Company Tools and Software to Improve Your Workflow
by Sumona Business 10 December 2021
The business software and services market was valued at almost $400 billion in 2020. And the projected growth for this year is sure to make that number even higher.
As companies of all sizes recognize the incredible potential of streamlining workflows using software and tools, using outdated methods is not only unwise, it can have a detrimental effect on your business prospects in the near and long-term future and will help to improve your workflow.
The good news is that no matter if you’re a solopreneur or run a multi-million dollar enterprise, there are tailor-made solutions that are designed with your business in mind. The only thing you need to figure out is what types of solutions you should implement first and what types of immediate benefits they can offer.
To help you get started, let’s look at a few software categories to improve your workflow, that is worth looking into right now.
Send Better Proposals to Improve Your Workflow
The way you present yourself to clients can make a huge difference in how many decide to work with you. And unfortunately, it’s very easy to quickly damage your reputation, even with something as seemingly straightforward as a business proposal.
When you don’t have an efficient process for sending proposals, you are likely to spend much more time on them, and the results can be inconsistent, as you can often miss critical details you should have included, leading to misunderstandings or even the client losing trust in your company.
But that’s where a proposal software can solve all of those problems and instantly raise the level of professionalism in the proposals you send out. Proposals can be the single most important part of the sales process, so it’s a good idea to utilize the best practices to not just improve how you do it but also make it much easier and faster in the process.
With the right proposal software, you can design beautiful-looking and branded proposals that will show clients you are serious. And once you hit send, you can track the actions of your clients, knowing exactly how they’re interacting with your proposal. Finally, you can seal the deal using legally-binding electronic signatures, which can help protect your business in case the client fails to pay.
Maximize the Potential of Excel Tools
Even though Excel might not be as widely used as it once was, it still remains one of the most powerful tools for managing data and keeping your business on track, and improving your workflow. But unfortunately, not all employees are equally competent when working with the tool, which is why you may need to hire an Excel expert who can help create more streamlined and consistent Excel usage practices across your company.
No matter how you’re using Excel or what your needs are, an expert can help you make sense of the biggest challenges and bottlenecks you are currently facing, show you the best practices when dealing with any situation, and systemize the processes to ensure your workflows are as efficient as possible.
In fact, you may not even be fully aware of all the possible uses that Excel might be applied to, and the expert you hire can suggest new applications for the powerful tool that you might not have even considered otherwise.
Make Managing Projects Easier
Managing projects is one of the most challenging aspects of running a business. Projects can vary in size, scope, team size, timeframe, goals, and various other factors, which can make keeping track of each person’s responsibilities and the overall progress very tricky, especially when dealing with multiple projects at once.
But that’s why solutions like Asana have been such a game-changer for companies of all sizes. Its intuitive interface makes it very easy to stay on top of what needs to be done, allowing team members to collaborate and share information in an instant, assigning each other tasks and providing feedback that becomes visible to everyone in real-time.
That way, you can ensure that no project gets stuck and that managers always have the full view of the areas that they need to address, while team members have clearly-defined roles and responsibilities, which means that everyone is using their time as efficiently as possible.
Simplify Communication
Just as with project management, communication also plays a remarkable role in order to improve your workflow and is an essential aspect of running a business. While sending email chains can work in some instances, it can quickly get clunky and make keeping track of the conversation very difficult.
And that’s where solutions like Slack or Google Teams can be so valuable. They allow seamless communication between individuals, in groups, quickly sharing files, messages, and connecting to various third-party solutions like the aforementioned Asana.
The way your team communicates daily can make a huge difference, as conversations that could take 20 minutes can become a few quick chat messages that allow people to continue working without disruptions.
Bottom Line
Technology will essentially contribute to improving your workflow as it becomes an integral part of running a successful business. In fact, companies that fail to embrace the most successful business tools are putting themselves at a significant disadvantage against the competition.
The tools and solutions listed above should put you on the right track, help you streamline processes, and put your team in a position to succeed.
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