5 Tips for Remotely Managing Your Workforce During the COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on April 17, 2020 (September 19, 2024) by smartboost

Imagine that you found a time machine and went back in time to the beginning of 2020. Imagine telling your co-workers that in a few months the whole company would be working from home, the economy would be on the brink of recession, and the entire world would be battling the biggest pandemic since 1918. They probably would have laughed at you. Very few people aside from experts such as Bill Gates saw this coming. Whether we were prepared for a recession or not, few of us were prepared for the combination of a deadly pandemic and a subsequent economic downturn. And that’s okay. You don’t have to be hard on yourself because of this. What you should do is compose yourself, rally the troops, and adjust your strategy accordingly. Your country, your company, and your family will overcome this pandemic and recession. At Trinity, we’ve had many clients come to us asking for advice on how to remotely manage a workforce – and how to implement it fast. After all, our company is a 100% remote organization! We have experience in these spaces, and we can happily assist your team in rolling out the custom software applications and digital solutions that you need. Many of our products are perfect for constructing a remote company that is fast, straightforward, and streamlined. How to Manage Your Workforce Remotely (Despite a Global Pandemic) Below are five strategies for effectively managing your workforce during the COVID-19 crisis. We use our products as an example – and you aren’t limited to using these. But we can faithfully state that ours are almost certainly the best! Pace the Transition We understand that this is a crucial time for many businesses to stay afloat. It’s swim or sink right? Absolutely, but there should be an adjustment period for employees to come to grips with new remote workplace procedures and systems. Train employees without rushing them and slowly introduce the new applications and processes. If you rush this transition process, it may lead to serious mistakes that nobody can afford to make. It’s a cliché, but slow and steady wins the race. Embrace the Cloud Workspace If your organization hasn’t already, this is an opportune time to digitize your apps, storage, operations, and communications and go paperless. Migrating can be difficult at first, but the efficiency gained will be massively rewarding. Working with the cloud is an opportunity to use software such as Quickbase to centralize and streamline your business operation while using apps that work together to make your workload easier. Enhance Your Scheduling Tools We recommend using a cloud-based solution to enhance your calendar and scheduling capabilities. There are excellent solutions available for online scheduling such as TrinityCalendar, which is fully integrated with Quickbase. It has a multitude of features for flexible scheduling. It’s much more cost-effective to have a reliable scheduling and calendar platform that doesn’t have ongoing costs. Take Advantage of Digital Signatures Using an application such as TrinitySignature enables you to capture a digital signature in Quickbase and mobile applications. Digital signatures are great, especially when your HR department is sick of dealing with physical signatures that need to be printed, filed, and transferred again. Digital signatures/eSignatures are dated with full details. Implement a Time & Attendance System Many of your employees will be completely new to working from home. It’s becoming quickly apparent that solutions for tracking this transition are critical. It’s important to ensure that employees are spending time wisely and don’t lose productivity. Nobody wants the company to get lost in the transition phase of managing an entirely remote workforce. We can help your company track employee hours using a time and attendance system. These are paperless programs on the cloud that help your team manage employee time, attendance, payroll and benefits all in one place. This helps your organization maintain efficiency across the board. Applications Designed to Your Specification Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, our clients have requested methods to quickly and accurately track employee assets, expense management, time tracking, PTO and much more. Fortunately, Trinity has a wide range of experience in these spaces and we are happy to assist your organization in rolling out the necessary solutions you need in an expedited manner. We understand that time is of the essence! We’re a Quickbase Gold Partner and our team are experts in business process improvement and Quickbase application development. Think of this crisis as an opportunity to revamp your systems and processes. By combining our Quickbase solutions and our business process expertise, we develop a customized plan to upgrade your business. By automating processes, you will see improved efficiency and quality of output. In addition to process improvement strategies, as a Quickbase Solution Provider, we specialize in application development. Web-based or mobile-based, we utilize the Quickbase platform to curate the perfect business technology solution for your organization. Our unofficial slogan is that ‘if you can define it, we can build it’. At Trinity, we try to make implementation of new systems smooth and easy. We integrate your current systems with Quickbase and sync all your external data. On top of this, we walk your team through the process. We want to eliminate the chances of any issues during the transition phase occurring. Let’s optimize your operations. […]

How to Future-Proof Your Business with Today’s Business Technology

Posted on April 2, 2020 by smartboost

If you’ve been in the business world for over 10 years, take a moment and consider how much technology has drastically altered the workplace and your day-to-day work life. Here’s just a few that I’ve used in the past week or so: Taking an Uber to the next business meeting. Using Zoom instead of flying across the country for a meeting. Moving almost 100% of advertising expenditure towards digital marketing. Using apps that integrate in the cloud to connect virtually all my business operations processes. The list could go on and on, couldn’t it? It’s crazy to reflect on how fast the business and digital worlds are changing. Technology and processes that we’re currently using will probably be obsolete in 5 years or less! Have you heard that old Charles Darwin quote? “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.” This is why many businesses are becoming obsessed with ‘future-proofing’ their businesses so they can stay ahead of the curve, rapidly adapt, and ultimately increase chances of long-term survival. We don’t just want to survive – we want to thrive. So, let’s get into the top ways that you can future proof your business. 7 Steps for Future-Proofing 101 1. Invest in Cybersecurity It’s 2020 and cyberattacks are now part of the digital landscape. From media giants such as Sony, to presidential elections, it’s an issue that is affecting companies across the world. Cyberattacks typically attempt to access, change, or destroy business information in order to extort money from business. Everything from ransomware to identity theft happens every day across the world. Invest in encrypted technology to prevent or at least mitigate the risk of cyberattacks. It’s worth consulting with external contractors to get an expert opinion and advice for cybersecurity. 2. Go Paperless It’s time to get with the 20’s! Going paperless enables your workforce with easy access to everything at their fingertips. Need some examples? Digital collaboration tools make it easier to conduct teamwork, plan, and transfer information faster. Paperless accounting is huge and allows companies to send and receive invoices, payments, and handle general accounting functions easily from the cloud. Another benefit of going paperless is using electronic documentation which can streamline every aspect of a business. Many of our clients use web-based form technology to collect and exchange information, or document assembly software to produce custom documents with a diverse range of sources and formats. 3. Digital Signatures Use digital signatures to create a more efficient day-to-day work process. It’s a nice feeling streamlining your business in a simple way. One example is TrinitySignature – a Quickbase digital signature solution that helps you capture digital signatures to use them on your forms and outputs. Fast and easy. You can use the tool within the web version of Quickbase or on a custom mobile app that’s integrated with Quickbase. 4. Customized Software for Scalability Let’s imagine a hypothetical situation: your business is growing, and your team wants to expand features for your current software. It’s a smart idea to ensure your software is custom built with scalability in mind. Off-the-shelf software solutions generally have a limited capacity for customization. You need to think long game and consider how to future proof. Make a software selection that is scalable enough to account for the current and future requirements of your company. Always consider future expansion compared to your ongoing needs while considering how this affects your budget. 5. Follow the Trends Make sure your marketing department keeps track of customer behavior to anticipate shifts in consumer or business trends. You want to be ahead of the curve. Set up a system to track customer behavior to predict changes in buying patterns. It’s worth fostering a culture of innovation at your company. Keep the departments in the loop with each other so they can communicate and support each other with ideas to improve business operations. Workers enjoy feeling heard and being part of something bigger than themselves. It also helps to have more eyes on the ground that subconsciously track industry trends and customer behavior. 6. Cloud Workspace Cloud-based technology updates automatically and keeps your entire business operation connected. Using cloud servers rids yourself of the burden of managing your IT support or managing hardware in an office space. You get real benefits such as consistent backups and scalability. On-site storage can get costly not only for the storage devices, but for the upkeep. It’s quite convenient and satisfying to only pay for the storage you need. The only downside is that you need an internet connection to access your information – not usually a problem in western countries. Using a cloud workspace also gains access to multi-faceted security such as state of the art firewalls, high levels of encryption, multi-layers of authentication, and backup systems in case of emergencies on top of this. All companies deal with the struggles of implementing new software. Adopting a cloud workspace is generally easy. It typically entails less training time for employees. Office staff can access cloud desktops from across the world. They can handle virtually any business function such as creating customer orders, completing administrative tasks, and updating employee files. 7. Online Scheduling Want to upgrade your calendar and scheduling needs? There are some great solutions available for online scheduling such as TrinityCalendar which is fully integrated with Quickbase. It has a range of features for powerful scheduling and resource management. You’ve probably heard the standard quote about how efficiency is intelligent laziness. That sentiment is true because you’re making your life faster and easier. It’s surprising how many simple tools can improve efficiency, increase service levels, and upgrade the quality of output. If you need assistance generating operational efficiency while future-proofing your business – we should talk. Feel free to send us your information for a no-obligation introduction. It’s a nice opportunity where we measure your […]

Off-the-Shelf vs Custom Software Applications: Which is Right for Your Business?

Posted on March 19, 2020 by smartboost

Build versus buy – it’s a classic question that stumps businesses that require enterprise-level software solutions. On one hand, you can use off-the-shelf software that is ready to be deployed. On the other, you can develop custom software and design it according to your corporate needs and specifications. But which is the best option for your company? To answer that question, let’s examine the specifics. To be honest there isn’t a universal solution: it depends on the complexities of your software needs. That’s why we’ve created a simple list to help you determine the perfect route forward based on your situation. How to Choose the Perfect Software Solution We’ve highlighted 5 factors to consider during your decision-making process. For each factor, we will divide the pros and cons of both off-the-shelf and customized software solutions. 1. Company size Off-the-shelf: We all know that business needs fluctuate extensively according to the size and requirements of the company. Smaller companies typically have less time, resources, and budget to create customized software. Off-the-shelf software comes ready-to-use and will have fewer bugs or usability issues. These will often be faster to implement but less customized to your specific requirements. Customized: Often, we find that customized business solutions can be worth the extra effort to get rolling. For instance, additional effort and investment towards developing custom software can pay-off for long-term efforts. You’re creating a more streamlined and customized platform that is perfect for scaling as your company grows. 2. Budget Off-the-Shelf: It’s obvious that most smaller companies don’t have the resources or budget to develop custom software. Off-the-shelf software has a lower upfront cost and gives the company access to unlimited software support. On the flip side, there are often unexpected fees to account for including licensing, upgrades, and support. Customized: It’s entirely possible that the ongoing subscription fees for off-the-shelf software exceed the cost of developing customized software. Maintenance contracts can add up over time. It’s true that custom software can increase your costs and timeline. But – the high price can often pay-off as you gain additional functionality and efficiency. 3. Implementation Off-the-Shelf: Most commercial off the shelf solutions are easy to implement because that’s what they’re designed for. They exist to serve a function while your workforce focuses on the core business operation. Keep in mind, it’s still important to test multiple solutions and calculate the lifetime costs of using any particular software. Customized: Your development team needs to account for a host of factors such as budget, timeline, testing, and implementation costs. It’s also a keen idea to calculate the lifetime costs of supporting, upgrading, and maintaining the software. If you’re going to develop customized software, it’s imperative to recruit a seasoned business process solutions provider who has a strong track record. It’s a nice feeling when your software improves your business efficiency to greater heights than you previously imagined. 4. Customization Off-the-Shelf: It’s true that COTS software won’t be as inherently customizable as an in-house designed solution. However, many software suites have a high degree of customization and functionality. The best way to determine whether a package suits your needs is to consult with their software representatives and conduct due diligence. Remember to stick to the facts, we’ve all seen salespeople that promise the world. Customized: Here’s a general tip: developing software in-house is a solid option if you require extensive customization. Remember that a custom software solution can have a big upfront cost, but there is potential for a strong ROI and scalability of your business model in-house. If you want to develop a truly flexible software suite make sure that you utilize low code business solutions. This is important: you don’t want to develop a platform that is inaccessible or difficult to use. 5. Scalability Off-the-Shelf: Your software selection should be scalable enough to account for the current requirements of your company. You should also consider future expansion compared to your ongoing needs. Your team might find that an OTS solution can account for your future growth and budget. Customized: Picture this: your business is growing and you’re quickly finding that you want to add features and departments to your current software. This is why it’s a strong idea to ensure your software is built with scalability in mind. Off-the-shelf solutions have a limited capacity for this which is why you should think long-game. Conclusion Whether you choose an OTS solution or design your own software, your decision should be based on your current and future situation in mind. This means taking time to heavily plan and forecast. And this is where Trinity comes in. If you decide that a customized software solution is necessary: you should work with a business solutions provider that can guide you through the process. Trinity is not here to force you to develop custom software but we sure can help with your process! If you want a free consultation – Trinity will give you a recommendation based on your software needs and situation. If you’re better suited to an OTS solution: we’ll tell you. Conversely, if you are ready to develop customized software: we will help you every step of the way. If you can define it, we can build it. Trinity develops web-based and mobile-based software to help companies manage everything from simple to complex processes. Plus, everything in between. If you want to have a custom software application developed, get in touch and we’ll explore the options. […]

10 Tips for Going Paperless

Posted on March 5, 2020 by smartboost

So, your company has decided to go paperless. Congratulations! You’re ready to save massive amounts of money and physical space. You’re ready to streamline your organization by making everything fast, effective, and digital. You realized that going paperless can boost your corporate efficiency, automate all that administrative paperwork, and make life much easier for your HR department. There are also productivity, compliance, and environmental benefits to going paperless. This is all great. But where do you get started? How can you make the transition in an efficient manner without ruining productivity during the conversion phase? Fool-Proof Tips for Making Your Business Paperless This is your one-stop guide on how to go paperless. Trinity has picked up enough tips during over the last 22 years working with clients to improve their business processes to help you make the transition as smooth and efficient as possible. Tip #1: Utilize Digital Signatures Sick of dealing with physical signatures that need to be printed, filed, and transferred again? Consider utilizing digital signatures which enable you to efficiently sign all forms and outputs. Not only are eSignatures dated with full order details, they can also be encrypted to ensure that your information and identity are completely secure. Tip #2: Choose the Right Software When choosing a solution, you’ll want to consider integration and how easy it is to make the transition. Choose a platform that makes your team more productive from the beginning. Comprehensive, enterprise-level solutions allow for a seamless conversion to paperless without wasting time on manual entry. Tip #3: Digitize Your Apps and Storage Utilize a cloud platform to make accessing your data easy and allow your team members to access information in real-time. Pick a platform that enables you the ability to quickly customize your workflow processes. Tip #4: Convert to Online Scheduling Online scheduling applications give team members insight into what team members are doing and how much time projects are taking. They streamline key business processes and workflows, allowing your business to operate on a faster and more efficient level. Tip #5: Transition Gradually There should be an adjustment period for employees to come to grips with new workplace procedures and systems. Work with your vendors to train employees and slowly introduce the new applications and processes that come with a paperless workplace. It’s fun to make this a process about going green and emphasizing the environmental benefits of a paperless office. Tip #6: Play the Field Take time to review the various functions you want digitized and examine different types of software that will help you achieve these goals. There are many functions to consider. Look at your options for the best project management, accounting software, eSignature services, expense tracking, digital time and attendance systems, faxing services, scanning apps, document management software, and more. Tip #7: Implement a Time and Attendance System You can non-intrusively track employee hours using a time and attendance system. HR staff enjoy working with paperless programs that help them manage employee time, attendance, payroll and benefits all in one place. This process increases efficiency as they can review, send, and return all documents to employees fast and securely. Tip #8: Use a Single Software Program It’s a great idea to find a sole application platform that can organize data for workflow and project management. Choose a program that has a streamlined interface and that integrates with your other workflow programs to create a synchronized paperless office. Trinity recommend that you move away from spreadsheets and use a program that can balance all workflows simultaneously. Tip #9: Toot Your Horn Believe it or not, many businesses haven’t fully made the switch to paperless. Mixed paper products account for almost 75% of the world’s office waste. In fact, 50% of paper waste in the United States isn’t even recycled. Making a transition to a fully paperless workplace is a big deal and it’s worth involving your employees to make them feel part of a positive movement and work environment. Tip #10: Bring in an Experienced Consultant If your goal is to become a truly paperless company, it makes sense to bring in a vendor that can guide the process and set up the ideal systems. Your company doesn’t want to risk a rough transition phase that impacts productivity. Not only that, but going paperless is a nice PR move to demonstrate to clients, potential customers, and the general public that your company is environmentally-responsible. In an age when investors are actively avoiding greenhouse gas-emitting companies, it pays to become a green enterprise. This is a corporate social responsibility move that can be broadcasted on everything from your social media to your website to partnerships with ‘green’ companies. Go Paperless. Go Eco-conscious. Go Productivity. It’s clear that the efficiency and productivity benefits of going paperless are many. Make the move and do it in a clear, measured way that doesn’t rush your workforce or create unnecessary growing pains. It’s always a good idea to choose a platform that can integrate as many business functions as possible. When going paperless, it makes sense to consider developing customized apps that can deliver top tier software as a service. We suggest creating custom applications that streamline your business operation and increase your service levels. If this sounds intriguing, feel free to get in touch. The Trinity team can go deeper on best practices for transitioning to a paperless workplace. We can also define your software needs and give an honest recommendation of what you should use for your situation. […]

7 Benefits of Using Customized Business Software

Posted on February 20, 2020 by smartboost

It’s an amazing feeling when you work with a company that’s expanding and scaling exactly according to your game plan. With any growth, there can be growing pains, and that’s okay. We focus on meeting challenges with proactive solutions that enhance your business operation. One of the most common issues that businesses face when scaling is moving on from commercial ‘off-the-shelf’ (COTS) software and utilizing custom software applications. On the surface, COTS software may seem cheaper and easier to use because it’s mass-produced. But, that’s where the benefits of using commercial off-the-shelf software dry up. There are strong business benefits to deploying a custom software application. Benefits of Using a Customized Business Software Let’s examine the top seven reasons why your company will gain traction rolling out customized business software. 1. Long-Term Cost Benefits Let’s get right into it: when you are developing custom software in-house, there are potentially some serious cost barriers to consider. It takes time, company effort, and capital to get a software development up and running. But, custom software solutions have a serious long-term cost benefit. There are large potential savings as you develop more efficient operational processes while avoiding COTS software fees. While there may be a greater upfront investment, custom software pays dividends down the line, especially when an enterprise can use custom software to drastically improve the efficiency of their organization. 2. Software Built to Your Exact Specifications Instead of dealing with the limitations of off-the-shelf software, your company instead has access to a solution that is designed exactly according to your needs. Imagine a delightful mix of integration with your internal processes and existing software/hardware while simultaneously streamlining and improving your business operation. With custom software, you can update, improve, and upgrade whenever your company needs to. There is considerable competitive advantage in having an ability to quickly modify and improve your software platforms. While your competitors wait for the next software update, your team is innovating and improving your process. 3. Beautiful Scalability We often see businesses mired in endless upgrade costs, troubleshooting delays, licensing fees, and infrastructure issues when using off-the-shelf software. It’s to be expected. But why hold your company back? Scalability is an important factor to consider moving forward. Is your software scalable enough to account for your current business requirements AND your future growth needs? Take a look at your wish list. As your firm grows, you’ll likely need to add software features while onboarding additional staff and even departments to the mix. Does your COTS software cut it or does your team need something more dynamic? 4. Automation and Effectiveness Does your company find itself changing business processes to match the functionality of your COTS software? This is a sure-fire sign that it’s time to create custom software that can meet every challenge. You need a program that’s fully integrated and can improve upon your business processes. Customized business solutions can simultaneously integrate with your business operation and automate almost any function of an organization to a higher level than typical off-the-shelf software. Imagine having software functionality that perfectly aligns with your business. No more adjusting your business to fit the capabilities of a limited software platform. Instead, enjoy less effort and staff training and more synergy and automated work processes. Faster efficiencies almost always translate to reduced overhead and cost savings. 5. System Integration Many companies design custom software applications that enable more effective integration with your existing systems. Examples of this include API integration with accounting software, or integrations with popular file management programs like Box and Dropbox. The possibilities are endless when it comes to integration and it’s an effective technique for avoiding errors, redundancy, and the hassle of searching between systems. When your company data is streamlined and integrated, it’s amazing how much efficiency and ease your business can achieve. 6. Access to Outside Expertise If your company decides to develop custom software, your team will need to select an excellent vendor that can deliver your project requirements. It’s also a bonus when they bring unique solutions and innovation to the table. Work with a business process solutions provider who has proven experience developing software and has case studies that are worth bragging about. Any good developer will give you advice and strategy that addresses technical factors such as APIs, data consolidation, data migration, data structures, protocols, software merging, user authentication, and functionality. When properly utilized, they can serve as your consultant and help you determine budget, timeline, and project scope. 7. More Support Does your company experience issues dealing with software that doesn’t quite meet your needs? Off-the-shelf software is usually just that. It’s a product that’s mass-produced and affordable, but limited when addressing specific needs. If this is an issue, your business would benefit from making a measured switch. Customized software can grow as your company grows while also adapting with other systems. Your programs can develop as your business does because you’re directly working with developers. On top of this, there are options such as low code business solutions that can make it easier for companies to manage the daily operations of their businesses. Many companies can benefit from using custom software. It’s astonishing how much more efficient and dynamic a business operation can become just by developing custom programs. Would you like to learn more about how your business can specifically benefit? Contact Trinity today. You might learn something new about your software needs and how you can make your business much more efficient. […]

10 Questions to Ask Your Business Process Solutions Provider

Posted on January 23, 2020 (September 19, 2024) by smartboost

Working with business process solution providers can be tricky. You want to choose a quality solution that is cost-effective, yet provides excellent ROI. Business process management should help you increase your efficiency, service, and quality. You want to work with a company that optimizes your processes, with easy implementation, and reliable support so you can focus on your core business. Let’s examine 10 crucial questions that you should ask your business process solutions provider. 10 Questions to Ask When Searching for a Business Process Solutions Provider These questions will help ensure that you work with a business process solution provider that understands your business and needs. What Makes You Different to Other Business Process Solutions Providers? Although this may seem like a generic question, it’s a good way to weed out the providers that offer a weak answer or no real differentiation to their approach. You will benefit from working with a business process solution provider that specializes in a high level of customer service. Don’t be afraid to dive deep and ask about their process management strategy. An excellent provider will likely even have their process in working with clients documented. If you’re just treated like another number or client in the roster, beware before you start any business relationship. Tell Us About Your Company Culture If possible, you should try to not only meet the salespeople, but also the staff that keeps the cogs of the machine running. Ask to meet any project managers, solution specialists, the technical team, and the leaders of the company. Visit the company HQ if you can see their people in action. When surveying business process solution providers, there’s no such thing as too many questions. If you get the sense that you’re dealing with top quality staff with a positive work culture, proceed. On the flip side, if you get the feeling of apathy, unresponsiveness, or even incompetence, it’s time to find another firm to work with. Which Aspects of Your Business Are Outsourced? This can be a telling question that reveals a lot about a company. You need to know what functions they do internally compared to what is outsourced. No provider can do it all, but some tasks may require outsourcing while others may be more sensitive. If you are dealing with contracts that consist of classified data, you’ll need to question which 3rd parties are involved and how your data is treated in these scenarios. Can You Provide References? It’s surprising how often this question is overlooked. If the company doesn’t have references or actionable examples of their process, are they worthy of such investment? It’s hugely beneficial to talk with current customers to find out whether your potential provider actually delivers on their promises. Even if this means contacting them yourself, consider it time well spent before investing with a business process solution firm. Ask the company if they can provide case studies and materials that walks you through their process. As an example, Trinity provides guides with actionable advice on topics such as business process automation software mistakes, customer success stories, how-to guides on various software, and best practice for API integration. What Are the Contingency Plans if Infrastructure Fails? Your business process management provider should have a disaster recovery plan or something similar in place. In today’s world, there are bound to be technological or natural disaster issues that come up. Every business should have a plan. Your provider should have a recovery policy or be willing to create a customizable plan with your firm. Obviously, if there is no backup, no contingency plan in place, and if they’re not willing to work on a plan, they’re not the right firm and it’s time to keep searching. Which Services Are Covered Under the Contract and Can You Define Which Services Aren’t? Don’t be afraid to get specific on this. Ensure that you have a direct list of which services they offer compared to which are off the table. Specify exactly what you require from a provider and have their pricing policy laid out clearly. You don’t want hidden fees or surprise charges blindsiding you down the road. You also need to know what the pricing plan is and whether they have limits on certain services. As an example, if you’re limited to a certain number of hours per week with your account manager, you’re going to want to know! How Will You Keep Us in the Loop? You’ll want to know how their reporting system works and how they’ll keep you in the loop. Find out how transparent the system is and what their standard practices are. For example, you should have answer to the follow questions about communication and processes: Update Meetings: How many meetings are there per month and how are they delivered (for example, in person, on the phone, or via video chat)? Reporting: What type of reporting is included in the service and how often are reports are provided? Troubleshooting and Support: How are these factors handled? Ensure that an agreement is laid out so that expectations are set. Admin Reporting: It’s quite often that business solution providers offer admin portals to provide a high-level reporting tool and snapshots of activities. What Happens When You’re Updating or Doing Maintenance? This is a good question. You need to know how often they update or undertake maintenance on software. This is crucial as it can result in actual downtime for your business. On one hand, a lack of attention to infrastructure can be a warning sign. On the other hand, you need to know if updates will affect your operational productivity. Simply inquire what their policy is, timelines on maintenance, and how you will be alerted. Confirm whether there is an easy means of communication with your provider. How Do You Handle Troubleshooting? It is important to understand how your questions are received and responded to. Are there representatives available every day of […]

7 Reasons Why Your Company Should Go Paperless

Posted on January 1, 2020 by smartboost

While no there are no shortcuts to success in business, there are ways to lower your overhead and boost your efficiency at such a level, it’s like you’ve discovered ‘life hacks’ for the business world. One of those efficiencies is going paperless. We all have a vague idea of how going paperless can save some money and be good for the environment. But most business leaders have no idea how much a digitally-connected company can boost the efficiency and productivity of their entire operation. 7 Reasons to Have a Paperless Business Let’s see the top 7 reasons for having a paperless office and how this strategy can save you time and money. Save Money and Physical Space Going paperless would save a shocking amount of physical office space because you don’t have to store endless filing supplies, mail, documents, printers, ink, faxes, and so on. Ideally, you’ll have everything on an easily accessible centralized database instead of on documents that are spread across different physical locations. Getting rid of physical mail saves a surprising amount of space and time delegating it. Instead, you can have every necessary document, bills, statements, and invoices all delivered online instead of via snail mail. Having all the above reduces general clutter in an office space and gives any workplace a beautifully spacious and efficient feel. Streamline Your Organization Having a paperless organization frees up the need for employees to spend time dealing with hard copies and endless documents. But we must keep in mind a worthy question: how can you go paperless without losing organizational efficiency? Electronic documentation streamlines every aspect of an organization. We’ve seen clients use many techniques such as web-based form technology to collect and exchange information, or solutions that allow them to create custom documents with different outputs. Our clients often utilize digital signatures to capture their signatures and swiftly use them for all forms and outputs. Many firms that we work with have moved to using online scheduling solutions to streamline business processes and workflows in an efficient manner. With paperless business systems, you can access cloud-based filing systems and applications that are available 24/7 and from any location, in real-time. Boost Efficiency We’re used to getting information at rapid speed. Between e-documents, cloud technology, and workflow automation tools, workers can produce and route documents instantly. One study by Adobe noted that staff can spend up to 36% of their time dealing with documents and administrative tasks. That’s a third of employee time taken up with paperwork and red tape! With paperless business systems, employees have everything easily accessible at their fingertips. Digital collaboration tools make it easier to plan, work as a team, and transfer knowledge faster. This is also true with accounting, as companies can now send and receive invoices, payments, and handle all accounting needs easily from the cloud. Save Time Process automation is all about efficiently managing and routing information through a business process or workflow. At Trinity, we create business software solutions that are truly customized for your business. As a Quickbase Solution Provider and Quickbase Gold Partner we develop web-based or mobile-based processes to help companies manage everything from the simple to the most complex processes. Saving time is yet another way that going paperless can help automate your business processes and speed up your operation. With process management software, you can route, distribute, store, and automate virtually any type of business process or data. Digital automation helps employees easily collaborate amongst themselves or with customers. It’s as simple as sharing documents digitally instead of dealing with that fax machine from the 1980s! Make Compliance Easier There’s always a plethora of bureaucratic compliance measures that should be accounted for in the business world. Companies must document their data confidentiality and with integrity. Not only this, but electronic document management solutions provide an easy way for companies to track, audit, and provide security for all compliance-related documentation. It’s almost needless to say how much easier this system is when conducted digitally compared to managing a paper-based compliance system. We’re talking extra time, space, and money. Benefit the Environment Going paperless undoubtedly has an impact on environmental waste and the carbon footprint of a business. Not only does going digital help mitigate deforestation and CO2 emissions, but it’s also a worthy corporate social responsibility and PR move. It’s estimated that mixed paper products account for up to 70% of total office waste across the world. While it might not seem like a huge difference, every office space and person adds up and counts for something. These are trees that don’t need to be cut down in a world that is already facing rapid deforestation. Being viewed as a savvy, environmentally conscious company is a necessary step to meet modern standards of what makes an ethical company. Increase Productivity When your company chooses to go paperless, it’s a brilliant opportunity to improve your workflow and optimize productivity. You want every department to be working efficiently and effectively and evaluating how to improve their workflow. Optimization is about taking existing processes, evaluating them and subsequently adjusting the approach. This leads to improved workflow productivity. Using digital solutions enables your organization to adapt and evolve your business processes quickly and efficiently. As an example, migrating to a new workforce automation system is infinitely easier once your business operation is cloud-based and digital. Testing new processes or systems on a digital platform makes it faster and easier for your business to evolve. If you need assistance building digital software that makes it easy to go paperless, Trinity can help. We have a number of products that help with online scheduling, digital signatures, cloud storage, and more. Going paperless is easy when you have the support you need. Contact us today to learn more. […]

Common Mistakes When Switching to a Business Process Solution

Posted on December 18, 2019 (September 19, 2024) by smartboost

Are you looking to automate aspects of your business? Development platforms such as Quickbase are known as low code software and are perfect for companies who want to create online business process apps. In fact, you can tackle almost any type of digital business requirements such as: In fact, low-code development platforms are probably the best bang-for-your-buck investment if your company needs to develop custom business process improvements or applications. Creating workflows can eliminate the grind out of tedious or ineffective manual labor, saving your company time while boosting efficiency. Because of the vast array of benefits, many businesses jump headfirst into implementation without thinking about the many caveats involved in transferring your manual processes to automation software. As Quickbase consultants with an expertise in business process improvement, we at Trinity have seen repeated mistakes that occur with implementation and what challenges caused them. Like anything in life worth having, you have to plan for success. Let’s examine issues that may arise and how you can avoid them. The Challenges of Adopting Business Process Software There can be some big pitfalls when it comes to switching to a new business process software like Quickbase without the help of a consultant. Some of the common issues that come up while making the switch solo include the following: Failing to Define Your Current Process The only way to see where your process needs fixing is to know what it is to begin with. We see many, many businesses say they need software to improve their processes but can’t pinpoint where or how their current system is flawed. Jumping into the software without knowing exactly where you need it most can lead to spending much more on features you don’t need. Ambiguous Team Roles It’s important to know who will be doing what in terms of finding and implementing the new software. Not defining what each team member roles do can lead to miscommunication and significant implementation delays. Make sure you know exactly who is involved in decision making, roles on the project, timelines, and so on. Outline whether there will be external contractors and specific areas on outsourcing versus in-house management. Adaption Overload Ever heard the saying “don’t bite off more than you can chew”? This absolutely applies to implementing business process improvement solutions. Automating complex business processes can be difficult when you want to adapt everything at once. It’s easy to take on a project too quickly, especially if your workflow software is ready to be used. Instead, separate implementation into multiple stages. For example, start with a single workflow for your automation process. Once it’s been tested, move on from there, process by process. Success Now vs. Future Success It’s important to plan for future success, but when it comes to business process change it’s important to clearly define what you need for success now and what you can implement in the future. Failing to do so will not only create an adaption overload in the point above but can also easily cause project scope creep. This also allows developers to create the baseline application structure to be ready to accommodate for the known future needs. Not Setting Defined Goals We’ve seen many clients fail to define specific goals aside from the general ‘automate our workflows.’ If you’re designing a new workflow, create clear goals that have a measurable timeline. It can be useful to hire an outside developer with extensive business process background who can steadily guide your business process improvement and application development. If not, ensure that you define the steps of the entire process in a quantifiable, sequential order. Focusing More on Cost Than Functionality Another famous saying is “you get what you pay for”. This extremely relevant with choosing not only the solution you will use, but also who will build it out. Even if you choose an solution that is considered ‘low-code software’, you need to know if it’s powerful enough for your goals and if you have the in-house staff that can manage it. If there’s a large learning curve, you’ll need to get some outside help or choose another solution that can be handled in-house. Often businesses will choose a less than optimal product or low-cost developer based solely on pricing. Defining what is a need vs. a want for your automation software will help you create a more realistic budget and set you up for success. On-Going Monitoring Far too many companies successfully migrate to a more efficient workflows only to forget about it. Make sure that your solution allows you to monitor your metrics to determine ROI and error rates. Are there any new pain points or issues that arise after the software has been implemented? Assign an in-house project manager or utilize your developer to monitor the program moving forward. Not Enlisting the Experts You’d be surprised at how fast and affordable outsourcing business process improvements and application development can be. Deploying external experts for a limited amount of time can surprisingly increase your efficiency, service, and output quality. It’s invaluable to have assured ease of implementation and reliable support throughout these processes. At Trinity, our experts have seen it all when it comes to business process change and software implementation and know the tricks to avoid pitfalls. We work side by side with you to determine the exact features you need so you don’t waste money on ones you don’t. Ready to Start Looking for Software? One of our favorite activities is providing process change that creates true effectiveness for our clients. Our solutions support business process improvement by helping you increase productivity, service and quality. We take the time to truly understand the needs of your business individually. This helps us to optimize your processes and further growth. We take care of the software so you can focus on your core business with ease of implementation and reliable support throughout the process. There are three […]

The Pros and Cons of Citizen Developers

Posted on June 12, 2019 by smartboost

Many companies have made the powerful transition of converting paper-based processes to cloud-based technology. With many aspects of business now relying on technology, IT departments have their work cut out for them. Even a simple process change can be time-consuming, and this includes creating new business applications. Simultaneous requests can place a thin IT Department in danger of falling behind. In response, Citizen Developers have risen in popularity. What is a Citizen Developer? In the Information Technology (IT) world, a Citizen Developer is a non-IT trained individual who creates new business applications to help improve the productivity of their business. They have little to no formal education in coding, but take advantage of low/no code platforms, like Quickbase, to build apps that streamline business processes. Why Have Citizen Developers Become Popular? Typically, if a company needs a business software solution, they take their request to the IT Department. This department then will purchase an over the counter product or build an app to meet the business’ request. This can take several months, even years. To build an app, you often need to write code. After creating the app, you must spend adequate time testing the code and the working out of the kinks. By the time the IT Department completes the application, it may may even be outdated. Time is of the essence in the business world. To address this issue, some business leaders work in conjunction with IT and become Citizen Developers. Instead of writing out the entire code, they leverage low and no code platforms. They take what other developers have created in a low or no code platform and mold an application into what they want it to do. This process speeds up app development, allowing IT Departments to focus on more critical issues, and increased overall productivity. What Challenges Do Citizen Developers Face? Citizen development on the right platform might sound rather simple. However, it can be more complex than meets the eye. Here are the pros and cons that a Citizen Developer faces when seeking to accomplish a project on their own. The Pros and Cons of Citizen Development As with any business endeavor, there will be positive and negative aspects to building applications in-house. Pros of Citizen Developers: 1. Ease the Burden on the IT Department All IT Departments are overwhelmed with requests for assistance. They are constantly troubleshooting legacy applications and creating new solutions to help the business run smoothly. They have little time to create new applications when the old ones are still working, even if something new would help them in the long run. A Citizen Developer can take some of the burden off overstressed IT departments in developing low/no code apps. 2. Little Code Required Much of the foundational work is already complete with low and no code platforms. The basic outline of code is already written. A Citizen Developer does not have to learn long strings of code to create an application. They create applications where the developer is the user, usually using a visual drag and drop solution. 3. They Can Customize Their App Since there is little to no code to learn, you do not have to be a coding wizard to build an app that can help make business processes easier to complete. Since you are the creator, you can design it to include the benefits you need the most and tailor it to suit your specific needs. 4. Change Your App as Needed Due to the ability to customize, you are not locked into one method. If your company grows, you can build out your application’s capabilities and make changes as your growth warrants. 5. Increase Productivity Now that you have an application that functions in a manner that complements your business, your productivity will increase, thus increasing your customer base and sales. However, with the good, comes the bad. The pros listed are great, but there is still expertise required if you want a successful application solution. When you try and go it alone, the cons of Citizen Development can make your good intentions disastrous. Cons of Citizen Developers: Slower speed of Implementation While the low/no code process is intended to speed things up, when a Citizen Developer attempts to accomplish this task there is still a learning curve, especially during your first few application development attempts. Thus, it may take longer to reach a final product that is up to par. 2. Questionable Quality Without an expert to ensure your app is up to par, the novice may experience not only slow implementation, but the quality of the final product might also suffer. As with any new venture, there are many blind spots that only an expert will be aware of. Without this expertise guiding the development process, your app may turn out ineffective. 3. “Shadow IT” Another issue to consider is that if the app is being constructed is company approved. Does it meet the standards the company is trying to reflect, and will it be reliable in the long-term? Trying to create something outside of your IT department can cause many headaches if it is deemed unauthorized by your company. 4. Less Cross-industry Expertise What works for one industry will not necessarily work for another. An inexperienced developer may model their app off of one from another industry. This can backfire. Creating an app must be customized to how your business is run. 5. Weaker Security When you have a novice at the helm, they may either be ignorant to the fact that there needs to be a level of security to the apps created, or they may be willing to sacrifice security for functionality. This can cause legal issues, especially when you deal with sensitive client information and internal company info. 6. Sub-Par User Experience Just as inexperience can hurt you security-wise, the uneducated developer can leave unintended issues unaddressed. This can make the application burdensome to use for the ones it was designed to help. A Quickbase Solution […]

7 Business Benefits of Utilizing Digital Signature

Posted on May 9, 2019 by smartboost

It’s common for new technological advancements to be met with some skepticism. For some, Digital Signatures fall into that category. In fact, those two terms combined can elicit a wave of fear to those who are concerned with identity theft. However, Digital Signatures are one of the safest and most secure methods of verifying identity. As you will see in this overview, it can be better than having a person sitting in front of you. What is a Digital Signature? Before we begin describing what Digital Signature is, it is important to clarify a couple of things. First, what’s the difference between an Electronic Signature (E-signature) and a Digital Signature? The truth is there is very little difference. Electronic Signatures are basically an umbrella that encompasses a wide variety of identity authentication methods. There are many types of E- Signature, just as the term ‘law enforcement’ includes local police, sheriffs, and constables. All are officers, but each has its own branch of conducting business. Thus, Digital Signature is a form of Electronic Signature. Secondly, it’s important to note that Digital Signatures have a stronger authentication process than a standard E-signature. An E-signature is similar to a handwritten signature. While it gives authority to a document, there is the question of the signature belonging to the person signing. Handwritten signatures and E-signatures alike can be forged. What they lack is a layer of security that authenticates the identity of the person signing. That is what Digital Signature provides. The Many Benefits of Using Digital Signature for your Business 1. A Digital Signature provides ease of access. Digital Signature generators offer the creation of your handwritten signature and put it into a digital format. Like with most things that go digital, this makes the process a whole lot easier for users on both ends of the transaction. Then, when you need to provide a signature for a document, you simply use your credentials through your Digital Signature to sign. It’s that simple. 2. A Digital Signature increases productivity. Some business processes are time-consuming. Document signing is one of them. As you thumb through your stack of paperwork, it is easy to either miss one or to misplace one. After the initial authentication process, a Digital Signature is often just a click away. This decreases the time on paperwork and allows agents to move onto the next document or client. 3. A Digital Signature saves on time costs. For many industries, timing is crucial. With time-sensitive documents, agents have little time to hunt down a client or worry about the signing partner being in another location. There is no, “our management team will review and sign when they return.” Through the cloud-based system, a document can be sent and signed swiftly, allowing the business cycle to continue with little delay. 4. A Digital Signature saves on supply costs. Another consideration is the cost of printing supplies. With digital paperwork, the cost savings on pens, paper, and ink cartridges must be taken into consideration. There is also the cost and time savings of staff filing and retrieving paper documents. 5. A Digital Signature improves customer experience. When going through the process of filling out paperwork, the signing or initialing every important document can be cumbersome to the customer experience. Increasing the pace of how paperwork is handled helps alleviate the concerns of the process taking too long to complete. A company that makes paperwork less complicated will have happier customers. 6. A Digital Signature provides company security. As we have stated, a Digital Signature can be even more secure than having the person sitting in front of you. When data such as who signed it and what time & date it was signed is recorded at the moment the signature is captured, the signatures validity is that much more irrefutable. It benefits the company because it is the seal of approval you are sitting with the person they claim to be. 7. A Digital Signature provides client security. Finally, a Digital Signature benefits the client because their information is being used with their permission. Because the Digital Signature requires a person to physically sign using a stylus, finger or mouse, your client can have the confidence that their information is secure. Which Industries Can Benefit Most from Digital Signature? Many industries can benefit from using the security of a Digital Signature system. Finance and Insurance – Banks, Home and Auto Loan Offices, and Insurance Companies Human Resources – New Hire Paperwork, Tax Documents, and Open Enrollment Forms Government Agencies – Employment, Governmental Assistance, and Financial Aid Legal – Attorneys, Law Clerks, and Advocacy Offices Real Estate – Lending Agencies, Mortgage Companies, and Rental Management Construction/Services – Any business that provides a service that needs any sort of sign-off from their customer TrinitySignature for Your Business Process Improvement Trinity is a business process improvement focused Quickbase Solution Provider. We develop custom low code applications that are designed to simplify your business processes. The cloud-based technology we use can be accessed through a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You have the freedom of conducting business with real-time updates on orders, sales, schedules, client notes, and compliance from any location with an internet connection. TrinitySignature augments what you can do through your existing platforms. The ability to obtain a quick and secure online signature is imperative to running an efficient business. You have the assurance that your signed paperwork is authentic, and your client knows their information is protected. They will see that you take their business and security seriously by offering such a platform. Trinity is a Quickbase Gold Partner and 2019 Quickbase Solution Provider of the Year. Flexibility and scalability are integral to our solutions, since Trinity understands that growing businesses evolve over time. For over 21 years, Trinity has worked with clients to improve their efficiency, increase service levels, and upgrade their quality of output. […]