How Digital Solutions can Help in Everyday Business Life

2018-03-09

Yes you’re living in the future.
Decades ago people dreamed of cordless phones and instant everything. Today much of this is reality. But is this future as bright as we imagined? Are you making use of all the benefits technology created?

The Power of Technology

With technology evolving at a rapid speed you may be oblivious of how your life can benefit. Believe me there are inventions you haven’t even heard of.
Don’t simply stick with the basics. Make sure you draw all the advantages of the modern world you live in:

• Reducing stress
• Getting work done faster instead of generating more work
• Helping the environment

Yes technology can even benefit the environment. Most of us are concerned about what industrialization did to nature. Perhaps we can turn back the clock.

Do Business Paperless
Have you considered a paperless business?
If you do this correctly you’ll benefit yourself, your company and the environment.
A paperless office uses technological developments to their full extent:

• Using digital solutions to automate your office procedures.
• You’ll get more done at a faster pace.
• You save trees because you use less paper.

Now you’re using modern technology to its full extent. And yes it’s possible in almost every department you have. Here’s how you can start implementing this.

1. Accounting

Imagine a few clicks with a mouse replaces filling out an entire form. That’s digital solutions in action for accounting purposes.

Time Tracking
You can use apps specifically designed to do time tracking. No one—not an employee or an accountant—has to fill in time sheets anymore. It can be done off site while hourly billed workers perform their tasks. Digital solutions allow employees to tick off finished tasks the moment they’re done.
Even travel can be tracked and compensation calculated instantly.
This is an accurate method with minimal chance of disputes since all information can be tracked via software.

Electronic Invoices and Receipts
With sales paperwork accountants can inspire each other to follow suit in helping the environment.
There’s no need to print out invoices or receipts anymore. They can be generated digitally and sent via email. Ask clients and suppliers to do the same. Your entire network can start functioning paperless.
This process also makes sense if a company uses an online storage system (see #4). All paperwork can be saved digitally which also makes auditing easier.

Payroll
Employee matters create a huge amount of stress on accountants. You don’t want to upset loyal employees with inaccurate calculations.
Now payroll processes can be automated and get done faster too.

2. Marketing

How sure are you that your printed marketing works?
Digital solutions harness the power of electronics. You have new platforms to host your marketing campaigns on.

Social Media
An increasing number of people use social media platforms. Numbers climb every year and more time is spent using them. They have become the places to ‘be’:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

You’ll reach more people with an online advertisement than placing a flyer at a local store. The audio and visual mediums you can use are also more dynamic marketing tools.
You can even customize a social media campaign to reach a specific target audience. This is done much easier than hoping the correct people see your printed posters.
Channelling your marketing energies into this medium saves you time, money and paper.

Email
Turn flyers into interactive emails.
While many people think email is outdated it simply requires expertise.
The benefit is that most people use emails. Use audio visual methods to capture interest. Then implement a call to action to get feedback:

• Product reviews
• Increased sales
• Increased traffic to your website

Apps and Websites
The ways your company can benefit from applications are endless.
Because people love trying out new apps you have an open minded audience ready to try out yours. Simply make sure your app is enticing.
Design a customized business app for all your customers. Now you’re in contact with them 24/7. Make apps part of your marketing. Use it to distribute:

• Upcoming sales
• New product information

Apps usually go hand in hand with a company’s website that’s your online storefront.

eCommerce
Your entire business can be run online. eCommerce sites help you generate:

• Online invoices
• Payment methods
• Customers query systems
• Product displays

All of this is possible without printing a single page.
It also puts your products within reach of a larger audience. They don’t have to visit a physical store so they don’t have to live in your vicinity.
Digital solutions aren’t simply easier. They also generate more revenue.
I wonder why more people aren’t already joining this movement?

3. Customer Relations

There’s an unfounded belief that technology makes situations clinical and impersonal. You’ll be glad to know this statement has been proven false.
But you have to use digital solutions correctly. Here are a few tips.

What do Customers Require?
When you want to align with what your customers require you need:

• Quality communication: This includes ways your clients can communicate with you and ways they receive your feedback.
• Fast response times: No client wants to wait. You’re always in competition with other businesses. You can’t risk losing clients because your competitors supply answers first.
• 24/7 service: When customers need something they don’t wait for business hours anymore. They look for information 24/7. Make sure they can engage with you after hours even if it’s only via a website submission form.

Yes you can provide this level of service. But not if you keep doing tasks manually.

What can You Offer Customers?
Here are your new customer care partners:

• Online feedback forms and review tools can be accessed via your website or an app. This doesn’t require customers to visit your store and fill out paperwork. Customers love effortless processes. They’ll respond more and be loyal to your business when they prefer your methods.
• Use emails and online query systems rather than promoting in store services. It’s easier to attend to an email. You’ll handle more customer problems than before. Your staff can even handle it via mobile devices. Customers can get their responses after business hours too.
• Activate an online booking system. When clients can find your contact details after hours your client base will grow. Very few people use telephone books to find service providers these days. Your website is the digital solution that will draw customers.

When you use digital solutions correctly customers feel you’re communicating with them constantly. This is the type of service provider consumers want.
You can see igital solutions aren’t only about keeping a customer happy momentarily. Excellent service transforms a random customer into a loyal supporter.

4. Administration

Administrative offices are the hearts of most organizations. An administrative office offers support to many other departments.
You know these offices are usually cluttered with paper. Can digital solutions minimize this expense too?
Paper will probably be used forever. But digital solutions can simplify administrative tasks and result in less paper usage. Here are a few ways to spark your creativity.

Are you Still Faxing?
Cut out using masses of paper—dismantle your fax machine today.
No company uses this communication method anymore. Not modern companies anyway.
Better results—in terms of printing costs and effective communication—are possible through:

• Sending documentation via email so it can be tracked and filed easier
• Using fax numbers connected to an email address

Digital Storage
Information can be a more valuable asset than physical equipment. Are you looking after yours properly?
Digital solutions enable you to store these in a more secure place than a filing cabinet:

• Documents can be scanned and saved in digital format.
• Digital files can be kept on hard drives. These can be locked away in a safe. Copies can be stored elsewhere as safeguard against fires or burglaries.
• Cloud storage prevents your information from being damaged even if computers are destroyed.

This filing method carries other benefits too:

• Information can be accessed by authorized personnel instantly. Administrative offices don’t waste time on finding and distributing printed documents.
• Employees easily add to the filing system by saving items on a central network. Less time is wasted on filing.
• With a fast filing system there’s less chance of documents getting lost.

It’s daunting to think old systems must change overnight. So don’t.
Start by communicating with employees about new processes. Show examples. Let workers see new technology streamlines activities that have been challenging for decades. This will motivate them to try more digital solutions.
Where can you apply these features in your business first that will spark long term change?

5. Human Resources

I used to imagine human resources offices as those with rows of files. These contained detailed information about all employees.
When last did you visit an HR office in a modern business? Digital solutions transformed the way they work.

CV Database
Digital solutions—even a simple but practical filing system—for obtaining new employees are effective. HR managers don’t have to waste paper on printing countless CVs anymore.
Candidates email their CVs and they’re filed on a database. It’s easier to reach these files for future reference. They can even be sent to anyone in the company handling an interview.

Employee Database
Yes some documents still need to be filed. But even physical signatures—such as those needed for contracts—are becoming obsolete.
Virtual signatures are accepted more. It’s less necessary to print out all employee contracts and information.
Using digital solutions for these activities is also more secure. A password on a file offers more security than locking an office door. This is vital for the sensitive information HR officers handle.

6. Management

Are you overwhelmed at managing a new project? Then you haven’t discovered digital solutions for managers yet.
This software and applications cover everything you can think of:

• Assigning tasks
• Obtaining feedback
• Organizing workflow
• Live chat features
• Sharing documents online
• Tracking progress via online Gantt charts
• Communication through email or apps

The best feature is that most systems can be customized to a specific team’s requirements. You know what your team struggles with. Help them by empowering them.
And you don’t even have to set up a meeting to implement this. Simply ask employees to download software and start using it.
Once again, don’t think your team members will become detached from each other. Access to constant communication allows team members to grow closer instead of apart.

7. Specialized Software

Software developers also realize the importance of specialized software for certain environments. You’re bound to find a digital solution tailor made for your job description.
What are the unique requirements of your position?

• Sales teams need product information on hand at all times. Online databases mean there’s no need for printed catalogues. This saves on printing costs and information can be updated 24/7.
• Field service managers need to generate work tickets and manage work on many sites. Forget the white board and written notes. You can receive client enquiries and send out job tickets all on one platform. You workers will receive it on a digital platform without you printing one paper.
• Hospitals need to manage patient information, claims and payments in a fast, effective way. Digital methods are more accurate than keeping manual records.
• Insurance companies must process large amounts of information to give customers quick feedback. It’s best these calculations are done by automated systems.

These jobs can all be handled digitally with virtually no paperwork necessary. Because the software is developed for a certain market users are guaranteed ease of use.
Curious yet about how your environment can benefit from a digital, paperless approach?

Now you know the power behind digital solutions you can’t go back to your old ways. These methods can be implemented whether you’re in the role of a manager or subordinate. When your efficacy increases others will follow suit. Even your customers. This is how we’ll make an impact which benefits all involved, even the trees. Soon your waste paper basket will be empty every day.