As an IT consultant, you know the stress that comes with juggling clients. Trying to stay on top of various tasks can be quite overwhelming, especially if you’re working with disconnected tools. What's more stressful than this? When clunky tools deprive you of the time and energy you need to focus on actually growing a successful business (which might make you feel like you need more staff). But that's not the smartest, or most economical solution.
Smart automation technology can simplify these processes for you, so you can get back to doing the work you love, like working with your clients and thinking strategically about your company, but without the stress of everyday busywork.
Here are a few ways of utilizing smart platforms to seamlessly manage your business processes and keep you on top of your game;
Setup recurring contracts for work you complete on a regular basis, and automate your business rates with retainer types. This is a simple way to manage ongoing services so you don't get bunked down by repetitive admin work. Auto-populating retainer fields with billable materials, rates and allowances for each client will also fast-track the billing process for you and your team - so you never have to stress over who’s getting paid, and when.
With smart technology, you can attach service requests or “tickets” to each retainer so that all client communication is visible in one simple place. You can also log time against tickets so that you’re never left out-of-pocket for a completed service. Why is this so important? Well, having staff spending five minutes here, and ten minutes there, supporting clients without any time-tracking tools can really add up - so it’s best to have your time tracked automatically
However, if you’re feeling like there aren't enough hours in a day for you to complete a task, you can always reassign a ticket to another colleague.
Instantly turn tickets into invoices to streamline your billing process and get paid faster. In fact, using a smart automation tool could cut your invoicing cycle by 70%. Instead of chasing down clients for outstanding invoices, schedule an email statement to be sent automatically when client work is marked as complete. A fast-tracked payment process like this will get you paid faster, so you don't need to stress about having money in the bank.
Most importantly, smart technology has the ability to predict (and alert you of) any stressful situations before they even occur, so all you need to do is focus on the job you love. If you're curious to learn more about how companies like yours went from chaos to collaboration, check this out.
