On a basic level, people think about this expression in terms of traveling, on a more complicated level, though, it is extremely applicable to business.

If a CEO comes up with a new idea, they have to make sure that it goes through the right departments and people so it ultimately becomes a process. Ipso facto, from Point A to Point B. Generally, this is the end for most companies. However, this shouldn’t be the case.

Going from the inception of an idea, to the creation of a process can feel like a completed model, but there’s one step missing – automation.

If you can move your processes to the background through automation, you’ll get from Step A to Step B in the most effective way possible. Thereby, affording you the following benefits:

Quality

Unfortunately, humans are flawed. We often make mistakes, and we’re notoriously bad multitaskers.

Although these innate flaws aren’t necessarily a be-all or end-all when it comes to progress, they can influence businesses negatively if they are not managed properly.

In order to avoid mindless mistakes and duplicate entries, businesses can automate their processes with the help of a software development company. This way, every single process inside your company will be consistent and set the standard for internal and external operations.

Here is an example: say you’re a new business that recently started shipping its products. Everything is going well, until you receive an email from a customer about a lost package. The email is escalated to the CEO, and he or she decides the company will send out a new product, free of charge. Seemingly, there is no issue here, but what happens when the next lost email package comes in?

The CEO took this issue from Point A to Point B, but without a process in place, how will the next email be handled? It is unrealistic to assume that every lost package email will be handled by the CEO, and they shouldn’t be. Instead, this company should have worked with a software development company to automate this process. Allowing them to respond to every lost package inquiry in the same manner.

Reports

If you have automated processes that are stored in software systems, you will have more insight into how your business runs.

Working with the aforementioned example, once you have a process in place for lost package emails, you can also use the data from this software process to gain important insights. For example, you could deduce how much time it takes to handle this specific issue.

On a larger scale, this data might lead you to a previously unknown bottleneck your business is experiencing. It might also alert you to inefficiencies in your company that can be overcome.

If you’re working with a top software development company, you’ll also have help analyzing any changes you make in processes. They will be able to tell you how much a process improves when it is changed; allowing you to make smart decisions about where you spend time.

Customer Insight

Streamlining internal processes is important for data creation, but the significance doesn’t stop there.

Streamlining can also give you a better understanding of your customers. If you work with a skilled software development company, you can ensure that all of your customers’ information is linked to your internal database

Here’s an example: An e-commerce company starts sending out general marketing emails to their clients, all based on their average customer profile. In general, their emails have some traction, but they are not drawing in the results the company needs to grow. This company decides to partner with a software development company that builds them a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that integrates with all of their current processes. The company then uses this data to create customer segments that each receive a targeted marketing email.

To no surprise, with the right software now being used and access to more customer data, said company finds the returns they’re looking for in their marketing department

Streamline Benefits

In general, business communication takes a lot of time and energy.

Downloading Excel files simply to upload them into another database might not seem too time-consuming, but these small tasks do add up.

If you can automate the movement of notifications, documents and files, you can free up your time, and your employees’ time, so everyone can tackle more important and impactful tasks.

Another benefit to streamlined communications is that they can happen simultaneously. Before you have an automated process for emailing, you might have to CC a specific department in an email, that department will have to send another email to reach out to a vendor to get approval, and then a final email is sent to make sure the entire group is up-todate and ready to move forward.

With automation, all of these steps can happen congruently. In the software, when a specific department is added, the approval email to the vendor can be sent at the same time

Is It worth It?

If you run a company, you understand the importance of streamlining processes.

However, you might not understand what areas of your business can be automated and how this work can impact your specific organization.

To gain a better understanding of the importance of automation for your company, reach out to a software development company. During your first contact, ask how they will develop programming solutions that address your company’s specific needs.

If they have a one-sizefits- all approach, or if they’re unwilling to discuss the nitty-gritty details about your company, they might not be the right partner for you. Whether you need help developing a custom software, integrating your current systems, software support or exploring new technologies, consider talking to a few software teams to ensure you choose one with a personalized model that works for you.