It’s fairly easy to help transition a struggling company to a good one because the subject of business improvement has been studied exhaustively. While it may be a mystery to the business owner why their vision is floundering, a seasoned business consultant can quickly identify the major problems and propose effective remedies.
What’s much more difficult is helping a good company transition into a great one. Now things are less obvious. In fact, the business probably got to where it’s at because of its relentless application of best practices.
A business consultant has to take a different approach. Instead of asking what’s not working, he or she has to ask, “What else can be done? What products or services can be introduced to improve the business even more?”
Here are three answers:
- First, use technology to improve workforce connectivity.
- Second, build a digital platform that can keep up with the rapid rate of website development when it comes to aesthetics and functionality.
- Third, develop a robust system to publish on social media without it compromising precious working hours and running up an expensive tab.
Let’s take a look at some resources available to turn these ideas into practical steps:
How to Use Technology to Improve Workforce Connectivity
As more companies become spread out, either because they hire remote workers or send reps out into the field, it has become increasingly difficult to manage a mobile workforce.
Since the workforce is scattered, it needs technology to unify it—in the form of laptops, smartphones, and tablets. It also needs real-time data streaming in from multiple locations. This Wi-Fi technology facilitates collaboration, and this, in turn, fosters innovation and implementation.
One elegant solution to this challenge is Asure Software, which offers a comprehensive suite of cloud-based applications to handle almost any business need.
Here are 4 key features:
- You can track time and attendance.
- You can schedule a wide variety of resources.
- You can manage all your digital assets.
- You can analyze all your metrics from website traffic to business transactions.
Asure serves an important need because today’s workforce is different. A time traveler from the 1980s would hardly recognize it. For example, organizations of all sizes prefer to hire a transient, talented, mobile workforce rather than fill out a huge office space with an army of workers.
How to Build a Digital Platform That is Easy to Update
This second solution is so popular, it’s estimated that about 22% of websites use it. You may already be one of those users. If so, you’re in good company. It’s used by Internet giants like Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Even media powerhouses like CNN, the New York Times, Time Magazine, and Sony use it. We’re talking about using a self-hosted WordPress website or blog. However, if you’re not using it, you may be wondering why you should start using it.
Here are 4 key features:
- It’s an adaptable content management system (CMS). Although it originated as a blogging platform it can now do much more than build a blog. You can also use it to create a regular website or responsive website (for mobile devices).
- It’s free. There is no cost to download it, install it, or use it. You can also modify it as you please.
- It’s open source. You can tweak it anyway you like.
- It has a staggering number of free and paid themes and plug-ins. At present, there are more than 2,600 free themes and over 31,000 free plugins.
How to Develop a Time and Cost Effective Social Media Publishing Schedule
No business today can afford to turn its back on social media. It’s one of the most powerful ways a business can engage directly with its customers and supporters.
Despite this obvious benefit, many businesses either shun social media or limit their interactions with it.
There are two reasons for this attitude:
- One, not all social media returns can be quantified. Sometimes you can experience subtle gains that you only realize in retrospect, like finding new clients, learning something new about your customer’s behavior, or stumbling across a perfect JV partner.
- Two, it can be a full-time job managing your multiple social media profiles. If you hire the work out, it can be expensive.
But, as they say, there’s an app for that. In this case, Everypost.
Here are 4 key features:
- You can use it on multiple networks, and it covers most of the popular platforms.
- It’s inexpensive. There is a free version with restrictions or a $10 per month version without any restrictions.
- It has a clean, user-friendly interface. You can post text and images to your favorite social media sites quickly and easily.
- You can decide which content goes to different social media websites instead of sending the same content to all your platforms.
Good to Great
These three suggestions can boost productivity across the board because they streamline a wide range of business operations. They can effectively cut costs and substantially increase revenues to optimize your business.