Client Background

A sole proprietor runs a skincare business that has grown rapidly over the last 3 years. With multiple product lines and a small but expanding team, she struggled to maintain consistent product documentation, SOPs for production, and guidelines for sales and marketing operations.

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Problem Statement

1. Inconsistent recipes and procedures led to variations in product quality.

2. New hires and temporary staff relied on verbal instructions, slowing onboarding.

3. There was no centralized location for internal knowledge — SOPs, formulations, and marketing processes were scattered across personal notes, emails, and spreadsheets.

4. Lack of clear documentation made regulatory compliance and quality audits stressful and time-consuming.

 

Objectives

1. Centralise all product, process, and operational documentation.

2. Standardise SOPs for production, packaging, and inventory management.

3. Make knowledge easily accessible for staff and management.

4. Improve compliance readiness and internal training efficiency.

 

Approach & Methodology

Our team applied a structured documentation and knowledge management strategy:

 

1. Knowledge Capture

• Interviewed the founder, production staff, and sales team.

• Collected existing recipes, SOPs, and process notes.

• Observed production and order fulfilment workflows.

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2. Documentation Standardisation

• Developed templates for SOPs, checklists, and product guides.

• Standardized formatting, terminology, and version control.

• Created clear step-by-step production instructions with quality checkpoints.

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3. Knowledge Management System Implementation

• Set up a centralised SharePoint/Google Drive library with organized folders.

• Categorized content by product line, department, and process type.

• Added versioning and access permissions to maintain integrity.

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4. Staff Training & Handover

• Conducted training sessions for production and admin teams on accessing and updating the documentation.

• Provided a quick-reference guide for new hires.

 

Solution

The final deliverables included:

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1. Centralised, version-controlled documentation library

2. 15 SOPs covering production, packaging, inventory, and sales operations

3. Standardised product and process templates

4. Onboarding guide for new staff

5. Recommendations for ongoing knowledge management practices

 

Results & Impact

1. Reduced production errors by 40% within two months.

2. Onboarding time for new staff cut by 50%, thanks to clear documentation.

3. Staff could access knowledge independently, freeing the founder from daily micromanagement.

4. Regulatory compliance and quality audits became easier and less stressful.