A Consultants Guide to Getting Paid

Many consultants face a host of business problems, like managing multiple projects or dealing with difficult clients. The thing is, in an automated world where workflows can be streamlined and  simplified, it doesn’t need to be this way.

A service operations platform can help -  it can make running your business easier  and get you back to doing the work you love! Just think of how much more time you’d have if repetitive tasks like logging time or sending invoices were done for you, automatically.

Here are a few common problems faced by consultants, and simple ways to solve them with smart technology:

Problem #1: You’re forever trying to make sense of all the data you’ve got scattered between various spreadsheets.

Solution: Eliminate spreadsheets all together and get a clearer view of the client work being done - so that you can get paid for every billable hour you put in, in record time! 

Minimize the potential for human error by investing in a smart platform that stores, calculates and converts data for you - so you can confidently get invoices out the door at the end of a long day with no hassle on your end. With the right technology, you could even reduce your invoicing cycle by 40 days, just like Big Blue Digital did. How would you grow your business with that extra time?

Problem #2: You’re not tracking your work! As a result, you’re left with mismanaged projects and delayed processes that chip away at your bottom line.

Solution: Consultants mostly charge for time, expenses or work being done - which means that the hours you put in need to be logged promptly and accurately. Why? Because you can’t get paid for a service until an invoice has been created and sent out. A service operations platform can automatically do this for you by logging the time you spend on a task, eliminating the need to manually enter or transfer data between various disconnected tools.

Having all of this information tracked and stored in one shared space will also simplify your billing process. How? You’ll be able to generate invoices directly from time-sheets or quotes in one easy click.

Problem #3: You need to get paid on time but outdated technology is slowing down the process.

The right smart platform can integrate with the likes of Stripe, authorize.net, and PayPal so that you can get paid within minutes. Save yourself from even more stress by creating recurring invoices, either from scratch or from an existing invoice, and send them automatically to your clients - freeing up the time previously spent on sending the same invoice (for the same work) every month.

A service operations platform is the only tool you need for solving daily problems that require more time than you have. You’ll be able to focus on your clients, work that actually generates revenue, and get back to the work you love - while technology takes care of the rest. If you’d like to learn more about making it easier to run your business, check this out!