Five Ways Technology is Making Businesses More Effective

Every business dreams of becoming a well-oiled machine with zero wasted time or money. While that might be a little far-fetched, we are closer now than we have ever been. Technology is constantly evolving, and many businesses are reaping a wide range of benefits. 

As business technologies continue to improve, new opportunities for efficiency are created. Many tools are already available to streamline workflows, eliminate waste, and make businesses more efficient.

Here are 5 examples of technologies already being used to help businesses work more efficiently.

1. Cloud Software Means You Can Access Anything From Anywhere

The term “the cloud” gets thrown around as a buzzword quite often. What is the cloud really? Simply put, the cloud is one of the best tools that any business can harness in order to become more productive. Knowledge of cloud computing and its uses can instantly help a business become more flexible and help cut costs. 

More specifically, the cloud refers to a remote server that can be accessed over the internet. The best examples of companies leveraging cloud application development are massive name brands such as Netflix or Google Docs. Netflix hosts all of its movies on remote servers, and customers access those servers over the internet using a web browser. The main principle is that the remote server holds all of the data, but you can access it anywhere you have a connection to the internet, on many different devices.

This is a major asset in helping business professionals work more efficiently, as it gives them an incredible amount of flexibility. Employees can now access any document or application they need regardless of if they are in the office or not. While working from home, they have just the same amount of tools and documents they would at the office, or while on vacation they can review any time-sensitive issues with ease. 

The cloud has a major role in helping entire businesses become more efficient by utilizing their physical space better and reducing maintenance costs. By keeping a majority of data on the cloud, you don’t have to take up office space with large servers but can instead use that area for more productive means. In addition, when you use server space from a company, you no longer have to maintain your own equipment. 

2. Business Communication Tools Make Conversations Even Easier

Being able to communicate across a business in a timely manner is crucial to keep everything running smoothly. Clear and frequent human interaction and communication is the key to helping everyone remain productive by providing quick and actionable feedback, helping solve problems, and sharing expectations on projects.

This includes video chat, messaging, and more. An example of this is 8x8, a VoIP business. There's also Slack, Zoom, RingCentral, and more. Communication tools are key for any successful business that encourages collaboration, has remote workers, or simply wants to stay organized on their workflows. This is imperative for any modern workplace. 

3. Simplify Small Repetitive Tasks With Security in Mind

Small repetitive tasks can derail an efficient business. If you find a way to make those assignments easier or eliminate them altogether, you’ll save more time and effort than you may have thought.

Using a password management tool is a great way to start, as it helps with the sharing and security of files and documents. By using a password management tool, you can control which employees have access to specific sites, and can control when and how they access them. This also cuts down the time that people are constantly searching for passwords or bothering other employees in order to get access to a site or document.

Another great solution to simply a business’s daily tasks would be to consider automating backend business tasks by implementing Robotic Process Automation. By removing the monotonous tasks that employees have to deal with, companies can reach new levels of productivity.

Automation can reduce error rates to zero percent and can execute a high volume of repetitive tasks across many platforms. Companies can also free up many resources that were previously being used, and allow employees more free time to accomplish large projects. Automating simple tasks allows for more upward mobility with current employees and is a great way to keep your business a step ahead of the competition.

4. Employee Advocacy Software Boosts Employee Engagement

Getting employees more engaged in your business environment can end up paying dividends for your company. Employee advocacy software can not only provide employees with pieces of content to share but also track engagement throughout social media channels.

Having employees invested in your company creates a good sense of team camaraderie, and creates a common interest among all employees regardless of level. Creating this connection between employees is a great way to boost morale, and the sharing of content can position a company in a positive light that people might otherwise not see.

Employee engagement can actually make your employees more effective in their work. A study conducted by the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick found that employees who were happy were 12% more productive. Increasing employee advocacy can not only increase the perception of your company but also help it become more efficient in a day-to-day setting.

5. Project Management Software Helps With Collaboration

Making sure that you are staying on task and have a proper plan for how to accomplish projects is crucial for a business. Utilizing project management software in order to track progress, assign tasks, and other helpful features can provide the best services for your employees.

Hive is one of the most used project management tools used by Fortune 500 companies. The platform can help your business organize project tasks and each assignment that an employee has to complete. A summary view can be accessed for each task in order to give yourself a bigger picture view of what needs to be accomplished at each stage of the project.

Project management tools are a great addition to any business no matter the size. Time management is an important part of every task a business undertakes. Making sure that each project is accomplished as effectively as possible can wind up saving a great deal of time and effort.

Adopting new technology is a great way to quickly see improvements in business efficiency. From using cloud software for easy access to files and documents to incorporating business tools for seamless communication. Removing repetitive tasks and emphasizing employee advocacy can help boost morale and keep people engaged. Finding the right project management software for you can provide the structure and organization that each project needs. Give any of these technologies a try to improve the efficiency of your business.