Everyone has heard the saying “work smarter, not harder.” This is especially true for business owners or those who manage large teams at work and do not have time to waste during the workday. If you find that your productivity is lacking, here are five ways that you can use technology to improve your business management.
Get Good Time-Management Software
If you find that you or your employees are wasting time or not getting enough done in a workday, good time-tracking software can help. For example, construction scheduling software can be used to ensure that appointments are kept and everyone stays on task. This type of software can also calculate when the businesses’ most and least productive hours are so that employees can be held accountable for the times that they are slacking. This is also useful because it gives each employee concrete evidence of how substantial (or not) their contributions are to the company as a whole. Even though they may think they are doing enough, they may find that they truly are not and need to work harder to pull their weight.
Invest in a Good CRM
You may have the best sales staff in the world, but if you are not using good customer relationship management (CRM) software, you simply will not be as successful at closing deals. CRM software allows you to streamline all of your customer information and keep everything about them in one place. Contact details, information regarding email campaigns that they have received and any other correspondence, and sales or marketing pipeline stages are all things that are easily managed by robust software. Your customer records will be full of useful information so you can spend time on those who are promising and not waste time on those who are not as ready to commit. The sales and marketing team can also easily collaborate and share customer or lead data by using the company CRM.
Declutter Your Workspace
Is your desk a mess—or worse—is your computer or corporate server overflowing with old and useless data? If so, it’s time to declutter! Chaos can cause a significant decrease in productivity, which means that every day you spend in a messy environment is another day where you are wasting precious time. Consider storing some files in the cloud to free up some disk or server space, and get a docking station for your desk so you can have your monitor, mouse, and keyboard all connected in the same spot without the clutter of cables and cords everywhere. You will see how a clean environment can really help clear your mind.
Use Communication Software
Odds are you are likely doing some form of this already, but if not, invest in communication software so you can easily speak to coworkers and employees when needed. Phone calls are great, but sometimes actually seeing the person you are speaking with makes the conversation more productive. Visual learners also benefit from seeing a live presentation rather than simply hearing a voice over the phone. Effective communication is essential to company productivity, so do yourself a favor and invest in something that makes getting together simple.
Allow for a Bit of Fun
Everyone needs a break every so often so that they can refresh their minds and decompress. Allow employees to download some fun applications, like music streaming services or games, to help them de-stress. Create rules regarding how and when games and other recreational apps can be used so that no one takes advantage of your kindness. Happy employees are better employees, so why not do what you can to create a fun, laid-back environment for your team?
Keeping productive at work is challenging, and the chaos that the pandemic has brought has made it even harder for many companies to stay active. Use some of these tips and tools to improve your business management, and in turn, your success.
Lindsey Patterson is a freelance writer and entrepreneur based in the US who specialises in business technology, customer relationship management and lead management. She also writes about the latest social trends, specifically involving social media.
