How to create more time in your business – our most valuable resource

Have you ever calculated how much time is spent on repetitive admin tasks? How much time is lost having to redo work? How many delays are caused by missing data, inefficient approval processes, and spreadsheets not being updated on time?

Those five or ten-minute jobs might not seem significant, but they all add up. Did you know your employees could be spending up to 50% of their working hours on tasks that could be streamlined and automated?

Imagine freeing up 50% of their time. Imagine freeing up 50% of your time.

All too often, managers spend more time firefighting and completing mundane tasks than they spend leading their teams. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

AI and automation might sound complex and expensive, but they don’t have to be. And the time they free up can be invested in building stronger teams, delivering better customer experiences, and growing the business.

How does automation free up time?

Any process with defined steps can be automated, meaning you can unlock capacity across any department, from finance and HR to marketing and sales. Here are some examples of where automated processes can save you time.   

Make data retrieval easy

With automated processes and digitised databases, data retrieval is quick and easy. You’ll no longer have to chase team members for information or figures. You can run automated reports to get the data you need.

Fewer missed deadlines

Automated workflows can include escalation, reminders and prompts, ensuring deadlines aren’t accidentally overlooked or missed. You can track the progress of orders, complaints, or projects in real-time, spot issues before they turn into problems and spend less time having to appease unhappy stakeholders or customers.

No duplication of tasks

Templates, digital forms, auto-responders and automated workflows mean you don’t have to spend hours of your working week repeating the same tasks over and over again. You can automate everything, from onboarding new customers to processing orders to collecting client feedback.

Reduced waste, errors and cost

Incorrect data, misplaced documents or files, and incomplete updates can all cause delays and frustrations. And when things aren’t done right the first time, it causes unnecessary work for those who have to resolve the mistakes. Automation eliminates human error and reduces the time you spend rectifying faults.

What are the benefits of freeing up time for managers?

Managers want to lead their teams and grow the business, not spend their days doing repetitive tasks. By freeing up time, managers and senior leaders can get on with doing the job they were hired to do.

More time to invest in employees

If you have more time, you can use this to coach and develop employees and provide support where and when it’s needed. You will be more approachable because you aren’t always busy, and you can be more proactive in offering support.

Spot threats and opportunities

If you aren’t tied up with admin, you can be proactive in spotting threats and opportunities, identifying problems before they become serious, and recognising the potential in your team members.

Better customer experience

Digitisation and automation create a better customer experience, helping increase customer retention and lower the number of complaints. And because you’ll be dealing with fewer complaints, you can focus on improving customer experience even further to gain a competitive edge.

More engaged workforce

Because complaints are lower and you have more time to invest in your teams, employee engagement will be higher. Good employee engagement leads to lower absence rates, lower attrition rates and higher productivity. It also makes you appealing as an employer, so you attract better candidates when recruiting.

Less stress

Common causes of workplace stress include long hours, heavy workloads and boring work. These are problems that can be minimised by automating repetitive, time-consuming, and tedious tasks. You reduce your workload, meaning you don’t have to work as many hours, and you remove all the boring work so you can focus on tasks that add value.   

What tasks can be automated to free up time?

Almost any process with clear steps can be automated – from sending out automated marketing emails to automating entire production lines. Below are just some examples of where automation could benefit your business.

Payment processing

If you have an online payment portal, you don’t need employees to process payments manually. And it’s not just taking payment that can be automated. You can automate invoices, reminders and receipts, and collect direct debits and recurring payments, saving your teams and customers time.

Client onboarding

Most client onboarding processes start with data collection, which can be digitalised. You can make it easy for customers to input information, add attachments or upload photos. Plus, you can enable forms to be signed electronically. Once submitted, data can be automatically extracted and sent to the relevant databases so workflows can be created.

Enquiry and complaints management

Enquiries and complaints can be submitted online, automatically triggering workflows.  Email responses can be automated, letting customers know their enquiry or complaint has been received and giving them details on what to expect next. Notifications can be sent to the relevant departments, and escalation protocols can be automated so no deadlines get missed.

Purchase orders

Your purchase order process can be fully automated, so staff can raise a purchase order online and send it for approval. You can set approval limits, so purchases under a certain amount only need one level of sign-off, meaning senior managers only need to approve large purchases. Your approved supplier database can be linked to your purchase order system to send POs directly to suppliers once approved.

Stock inventory and replenishment

When an order is placed, your stock inventory can be automatically updated. You can set up your system to notify you when stock levels fall below a certain level or set it to reorder for you automatically. You can monitor stock levels in real time and monitor peaks and troughs in demand.

Reporting

Manually collecting data and compiling reports is time-consuming and inefficient, but with automated reports, you can pull all the data you need at the click of a button. This can save hours and reduce the likelihood of human error skewing your reports.

Saving time with Automate

At Meritec, we specialise in digital transformation and have a range of agile, flexible solutions designed to free up time and increase capacity across your business.

Designed to be completely compatible with our innovative CXM 360 and integrate with all your existing systems, our digital platform is the ideal way to future-proof your organisation.

Get in touch if you’d like to find out why so many organisations across the UK already trust Meritec with their digital transformation.