When it comes to workflow, automation isn’t about replacing people, it’s about helping people. What could you accomplish if you didn’t have to respond to 20 percent of the emails that you receive? How would your day change if you weren’t required to go through eight tedious steps to finalize just one sale? What if you could have real-time statistics without having to run any numbers yourself? Would you have time to be more creative? Would you finally be able to implement that back-burnered idea? How would your business change?
Embracing automation is about putting key tools into place. Here are a few reasons to implement workflow automation software.
Streamline communication – Automation software is designed to compile all of your daily communication into one centralized location. Access an email from last week to compare to yesterday’s memo on one handy dashboard. You’ll save time—and ultimately money—by implementing automation software into your communication streams, and you’ll never have to worry about misfiling an email.
Mitigate mistakes – In business, even a seemingly small error can result in significant financial loss for a company. Implementing automation software can save you money by reducing human error. The software prompts orders to be sent immediately after payments are received, resulting in fewer customer complaints. Employees are no longer responsible for setting and remembering deadlines, because reminder emails are automatically sent. By mitigating mistakes, automation software will help your business run smoother.
Increase accountability – In addition to reducing employee mistakes, automation software also diminishes employee excuses. No longer can a team member say that they “didn’t get the memo,” because the software is designed to automatically notify and send next steps to the appropriate people. Employees must finish tasks before the next notification, and supervisors will be notified if tasks aren’t completed in the time allotted—improving company-wide accountability.
Strengthen client relationships – Following up with clients can easily slip through the cracks as team members quickly move on to their next sale after sealing the deal. Why not automate a follow-up survey via email to better understand your clients’ satisfaction and their future needs? Automating the follow-up process provides a clearer picture of your performance by eliminating falsified client satisfaction surveys or unreported negative feedback. Removing this task from your employees’ to-do lists frees them up to focus on what really matters—sales!
With these advantages in mind, it is easy to see how business owners must not only accept automation, but actively pursue it in order to stay competitive in today’s tech-driven environment.
