Author: smartboost

Business profitability has certainly been tested in 2020, but one area will only grow in importance as companies enter the new year: quality customer relationships. A key in managing customer interactions successfully and efficiently is Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, technology. Innovations in the area only continue to grow as tools become smarter and easier to access. We’ve come up with six of our top predictions for 2021 CRM marketing trends that any business owner should be aware of.   CRM as a Widespread Tool  As CRM software becomes easier to access and operate, and integrations grow across digital applications and existing frameworks, businesses that use CRM will no longer be cutting edge. CRM systems will be essential to the customer experience.   Automation and AI A CRM system is more than a way to track and manage customer interactions. The best systems will automate formerly time-consuming manual processes and tasks to benefit the consumer and the company’s bottom line. Artificial intelligence is one of the future CRM trends that will become an essential improvement in systems already operating in the business space, only increasing efficiency as systems start using real-time data. Think sales segments tailored to targeted customer groups, customer service available at the touch of a button rather than interactions with a sales representative, and automated processes following purchases that are fast and responsive.  Making it easier for customers to have their needs met, even if it means interacting with a CRM system rather than a customer service representative, is a welcome trend. Ensuring those processes are seamless, do the work expected, and make the customer feel a sense of authentic engagement with a company, will be the challenge moving forward.   Customized Customer Experiences There is a growing expectation that companies know a thing or two about their returning customers. CRM marketing trends will then always include communication catered to the customer experience, which helps businesses build long-term customer relationships.  Customization also lends itself to more consistency, as customers will know what to expect in interactions with a company that appears to value previous interactions, and is a better way to measure customer intent. Purchase histories will be made easily available, in addition to additional information that may offer added insight into what a customer needs not only in the moment but in the future. Trinity develops custom CRM’s using the Quickbase platform, ensuring seamless integration and custom solutions that fit a company’s needs and their customers’ preferences.   Social Media Integration Digital integration as one of the future trends in CRM includes social media as part of that landscape and using social networking to reach both regular and potential customers in a more meaningful way.  As social media has become an integral part of business strategies overall, additional focus in that area could allow for businesses to address customer concerns, reactions to products, and market to potential consumers in real-time. It’s also a smart return on a company’s investment, so the focus on social media is here to stay.   Advanced Analytics CRM systems continue to evolve in the kind of data made available to address, even predict, customer needs. Analytics will then become even easier to include in company-wide decisions about products, where employees’ should focus their energies to boost not only the customer experience, but sales, and how to personalize the customer experience better. Customer preference data can then be used in targeted sales and a way to ensure that companies are remaining cognizant of how customers have engaged with the company in the past.   Mobile Optimization Trends toward remote work appear here to stay, which has made it even more important to ensure systems in place are accessible, no matter where an employee is working from. One trend we will see is CRM systems focusing on mobile optimization. This allows for easy access to data and increased productivity. How systems address potential risks of remote environments, namely security and tech challenges, could be the challenges innovative CRM systems look to address.   Trinity Can Meet Your CRM Software Needs Trinity is focused on creating customized solutions to meet client needs, particularly as they relate to the customer experience. Explore what we’ve done in the custom CRM application space, improving data tracking for our clients and creating a program that has led to company-wide improvements. Improve your efficiency and customer communication with support from a provider of flexible, customized solutions. […]

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When looking to optimize your business process, it helps to take a reverse planning approach. What are your goals for your business, and, more specifically, what are your goals for business process improvement? For example, strategies to increase revenue will differ from strategies to improve consistency at a company.  It’s important then to consider your business goals before you focus on process improvement, whether those goals are coming from a broad perspective or improvements made to a business on a micro level. Doing so will allow for more efficiency overall, and ensure that your business isn’t wasting time on non-essential tasks and implementation of steps that won’t get you to your end goal.   What is Business Process Management?  Business processes are the steps a business takes in order to meet stated goals. Processes are not one-offs, but put into place to improve operating workflows.  Business process management (BPM) is how potential areas for improvement at a business are identified, improved, and managed. The process is driven by an analysis of what a business needs in a given moment, and goals are set as a result. A quality business process solution provider can support you in working toward those goals and identifying strategies to address your business needs. Now, let’s look at several measurable goal areas, and how to optimize your business process based on those identified goals.   Improve Productivity & Efficiency A common area for business process goals is around improving productivity and efficiency in a workplace. When working to identify process inefficiencies, consider where time is being wasted businesswide. Take a close look at current business processes, including meetings that may not be as essential as you think they are, and whether employees have consistent access to workplace data. Consider digital or automated solutions to manual processes that have become cumbersome.  Business process optimization in this area will target reducing wasted time and resources, with processes that allow for a business to reach broad, stated goals. It’s about avoiding getting bogged down by details – think unnecessary paperwork, repetitive tasks, or lengthy meetings that could have been handled using more efficient methods of communication.   Reduce Overall Costs An added benefit of eliminating process inefficiencies is an overall reduction in business expenses. For example, automating processes replaces time-consuming, manual tasks, freeing up employees who had been working within those areas for more meaningful work. Once more efficient methods are identified and employees are trained in new routines, certain business processes should be able to run on their own. It’s all part of the old adage of working smarter, not harder, and freeing up resources for revenue-generating areas that will lead to increased profits at a business.      Increase Profitability  Most businesses will have the goal of increasing profitability and growing potential revenue streams on their list of priorities. Business processes within this goal area will focus on not only identifying areas for additional revenue, but reducing overall costs as a way to increase profitability at a business. Profits must, after all, consider what businesses spend to operate. Again, it is important to note how important identifying inefficiencies is to the overall health of a business. Addressing inefficiencies at a business is a big way to not only reduce overall costs, but improve the overall customer experience, a key area when looking to increase profitability. With effective structures in place, and a customer base that is experiencing the positive results of efficient business processes, employees can then focus on sales, driving profits, and supporting businesswide goals.   Improve Quality Control & Consistency Business process goals around improving the customer experience are driven by structures that work toward a high level of quality control and consistency across a business. A predictable business process with a focus on quality control allows for the same result no matter the employee behind the wheel. We’ve already touched on automation of manual processes in terms of reducing overall costs at a business. Automation software like Quickbase for businesses can also provide a boost around consistency at a business, as you will now have a straightforward process in place with less risk for human error. It’s important to invest in some guidance, however, to avoid potential business process software mistakes that come with replacing manual processes, and to ensure a good fit at your business.    Streamline Processes Business processes that are easier to manage inevitably lead to fewer user errors and less need for micromanaging. With processes streamlined to operate on a high level of efficiency without unnecessary oversight, employees can feel a level of confidence over their work, as well, boosting overall morale in the workplace. Leaders can then focus on additional pathways toward meeting business goals around profitability without worrying that inefficient business processes, or a lack thereof, are hampering employees’ progress. If you’re looking for support around optimizing your business processes, or improving your methods around goal-setting for your business, contact us at Trinity. With over 22 years of experience behind us, we offer custom solutions for process improvement to help you analyze, meet and monitor your business goals. […]

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Introduction Quickbase provides a fantastic platform to build any business on, and the breadth of the applications that can be built is unlimited. At Trinity, we always say, “If you can define it, Trinity can build it.” However, there is a cost to do so, and one of the reasons that many companies do not proceed with a project is the cost. Understandably, the cost of the application development plus the cost of the Quickbase platform must be considered. But potentially more important questions should be asked. What is the cost of… – Doing nothing? – Continuing with manual-based processes? – Putting up with solutions that are not meeting the needs of your business? – Using bloated apps that you use only a portion of that meets only part of your needs and the rest is in the way? – Using apps that are incorrectly designed for your workflows? Doing Nothing Many areas of a business get affected by doing nothing. Let’s look at a few of them. – Productivity. This is one of the primary reasons that clients come to Trinity – to help them improve what they do so they can be more efficient and optimize their resources. Productivity is the cornerstone of business process improvement and has enabled many of our clients to significantly expand their businesses while keeping costs in check. Without the correct supporting processes and applications in place, operational costs can grow exponentially to handle poor processes or a lack of systems. – Service. With the pace of business continuously accelerating, providing top-notch service to your clients is a must. But, if you do not have the systems in place to track projects, task assignments, key performance indicators, and service levels, then your team reverts to the best way they know how to do so. Many times, these are spreadsheets that management has no visibility to or the use of poorly designed apps that leads to inconsistency between your team members and their delivery in service and product. – Quality. The expectation of the marketplace today is that goods and services will be delivered to an extremely high level of quality. Companies that do not have adequate systems in place to measure the quality of the output, whether services or products have no way to hold their employees accountable and provide metrics to their clients. – People. Your team knows what needs to change and how it needs to be changed. Whether it is processes or solutions, they know. And when you do nothing to make those changes, to advance the business, to invest in the future, they see that as well. Sometimes this causes unnecessary frustrations, or the team will figure out unnecessary workarounds to meet commitments, track projects, keep the boss happy, and so on. These underlying costs continue to add up without any understanding of why your costs are going up, why commitments are not being met, and why your team is frustrated. Real-Life Scenarios A home health care business was drowning in paperwork and outdated processes but wanted to double and even triple their business. They knew the time and financial commitment was significant but had confidence in how Trinity could lead the project. Working together, we completely revamped all business processes, developed a solution to support the new workflows, and then rolled it out to all employees. Overnight the business was transformed and handled a large influx of new business with a much higher employee utilization and no new support staff. Within months, their margins and profits were higher than they ever imagined. A construction company was buried under spreadsheets and a lack of consistent processes for tracking projects, tasks, time, and materials. Everyone had their own way of doing things and became comfortable with it, but no one had any visibility to what was going on. With the various components of what they imagined (workstation, mobile, integrations with some legacy solutions that would need to stay in place), the cost was going to be significant for a full solution. Stepping out of their comfort zone (aka cost) to achieve their vision, they did a complete revamp of their processes considering best practices across their organization. Teams were energized to participate and transform the business. It has paid off in improved customer engagement and service, a fully mobile workforce enabling visibility and data into every aspect of the business. How about an example that involves Trinity? After the COVID pandemic struck, we made the decision to move forward with a new digital marketing strategy. The cost was significant, and it was not an easy decision. We knew it would take time to build up our web presence and that any payoff would come down the road. Halfway into the new strategy, our digital agency recommended that we double our ad spending amount. In the middle of a pandemic? Yes. If we wanted to really find clients that could benefit from our expertise, yes. Tough decision, yes. Outcome – it has exceeded our expectations and we believe that we’ll even do better as time progresses. Investing in the foundation of your business does take some faith. Basing it on a future vision and not just dollars can pay off if it is done correctly with the proper diligence and leadership.   Trinity works with many clients to help them achieve productivity, service, and quality improvements. Trinity has been a Quickbase Solution Provider (QSP) for 16+ years and has extensive expertise in developing and enhancing Quickbase applications. We understand what it takes to build great Quickbase applications to meet your exact business needs. For more information about Trinity and a demonstration of our capabilities, contact Scott Burday at sburday@trinityis.com or 214-937-4534. […]

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Remote work is likely here to stay for the foreseeable future. That means companies must find ways to keep employees motivated and efficient, even when they’re unable to come into the office. While some studies show that remote workers are even more productive than their in-office counterparts, there are still a number of ways to make the work environment an efficient, more productive place to be.    How to Improve Workflow Efficiency: 6 Strategies Let’s take a look at strategies to improve workflow efficiency, whether that’s at the office or for the remote worker at home.    1. Identify Priorities Anyone can get bogged down in the details when bigger picture projects aren’t identified or prioritized.  Every company should then have both short-term and long-term goal-planning in mind. Priorities set from there should keep a few things in mind: What should employees be working on in this moment in order to meet those short- and long-term goals? Do employees need some support around breaking down tasks in order to achieve those goals more efficiently? Is there company-wide access to tools that would make it more likely for employees to meet those goals in an efficient way?   2. Analyze What’s Working and What Isn’t You likely know your employees pretty well, but maybe you don’t know where workflow efficiency could be improved. How are the various roles at the company working together to efficiently handle tasks?  Are your company’s tools and processes promoting workflow efficiency, or could improvements be made to boost productivity? Where is the most time being wasted? Solving productivity issues may mean reaching out to your employees to determine what’s working and what isn’t, even if you need to gather that data anonymously. If your company is drowning in paper, for example, perhaps it’s time to consider going paperless. It’s a strategy that isn’t just great for the environment, but proven to improve efficiency in the workplace, too. Just consider how much time employees spend on administrative tasks that involve paper. That could be time better spent elsewhere, like focusing on those identified long-term goals.   3. Create Efficient Processes Sometimes, your employees’ workflow efficiency is only as good as the processes in place to optimize productivity and workflow. You may not even realize that there are things in the way of employees’ being at their most productive that are beyond their control.   If your employees are stymied by data reporting, you may need to investigate systems that will simplify those processes for your employees. Our solution for our Quickbase users is Trinity Dashboards, an application that allows you and your employees to adjust data filtering and reporting based on what you need at that moment. Identify what your company needs to become more efficient, and find the tools to meet those needs.   4. Train Employees in Those New Processes Investments you’ve made to improve business workflow at your company are only good if your employees know how to use them. Training employees in new processes is the first step in better productivity. Perhaps you could even identify employee leaders to become trained in these new practices. These captains would then bring that knowledge back to the rest of the employee base as necessary. Either way, it’s important your workforce knows how to use the tools they’re given, to maximize the benefits of those tools.    5. Establish Methods for Easy Communication Whether employees are meeting on virtual conference calls or back to in-person meetings, it’s important to identify ways for employees to communicate with ease.  Finding the time to meet, though, even virtually, can be one tricky area. Trinity’s Quickbase Calendar is a way to make that process less of a hassle and more of a support system for your company, as this scheduling solution takes the guesswork out of determining the availability of employees company-wide.   6. Access Tools to Make Efficiency Easier Your processes are in place, and your employees are trained. What do you do next to allow for seamless monitoring of employee efficiency? How can you make workflow efficiency easier to maintain? There are a number of tools to help you do that, whether you’re looking to automate certain processes or make existing processes easier to manage. Trinity has a number of those solutions to help get you started and to identify the business process solutions for you. Remember: You shouldn’t just adopt every proven solution under the sun because you’ve heard they’ve worked for other companies. It’s important to consider what will work for your business’s unique needs. Let’s explore two options: Quickbase: Trinity promotes the Quickbase platform as a way to streamline your business through a customized response. The focus is on your company’s flexibility, efficiency, and communication, all areas that promote overall workflow efficiency. Custom Solutions: For businesses that need a more customized approach, Trinity offers custom software solutions for even the more complex problems around running a business. Help us help you with solution-based processes to promote growth at your business.   These are just a few strategies for how to improve workflow efficiency at your business, particularly as companies continue adapting in this unprecedented moment. With the right tools, your company can ramp up its efficiency in no time, even if your workers are remote. […]

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Top talent makes a huge difference in a company’s success. Given that the Covid19 pandemic is fast-tracking remote and online work, teams all over the world are refashioning their hiring process.   Due to increasing competition, most companies out there know that they need to position themselves as the ideal employer for on-site, remote, local, and overseas talent. Such things as showing current employees you care about their job satisfaction and aspirations have become key components in acquisition and retention strategies.  With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, organizations are now looking at new ways of working. These strategies include cultivating effective remote management protocols and encouraging new remote workers to maintain a work-life balance. Prospecting Strategies and Tools Appeal to today’s top talent with the following tactics.  Employ Strategic Planning Always remain proactive rather than reactive when it comes to talent acquisition. This starts by acknowledging the specific roles of the HR department. Always work collaboratively across departments to develop a comprehensive strategy for talent acquisition. Ensure that key employees in different divisions share the organization’s goals and vision.  Focus on Competencies Limited time, funds, or a lack of clarity in the overall requirements can lead managers to hire based on gut instinct rather than proven skills. Underqualified candidates are a drag on the organization.   According to a recent study, talent mismatches are a growing concern for businesses. Companies with sound recruitment strategies optimize the hiring process. Developing the right competency frameworks also set the employee up to know the role’s expectations. Strategies that are based on the competency factor turn out to be far more sustainable than just recruiting for the sake of filling the respective vacancies at the lowest price and in the shortest time frame possible.  Develop a People-Oriented Culture The acquisition of diverse talent is not an easy task. For this, employers need to accommodate both the monetary as well as non-monetary expectations of their prospective employees. This can be done by renovating existing reward and compensation strategies, learning and development opportunities, workplace culture, and other factors.  The organization’s culture should aim at focusing on people while rewarding performances and encouraging a good work-life balance. Always cultivate a brand that includes diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Moreover, a culture of transparency and open communication go hand-in-hand with success in this type of targeting.  Make sure to create and maintain your company’s brand to attract employees who resonate with it.  Measure & Analyze Data Continuously monitor the results of the talent acquisition process. Knowing outcomes helps develop the best hiring process.  Document the specific metrics of talent acquisition—time to hire, yield ratio, the acceptance rate of offers, etc. This data provides insights into how specific talent groups respond, improving the overall recruitment process.  Get Leaders Out in the Public When company leaders speak in the community they clarify aspects of their organization’s mission, objectives, and corporate culture, thereby enhancing the company’s image in the eyes of potential employees. Prioritize Employee Recognition Employees thrive when they know their work matters. Study after study reveals that employees are interested in much more than their paychecks. They aren’t just interested in making a good living. They want to make a difference in their department, the organization, and even society.  Putting it all Together Talking to your business process solutions provider is a great first step in getting a handle on the best tools and strategies you’ll need to optimize your organization’s process for attracting top talent. For over 20 years, Trinity has been partnering with clients to deliver superior business software solutions and process improvements.  Trinity helps organizations get the most out of talent acquisition and management processes, and provides a wide range of custom business solutions, including Quickbase solutions to improve your business processes. Reach out today to learn more about our solutions to all your business process needs.  […]

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