Month: June 2023

How automation helps business is a common question at the moment. Automation, bots and AI seem to be everywhere, but are we using them in the right way to take our businesses to the next level?

In this blog, we look at how automation can streamline your processes and drive business growth.

Why does automation drive business growth?

There are all sorts of processes a business can automate. You might use a customer relationship management platform and automate some of your client interactions. Or you might use a social media scheduling tool like Buffer to ensure you post regularly. 

Whatever automation you choose, it is usually quicker in the long run than doing the task manually. This saves time and money which you can reinvest in your business.

Automation for improved customer service

Automated tasks don’t just save time and money – they can also help you improve your customer service. Improved customer service can translate into better client retention, and build your reputation so you’ll attract new customers too. 

For example, if you have a business which customers need regularly, like a garage that offers MOTs, sending out automatic reminders to your clients will help you provide a higher standard of service. Or you might run events, in which case you might hold a record of clients’ special days. Contacting them to suggest they throw their next party with you could be just the service they need. In either case, you’re nurturing relationships with your existing customers – your most important client group for business growth. 

Developments in ChatGPT enable businesses to solve basic inquiries through automation. This means your customers can find their answers more quickly than if they had to wait for office hours – another way to provide the great service your customers deserve. 

Trends indicate that some customer bases, such a millennials, prefer automated interactions. Savvy business owners know their audiences and choose the right level of automation for their customer service. 

Automation for consistent, targeted marketing

Marketing is an essential part of business growth. When we use automation to ensure our marketing is consistent, we improve our chances of connecting with more potential customers. 

We can also use automation to target specific groups, particularly those who are likely to buy our products. For example, Facebook ads enable businesses to show their content to people who are of a certain age and gender, or who have relevant interests that would make them more likely to buy from you. 

How automation helps business…and how Get Ahead helps too! 

We love helping our clients automate processes like customer service, social media and more. Automation is a great solution but it’s worth investing in the right platform and setting it up correctly before you start. The Get Ahead team have helped countless clients get started with automation. To find out more, read our interview with one of our automation experts, or watch our video.

Business administration services can be easier, quicker and cheaper when you automate them. But automation doesn’t mean no human input at all. Equally, choosing the right software and setting it up correctly is not always straightforward.

In this blog, we talk to automation expert Jenny who shares her insights on what business processes you can automate and how to get the most out of it. 

What business administration services can I automate?

Jenny: Almost anything! Most business owners are probably familiar with accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks. But software developers have also created platforms to help you schedule social media, manage your customers, write and schedule email marketing and more. 

If a job is taking you ages, or you keep forgetting to do it, it’s worth checking whether there’s any automated help out there. In other words, “is there an app for that?” For example, I’ve met loads of business owners who have really good intentions about posting on their social channels, but they just don’t get round to it. But once I’ve helped them set up Later, Hootsuite, Buffer or one of the other scheduling platforms, they can just write all their posts in one go and let them roll out regularly. 

If I’m paying for software, how do I get value for money?

Jenny: The software can’t do anything on its own. To get the best value from it, you’ll need to set it up correctly and load it with information it can use. The information needs to be up-to-date and accurate. For example, a CRM system is a fantastic piece of automation but it can only work if all the customer details it contains are correct. 

Or you might have invested in MailChimp to help you with email marketing. Again, you’ll get the best from it if your mailing lists are current and the content you’re sharing is worth reading. 

That’s where virtual experts like me come in. I love tech – during the pandemic, I was working hard to get to grips with all the new remote working platforms so I could support Get Ahead clients. I still love exploring new platforms and helping business owners get the best from them. I can help you choose the right one for your needs and set it up so you’re all ready to go. 

For example, if you’ve decided to use email software to communicate with your client base, I’d love to help. I can provide training, advice and troubleshooting. And if you’ve invested in the software but still aren’t getting round to sending anything, I can log into your account remotely and do the whole thing for you. 

The Get Ahead team has loads of admin expertise too – people who can deliver data entry services so your software is always updated with the right information. 

Business administration services from Get Ahead

We love having virtual experts like Jenny on our team to support our clients with automation. As she says, you can automate lots of different business processes and we can support you with all of them. 

As a busy business ourselves, we know how important it is to feel in control of our systems. With the right automation set-up, you’ll feel empowered to run your own accounting, social media, email campaigns or any other process. And our flexible business administration services mean you can always tap into help from Jenny or the team if you get stuck. 

To find out if you should automate a particular job, take our mini quiz here.