A lot of companies and people can't continue business as usual due to COVID-19. Still, this time could be used to upgrade your business operations in wise ways that won't be too costly.
COVID-19 has opened the eyes of many business owners about business communications and the importance of no-contact information exchange. This is the reason why now is the time to restructure your communications to at least incorporate some of today's new communication tools. The good thing is you can use free tools. There are a lot of options like video conferencing tools, VoIP software, and virtual phone lines. Of course, there are paid versions out there that offer more perks that you could consider later on. It may be a good idea to learn this technology now and invest in better tools when your business is healthy.
One thing you can do during your downtime is to consider CDP solutions for business. In essence, you will be using inexpensive software to collect all live information about each customer. This software then analyzes the information to create a model that'll help you connect to your customers more effectively. You should be able to improve marketing by using CDP solutions for business since customers will likely feel like the content your company sends them has been personalized.
The chances are that you have several programs and tasks you outsource at the moment. Well, you don't need to continue to do so because you and your team have time to change things around. Several free online courses can be taken advantage of, such as online business writing, financial accounting, and business agreement structures. These courses and many more are available for you and your team. When you get back to work, you may be able to reduce the need for outsourcing tasks.
Employers, especially the ones that are still having their employees work remotely, should also consider a good employee monitoring software. Most of these tools are inexpensive and sometimes free. These tools allow you to track your employees to make sure they are working their regular hours even if they are working remotely. The privacy of the employees remains intact; all you are doing is making sure each employee is performing his or her tasks while they are on the clock. Most of the time, you only need to have your team download an app that will help you monitor the work completed during the day. This is also a good way to offer employees performance bonuses using accurate data once your business is up and running.
Creating invoices feels tedious, but now there are simple and inexpensive tools you or your team can use to get the job done. You are going to have to explore a few options and choose what works best for your needs. It may also be important to allow your team to learn the invoice software before fully implementing it. It should be pointed out that these tools also come with payment options if you need those forms as well. This is yet another way to cut out the middle man or a way to reduce the time your employees spend creating invoices.
These are just some ideas you can implement to your upgrade your business operations during this downtime to continue being productive.