It is inevitable that technology grows in almost all segments of our society. Technology is reshaping the way we do shopping, play games, watch shows, and more. There is no surprise that those who fail to adjust to new changes get left behind. To modernize your business is important in today’s ever-changing world.
In order to keep up with the latest trends, one has to observe the novelties. Then, one should implement what is suitable for their business purposes and needs.
Let’s take a better look at some handpicked ways you can modernize your business in the upcoming year.
Shifting your focus towards cloud
Modernizing your business processes essentially comes down to flexibility. Your priority in 2021 should be to create evergreen solutions that can really stand the test of time. This is generally a challenge for companies that have existed for some time. Additionally, it is especially true if legacy IT systems are involved.
One good way to improve flexibility is by adding cloud-based architecture to the business you run. Cloud technology allows businesses to easily scale their IT requirements up or down as needed.
This means that if your bandwidth needs should change, you could upgrade or downgrade quickly. You could also do so without interfering with your other processes. On top of that, having cloud-based solutions also improves your ability to do business outside of the office.
More and more people turn to mobile use in business. Having the ability to connect with customers throughout the day worldwide can help businesses better serve them. This can also bring better results every month once the analytics come in.
Process automation for better efficiency
Modernizing your business in 2021 should not go without various improvements regarding business process automation.
It happens far too often that various employees have to spend valuable work hours regularly doing dull tasks. These simple but boring tasks can most likely be automated and many businesses already have automated functions in some operations such as social media or invoicing.
Automation can free up an employee’s time in other business-related fields as well, for example, by using a tool such as a good visitor management system. This kind of system can help boost efficiency and increase flexibility for front office staff.
Moreover, automated CRM and marketing platforms can automate marketing and other internal processes that have traditionally required ‘manual’ labor. Good software solutions that can help with this issue are Trello or Basecamp, as they were designed to streamline the workflow with predefined processes and deadlines.
Finally, some even use Amazon for automated deliveries. Why would you go out to buy office supplies when you can do that with the help of a reliable app that allows automatic purchases and deliveries to your office’s doorstep?
Take measures against potential cyber attacks
If you believe that your business is not big enough to get hit by cybercriminals, you are very wrong. Security software and apps are not only necessary for government entities and state businesses, but this kind of software should also be a priority to all businesses.
Every single person that has business operations online is open to damaging cyber attacks, which happen on a daily basis. Make 2021 the year of better safety, immunizing yourself against the latest threats, which may harm not only your company but also your customers.
According to a study, cybercrime is booming and it is slowly becoming the fastest-growing economic crime. For example, over half of the British organizations admit that they expect to be a victim in the next two years. Moreover, cybercrime has now overtaken asset theft as the most commonly experienced fraud.
So, make sure that you secure networks to protect your essential assets and provide your customers with better security and safety. It would be best to have a robust but agile security protocol, as you need to respond to rapidly evolving risks and attack vectors.
Some companies can offer 24/7 monitoring and cyber threat assessments, which means you can learn about and react to suspicious behavior affecting your business fast.
Electronic signature for a better environment
The world is slowly leaning toward a more paper-free future.
This year, which is about to end, has proved that more and more processes start from a mobile device. This is why now is the time to start utilizing the electronic signature (eSignature) technology and implement electronic signatures into your business processes.
You will easily learn how electronic signatures are used and how you can sign various documents and contracts using your eSignature. Electronic signatures are very convenient, so you will have no difficulties learning how to sign a PDF with them or any other electronic document.
If you think that this technology is not for you and you are on the fence about it, take a look at some great benefits it provides:
- Improved security. Rest assured that your documents will be sent only to the right people, since there are many layers of security included.
- Easy access worldwide. Most users are already familiar with this technology and most countries recognize it as a valid way to sign documents.
- Convenience. Electronic signatures allow users to collect signatures and approvals on multiple documents at one time without having to print a single page.
- Paperless workflow. With electronic signatures, there is no need to print, scan, or even meet in person.
Finally, it is worth noting that all of these benefits add up to big cost savings for your company. You will reduce the amount of paper you use and you will also reduce printing costs, which is a clear win-win situation.
Improve communication among your employees
Last but not least, according to some marketers, email communication will start to fade in 2021. This may be a bold statement and no one can really say if it is 100% correct; however, more and more workplaces rely on messaging apps.
The main issue with ‘interoffice’ email is that it can result in lost messages. Sometimes, emails end up in the spam folder or people forget to read and reply. Or, they reply to everyone and entire email threads get ignored.
Failing to read important emails can be awful, but at the same time, spending dozens of hours sorting through useless emails can be a waste of valuable time that can be used for more important work tasks.
If you’re seeing similar problems, consider upgrading to other cloud-based forms of communication. For example, apps such as Slack allow users to create both group threads and private discussions from one easily accessible portal. You can do anything from setting up custom alerts, archiving conversations, and adding comments. Making calls directly from the app is also a possibility. Also, the user-interface is way better than what people experience with emails.
Ready to modernize?
Before you start the entire modernization process, remember that your focus needs to be placed on specific areas of need. When you have great communication at the office, do not throw away the method that has worked well so far.
If you are required, by law, to sign paper documents, check to make sure your local government recognizes electronic signatures. If they do not, you might have to wait for them to introduce a law that would allow eSignatures.
So, take a look at your processes and what you need to improve, and then try to modernize those areas.
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