All businesses should enhance efficiency and save resources by automating their workflows. This task has become simpler than ever as most business operations have transitioned from paper-based systems to digital platforms.
Automation’s advantages are not exclusive to big enterprises; small businesses too are well-placed to benefit from it. There’s no requirement for large-scale tasks to be automated. The automation of even minor daily activities can significantly boost overall productivity. This article will examine typical business functions that are suitable for automation.
Applicant Tracking System
Automating ATS recruitment enables small businesses to attract a larger pool of genuine, qualified, and enthusiastic candidates, which is vital in a competitive job market. ATS recruitment automation tools are quicker, typically more responsive, and significantly more affordable (and they save a lot of time).
By adopting ATS recruitment automation, small businesses can efficiently hire new team members while preserving both time and resources to focus on developing other strategic aspects once the process is streamlined.
Call Off System
A call-off system for employees provides a convenient hotline, giving every employee one number to dial to inform them about their need for time off, including sick days. Upon calling this number, the absence management system automatically identifies the relevant parties who should be informed about the absence and notifies them accordingly.
This automation streamlines what used to be a manually intensive task, offering considerable time savings. Given that time equates to money, this system eliminates the need to email or call other team members or manage spreadsheets to record an employee’s leave, thanks to its fully automated nature.
Reimbursements
If employees order their daily duties from most to least preferred, it’s almost certain that filing expense reports would be at the bottom. This task is widely recognized as a major annoyance in companies worldwide.
It typically requires 20 minutes for an employee to fill out a single expense report. It also takes more than eight days for an expense report to go through the submission, approval, and reimbursement process in over 40% of companies. The situation worsens if there are mistakes in the reports, which happens with one out of every five reports, prolonging the reimbursement period even further.
The delay in receiving reimbursements can lead to growing dissatisfaction and increased aggravation, particularly for those employees who must file several weekly expense reports. Additionally, while some employees may use software to process receipts and invoices automatically, these tools often do not complete all the necessary fields. This exposes the organization to potential errors and results in employees spending more time than necessary completing tasks that the software could ideally automate.
Vendor Management
Behind every invoice is a vendor, each with their own expectations. They vary in the payment methods they’re willing to accept, their invoicing formats, and the payment terms you negotiate with them.
The intricacies of managing vendors can often necessitate hiring a dedicated manager to ensure that vendor needs are properly coordinated with the accounts payable department.
With the advent of automated vendor management, the need for manual intervention in these processes is significantly reduced. This technology automatically extracts essential vendor information and payment specifics from invoices. Following this, it facilitates the automatic issuance of payments to vendors, adhering to their preferred payment methods and the agreed-upon payment timelines.
Identifying Duplicate Bills
Accidentally paying the same bill more than once can lead to significant financial setbacks, and many business owners might not notice the mistake until it’s irreversibly late, particularly if the responsibility to report the error falls on the vendor.
Unlike larger corporations with complex financial infrastructures and dedicated finance departments, small businesses operate with simpler systems and have fewer financial reserves to absorb the impact of a duplicate payment. Implementing an automated system to identify, alert, and prevent the approval of repeated bills can safeguard against such financial vulnerabilities.
Endnote
Automation can serve as a potent asset for small businesses by offering time savings, minimizing errors, and boosting efficiency. Implementing automation within your marketing tactics and daily business activities can enhance your sales force’s effectiveness, simplify processes, draw in more customers, and ultimately contribute to your brand’s growth.
Add Comment