Automating your business: where to start and what to use

Moving your business from paper to digital processes can seem overwhelming. Where to start and what software or devices to purchase will likely be among the first questions you have as a business owner. Researching your options can become frustrating and confusing, especially with the tech industry’s love of acronyms. Here’s a glossary to help you decipher some of the alphabet soup to determine what your company needs.

CRM: Customer Relationship Management

A CRM stores information about your customers and prospective customers, from basic content information to their communication preferences (phone, email, text or snail mail). In a CRM, everyone in the company, from sales to service, can log their interactions with the customer and even record phone calls. Many top CRMs integrate with email tools like Google Mail or Microsoft Outlook, automatically recording emails sent to and from the customer—no more searching through your Inbox for that email you need! Just pull up the customer record, and see all customer touches in date order.

EMS: Enterprise Management System

An EMS is a comprehensive set of software systems that address different needs within the organization but integrate and act cohesively. A typical EMS will include financial, human resources, budgeting, sales, logistics, supply chain and customer relationship management components, according to ITPro.com. These systems are usually cloud-based so they offer scalability without the need to purchase additional servers. Using an EMS makes business planning easier, increases productivity and flexibility, and improves record-keeping and compliance, according to MRPEasy.

ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP is software used to manage day-to-day business activities, such as procurement, accounting, project management, risk management and supply chain, according to Oracle. That sounds like the same functions as an EMS, but ITPro.com explains the difference: “An EMS can include ERP as part of the package, but ERP itself is a standalone application that provides separate modules to address different back office functions.” With an ERP, you can check stock of supplies, track contracts and purchase orders, monitor invoice payments and a host of other activities. An EMS can go beyond that in-house data to monitor competitors, identify new potential markets and standardize processes.

Automated Scheduling

Oddly enough, automated scheduling doesn’t seem to have anacronym yet. When it comes to managing time for you and your employees, however, automated scheduling tools can work wonders. Automated scheduling has two applications: your business scheduling time with customers and your business scheduling employees.

Customers seeking out services want to know the service will be provided at a time that is convenient for them. Features of automated scheduling for customers can include the ability to schedule a time online or receive a text notification when your employee is on the way.

Automated employee scheduling helps ensure your business meets customer expectations by showing up at the scheduled time. Last minute changes, such as an employee calling in sick or a company vehicle breaking down, can wreak havoc for you and upset your customers. Using an automated scheduling tool that allows employees to swap shifts or managers to reassign jobs or team members can make those unexpected hiccups in the day easier to handle. Integration with a tool that tracks vehicle and equipment use schedules can be an added bonus.

With so many functions to automate and so many software and vendor options to choose from, creating a big picture plan for your ultimate automated business may seem daunting. EServ understands the struggle of not having software to meet all your needs—and the sticker shock that comes with trying to automated your business. That’s why we built our own small business operations software for the service industry.

Our sister company Millard Sprinkler partially implemented EServ in 2021 and achieved a 20% net increase over 2020. With full implementation in early 2022 and our integrations with Stripe secure online payment and QuickBooks, we’re confident EServ can help you achieve similar results in your business.

If you’re interested in being part of the EServ Evolution, please complete our contact form and a member of our team will be in touch.

If you found this article useful, be sure to signup for notification of future articles on making your business more efficient.