The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on many businesses, and you’re not alone if you’ve seen your own business goals get pulled out from under you over the last year. While there may be economic factors outside of your company’s control, you can still do your best to ensure your business stays as efficient as possible to make the most of your productivity.
If you’re looking for ways to keep up with your competitors and get your piece of the market share this year, here are a few simple ways you can help to keep your business on the ball in 2021.
Automate your workflow
Repetitive tasks are necessary for many businesses, especially when it comes to manufacturing. But when you’re running a small company, those repetitive tasks can keep your employees from working on other processes that could make your business more productive. Automating small, repetitive tasks doesn’t require any expensive investments, either. You can swap out certain digital marketing tasks such as email marketing with automated software, for instance.
Small manufacturing tasks can also be replaced with 3D printing. 3D printing has shifted over the last five years from prototyping to production and one of the more impressive uses for 3D printers involved the creation of 3D printed bridges. Keep in mind that automating is meant to help increase your business’ bottom line and free up time for focusing on more critical tasks.
Opt for efficient technology
Automation isn’t the only way you can get tasks done faster. If the technology you’re using at your business is slowing your company down, it may be a good idea to consider upgrading to more efficient models. For instance, if your business uses printing, digital printing not only reduces processing time but also reduces waste because the printers don’t need water, plates, films, or photo chemicals.
Use project management tools
Managing a project can quickly go from something simple and straightforward to something complicated and messy if you’re not using the right tools. Project management tools like apps and programs can help you stay on top of the different elements involved in each project.
For instance, if you or your managers struggle to oversee the progress of your projects, you can use Monday as a visual project management tool to track your work. If you’re dealing with large-scale projects such as events, you can use an event management tool like Eventbrite to manage attendee lists, payments, ticketing registration, and event promotion. This may not seem like a big deal, but considering the largest recorded concert attendance was 3.5 million people, managing registration and ticketing can get wild if you’re not prepared.
Make it easy for staff to get the info they need
According to a report by the McKinsey Institute, staff members spend an average of 9.3 hours a week searching for information to do their jobs correctly. When you’re a small business, those wasted hours can add up, reduce your company’s productivity, and hurt your bottom line. It’s important to make sure that your staff is able to access the information they need as easily as possible and to make sure that information is easy to gleam. Sometimes being visual is the best choice, so you can use the service of a 3D architectural visualisation studio to make everything clear.
It’s no secret that small businesses are struggling during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But with the tips above, you can help to boost your company’s efficiency and productivity to get the most out of your bottom line.
