Ever since the dawn of businesses, company owners have been trying to find various ways to help increase productivity and run their organization efficiently. While there are multiple methods to increase productivity inside an office, the modern world is filled with online businesses which have different requirements.
However, just because you have an online business, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use tactics that will help you increase productivity. In fact, 83% of workers believe that they don’t have to work in an office to be productive.
So if you’re looking for some tips and tricks that will help you increase productivity for an online business, you’ve come to the right place.
Use WhatsApp for communication
WhatsApp is the most used mobile messenger app globally and it currently has 2 billion active users worldwide. There is a high chance you probably already use it for private conversations, but this platform offers a lot of benefits to organizations too.
If you want to use this app for business purposes, you can get the most out of it by implementing WhatsApp business multiple users could use. Otherwise, if you just use regular WhatsApp for business purposes, it won’t be as effective and your company won’t seem professional enough.
You might not understand the importance of another messaging app as you probably already use multiple different ones, but it’s important to realize the necessity of using as many tools as possible. After all, WhatsApp isn’t only there for communication with employees, but with customers as well.
As the app has users all over the world, you can be sure that most of your customers already have it on their phones. And the reason why it will help you with customers is that it provides you with two-sided conversations and has end-to-end encryption, which means all messaging is private and secure.
And finally, since two-factor authentication is baked into the application itself, you can always be sure that the person you’re messaging is who they say they are. And if you know the best strategies to increase customer engagement, your WhatsApp conversations will always run smoothly.
Don’t ignore the good old Excel
This may sound silly to some people, but just because new technologies are coming out every year, you shouldn’t ignore some old but excellent programs such as Excel. Microsoft Excel can increase the productivity of any business, although small businesses see the highest value from this tool.
Since Excel’s fundamental function is the storage and retrieval of numerical and text-based data, an Excel workbook is a necessity for anyone who regularly inputs data while working on a project. And since these workbooks are a collection of easily clickable spreadsheets, they’re very user-friendly.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways Microsoft Excel can increase your productivity:
- It does the math for you. Anyone who has ever used Excel knows that it comes with a variety of advanced mathematical capabilities. When you use these functions, you can have very straightforward data processing and interpreting as well as swifter calculations and financial predictions.
- It provides you with visual representation. A collection of numerical data presented as a mass compilation of numbers and figures is enough to give anyone a headache. But when you use Excel, you can present the data in multiple visually illustrative ways that are easy to read and comprehend.
- It can be another member of the staff. Excel is great for taking care of any arithmetical tasks required to determine things such as gross sales, applicable tax, and bonuses and commissions. It can also generate sales reports for a certain period and customize them for a specific client or employee.
However, even though Excel is so famous, not everyone knows how to use it properly. If you want to use the program to its fullest, you need Microsoft Excel on-site training which will train your employees to learn all the necessary functions and features for your business.
Keep everyone in line with time-tracking tools
There are a lot of factors that contribute to low productivity, but one of the biggest ones is poor time management. Even those employees who all work together in a single office can have issues with time management, let alone those who work from different places, which is usually the case for online businesses.
If you want to tackle this issue and run a more efficient operation, you need to start using time tracking tools. With this type of app, you can measure the exact times employees spend on certain tasks in minutes and hours.
This tool can help eliminate procrastination among workers as everyone will know their progress is being tracked. As a result, employees will stop wasting work hours on unimportant tasks. And not only will you be able to measure and document hours of work, but also have data you can use for payroll.
Embrace technology as much as possible
Technological advancements have brought us many benefits, and while some businesses tend to shy away from the newest technology, that is a big mistake. Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to use the best and newest technology, only use the tools that fit well with your business.
The primary use of this technology is, of course, to connect employees. As an online business, you probably have employees from different cities or even countries and time zones, and the best way to ensure everyone is on the same page is to take advantage of tools.
Here is how technology can help you increase productivity:
- Non-stop availability. The implementation of a unified communication system that comes with multiple types of communication allows for non-stop availability. Take WhatsApp for example. Since it comes with calls, video chats, and instant messages, you’ll have enough communication types to choose from. You can even build your own app with a premium codebase such as this React Native Video Chat app.
- Better organization. Data is important in everyday use in business. The right technology will allow for quick access to data from any device, which will save you a lot of time. Additionally, since all of this data is backed up on the cloud, there is no risk of losing your precious data in case of system failure.
- Enhanced internal affairs. The non-stop availability you get by using different tools will allow you to keep an eye on your employees at all times. This way, you can react as soon as you see any signs of distress or annoyance. This will allow you to maintain a well-established company culture.
- Identifying weak points. If you don’t update your company’s technological solutions, it will seriously impact the business flow. However, if you regularly update the hardware and software you use, you’ll be able to identify weak points in the technology you’re using and react before they become a major issue.
- Ship software products much faster. If you are in the software development business, you can take advantage of the existing tools and offerings to boost your team’s productivity exponentially. As an example, you could use an app template for building a mobile app, to save years of development time. For instance, if your team is looking to build an app similar to TikTok, you could start with this Flutter TikTok Clone, which will save you at least 6 months of hard work.
Final thoughts
Every business owner has an ideal level of productivity they want to see in their company and among their employees. And while it may not be possible to achieve the perfect productivity you’re hoping for, you can get incredibly close with the tips you just read about.
The most important thing you need to remember is that technology is there to help you, but only if you know the best tools for your business. Additionally, a combination of new and old tools is also a smart decision for those who want to increase productivity but don’t want to spend too much money.
