In business, automation is increasingly becoming the go-to to help streamline processes and increase efficiency. While those holding off from implementing automation processes are lagging and diluting the customer experience, so too could your business if you are not utilizing the best automation practices for your business.
It can be tempting to avoid investing in certain automation tools because you can do the job in mere minutes. But over time, those minutes add up, and your time could ultimately be used more effectively elsewhere in the business.
There is a fine between maximizing efficiency and wasting money via automation tools. Knowing which ones are worth your investment will help you decide what needs to be automated in your business and what is best to be done manually.
Data
How are you inputting your data and following up on trends and behaviours? Making sure the data you hold is not only streamlined but also compliant is vital for every business. SAP master data management can automate your data and is configurable to your business requirements and workflows. Automated data management means you can reduce human error from manual data compiling and allow you to access the information you hold faster and easier.
Leads
A great problem to have in business is more leads than time to follow them up. However, not all leads can be converted to sales if you are short on time, and as such, a failure to thrive and seal the deal will send your clients to your competitors. Know who to contact and when by automating your leads to allow you to easily see who is a priority and needs your focus and see their interaction with your business at every level. This way, you can focus your time where you are more likely to get the best results and reduce the risk of losing sales due to or following up on leads blind.
Queries
Are you always available to handle customer queries or issues? We cannot be available 24/7, yet consumers demand that we are. In a world where we get results instantly, leaving your clients without an answer or resolution even for a few hours can be costly. Instead, automate replies via the use of a chatbot to allow you to program replies to frequently asked questions, and if the query is out of your automated replies knowledge bank, then this can be escalated to someone who can resolve their issue.
Follow Up Emails
How often do you follow up on a sale or client interaction with your business? Set up an automated process to trigger emails after purchase to thank them for their custom or remind them of an abandoned basket or query. Use the data you have from their interest to reach out and explore how you can build on these sales. Be it via targeted emails for related products or services, vital information about their purchase, or to keep them abreast of changes within your business. Make it personal and automated to avoid the relationship falling flat or your competitors doing the leg work for you.
Repeat Sales
How often do you follow up on repeat sales once a customer has bought from you? If you have sold a product or service that needs renewing or replacing after a specific period of time, then following emails to remind them to restock or commit is a great way to boost sales and get in repeat orders.
Set your time frame to automate when the emails go out. For example, for a 30-day service, emails can land in their inbox from 20 days after purchase to remind them to renew or repurchase.
Customer Satisfaction
Have you ever wondered how clients found your service or products? Capitalize on their feedback by sending automated customer satisfaction surveys to allow you to get a better idea of what you are doing well and where you can improve. It can be time-consuming sending out emails after every new sale. Still, an automated process can allow you to pick the time lapse after the purchase, for example, 7 days, and then collate responses that are easier to digest.
Security
How secure are all your data and your software? Avoid costly mistakes, phishing scams, and ransomware hacks by automating your business’s security and allowing the software to give you peace of mind that you are secure and your data is safe. Schedule backups to take place to a hard drive or cloud service should you suffer a loss of data for any reason and, if you do find you are the victim of cybercriminals, you have the knowledge and support of your security provider to help you get back up and running and add extra security as part of your agreed package.
Staff Efficiency
Are you constantly looking for ways to help your team do what they do but better and easier? Automation tools can be a great way to improve efficiency within your business and allow you, employees, to collaborate, hand over, follow up leads or add to projects with ease. Update them with any new vital information in one place instead of sending out emails to everyone and allow for employees to check-in and verify they have seen and are aware of new changes, information updates, or anything else related to your business.
Job Applications
Employ software to take the hard work out of sorting through resumes and filtering through job applications to make hiring new staff an easier, less time-consuming process. Set up your job description and ask for information to be entered into a form. From here, send follow-up emails for the application process, and the applicant can fill in without you having to make contact at this stage. From here, completed applications will be then sent for your approval and for doing interviews. Alternatively, you can set up video interviews where the applicant logs into a portal upon a successful application and records answers to set questions which you can then view to decide who is a good fit for your company.
With the advancement of technology, many automated processes and applications can take on the often laborious and tedious task of many parts of the business, often time-saving and cost-effective compared to hiring staff for these roles; automation allows you to spend more time where you are needed and provided your clients with great service at the same time.
