How Technology can Help Small Business Save Time with Automation
Most small business owners want to keep their focus on their service or product and they consider tasks like bookkeeping and human resources tedious and boring. Some may consider outsourcing these tasks to third-party vendors but that eats into revenues and the thus their capacity to take care of themselves and their loved ones. So, what is a small business owner to do?
Thanks to the proliferation of cutting-edge technology—particularly in the last 25 years—small businesses can now do what only large businesses were once capable of. With a fraction of the staff, entire departments and tasks can be replaced and handled with computer software. With few exceptions like—legal matters, for example—nearly everything can be done in-house and it can be done automatically.
Human Resources
Employees are one of the largest expenses a business can have. In addition to wages, you need to keep track of many things like timesheets, benefits, recruitment, tax forms, and managing employee records in accordance with government regulations. Thankfully, software companies such as Asure Software have created human capital management (HCM) software that does many human resource tasks automatically throughout the complete HR life cycle.
Marketing
Nationwide, and even international, marketing was once only the purview of largest businesses. Small businesses had no real chance of competing because of their limited resources and range. Nowadays, the internet allows anyone with a WiFi connection to have a global reach. With the advent of social media tools like those offered by Facebook, it has never been truer that we truly live in a small global village. Automated emails and social media tools allow businesses to gather information that allows even small business to send custom emails to targeted customers, automated birthday messages and coupons to customers who have an upcoming birthday.
Customer Support
Customer communications via email can flood your inbox in no time and should be avoided at all costs, especially as your business volume grows. Creating an online support ticket system can help you organize support issues and allow you to prioritize and provide timely support and updates. Your website—and you should have one; check out our tips for creating successful websites—should have an FAQ section that answers basic supports questions so your customers can resolve most of their issues without having to contact you, thus freeing up your time for other things.
Accounting
Bookkeeping tasks have been computerized for some time now, but you still needed to enter each entry manually. Software exists today that executes accounting entries automatically. Scanning of invoices and integration of point of sale (POS) systems with accounting software allows small businesses to keep records automatically, saving owners from outsourcing or staying up late at night to do their record keeping. Bookkeeping software also allows for automated customer invoices and even unpaid bill reminders.
Computer Maintenance and Database Back-Ups
Keeping your computer systems up to date and your records secure used to take an IT specialist or in the case of some small businesses, a friend who fancied themselves a computer guru to keep your computer and associated databases backed up and secure. Nowadays, with cloud computing and automated software updates, it has never been easier to keep your computer secure and your data safe. Cloud-based data storage not only keeps your data safe in the event of a disaster at your physical location but can easily be accessible anywhere.
