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How businesses are using technology to increase efficiency

None of us can afford to waste time, that’s especially true if you run a business. Whether your company is big or small, you need to be working quickly and efficiently if you’re going to end the year with a healthy bottom line. Time is money – it’s a tired old cliche, but it’s true.

If you’re looking for pointers, learn from the best. All of today’s top companies, whether they work in tech or finance, have large scale operations dedicated to making sure they’re being as efficient as possible. Here’s what they use to do it.

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Cash Flow Software

There are all kinds of financial software used by businesses to monitor their incomings and outgoings. What they use depends on their sector and how detailed their accounts need to be.

Every company has money going in and out though, so a basic cash flow software package is a must. Software allows you to employ fewer bookkeepers and accountants as you can keep all that data in one place.

Data Storage

No one uses big, bulky filing cabinets to store data in anymore. They’re a thing of the past as a lot of companies embrace digital and try to make their offices paperless. With cloud based solutions, you needn’t take up any space at all with your data files.

This new way of storing data does bring about its own set of unique problems though. You have to constantly backup your data and protect against the many forms of data loss out there.

Remote Banking

Being able to control your banking from anyplace at any time is one of the single most useful innovations for businesses the world over. You can now check your accounts whenever you need to without having to take time out of your day.

It also means invoices can be paid in seconds, and you can transfer your funds to wherever they need to be at pretty short notice.

Automation

Most strenuous physical work that used to be done by workers can now be done by automated machinery thanks to innovations in technology. This not only cuts costs but also makes the manufacturing process much swifter.

Automated services aren’t just restricted to manufacturing though. Your ordering services and email newsletters also use automated technology. You don’t personally oversee all those things; your software does it for you!

Communications

Companies don’t communicate with their customers in person or on the phone as much as they used to. And that’s because there are now much better and more efficient means. If a customer has a problem, a lot of companies encourage them to let the business know via social media.

Your advertising material can also be sent via email instead of traditional means. This is not only a lot quicker but also saves a lot of money. Internal communications are also a lot quicker now too. Many companies use group instant messaging services to spread information quickly.

Online Marketing

As already mentioned, email marketing is the foundation for a lot of companies’ marketing strategies these days. And if you have a strong social media presence, combined with a sleek, efficient website, you can almost entirely do away with all the old ways of doing marketing.