Effective Ways To Boost Business Productivity Using Technology

0

We live in an era obsessed with technology. You can’t go anywhere these days without seeing some sort of mobile device, whether it be a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. Although we like to complain about the constant presence of screens, those who remember working without today’s technology know how difficult it was. All work had to be done on painstakingly slow computers, and if you weren’t in the office or at home, no one could reach you. Thankfully, those days are now far behind us. With that in mind, here are ten ways to boost productivity using technology. 

  1. Automate Small Daily Tasks

All businesses have tedious tasks that need regularly completing, often on a daily basis. This includes work like replying to emails and posting to social media. While these tasks don’t take up too much time, the seconds or minutes that you spend working on them do add up. Because the work is so uninteresting, it can also make you less productive for the rest of the day. Thankfully, there is automotive technology to tackle these jobs, saving you time, money, and boredom. 

  1. Outsource Work To Experts

Whether it be due to time constraints or lack of expertise, there are some tasks that your workforce simply won’t be able to handle. Luckily, the internet means that help is never too far away. Although the term “outsourcing” has been around for years, it’s only recently that it’s become possible for all types of business. Hiring a professional agency or skilled freelancer ensures that the work you need doing gets done, requiring little to no input from your team. 

  1. Focus Your Marketing Efforts

Gone are the days of papering towns with flyers or paying thousands for commercials just hoping that they’ll find the right audience. These tactics can work to some degree, but, even when they do, it’s nearly impossible to measure the return on your investment. This results in wasted time and money. Modern marketing strategies are a lot different. Using personalized marketing means that ads target the audience that you want to reach, for less money and effort. 

  1. Assist Customers Using Chatbots

No business can survive without happy customers. The trouble is, customer service has always been a problem area for companies. Repetitive questions and long phone calls make it an exhausting and frustrating process, not to mention costly. Chatbots, however, is changing all of this. As well as answering basic questions, modern chatbots can make reservations, order products, and offer support. This takes the pressure off your team while upgrading your service.

  1. Connect With Mobile Workers

Today’s workforce is far from static. Rather than staying confined to offices, many employees work from home or on the go. This freedom itself is enough to improve productivity. Without innovations in internet speed and cloud computing, this simply wouldn’t be possible. The use of service field software can boost efficiency across all areas of a mobile workforce too. It allows you to significantly reduce downtime and idle time, as well as improve customer satisfaction. 

  1. Minimize Delays In Projects

With so much to do each day, most business owners struggle to keep track of all of their projects. Without close supervision, some can fall behind schedule, resulting in additional costs. The simple remedy to this issue is time tracking technology. This tool allows you to check the status of projects quickly and easily, as well as the productivity of your employees. When you spot that tasks are taking longer than projected, you can consult with your team to find out why. 

  1. Open Lines Of Communication

Communication is the key to success in business. This is why many entrepreneurs plan so many meetings with their team. The problem is, these meetings tend to be very unproductive. By keeping the lines of communication always open, you eliminate the need for them. With today’s technology, this is easy, as there are many different ways for you to get a hold of your team. You could update groups of people using a messaging service or even call them by video chat. 

  1. Streamline The Payroll Process

Preparing payroll is far from easy. It is a time-consuming and tedious task which is often prone to errors when done manually. As well as wasting time, this can cause problems with your employees. Advanced payroll technology lets you streamline many payroll-related tasks. It can also integrate with time-tracking technology, which will prevent payroll disputes. Fewer payroll issues will boost workplace morale, leaving employees happier and therefore, more productive. 

  1. Make Business Connections Online

Much like old school marketing, old school networking was far from efficient. Often it involved collecting business cards, which gathered lint in your pocket over time and eventually got ruined in the washing machine. Networking today, however, is much easier. All you have to do is utilize the many websites available, such as LinkedIn. This makes finding business connections faster and easier than ever before, especially for those in niche sectors. 

  1. Defend Against Cyber Attacks

When your business relies on technology to get it through the day, an issue with a computer or your network can cause absolute chaos. Although there are times you can’t prevent such disasters, there is a lot that you can do to defend yourself. Cybercriminals target small businesses because they assume they’ll leave themselves vulnerable. You must prove those people wrong by investing in proper cybersecurity. This will reduce costly periods of downtime.

The old days may have been fun in parts, but no one can deny the superiority of today’s technology. Without it, working would take a lot longer and cost a whole lot more too. If you are yet to embrace the technological time we live in, then now is the time to start. Although you needn’t go all in right away, resisting these changes to the business world will hold your company back. There are thousands of technologies that can improve your business, so why not try a few today.