Work smarter, not harder seems to have become the universal mantra for business in today’s society. Everyone wants to do more with less, and while this is completely understandable, finding the right way to do so, isn’t always easy.
Everybody wants you to buy their service or software; that’s how they make their money after all. However, just because something looks like a good idea on the surface, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. Luckily, we did the hunting so you don’t have to. Read on to discover four efficiency boosting office technologies that can save your business time, money and stress:
Log It
The best
place to start when trying to level up your workflow to know where your time is
actually going. That’s why time clocks can be an indispensable tool for businesses with large or flexible
workforces. Basic models can tell you how long you and your employees spend in
the office (or at your desk) during the day, while more sophisticated units can
let you know how active you are on your computer. This will make it easier to
track when you’re most productive and allow you to tailor your schedule
accordingly, as well as helping you understand where you could make
improvements.
Talk It Out
Knowing when
you’re most efficient is great but being able to communicate more effectively
during that time is even better. Unified communications systems assist with
this by allowing you to seamlessly integrate and shift between channels. This
means that the data you need to view or share can be accessed far more easily
than previously, providing a further boost to productivity.
Send It Off
Now that
everything is sorted internally, it’s time to streamline your outbound
processing. Freight management software is a great help with this since it simplifies
the whole process to the point where even those who haven’t dealt with the
warehouse, logistics and shipping side of the business before should be able to
easily pick things up if they ever need to. This also benefits those who
regularly deal with booking and shipping as it leaves them far more time to do
other things. Most software systems allow you to seamlessly integrate with
external logistics networks, giving even small companies access to the same
freight resources as the largest corporations.
Face of the Company
Finally, we
want to touch on your presentation. While this tip isn’t exactly a technology,
you can manage it from the palm of your hand. Dealing with finding and maintaining
a professional office space can be a major drain on your resources.
Nevertheless, most organizations see it as a necessary evil in the name of
keeping up appearances. While this may have been the case in the past, the rise
of serviced and virtual offices has taken most, if not all, of the hassle out
of finding the perfect place. Hooking your business up with an exceptional
provider can land you premium frontage without all the financial and time
management worries that generally come with owning or leasing your own
premises. Most providers offer a reception service meaning that wasting your
effort dealing with tire kickers will soon be just a distant memory.
The more efficiently things run, the better it is for you, your business
and your employees. No-one wants to waste their time doing things that can be
dealt with in far more efficient ways. By implementing these technologies,
everyone wins. Do your research, use what works for you, and watch your bottom
line grow.
