How automation can improve your efficiency and productivity

Automation was already on the rise pre-pandemic, but now it has become a business priority. The positive benefits of automation pay dividends for those businesses that invest in it. Many business owners don’t know that accountants can offer a lot of assistance in this area: streamlining and automating processes to improve business efficiency, so here are the many benefits.

1) Automation reduces the time spent on repetitive tasks and the risk of human error.

Expenses is an area that is notoriously labour-intensive, time-consuming for staff to submit and finance departments to process, and it’s extremely prone to human error. The same goes for invoicing and purchase order processing. However, with a streamlined and automated workflow, the whole process is connected through a single system from start to finish. This means it’s a lot quicker and, therefore, cheaper (less time is wasted, and the risk of manual input errors are eliminated), and skilled staff can now spend their time on higher-value tasks.

2) Automation results in better credit control.

Late payments are one of the biggest causes of stress for business owners, not to mention it has a huge negative impact on cash flow. With the use of digital payment process, however, late payments can be greatly reduced. Automation makes it easier and faster for businesses to chase payments; it increases the chances of invoices being paid on time, and it saves 15 hours on average per week on credit control management.

3) Automation gives you accurate real-time reporting.

Knowing your numbers is crucial for business success. However, it is both time-consuming and expensive to have your staff monitoring every KPI and to have to trawl through all the data. With automation, however, you have the ability to see your overall business performance at any given time. With real-time financial reports, you can then accurately budget and forecast cash flow and make effective business decisions.

4) Automation increases both client and staff satisfaction.

Contrary to what people believe, automation does not take away from human interaction. In fact, it does the opposite. Speeding up and streamlining business processes means that your staff have more time and energy to better serve your clients. It gives them the time and means to respond to needs and nurture stronger client relationships.

As well as improving customer service, automation also leads to higher employee engagement. Your staff will no longer have to concern themselves with paperwork or mindlessly boring manual tasks. They will now be free to focus on higher-level, more rewarding tasks such as spending more time with clients to understand their goals and how the business can help deliver those. Satisfied and engaged staff will directly contribute to growing your business so this is a very important benefit of automation.

5) Automation improves productivity and the bottom line.

Streamlining processes means that staff and the business as a whole work more effectively and efficiently. This time can then be spent on the higher-value tasks that will increase revenue. As well as enhancing workflow, automation can also help solve the current talent shortage as employees can be better trained and developed on the job.

Save time and money with automation

Too often, business owners spend too much time working in the business rather than on it. However, with automation, employees can be relieved from these day-to-day menial tasks to focus on what will directly grow the business.

As well as increasing efficiency and productivity, automation can save you a lot of time and money by eliminating errors and reducing staffing and credit control costs. So, if you want to streamline your business, don’t hesitate to reach out!

4 Productivity Tips From 1 Accounts To Kickstart Your New Year

4 Productivity Tips To Kickstart Your New Year!

Many people find it hard to return to work after the long Christmas and New Year slowdown, but the pandemic has slowed many people down to a halt. It may take longer than normal for some people to return to their usual productivity levels – but why stop at “usual” when things are unusual? Why not aim higher?

To help you do just that, here are 4 productivity tips to being as productive as possible when you return to work.

1. Know what you want to be different

Think about what normally happens when you start back at work. What tasks do you do that don’t really need to be done? What high-value tasks can you do instead? How much time do you usually have before things properly kick in and you’re very busy?

If you think about what you want to change so that you can start the year right, your intentions will be clear going into your first day and you’ll be far more likely to achieve what you want.

2. Identify the habits you’ll need to change

When you know your intentions (i.e. what you want to change), you then need to think about what action you will take. What steps do you need to take every day? Do you need to break bad habits that waste time and create new ones or do you just need to adapt them?

For example, if you want to develop a habit to do business development every day, try to link this to another habit that you already have. Something like, every morning after I get a cup of coffee and switch on my computer, I will do 10 minutes of engagement on LinkedIn.

3. Prioritise the right tasks

You shouldn’t have mounting emails or multiple requests from team members on your first day back, so use this time wisely. Prioritise the tasks that give you the most bang for your buck or the essentials that usually get pushed further and further down your to-do list. Plan your work for the next few months and start getting ahead.

You can even use this time to build those all-important relationships with your network. Phone up your best clients to find out how their Christmas went, let them know you’re back and to give you a shout if they need anything.

4. Don’t forget to look after yourself

Yes, looking after yourself is essential for productivity! The worst thing you can do is return to work and slot right back into the busyness and leave all those benefits that come with having a break behind. All that will do is result in you getting overwhelmed and potentially burning out after a few weeks or months. Instead, you should use this time to implement some self-care elements into your routine which you can carry on throughout the year.

Find out what works for you. Maybe it’s writing down a few things that you’re grateful for at the start of every workday. Maybe it’s going for a walk at lunch or the gym after work. Whatever helps you to focus when you’re working and switch off when you’re not, you need to make these a part of your daily work routine. What you’ll find is that you’ll keep that holiday feeling for as long as possible AND you’ll transition into a much healthier way of working where you’re far more productive.