Between task management, trial and error, creative planning, and productivity, your business apps play a crucial role. If you look closely, you'll notice the various integrations that keep these applications connected, enabling you to achieve your daily objectives. Integrations also facilitate the smooth flow of data, setting up business automations that enhance both efficiency and accuracy.
Business automation involves more than just streamlining tasks. Implementing business process automation (BPA) not only leads to a customer process free from errors but also to a business model that considers the needs and feelings of both customers and employees. Moreover, business automations save time and help you manage your resources more effectively. This article will cover everything you need to know about the workflows from which your business could benefit.
Don't gate keep your business data within your own organization
Business process automation enhances your business's productivity by streamlining data flow. Data flow has evolved from manual, labor-intensive work to straightforward app-to-app transfers, thanks to the integration of automations and workflows into business operating systems. However, many businesses still operate in silos. Nevertheless, it's never too late to implement automations.
Research indicates that most businesses have implemented at least one automation into their software ecosystems. With advancements in AI technology, it is likely that businesses will adopt even more automations. So, why consider business automations?
Take the example of a lemonade stand.
Picture a lemonade stand with a special notebook (your CRM) where you write notes about what your friends like about your lemonade. You also have a magic mailbox (your marketing automation tool) that sends out invitations about new flavors.
When you connect the notebook to the mailbox, it automatically sends messages about flavors your friends will love based on the notes you wrote about them. In this way, you sell more lemonade without extra work, and your friends get messages about the lemonade they’re most excited to try. It’s like magic making your lemonade stand super popular!
Similarly, setting up workflows creates a clear, step-by-step process from establishing your business to onboarding employees and managing billing cycles. Automations serve as a link between you and the apps that ensure timely follow-ups, preventing customer frustration. They also allow you to assign dedicated agents to oversee these processes, reducing the need for multiple agents to handle repetitive tasks. Furthermore, automations can significantly decrease employee-customer disputes by minimizing loopholes in the system.
Automations streamline business operations, making it easier to scale, but acquiring and integrating the necessary software can be costly and requires ongoing maintenance. Is there a solution that intuitively supports your growth?
Yes, the Operating System for business—Zoho One, a multipurpose software suite, offers a solution. Like a computer's OS, this business operating system provides a comprehensive platform that manages end-to-end processes and automations. It integrates various business functions with its unified user interface and self-regulating storage management.
It also includes a dedicated workflow tool called Zoho Flow that simplifies entering the world of workflows. It features an easy-to-use interface with pre-made templates. Zoho Flow delivers instantaneous results and allows you to run diagnostics to check the health of your workflows and ensure there are no failures. With Zoho One, you don’t have to worry about acquiring and integrating a multitude of apps to get your system up and running.
This operating system for business includes indispensable, yet niche, business tools, like Zoho Flow, that make running a business less challenging and provide peace of mind.
Here are five workflows that you can apply within the Zoho One ecosystem
Lead qualification and follow-up
Workflow: Automate the process of qualifying leads based on specific criteria (like source, engagement level) and assign follow-up tasks to the sales team.
Benefits: Ensures timely follow-ups, improves lead management efficiency, and increases conversion rates.
*this an example and may defer based on your unique needs
Deal closure and invoicing
Workflow: Trigger the creation of invoices in Zoho Books or Zoho Invoice once a deal is marked as "Won" in Zoho CRM.
Benefits: Streamlines the sales-to-billing process, reduces manual entry, and accelerates revenue recognition.
*this is an example and may defer based on your unique needs
Ticket assignment and notification
Workflow: Automatically assign tickets to the appropriate team or agent based on predefined criteria (for example, issue type, customer segment) and send notifications via email or Zoho Cliq.
Benefits: Improves response times, enhances team productivity, and ensures customers receive timely support.
*this is an example and may defer based on your unique needs
Service Level Agreement (SLA) compliance
Workflow: Monitor ticket resolution times against SLAs and escalate or notify managers if a ticket is at risk of breaching its SLA.
Benefits: Maintains high levels of customer satisfaction, ensures SLA compliance, and identifies areas for process improvement.
*this an example and may defer based on your unique needs
Lead capture and email marketing integration
Workflow: Use Zoho Flow to integrate Zoho CRM with Zoho Campaigns. When a new lead is added to Zoho CRM, automatically add them to a specific mailing list in Zoho Campaigns for nurturing campaigns.
Benefits: Automates the lead nurturing process, enhances lead engagement through targeted campaigns, and improves conversion rates.
*this an example and may defer based on your unique needs
Tell us which of these workflows you have implemented in your business and how they have helped improve your productivity. Share your experiences in the comments below.
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