Process Bottleneck Tracker

Streamline Workflows and Free Up Time and Resources for Growth.

Why Processing Bottlenecks Matters for Growth Without the Waste

As a founder... you've worked hard to get your business moving forward - but even the strongest growth can grind to a halt when hidden bottlenecks creep into your processes.

You see the symptoms every day...

Delays that frustrate your customers and your team.
Work piling up because one step takes too long.
Key tasks stuck waiting on someone's approval.
Team members constantly firefighting instead of focusing on growth.

These issues don't just slow you down... They create waste - wasted time, wasted energy, and ultimately, wasted opportunities.

The Process Bottleneck Tracker gives you the clarity to identify, understand, and fix these slow points.

When your workflows run smoothly... your team has more capacity to focus on the actions that truly grow your business - without the chaos.

What The Process Bottleneck Tracker Does for You

This tool helps you see exactly where your business is getting stuck so you can fix issues quickly and prevent them from coming back.

With it, you will...

Spot hidden bottlenecks that drain time and resources.
Understand the root cause of delays, not just the symptoms.
Prioritise fixes that will have the biggest impact on growth.
Measure progress over time to ensure improvements stick.
Free up team capacity so energy is focused on growth-driving activities, not fixing recurring problems.

The result?

A streamlined operation where your team works efficiently, your customers experience smooth service, and your growth accelerates without extra cost or complexity.

Why Founders Often Get Stuck Without Addressing Bottlenecks

Most founders know there are inefficiencies in their business - but... they don't take action because...

Bottlenecks Are Invisible - You feel the pain of delays but can't see exactly where they come from.
Everything Feels Urgent - Fixing processes gets pushed aside for daily firefighting.
No Clear System Exists - Without a way to track and measure, problems resurface again and again.
They Think More People Equals Less Problems - But hiring without fixing bottlenecks just creates more chaos and expense.

Ignoring bottlenecks doesn't just slow growth... it amplifies waste and holds your business hostage to recurring problems.

How to Use the Process Bottleneck Tracker

This tool is designed to be simple, practical, and fast to implement...

Step 1: Map Your Core Processes

List out the key steps in your business workflows.

Examples... customer onboarding, order fulfilment, project delivery.

Step 2: Identify Key Stages and Owners

Note who owns each stage and the average time it takes to complete.

This creates accountability and visibility.

Step 3: Record Delays as They Happen

Each time a bottleneck occurs, log the issue, cause, and its impact.

Be specific - vague data leads to vague solutions.

Step 4: Prioritise Fixes by Impact

Focus first on bottlenecks that create the most waste or customer frustration.

Use the built-in scoring system in the tracker to rank them.

Step 5: Monitor Progress and Prevent Recurrence

Regularly review the tracker with your team.

Adjust processes, remove inefficiencies, and celebrate improvements.

By repeating this cycle, you'll create a culture of continuous improvement - where bottlenecks are identified and eliminated before they become growth-killers.

Download Your Process Bottleneck Tracker

Inside this Excel file, you'll find everything you need to uncover and fix bottlenecks.

>>> Download the Process Bottleneck Tracker →

What's inside the file?

Instructions - A clear, step by step guide so you can use the tracker without any setup.
- Purpose and how it helps you remove waste
- The exact steps to log, score, and resolve bottlenecks
- Status key
  - Red means unresolved
  - Yellow means in progress
  - Green means resolved
- Practical tips to prevent bottlenecks from returning
Blank Tracker - Your workspace to capture live bottlenecks in your business.
- Columns:
  - Process Name
  - Step Name
  - Owner
  - Average Time in hours
  - Delay Cause
  - Impact Description
  - Impact Score between 1 and 10 with input validation
  - Status with a dropdown for Red Yellow Green
  - Proposed Solution
  - Resolution Date
- Built in helpers:
  - Data validation for Status and Impact Score
  - Automatic colour coding in the Status column so Red Yellow Green stand out at a glance
Demo Tracker - A fully populated example so you can see exactly how to use it.
- Realistic entries include:
  - Customer Onboarding with delays from incomplete client info
  - Order Fulfilment with packaging shortages
  - Marketing Campaign approval bottleneck
  - Product Development testing backlog
  - Customer Support manual replies and how to fix them
- Each row includes owner average time impact score status and a practical proposed solution
Dashboard - A simple live summary that updates from both the Demo and Blank sheets.
- Bottlenecks by Status counts for Red Yellow Green
- Total Unresolved combining Red and Yellow
- Resolved This Month based on Resolution Date and Green status
- Average Impact Score across both trackers
- An embedded bar chart that visualises counts by status for quick reviews

The Downloadable Process Bottleneck Tracker

This tracker is ready for you to use in Excel, Google Sheets, or your preferred spreadsheet tool.

When populated, your tracker will look something like...

Next Steps After Filling in Your Process Bottleneck Tracker

Once you've downloaded and filled in your process bottleneck tracker...

>>> Follow 'Step 3: Strengthen Your Customer Retention' on the 'Strengthen' page →

Or visit the Founders Resource Hub to download other tools to help you to grow without the waste.