Automation is a huge buzzword among businesses in 2020. Companies around the country are making their processes more efficient by stepping back and letting the software do complex tasks.
This might sound scary at first since automation runs on its own and eliminates the need for humans. However, it saves businesses time and money. This streamlines a business’s workflow and reduces the amount of time it takes to invoice and send out email campaigns. You’ve likely seen automation to some extent already, such as in automated direct deposit payments.
As a business owner, you may be wondering how to implement these automation processes into your own company. There are several ways you can automate your business without replacing your human personnel.
Here are several tips for automating your business processes.
Social Media Scheduling
Having an active social media presence is paramount for businesses. There is an increasingly large number of social media platforms on the internet today. For this reason, social media management is becoming more difficult for a human to do.
By automating your social media scheduling, you can set times to post content on whichever platforms you prefer. This content then gets published at a specified time, so your social media managers can focus on other tasks, such as direct outreach to customers.
Converting Your Files
It’s a messy process to make the transition from paper copies to digital format. You have to scan the files, import them into your computer, then rename them and sort them into the appropriate folders. If you automate or outsource these operations, it can cut costs and make the entire process easier.
You can find companies that automate this process for you. According to River City Data, these companies should:
- Handle document imaging and content management
- Manage compliance and security
- Convert analog and obsolete digital media to more accessible formats
Overall, automate how you convert your files and you’ll be thankful for all the time you saved!
Marketing Campaigns
It’s important to make a good first impression on people who decide to sign up for your email list. By automating your marketing campaigns through scheduled, tailored emails, you can ensure that welcome emails go to the right people at the best time. This will help you gradually refine how you target and nurture your leads, creating more efficient tactics over time.
You can also automate your typical business update emails, such as announcements about limited-time sales or new products in stock. Your marketing team will achieve greater ROI if you choose to automate your marketing campaigns.
Automating your marketing campaigns gives you the opportunity to step back from your previous tactics and evaluate what’s not working. When you automate, you’ll walk away with stronger email campaigns and a new perspective.
Hiring Operations
The process of hiring a new employee always involves a few stages, including but not limited to:
- Recruitment
- Selection
- Interview
- Onboarding
- Adaptation
This process cannot be completely automated. However, you can speed up the process with Human Resource Management systems, or HRMs. These receive and sort applications by predetermined criteria. This means they automatically filter out unqualified candidates, leaving you with the best picks for your new position.
The recruiter sets this filter by inserting keywords and the system will bring relevant applications to the top, making the selection process much easier.
Accounts Payable Process
A smooth AP process involves making payments to vendors/suppliers on time and eliminating any possibility of fraud or errors. If it’s handled manually, there’s a possibility of mistakes. Therefore, it is important to automate this process with software and ensure a smooth workflow. As a result, AP goes paperless, saving the company time and money.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, each business has the potential for automation. With these automation tactics, you can:
- Improve productivity
- Increase efficiency
- Generate more leads
You’ll have a better overall view of your sales and marketing goals simply by automating a few of your operations and following these tips.
