Simple changes to make your business more productive
Almost every business could do with refining and improving their operation, but sometimes when you are constantly busy with the rush of day-to-day activities you can put off making upgrades and changes that would be a huge benefit in the long run. Here we take a look at some of the key steps that you can take to whip your business into shape this summer.
Slim down your dependence on paper documents
There was a time when no business could function without paper documents. And this meant that large sections of the office or business premises had to be dedicated to file storage, not to mention a huge amount of working time given up whenever anyone needed an older document that was hidden away in a box from years ago.
Times have moved on and it is now generally possible for companies to work entirely without the need for paper documents. And yet so many businesses still tie themselves to legacy paper systems that are completely inefficient and expensive.
Now is the perfect time to rid your organization of this dependence. If you currently have important paper documents that you need to have future access to, you can have them professionally scanned so that they can be stored digitally.
Take the weight off your marketing channels
Has your business become dependent on a very small number of marketing channels for its leads? This is an all too common issue, and it can become a serious problem for the organization as a whole if those marketing channels begin to stop producing in the way that they have done in the past. So, it’s a good idea to take the weight off those channels by investing in others.
There is a huge number of different options available to businesses, and clearly it will depend on the current marketing strategy that your business takes. The possibilities are endless, but some of the most successful include search engine optimization, paid search advertising, and the various social media platforms.
Finding new avenues to sell your services and products can really help to strengthen your business and give you the opportunity to grow.
Flex your eco-friendly muscles
This summer could also be the time that your business begins to embrace eco-friendly and green ways of thinking. This is something that many business owners and employees do without thinking in their own home, but when it comes to the workplace it may be something they simply have not considered yet.
One thing that can hold businesses back from embracing the green revolution is the perceived expense. However, there is good evidence to show that when staff feel positive and happy about the company they work for, they are actually significantly more productive. Having highly productive staff can be a huge financial benefit for any company.
Eliminate excess servers and embrace the cloud
Do you currently maintain your servers in house? For some business this can be a good option, but many others would benefit from a move to cloud storage. Firstly, it takes away the need for having a large inefficient space used for servers within your business premises. Additionally, getting rid of in-house servers frees up a huge amount of team for your IT staff, who would have to spend working hours updating, managing, and maintaining them.
You will be in good company too; according to recent statistics more than 96 percent of businesses now use the cloud in one form or another. So now could be a fantastic time to move your business into the digital age and utilize the cloud to its full potential.
Get a plan and get training
Your staff are your most important business asset, so one of the best ways to improve and refine your business is to invest in an extensive program of employee training. Providing staff with new skills and knowledge can be hugely rewarding for your company, and when you invest in your team in this way it can ensure that you are building loyalty.
Talk to staff about the kind of training that they would like and what they think would be an asset to the company. These ideas can make a big difference.
Written by: Mike James, BOSS Contributor
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