Perhaps your idea of time management is to jot down a few tasks in the morning, lose the piece of paper, rely on a diary you’ve forgotten to update and trust the rest to luck.
It’s no wonder customers are less than impressed!
With the wealth of business tools, online platforms and digital solutions now available, why allow sloppy habits to stop you running a profitable business?
With a little foresight, it’s possible to manage your time efficiently.
Here’s how to do it.
Use good time management technology
There’s a whole range of online platforms and mobile business apps out there, all designed to help you organize your day, and streamline your business operations.
The bonus of mobile apps is their availability – it doesn’t matter where you are, you can still check and update your online diary as you move through the day. As long as you have Wi-Fi connection, you can access files and records, bringing up sales figures you need at the touch of a button. Apps like Salesforce can also be customized to your trading needs.
Reduce paperwork and move to the cloud
Paperwork has several disadvantages. It’s expensive and time-consuming. It keeps you tied to outdated office machinery like fax machines, photocopiers and scanners. And the occasional unwary business owner has actually disappeared beneath it, never to be seen again!
So get smart. Consider setting up a virtual office by switching to the cloud. This frees you from your physical office space, and allows you to plan your day around customers, daily operations and business meetings rather than your premises. Eliminate the need to duck back to the office to send a fax, sign letters banking up on your desk, or pass vital paperwork on to your staff for processing.
Do the lot from your mobile phone. After all, it now allows you to talk to people, send large files across the world, throw in a digital signature and email docs, and check your diary. All in a day’s work.
And why be tied to the office for physical filing, organizing and storage of those heaps of messy files and folders – all missing vital documents and trailing loose bits of paper?
Free cloud storage offers far higher security than documents guarded by lock and key. Spend less time backing up your computer documents and worrying about securing confidential files.
Switch to virtual faxing and save time on machinery
Why not ditch the old fax machine and switch to the world of the virtual fax with eFax? Discover how to send large documents, high-resolution images and high-volume files worldwide multiple recipients from any device connected to the internet.
Online faxing concentrates multiple tasks – printing, scanning, loading cartridges, changing paper/fax rolls and checking the machine – into a few, easy to understand clicks on your mobile, tablet or laptop.
Switch to virtual meetings and save time on travel
It’s tiring even thinking about taxis, hire cars and train stations, let alone having to negotiate them. When you throw in the high cost of air travel, there has to be a better way of doing things.
And there is. Video conferencing – requiring specific hardware – and free use of Skype allow business owners to talk face-to-face, as well as to customers and colleagues overseas.
All the time management tools are out there, and they don’t cost a fortune. So why not check some out today?