Imagine you're trying to
lose 15 pounds. You eat right half of the time, but other times you shove down
hot dogs and ice cream while watching Frasier reruns. Each evening, you
take a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood, yet you still can't seem to
get rid of that extra spare tire. Why? Because you're not maximizing; you're not
cutting back on the bad stuff or increasing the good stuff. Do you think waving
money at the scale will solve the problem? Absolutely not. The same goes for
technology.
The only way for businesses
to survive in our current ubercompetitive landscape is to pick apart processes
with a fine-toothed comb and take a good, hard look at how to cost-effectively
increase productivity. The most cost-effective, reliable and easiest way to get
from here to there is to make smart use of appropriate technologies.
If your company is
struggling under the weight of too many commitments and too little time, maybe
all you really need to do is examine how implementing relatively inexpensive
strategies and technologies can boost productivity. The good news is spending
more is not the answer.
Many larger firms have
already tapped into the time-saving, productivity-enhancing strategy of
maximizing technology. In fact, many large firms review their technology
strategies annually to ensure they're keeping overhead low and productivity
high. Smaller firms, however, assume that implementing new technology requires a
large initial cash outlay and will continue to cost time and money in training
and maintenance. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Here are six user-friendly,
bottom line-boosting technology solutions that can be implemented with little
capital and a relatively shallow learning curve:
1. Leverage your
website. Is your website delivering the results you need and want? How much
time is wasted responding to phone calls and e-mails requesting the same
information over and over? When potential clients request more information, you
should be able to simply direct them to your website, where they can view your
company brochure and read your latest industry musings on your blog. Your office
hours, address, company background, contact information and upcoming events
should all be found in one easily accessible location. This'll free up time to
focus on revenue-generating conversations and interactions.
2. Meet online. If
you don't absolutely, positively have to be there, schedule a webinar,
videoconference or teleconference instead. Business travel can be expensive,
time consuming and extremely inefficient. Online meetings provide most of the
benefits of face-to-face meetings while slashing travel time and costs. Many
online conferencing services offer recording, live attendant and transcription
services for nominal fees.
3. Integrate faxes and
e-mails. The average employee spends 30 minutes a day traveling to and from
the fax machine according to a survey by Impulse Research. Using integrated
e-mail and fax software will allow staff to send faxes directly from their
computers, saving valuable time.
4. Consider an intranet.
A corporate intranet is a web-based means of storing and distributing
general company information like newsletters, handbooks, manuals, internal job
postings, benefits, and project objectives and timelines--for staff eyes only.
Team members can share project data and stay in contact by using one, readily
available resource. Instead of leafing through booklets and mounds of paperwork
which can take hours, an employee can perform a web-based search on the company
intranet and have an answer about a project or a policy in minutes. If you have
a smaller company, there are excellent web-based intranet tools like
WebOffice
and Basecamp
that come with loads of functionality.
5. Use project
management software. There's nothing more unproductive than not knowing who
is responsible for which portion of a project. Well, except for being
responsible for part of a project and not realizing it. Professional services
automation software, otherwise known as process work flow software, allows
employees to track time, resources, progress and contingencies. Software will
assist in assigning resources to multiple project phases, help set and keep
track of project milestones and deadlines, and allow project stakeholders to see
the status of the project at a glance. It's astounding how many companies still
rely on spreadsheet applications to manage projects. Without built-in reporting
tools and alerts, this wastes tons of time and is a surefire way to let
deliverables and accountability slide through the cracks.
6. Go social. PR
companies do wonderful jobs of securing media coverage for their clients'
products and services, and that coverage doesn't come cheap. While a blog or
podcast can never replace a full-service PR firm, a little social media can go a
long way. A regularly maintained and updated blog or podcast can help solidify
competitive positioning, improve customer relations, showcase thought
leadership, vet new products, increase visibility and word-of-mouth, and
decrease sales cycles. Consistent bloggers and podcasters get consistent
results.
To take full advantage of
these solutions, take an honest look at productivity levels and be willing to
admit that there may be some inefficiency in your operations. Could you stand to
implement some, if not all, of the above solutions? If not, what is the
opportunity cost? Are there other areas where technology might smooth out your
work flow?
You may see technology as a
necessary evil. But if you use the right technology the right way and for the
right reasons, you can increase productivity, lower overhead and create
measurable results.