IT Solutions To Grow Your Business

Every business owner is interested in growth.  Increasing efficiency is one way to make your sales and profit trend in the right direction.

When a business operates efficiently, profits increase and waste decreases and ideally that will lead to less time spent at work.

Many people will know various software tools exist to help improve operating efficiency but they lack the time to investigate how it might work for their business. 

This is a helpful overview of some options that might help you.

IT that helps manage clients

Relationship Management

Customer relationship management software, or CRM, is designed to grow your business.  But remember that clients or customers do not want to be managed. They want to be heard, listened to and helped and there is software that makes it easier to do that. 

Rather than just sending out a monthly newsletter to your database, systems like Mailchimp allow you to schedule emails to go out automatically after an order, support call or consultation.  It doesn’t have to be a big deal.  Just saying “thanks for the order” and “let us know if you need help”  helps build your relationship.  

You can also create email schedules that help your customers by prompting them to renew orders for regular items with an “in case you forgot” message.   Utilizing your database well helps build relationships and gives regular opportunities to consult, sell and support. 

Connect With Customers

Make it easy for people to get in touch with your company.  We all know how frustrating it is when we want to get in touch with someone but have to jump through hoops to do it. 

A phone number and email on your website is a start but setting up social accounts for your business allows people to find you on platforms they like, rather than just the ones you do. 

If you are worried about finding a staff member with time to manage all the different links, there are programs, like Hootsuite, that manage several accounts on one user-friendly dashboard.

Pictured: Hootsuite Dashboard

IT that helps manage the team

Team Management Software

For some businesses a whiteboard or monthly WIP meeting does the trick.  But having software that allows your team to track projects in real time is a game-changer. 

Take a look at Zistemo, Asana and Monday.  They are just some of the programs that allow you to set tasks, manage projects, track budgets and have everyone on the same page all the time, rather than waiting for physical meetings.

If you want to start out smaller, something as simple as a shared calendar can help to plan and utilise human capital better.

Simplify

If you have separate systems to manage different projects and tasks, consider finding software that addresses multiple needs so you can consolidate.  Few businesses can afford to build specific systems, but moving to more streamlined software will save time.

Consider systems that allow employees to do more themselves.  One example is financial software that lets team members complete their own time sheets.  Switching to an interactive system removes double handling and allows the automatic calculation of wages, tax and other business costs.

IT that helps manage storage

Cloud Based Storage

Systems like SharePoint Online allow you to use your phone, tablet, or computer to continue what you started — wherever you happen to be. Any changes you make are updated on all your devices. 

Moving to cloud based storage might make some businesses nervous about safety and security.  In reality, having all your data in one physical place is more risky. Using the cloud means if something happens to your device, you don't have to worry about losing your client records or data.  All your information can be retrieved with minimal downtime so it’s business as usual. And as far as security goes, SharePoint Online is encrypted using TLS.

There is a lot of information online but it is important to research options before you start downloading! Think Concepts can help you fine-tune your needs through a Discovery Session.  One of our IT experts can assess your current system, suggest changes and also help with any migration or integration queries.  Speak to our team about having one of our consultants to assess your business requirements.