A quote is drafted, but it is not sent. It sits for two days while everyone is "busy." That is a bottleneck, and it is usually a decision stall.
The pattern to look for
When people say "we have a bottleneck," they usually mean work keeps piling up in one spot. Everyone waits. Then it explodes.
Most of the time the bottleneck is not a machine or a tool. It is a decision that nobody is making.
Three quick signs it is a decision stall
- Work is basically done, but not approved.
- Everyone thinks someone else owns the next step.
- The same questions keep coming up.
A real example
A service business gets a new lead. Someone replies fast. Great.
The lead asks for price, timeline, and what happens next. Now the team needs a decision. Do we quote this? Do we book a call? Do we send them a package? Do we say no?
If nobody owns that decision, the lead sits and nothing moves. The team feels busy, but the result does not show up.
Where to look first
Start with one question: "Where does work wait the longest?" Then zoom in on that exact moment and write it down.
Write down three things:
- What arrived?
- What should happen next?
- Who decides?
If you cannot name the decision maker, you found the bottleneck. That is the spot to fix first.
A small rule that fixes it
You do not need a big re org. You need a tiny rule that keeps work moving.
Use this three part rule:
-
Name the decision. Example: "We need to decide if this lead is worth quoting."
-
Name the owner. Not "the team." Not "we." One name.
-
Name the time. Examples:
- "Quotes are approved within 24 hours."
- "Any lead gets a yes or no by end of day."
- "Client questions get an answer in 2 hours."
If the owner cannot decide, they escalate. That is still a decision.
Why this matters
When decisions stall, your business feels heavy. People work hard, but the result shows up late. If you fix one decision stall, you get speed without hiring.
If you want help with this, book a discovery call.
Where does work wait the longest in your business right now?