How often have we heard the saying “Time is money” and how often do any of us really listen to it? It is important that you’re identifying not only the right people for the job but tools and services too. Here are 3 ways your business can reclaim productivity.
How often have we heard the saying “Time is money” and how often do any of us really listen to it?
Whether you travel a lot, have numerous systems to monitor, processes in place or various teams to liaise with, it is important that you’re identifying not only the right people for the job but tools and services too. Here are 3 ways your business can reclaim productivity.
1 . Meetings aren’t working – but they can
The average employee attends 62 meetings a month with 31 hours of them being deemed unproductive. According to the same survey, 91% of respondents admitted to daydreaming in such meetings while 47% complained that they’re the main cause of wasted time at work. (Atlassian)
Research published in Psychology Today indicated that the cognitive ability or resource to process information is rapidly depleted in meetings. In other words, too many meetings may actually drain employees’ productivity, not to mention have a serious impact on the number of “working” hours in a week. That time has to be made up somewhere.
Of course the suggestion here isn’t to cancel all meetings but to make them better and be pickier about what constitutes a meeting. Consider 10-minute stand-up sessions to keep employees on target and prevent tangents, make meetings optional and always provide an agenda so that attendees have the option to opt-out.
2. Rethink the tools and services you use – stay curious
Once we adopt a tool or application into our business processes and can see the benefit it brings, we can become guilty of thinking it should stay as a necessary part of our toolkit. How often are you auditing your current applications used for marketing, CRM, sales or finances? How often are you curious?
An application or solution is only useful if it moves your business closer to its end goal without requiring significant time. As your business goals evolve so too should the solutions that you use. It’s not uncommon to have your data, task management, marketing, sales and file management applications shared among various software and documents – this can cause inefficiencies and confusion.
As digital disruption begins to take its place at the head of the table – your business should start considering applications that integrate well and streamline processes between people, data and software – this is where an automation tool like Zapier can work.
3. Automate rule-based activities and workflows – integrate
79% of enterprises have stated that automation delivers time-saving benefits while 69% cited improved business productivity as the key advantage of implemented automations (Redwood Software).
It is estimated that employees spend around 20% of their time performing repetitive computer tasks across a number of different platforms, programs and CRM systems right through to invoices and sales logs (DXC technology). These can all be automated.
As an automation tool, Zapier connects applications and integrates them into automated workflows able to move information between more than 750 applications, including Esendex SMS. Without the need for development support any business can build an integration in mere clicks, as long as their application is listed.
If it doesn’t have to be done by you, automate it! Find more hours in the day by using for things such as:
- Team SMS alerts when leads and customers are created – Salesforce
- Get SMS alerts when a form is completed – Gravity
- Send internal SMS updates to team members through order processing – Shopify
- Send SMS as part of a marketing automation – Hubspot
- Get SMS alerts throughout the life cycle of support tickets – Zendesk
- Send SMS to email list or contacts – Mailchimp
Want to know how to integrate Esendex SMS with applications in the Zapbook?
We have made some integrations guides available, but are happy to assist you with your requirements. Alternatively, if you already have an Esendex SMS account and any of the apps listed here integrate via our unique invite link or contact a member of our team on 0345 356 5758.
