If you take a look at the top companies in Singapore Marketer, you’ll find that most of them have one aspect in common: their employees are very productive. But what makes one company more productive than others? How are these businesses able to stand out above the rest? Is it their digital marketing skills? Well, the answer lies in their use of technology.
When used efficiently, technology can be the tool your business needs to make all of your tasks more simple and easier to accomplish. From making phone calls to creating voice messages that will be stored in your client files, technology can make a world of difference. Below are just a few tips for using network technology in order to help your company become more efficient, improve customer satisfaction, cut costs and get ahead of your competition.
Employees should have access to secure and consistent information
If you run a small Singapore business, then you have a huge advantage over the larger corporations. Unlike the competition, you can react quickly to new trends and changes whereas the larger brands are weighed down by processes and red tape. However, this advantage all but disappears of your network is sluggish, has little security, or is often experiencing downtime. Your network must be secure and reliable. It should ideally be based on intelligent routers and switches so that your employees can access all of the tools and information that they need to stay ahead.
Employees should have remote access
If you want your employees to be productive even when they are on the move, then you need to make sure that they have access to information from anywhere. This means that your network should offer remote access so that they can view it at any time. For instance, you should use tools such as virtual private networks, also referred to as VPNs. This will enable your employees to work both inside and outside of the office while ensuring that your business network remains secure.
Ensure that your business processes are secure when partnering with others
When it comes to partnering with other businesses, every corporation has its own terms of agreement. And this is especially the case when it comes to security. There are many large companies who won’t do business with you if you don’t have secure business processes. This means that you need to make sure that your network is both reliable and secure.
Make collaborations seamless with intelligent networks
Another great way to ensure greater productivity is to make sure that collaborations are as seamless as possible. Whether you’re working with partners, employees, suppliers, or customers all of them will appreciate a smooth collaboration. This will also help to cut down on costs. Intelligent networks often offer efficiency tools such as video conferencing, interactive calendaring, unified communications, and other collaboration-focused technologies and features.
Employees should have access to remote phone systems
Whenever a call is missed, it often leads to a delay in the project. This can also result in a loss of revenue as well as missed business opportunities. However, when Singapore businesses use networked voice and data solutions, your team will have one phone number which can ring simultaneously and on several devices.
This ensures that customers reach the right person on the first try. Your staff will have access to communications from everywhere. They’ll be able to check for e-mails, faxes, and voicemails, all from one inbox.
Streamline client communications
One of the best ways to ensure that your customers are satisfied to deliver knowledgeable service and quickly. You can easily do this by linking your network phone system to your customer relationship management solution, also referred to as CRM. This will help to enhance communications. Whenever a customer calls your business, a pop-up window with all of their records will appear on the employee’s IP computer or phone screen–or ever both.
Cut down on unproductive travel time
One factor that a lot of Singapore businesses tend to miss is travel time. Though you may be traveling for business, the time that it takes to get to the next destination can really cut down on the level of productivity. This is why it’s a good idea to make use of networked phone solutions. These solutions offer web conferencing and video calls. Instead of having to travel to your next off-site meeting and training session, you can use technology.
Use managed service providers
Can your employees’ time be spent on something other than managing a network? In most cases, it can. So consider hiring a managed service provider. They can take care of your network administration so that your IT staff is completely free to focus entirely on other important IT tasks. This makes for a more effective use of their time.
Work on employee satisfaction
While it may seem like a small matter, if your business is equipped with aging technology, then it can lead to a lot of problems. Not only will slow networks and outdated phone systems frustrate your clients but these things will also become bothersome to your employees. In fact, in some cases, your employees may become so annoyed and overwhelmed with these aspects that they decide to find employment elsewhere. The best way to ensure that this does not happen is to ensure that your technology is always up-to-date, reliable, secure, and fast.
Develop long-term plans for technology
While you may soon become interested in replacing all of your old office equipment, you need to take into account how this will affect your organisation. In many cases, replacing old hardware can lead to interruption for your employees and bring your office activity to a halt. The good news is, you can minimise these disruptions by determining all of your long and short-term goals and then working closely with your vendors to deploy technology which will align with them.
The Takeaway
As you can see, there is always a more effective way to spend your time. And in most cases, you can use technology as a tool to ensure that your business as at the peak of productivity. So take a look at your marketing strategy and find out in which ways you can make your organisation run more efficiently and cut down on costs.
