But the real question is how do you overcome these struggles and reduce the barriers to an efficient business?

Our recent event at Silverstone covered lots of tips on how to improve the efficiency of your business. We know it was a lot to take in. So, if you aren’t sure where to start here are our top 5 tips of the day:

Our recent event at Silverstone covered many areas on how to improve the efficiency of your business. A lot to take in. So, if you aren’t sure where to start here are our top 5 tips of the day:

1. Stop relying on multiple solutions to store data
   Having data from different departments stored in a number of different folders, databases or even filing cabinets will result in inefficient and error prone processes. Think about your business as a whole, you don’t have lots of processes running independently of each other, at some stage they all interlink. Consolidating your core business and customer information will streamline your processes, helping you to run a more efficient business.
2. Improve the efficiency of your sales process
   It’s not uncommon to find a sales teams that admit they do not have access to valuable and often vital customer information during their sales process. Providing your sales team with access to valuable information, such as customer specific pricing, order history and previous quotes, out on the road, will ensure that they have the best chance of servicing customers effectively. Plus, you can track their leads from start to finish.
3. Open up your communications
   We often speak to businesses who have all the information they need, but accessing this information can be a nightmare. Locked spreadsheets, emails passing information and duplicate data are just some of the scenarios we have come across. Using a central database to store business and customer information will offer your staff an easy view key information. Not only will this reduce the time they spend on manual tasks, but your customers will receive a higher level of service and we bet they’ll notice the difference.
4. Give your customers the option to order online
   Convenience is quickly becoming a key factor in the B2B buying process. Your customers want access to their own pricing, credit limits as well as a view of available stock, 24/7. So they can place orders at a time convenient to them. Offering your customers, the option to order online with the details they have usually access to through their rep will not only provide them with convenience but help you remain competitive.
5. Integrate your existing solutions
   Your accounts system probably holds the most up to date set of data you have. Integrating your accounts system with your business processes will not only reduce admin work for your sales team, but it will allow your marketers to target information based on customer behaviour and allow your customer service team to offer an intelligent service with access to outstanding invoices and order history without stepping foot into your accounts system.

If you have already invested in a solution to improve the efficiency of your business, it is worth asking yourself whether or not it already offers you all of the above?

If not, it is likely that sooner or later you’ll notice the cracks starting to appear. If you’re running your processes through multiple sources of information, are unable to provide your staff with the right information at the right time or have chosen not to integrate your existing solutions, my bet would be that your efficiency probably hasn’t improved and your staff are still wasting time on manual and error prone tasks.

ProspectSoft CRM and eCommerce offers you unparalleled integration to Sage 50, Exchequer, Pegasus Opera and Access accounts. So whether you’re just looking to improve your sales process, let your customers buy online or want to adopt a new solution throughout your business why not give one of our consultants a call on 01494 486 301, or let us come and see you?