Smarter technology has made it possible to automate workflows with event-driven triggers. This means that less tasks “fall through the cracks” and information gets in front of the people that need it.
An example is a sales software automation that automatically reminds your team to follow up with a lead 3 days after the initial contact or one that automatically sends a series of helpful marketing emails after a new lead signs up.
But despite the capability of business systems to handle several types of workflow automations, many companies aren’t taking advantage of them to the fullest and still rely on employees doing tasks manually.
As a premier IT service provider in Singapore, ManagedIT helps companies tailor technology to improve the way their business runs and to increase productivity. One of the services we offer is workflow automation set up. We help clients get the most out of the tools they have, streamline operations, and reduce the time their staff spends on data entry tasks.
When IT triggers and automation are implemented correctly, they can help in a number of ways:
- Reduce data entry errors
- Lower risk from mistakes
- Save time by handling repetitive tasks
- Increase productivity
- Improve communication
- Easily scalable
- Improve real-time reporting capabilities
Wondering about the types of workflow automation that can be implemented? Read on for some real examples and types of software specifically designed to help different apps communicate and trigger tasks with each other.
What is Workflow Automation?
First, let’s define exactly what we mean by workflow automation. It relies on the event and trigger. For example, if THIS event happens, then THAT action is triggered.
Workflow automation is a series of actions programmed into a software that will take steps automatically once the set parameters occur.
A simple, everyday example of this is when you tell your smartphone to remind you to pick up bread at the store at 10:00 AM
The “event” is when the clock reaches 10:00 AM on your smartphone, the action triggered is the alert that the phone gives you automatically when that happens.
Of course, business workflow automation are a bit more intricate, but they follow the same event and trigger principle.
Examples of Automation that Can Supercharge Your Office
Automation can help sales teams manage leads more effectively and increase your staff productivity by reducing manual entry tasks.
Poorly managed leads and lost productivity cost companies $1 trillion every year.
According to Workato, companies lose at least a trillion dollars every year from poorly managed sales processes. 73% of customer service professionals say that managing workload is the biggest issue they face.
Often employees are simply too busy to manage every single lead with the same urgency, things fall between the cracks, and lost business can be a result.
Here are some examples of workflow automation that ManagedIT can set up to reduce the risk of lost business and improve many other areas of your small business.
Transferring Data Automatically to Reduce Manual Entry
Manual data entry takes important time away from other priorities, it can also lead to human error if a name or address is mistyped. This can be solved by software that helps programs communicate.
Both Zapier and IFTTT are applications that allow you to set events and triggers across multiple platforms.
For example, say that you use Zendesk to handle customer inquiries. All your incoming leads from your website forms and chat are sent to Zendesk. But you use Mail Chimp to send out email newsletters to customers, so your team is re-entering customer data there. Oh, and you also use Pipedrive for your sales team, so pertinent leads also have to be manually entered there.
With Zapier, you could have events set up that automate both tasks:
“When a new lead comes into Zendesk and they’re tagged for ‘newsletter’ automatically send them to Mail Chimp for the “customer enews” list.
AND
“When a new lead comes into Zendesk and they’re tagged “commercial client” automatically send them to Pipedrive and email salesmanager@mycompany.com”
Keeping Leads in Front of Your Sales Team
No matter how dedicated a salesperson is, in the busyness of the day it can be easy to forget to do that 3rd follow up with that lead from last month. Automating the process frees up your sales team from searching through all their leads to find out where they are and can ensure they never forget another follow-up.
In a CRM program, such as sales force, you can automate something like this:
“If a lead tagged ‘5K or greater’ comes as ‘new lead’, alert salesperson X with a text message.”
Salesperson X can then call the lead right away and change their status to put them into an automation pipeline:
“When tagged for ‘pipeline’, send lead the ‘thank you for your time’ email and sent sales person X the ‘follow up next sales stage’ alert 7 days from now.”
Keep Project Flow Moving Forward
Have you ever had a project stuck because someone didn’t know the last step had been completed?
A common scenario is a new sales brochure that goes through several stages, such as the first draft by your marketing person, then it needs input from your sales manager, then it goes into the 2nd draft stage, then it needs approval from the Vice President of Marketing. If any of those people don’t know it’s their turn to input, the project gets stuck.
With automation in a task management tool such as Trello, you could set up alerts:
“When the project moves to stage X, send email notification ‘your turn to input’ to ‘person X’”.
Your team can keep up with what’s happening without manual notifications and projects get done faster.
Interested in Seeing What Workflow Automation Can Do for You?
ManagedIT can personalize a workflow automation so you can see exactly how it’s going to help your business thrive.
Give us a call today at +65 6748 8776 to get started!
ManagedIT.SG is an IT Support, IT Solutioning and Managed IT Service Provider specializing in serving Small Businesses in Singapore. Call us at +65 6748 8776 and let us manage your Small Business IT today!