7 Ways To Improve Your Business With Software

You already know that software can help you improve your business. But exactly how it can help you improve may not be all that clear.  We interviewed our long-term users and identified seven ways they’ve improved their businesses in the areas of productivity, service request management, and sales.

1. Implementing a Service Request Tracking System.

Ranked at the top of the list is a service request tracking system. How well you manage the time between the moment a customer calls to completing their service request can make or break your business. Without a good service request tracking system, users spent more time on non-value added work. A good service request tracking system system reduces non-value added work.  This could be as simple as reducing the time it takes to respond to a customer, or as complex as managing resources more efficiently.  Most importantly, the time saved was spent generating new sales. The bottom line is that a good system allows you to work faster, save more time, and spend more time efficiently.

2. Managing clients with a Customer Database.

Don’t confuse a customer database with your contact list. There is a huge difference.  A contact list does a great job at storing phone numbers and addresses, but it doesn’t do much beyond that.  Users that took advantage of a customer database tracked more details about their clients to deliver better service.  They began tracking personal preferences, their service history, equipment details, and important notes. The value of a customer database is that it helped users organize their data better, while making it easily accessible.  Most importantly, it helped them attract repeat business by tracking the buying habits of each customer.

3. Generating repeat business with Service Reminders.

Generating and managing repeat business was a common issue for many users.  As mentioned above, a customer database can track a customer’s buying habits, which you can use to generate service reminders. I’ll use a simple example to illustrate this, and you can apply the concept to your own business.  Once a year I go to my dentist to have my teeth checked.  My dentist performs the usual routine, and when it’s over I’ll forget about him for the next several months.  Fast forward about a year and I get a call from my dentist’s secretary kindly reminding me that my check-up is due.  I think to myself, “Wow, these guys must really care about me!” The truth is their office is equipped with software that can generate service reminders automatically.  Recurring services is how these guys survive, and it’s a sales strategy that every service professional should take advantage of.

4. Improving scheduling with Calendar Software.

There is nothing new about using a calendar to schedule appointments.   But the time you save booking an appointment on a software-based calendar is significant.   Users reported that switching to a software-based calendar reduced the time it took to book an appointment, since the schedules were interactive.  It also helped them eliminate both underbooking and overbooking.  At a glance, users can see when they are booked and when they are free to schedule new service requests.

5. Improving customer service with a Customer Portal.

Many users improved customer service by making it easier to contact them.   In addition to a phone number and email, they implemented an online service request form that customers filled out on the Web.  Once the form was submitted, the requests were then routed to their queue and later assigned to staff members.  It was a simple way to improve customer service, while reducing the number of incoming calls. Users also implemented a self-help portal that allowed clients to submit service requests, check the status of their requests, and view their service history.  Again, this added an extra layer of convenience for clients, while reducing the number of incoming calls.  The goal was to make it easy for customers to get help conveniently.

6. Reducing waste with Electronic Forms and Documents.

For most users, reducing waste wasn’t just a matter reducing costs anymore.  Most were also looking to reduce their carbon footprint. By switching from a paper-based tracking system to a software based system, users were able to work using a Web-browser. Something as simple as using electronic estimates and invoices reduced the consumption of paper and ink.  Electronic estimates and invoices were also faster to fill out and less error prone. At the same time, emailing these documents saved the on postage costs, while increasing the speed of delivery to clients.  The end result was reduced waste and increased efficiency.

7. Improve productivity using Mobile Service Management.

With the recent proliferation of smart phones, users found new ways to work away from the office. Users in the field wanted to access their service request system and customer database while on the road. A mobile service management solution allowed them to do this. Instead of being tied down to the desktop, users could now access their work whenever and wherever they needed it most. Users also reported an increase in productivity since service requests could be updated virtually anywhere.  Having to wait until they got into the office was no longer an issue. A mobile service management solution also allowed them to access their customer database, which also improved efficiency.

Conclusion.

These are just a few ways that MHelpdesk has helped our users in the areas of productivity, management, and sales . While we knew our software helped, it was nice to learn about the specifics. If you think your business could benefit from anything in this article, we invite you to try us out.  We’d love to hear about how MHelpdesk has improved your business. Please comment and share this link!  If you would like read more articles like this subscribe to our blog.

Last Updated By: Rochelle Sanchirico