For many women entrepreneurs, juggling the demands of their career and personal life can seem impossible. A study published in the Small Business Economics journal found that due to societal expectations, women often have to face a trade-off between their work and personal lives which hinders their career prospects. However, with the technological development of automation tools, entrepreneurial women now have the flexibility to manage other responsibilities.
During the Women in Tech Global Conference 2022, Microsoft Worldwide Defense & Intelligence Chief Technology Officer Kate Maxwell commented on the digital transformation progress: “Every single company on the planet is becoming a digital company, and the ones who can adapt to change and embrace tech intensity the fastest are the ones who are going to thrive and the ones who are going to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.” Tech serves as an equalizer, blurring gender biases, and fostering a level playing field.
Across every industry, automation and its proper implementation can at once save time and money, help scale operations, maintain quality, and offer flexibility. Below are 4 tools your business can use to enhance efficiency.
4 tools to increase efficiency
SOFTRAX
According to a U.S. Bank study, 82% of businesses fail because owners didn’t manage cash flow properly, or didn’t understand how cash flow works. Simply put, cash flow refers to the money flowing in and out of your business. This includes the cash that comes from sales, investments, and loans as well as the cash that goes out to pay expenses, suppliers, and lenders. To better manage cash flow, you can strategize by invoicing customers in a timely fashion, offloading inventory that doesn’t sell well, and closely monitoring where you spend money.
However, if you own a small business, this can be difficult as there are always other tasks vying for attention. Revenue management software provider SOFTRAX can help you with this. Their powerful system automates the billing process, performs order and renewal management, and helps with revenue recognition, giving you time and freedom to focus on more profitable tasks to grow your business.
Builderall
Digital marketing has increasingly become more integral to the success of all businesses. If done right, digital marketing empowers businesses to build authority and brand awareness in the largest market on Earth: the Internet. Brands can engage directly with their target audience through social media to learn exactly what consumers are looking for and develop authentic relationships that create trust and brand loyalty.
Builderall, an all-in-one marketing platform, offers a comprehensive suite of features that cater to various aspects of running an online business. Their platform gives you access to website-building tools, e-commerce solutions, email marketing automation, social media integration, and analytics and reporting tools, allowing you to succeed in today’s competitive digital environment.
Calendly
Much of running a business depends on how well you are able to manage your calendar. For enterprise organizations, more appointments equal more revenue. For your staff, this usually means an annoying day full of emails and voice tags trying to schedule the appointment. The constant back-and-forth communication can be stressful and lead to overflowing inboxes. A survey from Wakefield Research found that more than one-third of office workers (38%) said this ‘email fatigue’ is likely to push them to quit their jobs. With Calendly, appointment-setting pain points will become outdated as it automates meeting schedules and reminders, creating a smoother workflow in just a few clicks.
Zendesk
As we mentioned above, engaging with your customers is a crucial aspect of building trust and establishing brand awareness. At the same time, there are many channels through which customers can approach your business, whether by phone, chat, email, or social media. Keeping track of all of these can be overwhelming and lead to customers receiving no response, and ultimately hurt your business’s bottom line. Having a customer support software like Zendesk that has automated functions brings all your customer interactions to one easy-to-use platform to make it easy to keep track of all your support requests, answer questions quickly, and monitor customer service agents' effectiveness.
Automation is a cornerstone not just for improving productivity but for promoting equality and growth in businesses led by women. Maximizing its potential can be the key for women entrepreneurs to achieve both success and a harmonious work-life balance.
If you’re interested in more content like this, visit the WomenTech Network website!