5 Infallible Tips to Optimize Your Business Processes

Organizations face the challenge of producing more and spending less every day. It is not always easy to optimize the processes of a company, since these are outdated quickly, due to the great dynamics of the market, increasingly accelerated. The technologies are obsolete every day, which requires constant monitoring of the processes, in order to keep them in tune with the market. In today’s article, we leave you 5 infallible tips to optimize your company’s processes.

In-depth analysis of all processes

For a company’s processes to be improved, it needs to be analyzed in depth. Only after knowing the current state of the processes will you be able to realize which areas are doing well and which ones are in need of improvement. Even if there is documentation about the processes, you need to investigate whether people are meeting all the standards. The internal diagnosis is a very important stage for the optimization of the processes and this step should never be underestimated.

Presentation and implementation of improvement proposals

After the internal diagnosis was completed, it was time to present improvement proposals. Here it is critical to make workflows more agile, to eliminate barriers that hamper the smooth execution of tasks, to improve internal communication and to optimize tasks so that processes focus more on business objectives. At this stage, all employees should be involved, and one should not fall into the error of just engaging leaders.

Adopt the right tools

Not all technologies are for all companies, so it is fundamental to evaluate the state of the business and the characteristics of the company, in order to choose the most appropriate tools for its operation. Companies must adopt dynamic and customized technological tools to their reality, so they can streamline communication between departments, facilitate company management, reduce rework and reduce human failures.

Business monitoring

Analyzing the business in real time is the trend of the future and more and more companies choose to use business monitoring tools like Multipeers. Using this tool, it is possible to know what is happening in the company at all times. It also allows the definition of business alerts so that the user is alerted whenever something goes astray.

Keep the workspace neat and tidy

Being surrounded by confusion will influence the way you view work and the way you work. Keep your desk clean and the drawers tidy and you’ll realize that you can manage your time and functions better and increase your productivity.

The importance of BAM tools for decision making

Making decisions for the future of the business is a daunting task for managers. Often, they don’t have all the necessary information to analyze situations objectively, which complicates to a large extent correct decision-making. In the day-to-day fulfilled in which they live constantly, the lack of time to evaluate the operations of the company is a major enemy of the decision-making. The large amount of information that currently exists is also a concern for companies, which increasingly find it difficult to deal with this information and manage it so that better decisions are made. BAM tools are used to increase the effectiveness of the business and to obtain all the data to make the right decisions. Let’s talk about the importance of BAM tools for decision making!

The information is delivered in real time

Business life happens now, every moment, and it is essential that you know what is going on with your business. Decisions based on a few days’ reporting are always reactive and risk being overtaken by a competition that is quicker to act. Knowing everything that goes on in real time with your business is essential so you can make timely decisions and have a proactive stance in the market.

Quick and intuitive query

The information provided by BAM tools comes in a consolidated way so that your query is easier and faster. You can choose to get the information through bar charts, multi-series charts, meters, among many other options. The information can be displayed using the most appropriate presentation, improving the analysis that the user can make of each indicator. In addition, each indicator is fully customizable according to business needs. When using the desktop, in the case of Multipeers, you can also use the ticker tool, which allows you to divulge external or internal news, messages and alerts, thus allowing all employees to be aware of what is important in the organization, which means that everyone is able to contribute to effective decision-making.

Immediate perception of problems

The real-time information provided by BAM tools informs us at the moment about the state of things, which allows us to know in good time what is going wrong, so that we can solve the situations. With this new management model, it is not necessary to resort to old reports to find out why something went wrong, because we are alerted immediately.

No need for clicks

BAM tools update permanently and automatically, so there is no need for user intervention. Instead of being the user looking for the information, it is the information that, in an autonomous way, finds the user. Business monitoring is a simple and intuitive process.

7 Lessons from Steve Jobs to better manage your business

The name of Steve Jobs doesn’t leave anyone indifferent. In addition to the incredible technologies he has developed throughout his life, Steve Jobs has also left a story that still inspires a lot of entrepreneurs and managers. Its unique way of meeting the challenges and managing people is an inspiration to many professionals. In today’s article, we highlight the top 7 lessons of Steve Jobs to better manage your business!

Accept that you cannot do everything by yourself

Many managers think that they can do everything on their own and this is a big mistake, as it can even compromise the whole company. Listening to the opinion of work teams is essential to getting to know other points of view and other ways of solving the same problem. Steve Jobs didn’t create the iPhone alone and gave immense value to the opinion of those around him.

Keep the focus even in the middle of the chaos

All managers need focus to guide their work. When Steve Jobs arrived at Apple, he found a chaotic scenario where several versions of the Macintosh were being produced simultaneously. It was necessary to guide the work team, focusing on two products: a laptop and a Desktop version. The end result was two products that were well-suited to meet the real needs of customers.

Do what you really like

Nowadays, it is not easy to work only on what we like, but having a passion for our work will make all the difference in the final results. Jobs was very fond of the area where he worked and so he was more committed than most people. Only with real passion for our work can we be happy every day!

Simplify processes

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”: this was Apple’s marketing motto. Steve Jobs wished that all actions of the iPhone were accomplished in 3 clicks only. It is essential that companies offer practical and simple solutions to their customers, because today’s consumers are very demanding and like ready-to-use and easy-to-handle solutions.

Learn from mistakes

Even the best pros fail and Steve Jobs was no exception. Many managers are frustrated when they make mistakes and fail to take advantage of the lessons that all mistakes have to offer us. After a fall, you must have enough strength to stand up and this is achieved through an objective and realistic analysis of what went wrong.

Don’t settle

Many companies settle when they reach the desired level of success. It is a mistake to think that they can accommodate themselves and that they no longer need to strive harder to please customers. Innovation and the search for improvements must be a constant in the action of companies, because only in this way will they be able to have dynamic and profitable businesses.

Seek perfection in everything you do

It is not enough to deliver what is acceptable: we must go further and try to always do the best we can. Perfection is a subjective concept, but if each employee and manager of a company does its best in every task, the end result will be exceptional and it will be very difficult for the competition to do better!

KPI’s sales that every business needs

Defining KPIs is essential to the good performance of a company. KPIs are key performance indicators that tell us what state the business is in and how far (or near) we are from meeting the stated goals. Based on the indicators and the company’s performance, managers can make more informed decisions. The sales area is one of the most important in any business, because it is through sales that companies manage to generate wealth to keep the business running. Each business has its own specifics, but there are KPIs across all areas. In today’s article, we’ll cover the sales KPIs that every business needs!

Speed of sale

Measuring the speed at which a sale is made is an important strategy to evaluate the company’s performance in attracting customers and responding to their expectations. The lower the sales cycle, the greater the effectiveness. Thus, it’s essential to invest in actions that stimulate the customer’s interest and in strategies that accelerate the purchase.

Average value of sale

This indicator is the result of the division of revenue generated by a seller by the number of sales made by the professional in a given period. This indicator is important because it allows to establish a profile for the members of a team and allows people to adapt according to their characteristics.

Churn Rate

The Churn rate indicates the percentage of abandonment of a product or service, meaning the number of customers who have given up on continuing with your business. The higher the churn rate, the lower the company’s chances of growth, as new customers will only serve to replace leaving customers and don’t generate new wealth.

Number of won deals

It’s important to know the number of closed deals in a given period to create realistic goals. A good example of the applicability of this indicator is to compare 2 sellers and check the number of closed deals and the average ticket. There are salespeople who prefer to work better on the lead, spending more time with it, and this lead can have a greater return from that customer.

Customer Recommendation Index

Indicator that shows us the percentage of current customers who arrived at the company due to the recommendation of another customer. To measure it, just ask the new customer how he met the company at the time of the sale. The best advertising for a business will always be word of mouth, so if this rate is too low you need to invest in this area to increase current customer satisfaction.

Follow up rate

Few sales are made on first contact with the prospect. You need to keep in touch with him a few times. This indicator aims to answer the question: how many contacts are needed to make a sale? In this indicator it’s also important to know how many customers close deals in the first three contacts. The answers to these questions will help define a new follow-up strategy.

Defining business indicators in a conscious way is fundamental to being able to analyze the business objectively. It is essential that the indicators analyzed show managers the way forward in order to correct errors and apply new strategies. Multipeers offers you a set of 50 KPIs essential for 360º management of your business. Download our e-book!

Good Practices for Controlling a Company’s Inventory

Controlling a company’s inventory is a vital activity. It represents the source of supply to meet business demand, which ultimately means that it is one of the most important activities for the organization to deliver on what has been promised to its customers.

Therefore, it is of great importance to define clear strategies and maintain the attention of the responsible team in performing an efficient management of the stock, aligned with the organizational objectives. This becomes all the more essential because it is a process with several challenges to be overcome and of great impact on profitability.

Let’s look at some practices that can help you with your inventory management and open doors for better results.

Control the Stock

Inventory turnover is among the key indicators for controlling enterprise stock. Basically, it measures the number of times the stock has been renewed in a given time interval. That way, you can gauge if you have maintained an optimal volume of items.

If stock turnover is high, it means you have an efficient operation, where products are not “stuck” on the shelves. In this way, the capital of the business remains free for investments in other aspects that produce return to the organization, rather than fixed assets.

Work with Security Stock

One of the great objectives of inventory control is to prevent missing units for customer service. Therefore, one of the main tools to meet such a requirement is the security stock.  This is a quantity of items calculated as surplus to the zeroed stock. Thus, when it arrives at the resupply point, which is the minimum acceptable stock for new units to be ordered, the request is made and, in addition to the volume of items required until the new consignment is received, there should be a quantity for covering unforeseen, such as delays.

Invest in Technology

Technology is a central factor for any business today. It has become an indispensable item for the development of a series of activities, which includes inventory management.

Some examples of contributions that it brings in this case are specific programs to develop the steps involved and various possibilities of process automation. Therefore, this is one of the main ways for the consistent control of its inventory operation.

Attention to Valuable Items

Another good practice involved in inventory management is validity control. It is necessary to find ways, if possible automated, to ensure that you only work with items within the ideal condition of use, which excludes overdue items.

Many techniques help in this process and one of the best known is the FIFO, acronym for First In, First Out, which in free translation means “First to enter, first to leave.” Basically, it advocates that the items should be used depending on their arrival in the stock, releasing first those who arrived first and reducing the possibility of maturities.

Analyze the Usage Profile of each Item and Assemble a Rational Stock

Our sixth tip refers to logistic factors, as is the case of displacement. The more an item is sued, the more it will be taken off the shelf. This indicates that it is better that the most used items have a lower access distance than the lesser used items.

This is just one of the principles that must govern the assembly of the business inventory layout. No matter how simple items look, many organizations overlook their potential gains and lose large amounts every year, thanks to the small losses that accumulate and become gigantic losses over time.

So the trick is: work for a rational stock.

Integrate Processes Associated with Inventory Control

The last good stock control practice we want to highlight is process integration. The activities of each department of a company are interrelated and must be conducted in an integrated manner to generate synergy.

Therefore, the ideal is for you to evaluate, for example, the impact of sales on your stock which, in turn, will affect your financial control.

A great way to have this comprehensive view and maintain accurate control of the entire chain is to use an ERP. It is a software specially directed to offer a virtual interface of your organization and to enable a broad management of your processes.

By: GestãoClick

7 management tips for all businesses

Some management tips are universal regardless of company size. It is important that managers are always aware of market trends and the needs of their customers, so that they can constantly adapt to the reality where they are inserted. In today’s article, we leave you 7 valuable tips to better manage your company!

Get to know the market and your customers

It sounds like a very basic tip and that everyone knows, but the truth is that it is here where many companies fail. It is crucial that companies are well aware of the market they are in, so they will not be surprised by unexpected fluctuations. Likewise, it is imperative that companies know well what the public is communicating and that they know the specifics of their target audience. Only in this way can you create a message that meets the needs of the target.

Always know everything about your business

To understand one hundred percent what you do and to know at every moment the state of the business is essential for it to have good results. A good option to stay abreast of what is happening with your business is to use a real-time monitoring tool such as Multipeers, as you will be able to find all the information about all areas of the company in a single dashboard.

Keep your focus on the Customer

The Customer is the most important of your business and it is up to him to work. Nowadays, consumers are much more demanding than in the past and are more informed, which means that they must make a greater effort to meet all their needs. Maintain communication channels across platforms and be concerned to address all your needs. Only in this way can you gain loyalty.

Set Goals

If you do not know where you are going, any way is good. It is very important to establish goals and work as a team in order to reach them. The objectives must be measurable and realistic, otherwise they will only contribute to demotivating employees.

Invest in internal communication

Internal communication is often neglected, but it is one of the most important areas in a company because it deals with the main public of an organization: its human resources. It is important that there is fluidity in the transmission of messages, as well as transparency in the work environment. It is essential to implement business management channels and / or applications that facilitate communication between the various departments.

Use the PDCA cycle

PDCA means plan, do, check and act. It is a management technique linked to the improvement of a company’s processes. Its purpose is to solve problems, pointing out the causes for potential deviations and productive failures. This process makes the organization of the company more efficient in the long run and it is essential that it be applied from the moment of creation of a business, so that the improvement can be continuous.

Use an ERP

ERP management systems are used to improve the management of business resources and relate the data and processes in one place. Through the use of tools of this type, it is possible to integrate all sectors of the company so that the decision making is easier and more objective. The use of an ERP also allows the reduction of non-strategic costs and the creation of a greater competitive advantage.

 

5 Netflix series that all managers should see

Netflix has conquered fans worldwide and is undoubtedly a great platform for moments of relaxation. However, even in leisure time it is possible to learn and there are series that teach us true lessons about management and leadership. In today’s article, we present 5 Netflix series mandatory for managers!

The Office

This comedy series is a kind of documentary about a company that sells paper. Company manager Michael Scout thinks that everyone loves him, but his colleagues have a different idea. In fact, Michael Scout doesn’t have any kind of talent to relate to people, much less to coordinate a team. He ends up wondering why his classmates never have fun in their workplace, considering that it is a “dream job”. The series focuses on the concepts of leadership, showing us what not to do when we are in a leadership position. You can see this series in the Netflix catalog and have fun while learning important lessons about leadership and team management!

House of Cards

Surely you’ve heard of this famous Netflix series. The series shows us Frank Underwood, an unscrupulous deputy of the United States Democratic Party. Throughout the episodes we have revealed his ways to achieve, at any cost, an increasingly strategic position in the world of politics. We have learned in this series that we must treat our subordinates with respect and that to win we must always be one step ahead, anticipating the enemy’s moves and knowing our opponents well.

Breaking Bad

Walter White is a chemistry professor who discovers an incurable disease. Knowing that the end is near, he decides to do everything he can to leave his family in a good financial position. Walter thus becomes Heisenberg, a powerful drug dealer. What to get out of this Netflix series for your business? The most important lesson is that the secret to success is to truly enjoy what you do. We also learned that image is very important in business, and Walter also teaches us valuable lessons about negotiating!

Mad Men

This series takes place in the 60’s in New York, and shows us the daily life of Don Drapper, a creative director. We are revealed the world of advertising at that time, as well as the changes it has undergone throughout the season. The series also focuses on the personal lives of the characters, where we see a struggle for power and several moments of frustration. Mad Men shows us a fair and intelligent leader and a timid and quiet secretary who manages to reach a position of power. It is a very interesting series because it shows us that the capacity for innovation is fundamental in more troubled times and that business opportunities should be taken advantage of. Mad Men is especially suitable for marketing managers.

Dr. House

Gregory House is everything a leader should not be. He is a respected physician who is willing to do anything to diagnose the rarer and more complicated diseases that his patients present. Without respecting professional ethics, Dr. House is able to invade his patients’ home without authorization. He is an antisocial person and treats all his subordinates badly, eventually being hated by his team. So why is Dr. House on this list? Despite his complicated temperament Dr. House doesn’t follow the obvious path: he questions everything and looks for the best solution in all cases. It also shows us that a leader must constantly challenge the abilities of each member of the team, because only in this way can you keep them motivated and committed to doing better and better. Finally, Dr. House shows us that it is not necessary to waste time with formalisms, focusing only on what really matters!

 

Have you ever seen any of these series? Do you have other suggestions for important series for managers? Share your opinion with us!

Top 5: Technology Myths You Need to Eliminate Right Now

Over time, many misconceptions are fixed in our thinking. The world of technology is one of the richest in myths. It’s time to eliminate preconceived ideas that are false and that disrupt your relationship with technology! In today’s article, we cover the top 5 technology myths you need to eliminate right now!

“MacBooks are immune to virus attacks”

For a long time, Apple pretended that its computers, unlike the machines of Microsoft, were immune to viruses. However, in 2012, a malware like Trojan affected thousands of Mac computers, throwing away the (very useful) myth of Apple. There are still many people who believe that Mac is completely immune to virus attacks, but that’s a myth!

“Charging the electronic devices many times destroy the battery”

This myth was real until a few years ago. However, modern lithium-ion batteries are smarter, knowing when they are 100 percent charged and no longer charging when they reach the maximum battery. It is advised that charging 20% ​​of computers, tablets and mobile phones is ideal for the longevity of the device.

“You should not invest in management systems in times of crisis”

This is one of the most dangerous myths for business survival. Moments of crisis force companies to have greater control over their finances. As a rule, in these periods there is a decrease in the number of employees, which will cause people to be overloaded and the management systems can be very useful in these phases. The adoption of a management system in times of economic recession is essential to ensure greater control over spending and budgets and allows streamlining processes, increasing the productivity of the company. Investing in a management system can be the first (and the most important) step to get out of a less good situation.

“The more tools you use, the more productive you will be”

Sometimes, less is more and in the case of companies and management tools this applies. Many managers believe that using multiple tools simultaneously will be more productive, but what happens is just the opposite, because the focus is dispersed across multiple programs and data sources. At the data analysis level, it is advisable to use a BAM tool such as Multipeers, because the manager will be able to know what is going on in his organization through a single dashboard that collects information from the various data sources of the company. This way, the manager doesn’t need to consult 3 or 4 programs, which avoids wasting time and increases productivity.

“Just keep the system up to date is enough to be protected”

Unfortunately, protecting your system from computer attacks is not that easy. Updating the system already puts the company at risk, so it is critical not to have the automatic updates. It is essential to analyze all the risks of the update, to see if after being updated the system becomes more vulnerable. While keeping your programs and systems up-to-date is important, but it is not enough to prevent attacks. It is important that you train your employees to behave correctly when it comes to data security, as this is a responsibility of all members of an organization.

Find the main aspects of Lean IT

The software industry is constantly evolving. Being a very competitive market, it is essential that the solutions provided by companies solve problems quickly and be flexible. It is critical that this area innovates and creates a new software development culture. Lean IT adapts the original concepts of the Lean philosophy and Toyota’s IT system. The goal is to adapt to the business in order to create value for customers by changing the way companies work and improving their business culture. In today’s article, we will cover the main aspects of Lean IT.

Origin of the term

Lean IT is an extension of the industrial Lean, which had its origins in 1950 in the Toyota factory. At this point, the world was going through an economic crisis and it was essential to reduce costs and optimize performance levels. Through the Lean method, companies minimize waste and produce with high quality, which increases customer value and makes processes more efficient. This work method uses optimization processes such as Just in time and continuous improvement.

More efficient processes

Dealing with information technology environments means having to constantly update them to anticipate and avoid problems and instabilities and promote continuous improvement (according to Kaizen methodology). Managing an IT environment is a complex process and this methodology seeks to create more functional systems that are able to integrate all processes, making them more secure and reliable.

Standardization of processes

This is one of the main features of this method. Standardization is the easiest and safest way to perform a task without fail. Lean IT suggests the following processes to streamline tasks: 5S standards application checklist, clear operation instructions, process parameter definition, setup parameter pattern, and problem escalation pattern.

Faster production

One of the main focuses of this methodology is the increase of the speed of the processes, which in turn increases the productivity and the profit. Well delineated and flawless processes make the company more productive and this will make the financial results are higher.

Greater Involvement

The Lean IT methodology involves the entire organization in the production process, not applying to only one sector of the company, but to all hierarchies. This method involves all employees so that success is achieved in the end easier.

5 reasons for your company to invest in integrated management systems

Integrated management systems are being increasingly used in organizations, as they allow a global management of the company through the integration of different departments and sources of information. These systems consist of a set of interconnected parts to produce results, transforming a strategy into operations. These systems seek the continuous improvement of all the organization’s processes, in order to maximize performance. In this article, we present you 5 reasons for your company to invest in integrated management systems!

Integration of all information

Are you aware of how many systems, Excel files and software you currently use to control your business? Most companies don’t use an integrated management system and they have independent ways of dealing with information. This way of working impairs management and decision-making, as there is no overall knowledge of the state of the company and if the manager wants to know everything in detail, he will have to consult a large number of sources of information, which consumes a lot of time. The use of this type of systems will integrate all areas of the company and reduce administrative errors. It will also provide managers and decision makers with a 360-degree view.

Reducing costs and increasing profit

This is the advantage that most pleases all managers! Operating efficiency increases after the implementation of an integrated management system, so the company will have more opportunities to focus on customer relationships and to develop innovations to stand out from the competition. The productivity of employees increases and the quality of services provided as well, so the profit will be greater in the short term. There is also a lower probability of error, so the long-term costs will be lower.

Better management of human resources

Possibly, many of your company‘s employees perform daily tasks that can be automated. Many employees perform day-to-day administrative tasks that don’t add value to the company. In doing this, it is common for employees to feel unmotivated. Integrated management systems allow people to perform more strategic and relevant tasks, which enhances their work and improves their performance!

Greater financial follow-up

You can no longer manually track your company’s finances, and you will certainly have plenty of Excel files and digital documents that make this task easier. However, in an integrated system, you can keep track of your costs and earnings, and you don’t have to manually enter financial data because the system has access to all of your company’s data sources, eliminating the need for human intervention.

Improvement of all processes

A company that uses an integrated management system can standardize processes, eliminate manual processes and shorten the execution time of tasks. In the end, the advantage will be global and the company will achieve better results!

Download our e-book and learn how a BAM system can help you better manage your business!