Two Common Issues that Create Inefficiency and What to Do About Them

Efficiency is extremely important for any business to maintain consistent revenue generation. Technology is a big part of that. Today, we’ll discuss two ways that technology can help build a more efficient business. 

Outdated Software and Hardware

Many small businesses rely on old or outdated technology, either due to budget constraints or a lack of awareness of more efficient alternatives. These legacy systems may seem functional but often lead to slow performance, frequent crashes, and an inability to keep up with modern software or customer expectations.

Older hardware is prone to breaking down or running slower, which can frustrate employees and significantly reduce productivity, and can complicate things if it were to break down. Outdated software is another major problem. Older software sometimes can’t be updated or patched meaning these systems have to operate offline or become a major source of expense trying to secure them. Antiquated systems also don’t integrate well with newer tools, making it difficult to build efficient processes because people have to work around your technology instead of with it. 

In order to keep this technology-based inefficiency from affecting your organization, you will need to keep all of your systems updated with patches and updates. This reduces the chances that vulnerabilities from unpatched software will be exploited. You will also need to make a decision about old or poorly-functioning hardware. The more proactive you are about making sure your technology doesn’t fail, the less likely you will have to deal with large swaths of downtime. 

One other solution is to look into cloud-based tools where you can. The cloud now has reliable and secure solutions available for any business and can bring a load of benefits. You gain financial flexibility since you only have to pay for the technology your business needs, you also can scale pretty quickly to meet increased or decreased demands your business has. Options in the cloud also have the benefit to be available from anywhere with an Internet connection, significantly reducing any access-related downtime you would be subject to.

A Lack of Automation

Employee-driven processes remain a significant burden for many small businesses. Some are simple, but some are more complex and can be costly and inefficient if you rely solely on humans to do them. Automating some tasks of your business can be a real game changer. There are things like invoicing, payroll, inventory tracking, and more that can be automated, removing the increased chance of human error.

Some business owners stick to the “that’s how we’ve always done it” method that has worked in the past. The problem is that the world has changed and doing things that take more time can really put a business behind. Think about simple data entry: what a human can do in a normal 8 hour shift, software with AI can do in seconds. All that saved time saves money. What’s more, human operators make more mistakes with any data entry than do automation platforms. Finally, the slower your business is to make connections, the more revenue you miss out on. Automation can give you answers about your business in real time that can make a huge difference on the bottom line. 

To combat this lack of automation, we suggest first finding a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution. Many options will also integrate with accounting and invoicing tools, payroll tools, and more. CRMs can help even the smallest business get the added automation and data analytics to improve efficiency across the board. Implementing a  comprehensive project management solution is also a good plan as it gives your team a robust system in which to run projects through. By focusing on automation when you are considering your next technology investment, you can significantly build better organizational efficiency.

At k_Street Consulting, LLC, our team of IT professionals specialize on helping businesses build the type of operational efficiency that is both functional and sustainable. If you would like to have a conversation about it, give us a call today at (202) 640-2737.