As a software developer, it’s important to understand how technology impacts a business. This understanding allows software developers to work with clients and recommend the right solutions confidently. Ultimately, if you’re a developer who understands business processes, you can write your ticket to success.
Here are a few ways to improve business efficiency with software and technology.
Implement a CRM
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management system. Many popular ones are available, including Zoho CRM, Salesforce, HubSpot, and many more. A CRM is designed to keep your customer information in one place. This helps sales and support staff by giving them real-time access to customer data while they’re on the phone, including order history, outstanding accounts, and much more.
You can also program a series of workflows into your CRM to streamline operations. This is particularly useful for online sales and marketing. For example, with the right workflow, a customer could order an item on a website, and the data is fed straight back to the CRM. Order confirmation emails are sent automatically, and order details can be instantly sent to the warehouse for packaging and delivery. Plus, if the customer contacts the sales team about the order, all the details are right there in front of your staff.
Ensure all software is integrated
Technology in business is beautiful, but if your systems don’t talk to each other, it can become a nightmare. When systems aren’t linked, it results in re-work, doubling up on data entry, more manual checks required, and therefore more risk of human error, and overall it is confusing and cumbersome for staff members.
However, when key business systems are linked, you can eliminate many mundane tasks and increase efficiency. Let’s look at an example.
If staff members still complete manual timesheets, that’s not necessarily a problem in and of itself. But this typically means that an admin team member must check those timesheets and enter the details into your HR system. It’s time-consuming and extremely difficult to identify errors.
But with a time-tracking app that feeds information directly to an HR system, artificial intelligence can be programmed to detect timesheet anomalies more accurately than a human. Plus, the final wage data can also be automatically transferred to the accounting system, all with practically no human intervention.
Connect a phone system to a CRM
This is a no-brainer if your client already uses a CRM and a cloud-based phone system. Connecting the phone system to the CRM allows you to supercharge the sales and support teams’ capabilities immediately. Some of the key benefits are:
- Incoming calls pop up on the screen
- One-click calling – make a call out directly from your CRM
- Instant access to customer data when the phone rings
- Improved customer service
- More sales
Essentially, you’re creating a one-stop solution where sales teams can complete their most important work without clicking through different software programs and keeping customers waiting. You can even have automated outbound calls for cold-calling operations, meaning they can click a button and call the next customer on a list.
Consider customized business software
While a CRM is a terrific addition to any business, you may also need customized software for your client’s daily operations. This is a more expensive option. However, they can end up with a system that does everything they need. And really, there are no limits on what you can build.
Consider automatic time-tracking apps, systems to manage orders and inventory, and internal intranet systems and apps. The list is endless. However, it’s important to note that most CRMs are very customizable. So, if developing an entire system is too much for your clients, why not suggest a customized CRM?
If you’re certified to work with any of the big CRMs, you likely have the skills to customize them according to your client’s needs. This is mostly done by implementing a series of customized workflows. So, while this is more time-consuming and costly than basic CRM implementation, it’s still more cost-effective for small-medium businesses that may not have the budget for fully customized software.
Check your existing hardware and technology
When working with any new clients, it’s essential to understand their existing technology stack. What are they currently using? Can they all be integrated smoothly through the use of APIs? Is their website well-designed? These are all of the things you need to analyze before recommending solutions. Sometimes, all the pieces are already there, but your client needs them brought together more cohesively.
The other thing you should carefully check is the hardware. While it’s not really a software developer’s job to deal with hardware, you want to ensure your client is equipped to handle any new systems you create. One important thing you can always check is whether they have a strong enough broadband plan. With so much of today’s tech requiring internet connectivity, this will be important for the client moving forward.
Turning websites into a powerful sales tool
Last but not least, the website is usually a crucial part of any business, so there needs to be some focus on this. There are exceptions where a company’s website is purely informational and doesn’t need much tweaking. But even then, you can check that the UX makes sense and ensure it is technically sound from an SEO point of view.
If your client sells products or takes orders online, you can transform this into a powerful sales tool. Combining great UX design and all the features a good website should have, you can design a site so that customers are nurtured through making a purchase. The golden rule here is: If it’s easy for the customer, they’re more likely to buy.
Finally, don’t forget that the website should be integrated with a CRM or other custom software solution, as this gives you more opportunities for automation which is better for customers and the business.
Hopefully, these tips have given you some insight into how even some of the less complex technology can impact daily operations for your clients.
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