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As with all new technology, one of the great opportunities
of the internet is to reduce operating costs at the same time as improving
the level of service you provide. Here are some of the
many ways the internet can be used to reduce operating costs
without impacting on service levels.
Reduce business process costs
When customers place orders or send you information in other ways,
there is often a 100% duplication of effort. You or your staff
spends exactly the same time as the customer in processing the
information. Some processes, such as explaining to customers different
service options, require human interaction. Many, such as taking down
orders or responding to requests for progress reports, do not.
Where part or all of the business process can be automated, the internet
provides a simple tool to allow anyone to enter data to the system,
without requiring special software at the client end. This allows
entry to the same system by both customers and you or your staff, which
in turn allows flexibility for cost reduction for those customers who
prefer using the internet, without loss of service to those customers
who do not. Efficiencies arise where data systems can be structured to flow
automatically throughout your business, without further human input.
Diarised events, invoices, confirmations and many other duplicating processes
can be automated, reducing costs, reducing errors and
improving reliability of services to customers.
At Software Design UK, we can review business process to identify
the areas where savings can be achieved. We can fully implement
for you all recommendations either by direct programming/web
creation or by supervision/training of yourselves or your staff.
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Reduce costs of providing information
Most businesses need to explain repetitively to clients or customers
some of the more technical aspects of the service or products they
provide.
The internet provides a great tool to consolidate information that
most of your customers or clients want, for which human input
may be irrelevant. This information can be displayed
professionally and with less requirement for expensive staff to explain
aspects that may require constant vigilance. Furthermore, customers
and clients often find answers to questions asked by others more helpful
than struggling to find the right question themselves.
At Software Design UK, we can help you identify which information
might be suitable for uploading to the internet. We can
advise on the most appropriate format to display the information.
We can implement the recommendations, or we can supervise
your staff, or we can design and write systems to automate the
uploading of relevant information on a regular basis.
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Letting staff work from home
The internet removes geographical boundaries. Not all staff functions
can be carried out anywhere - but others can. Where the physical
presence of staff is not integral to the function they carry out,
the internet can be used to allow them to process from their own home.
Costs can be significantly reduced where desks can, as a result, be
shared between several staff members. Permitting working from home
often opens up a new source of high quality potential staff by opening
up opportunities for part-time workers, such as professionally
qualified mothers, who need to be able to work the hours that suit
their particular routine.
At Software Design UK, we can help you identify the tasks that
can be carried out from home and to set up systems to deliver
information between the home and office.
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Savings with centralised information sources
Working in groups often involves considerable duplication of processing the same
information. Typically, systems need to be in place to prevent anyone working
on old information that has since been updated by someone else.
The internet provides opportunities to centralise information so that everyone
has immediate access to the most up-to-date documentation, with no access
to earlier versions.
We can help you identify opportunities for elimination of some of the
control costs involved with group projects. We can set up systems
that implement the streamlining and cost savings of such projects.
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Cutting supply costs
In certain circumstances, businesses can help suppliers to reduce
their own costs. Using the internet allows flow of information
from your own systems directly to suppliers systems, without
the need for reprocess. Orders and other information feedback
are often suitable for such automated transfer of information.
Where sufficient supplier costs are saved, you may be able to
achieve a reduced supply charge.
We can help you identify the potential cost savings to establish
whether they are sufficient to introduce appropriate systems. Where
appropriate, we can set up systems that pull out information from
your own systems and transfer them directly to suppliers' systems
in a format suitable for automated import by suppliers.
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