Times are changing and any company that wants to survive must learn to adapt. This is the perfect time to take a look at your business’s processes and find ways to improve workflow and simplify communications. Here are a few simple ideas for how you can streamline your business processes this year.
Outsource
More than one-third of small businesses outsource some aspect of their internal processes. IT, accounting, and digital marketing are the most common skills that are outsourced and there are a variety of companies available that can handle tasks of this nature. If you’re taking on some of these tasks in-house, but can’t afford a dedicated department, you may be losing money by overloading your staff with tasks that could be better handled by someone else. Outsourcing is a great way to alleviate some of that burden, so your employees can focus on bigger picture items.
Invest in Training
Periodic training sessions on important software or business procedures can be effective at increasing productivity and saving time. It ensures that everyone is on the same page and you don’t have to waste precious work hours getting everyone up to speed individually. Even training on simple things like Microsoft Office or G Suite can alert employees to important features they may not be aware of and make sure everyone understands the applications that are necessary to communicate and collaborate.
Automate Time-Wasting Tasks
If there are tedious tasks your business must perform regularly, you should look for ways to automate them. 40% of large businesses and 25% of small businesses automate at least one business process because it saves time that can be better spent on more important things. Tasks that can be automated include email marketing, customer service, data gathering, order processing, and so on. If certain tasks are taking up valuable time in your or your employee’s schedule that could be better handled by a robot, you should seriously consider automation.
Use ERP Software
An enterprise resource software is a software platform that allows you to combine multiple business systems all in one place, to make smarter decisions and streamline certain processes. Microsoft Dynamics ERP is one example of ERP software used by thousands of businesses across the country. ERP software is useful because it gives you better look at how all your systems interact – from finance to sales – so you can track data and make decisions more effectively. It provides AI-driven insights into your business performance that can get a more holistic look at your entire business, rather than focusing too narrowly on a particular department.
