1. As an abbreviation for "Standard Operating Procedure":
* "The lab technician followed the SOP for handling hazardous chemicals." (This means they followed the specific instructions for working safely with those chemicals.)
* "The company's SOP for customer service outlines how employees should respond to complaints." (This refers to the set of rules and guidelines for dealing with customer issues.)
2. As a noun, meaning "standard operating procedure":
* "We need to revise the SOP for data entry to improve efficiency." (This indicates a need to update the specific instructions for inputting data.)
* "The SOP for the new machine is quite complex." (This refers to the set of detailed instructions for using the machine.)
3. As a verb, meaning "to standardize a procedure":
* "The manager decided to SOP the entire production process." (This means they decided to create a set of standardized instructions for every step of production.)
* "We need to SOP the way we handle customer inquiries to ensure consistency." (This means they need to establish a standard process for responding to customer questions.)
Remember, it's important to be aware of the context to understand the meaning of "SOP".