Five time-draining activities small businesses can tackle more efficiently

Five time-draining activities small businesses can tackle more efficiently

image

If you are running a small business, time is your most valuable asset.  With an endless to-do list and limited resources, finding ways to streamline operations and reclaim time is crucial. Technology is one of your biggest allies when it comes to optimising time and operations. From IT services to cloud-based automation applications, there is a broad range of solutions and services that can help transform your business processes and optimise efficiency. How to add depth to your technological toolkit stack and propel your business towards peak performance? Here’s five time-draining activities and tips to tackle them more efficiently.

1. Drowning in paperwork? 

Between managing accounting, onboarding new employees or processing contracts navigating through the maze of administrative duties and the constant search for documents and folders can drain your time. It's time to consider streamlining your paper-heavy operations with advanced document management solutions that offer features that make paperwork virtually files itself, categorising each document intelligently for effortless retrieval. These systems go beyond storage; they sort, secure, and simplify, turning your administrative backlog into a model of digital efficiency.

2. Keeping up with ever-evolving regulations

Juggling compliance amidst evolving data protection laws and emerging HR or finance regulations often proves to be a difficult task. Especially, when you don’t have in-house specialists. Cloud-based workflow automation can play a pivotal role in ensuring compliance by streamlining processes and enforcing standardised procedures across the business.

These systems offer features enabling the implementation of predefined rules, automated approval notifications or audit trails, thereby reducing human error and making it easier to create reports for regulatory audits. By integrating automation into your processes, you are also embedding compliance into day-to-day operations, ensuring that every step is compliant, confident, and transparent. 

3. Collaborating in a hybrid environment

Navigating a hybrid work environment presents its own set of challenges. Ensuring secure access to documents and information, running hybrid meetings, getting the right IT equipment, they can get in the way of efficiency. 

To make hybrid collaboration smoother, without compromising security, you can equip your business with secure collaboration tools as well as adapted technology that brings remote teams closer. Project management tools, document management solutions or even smart meeting room equipment that enhance the meeting experience, there are many solutions that can help you move further in your digitalisation journey, whilst enhancing the employee experience and engagement. 

4. Procuring your IT and office equipment

With many suppliers to choose from and constant renewal needs, procuring IT and office equipment and supplies isn’t always straightforward. Some vendors or local partners can help make your procurement plans a lot better, by providing for all your needs, and taking care of renewing your stocks of office supply automatically when needed. No more multiple orders, no more time lost in navigation. This gives you the opportunity to channel your focus towards strategic growth and innovation, and makes you benefit from cost savings, peace of mind and more traceability.

5. Fixing IT issues 

Sometimes, technology lets you down resulting in important time and productivity loss. This is where the value of managed services and external providers becomes apparent. Relying on external services that specialised in maintaining the smooth operation of all your devices will maximise uptime and enable you and your team to concentrate on the core activities that drive your business forward. By entrusting the technical details to the experts, you ensure that every aspect of your operational tech is running like a well-oiled machine. 

Embark on your efficiency journey

Reclaiming time in a small business setting is about working smarter, not harder. By addressing these common time-draining areas with the latest digital solutions, you pave the way for smoother operations, increased productivity, and overall business growth. When you are ready to take this transformative step, Ricoh is here to support you on your journey. 

With a suite of solutions and services designed to streamline your processes and enhance your efficiency, Ricoh helps you transform challenges into opportunities, ensuring every moment counts. Ready to take your business to the next level? Discover our Managed Print & Automation solutions and begin your path to a more agile and successful business. 

From cabinets to the cloud
Robert Janssen

Robert Janssen

EMEA Sales Director Online and SMB

Let’s connect

Talk to a Ricoh expert

Transform your workplace with Ricoh’s Managed Print and Automation Services. 

Boost efficiency, reduce costs, and accelerate your journey towards digital transformation. 

Contact us