change

If you’re ready to face your current processes head-on, here’s how to start:

1. Schedule Regular Reviews

Make process reviews a recurring event, not a one-off activity. Whether it’s quarterly, semi-annual, or annual, commit to sitting down with your team to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t. And it can start team by team, but no one works in a silo so the process must be holistic, both inside and outside the organization to all impacted stakeholders.

2. Involve the Right People

Your employees are your best source of truth. They interact with these processes daily and know where the bottlenecks are. Bring them into the conversation and genuinely listen to their feedback and use their input to make decisions moving forward.

3. Prioritize Employee Touchpoints

If your employees are miserable, they can’t do a good job of supporting your customers. If they don’t feel positive about your company, how can they convey positivity when talking to customers or potential customers? Are your interviewing and onboarding workflows seamless? You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Are employees treated well and provided with support to grow with the organization? Are service requests handled efficiently? Address these areas first—they’re the most visible and critical.

4. Measure and Iterate

Once you’ve made changes, track the results. Are employees happier? Do they report fewer frustrations? Are customers more satisfied? Define impactful KPIs, not just vanity metrics, and use this data to refine your processes further. Accurate and timeline data doesn’t lie. If you’re doing it wrong, and you ask the right questions, your employees and customers will let you know. Don’t be afraid to hear the truth. It’s the only way to improve.

5. Leverage Technology Wisely

Don’t let your tools dictate your workflows. Instead, ensure your technology supports your updated processes, not the other way around.

Reviewing your processes isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about relevance. The business landscape moves fast, and clinging to outdated workflows is like using a rotary phone in a smartphone world.

Your employees deserve better. Your customers deserve better. And frankly, so do you.

So, take a moment to ask yourself: are your processes working for you, or against you? If the answer is the latter, it’s time for a change. Because “This is how we do it” should never be your answer.