With the undeniable heights of the digital age, it’s best to take advantage of small business automation. Learn about growing your small business, regardless if it is a startup or a striving medium enterprise.
Business automation is now becoming a sound option, especially when the industry has been moving on at a fast-paced speed. Also, it applies if you have to catch up before you get left behind.
So how would you automate your business without spending too much? There are three inexpensive ways for your small business automation.
Many business owners dread paydays. It’s not because they have to pay their employees. Instead, they have to deal with various computations and ensure everything is accurate. Also, it must include the CPF, claims, bonuses, overtime pays and more.
No worries. Instead of hiring another staff to take care of the payroll, you can get an automated service. In addition, you have various options to choose from.
eVantage HR provides one-stop HR solutions to multiple businesses. They support the clients with various payroll-related services. It includes issuing and maintaining electronic payslips, accurately calculating monthly payroll and statutory deductions, monitoring and tracking employee leaves, and streamlining handling employee claims. In addition, the services cost a flat monthly payment of $30 per employee.
SMEPAYROLL is an affordable payroll software with various features. It includes the employee’s basic biographic info, photos, and contact information. Also, it requires the job details, the department and contact details, salary information, salary payment modes, career progression, leave info, claims, salary deductions and others. In addition, it creates reports regularly. The software costs a minimum of $300+ for 25 employees.
INFO-PAY Payroll Software has developed an integrated HR system. The service includes Time Attendance System, Payroll & HR Software, and E-leave (Web-based Online Leave Module). Also, it covers E-mail Payslip and Employee’s Web portal (e-attendance, e-pay slip, e-IR8A, e-personal, e-claim, e-memo). In addition, the Project Costing Software has full integration with Fingerprint, Biometric time recorders. Plus, it covers the handling of online bank GIRO payments and tracking your staff’s increment/promotion history.
The software and training with an installation cost $2,800. But since Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme can cover this, you can pay as low as $1,150.
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A growing business might have to use a CRM. Simply put management of customer relationships. CRM premiums can be very expensive. However, there can be cheaper options with quite good qualities.
Zoho CRM can handle the full function of CRM. Plus, it is on the go since its app is downloadable in Apple’s App Store and Google Play for Android users. Also, it can track and forecast sales activity, execute targeted marketing campaigns, and prioritise and automate your workflow. In addition, you can create email direct marketing campaigns (eDM campaigns) and documents and manage your inventory and social media.
The data presentation is in graphs on its dashboard. What’s great is that you can use its essential functions for free for up to three users. So you can get the hang of it before deciding if you want its premium services which cost about $30 a month per user.
SugarCRM is a sophisticated and highly customisable CRM platform that automates sales functions. Examples are lead and opportunity tracking, contact management, and sales forecasting. In addition, you can easily manage incoming customer requests and run eDM campaigns with your mobile devices through either SugarCRMon-site or via Cloud. For a yearly contract, you have to pay about $3,400 upfront.
Salesforce is another CRM provider. It is a customer-friendly software where you can efficiently conduct your eDM campaigns through Cloud. Also, you can even track leads and products and complete sales reports on the go. Various editions are offered at a price range from $8 a month to $80 a month per user.
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Note that you and your staff might have a hard time handling the programs first. But, once you get the hang of it, you will feel that the price was worth it. All because you can easily reach out to your customers. Also, do not forget that small business automation campaign launches are significant. Nevertheless, you can still utilise organic campaigns on your social media sites. It is possible to personally put in some content every down and then boost customer outreach. Again, this doubles your chance to get more potential clients.
And when putting content on your blogs and social media sites, you have to create quality content which brings us to;
By creating quality content, you show your potential customers that you are knowledgeable in your industry. Thus, you create a feeling that you can indeed deliver your products and services with utmost professionalism. So hire a content creation service or a copywriting agency to develop contents that you would love to share for your target customers to read.
The contents and style will still depend on your taste. That’s why it is important to give specific instructions on the topics you want and the voice that they should use. In addition, you can ask various content writers to create articles for you. Then, you can choose which one has hit the spot. Afterwards, hire only one writer to maintain the consistency of quality and style.
Don’t forget to choose the schedule for putting up your articles on your blog, website or social media pages. There are a lot of content management tools available. Examples are Hootsuite and Sprout Social, which cost as cheap as $50 a month. So you don’t have to worry about posting content on time.
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Small business automation is not changing everything all at once. Also, it shows your business does not have to be expensive. It is essential to make yourself comfortable with the changes first before getting the premium services. Plus, do not hesitate to ask questions from the service or program providers. If you don’t understand some parts of it, seek clarification. At the end of the day, it has to help you make all internal business functions more manageable and more convenient.