The economic struggles of the past few years caused companies in many industries to strive to improve effectiveness while concurrently decreasing costs. Some have named this phenomenon “The Drive to Do More with Less.” The integration of technology into a business strategy is often the first place to look for ideas for improvement. However, the path toward optimal business processes and strategic advantage may be foggy, especially for companies that are not technology-based. Unstoppable Software’s experience has shed light on this topic, clearing the way for the following advice.
- Rolling out a Paperless Filing System discussed the problems of relying on paper artifacts versus storing business documents digitally. Using a paperless filing system is a great first step to “doing more with less”.
- Document/Process Automation – Now that you have your documents online, many processes can be automated allowing your company to reduce costs, improve response times, and keep accurate records. You will find that almost all business processes are document-based. For example, the process of hiring new employees begins with a job application or resume. Similarly, a customer service issue begins with an email from a client. You would be surprised how many processes can be automated once paper is eliminated.
- Creating a Digital Dashboard for your Organization suggested the creation of a dashboard to be able to view high-level corporate data. The data displayed must be actionable, have a context, and be visible on one page to be beneficial.
- Outsource – the strength of your business is not software development, data mining, nor document management. Sure, outsourcing to the experts might appear to cost more than doing the work internally. However, predictable results provided by an outside firm reduce risk and increase efficiency. Your company’s core business is what generates revenue. By outsourcing peripheral tasks, staff can focus on work that contributes to profits and staying ahead of competitors.
- Take Advantage of the Night – There are 24 hours in a day, with only 8 business hours. Strategize ways to keep momentum during the 16 unused hours of every day. Schedule heavy computer processes at night so they do not compete for resources with business users and customers. Perform tedious manual tasks at night, much like shipping companies do to categorize and transport packages. Additionally, if your company has branch offices in multiple time zones, there may be ways to volley collaborative work back and forth in order to be twice as productive!
The phrase “Do More with Less” may sound impossible at first. With creativity, focus, and automation, it can become a reality. Unstoppable Software has helped a number of companies produce better results through the use of technology and the above tips. For more information about such success stories, visit this link.
