Topic:

business

Digital Business Driving Trends to Watch in 2022

3 min read

2020 proved to businesses that they can adapt to drastic changes, even at a rapid pace, with the help of digital tools and technology. This pace carried on two years later. While some trends and predictions from 2020 were proven correct, others didn’t come to fruition due to urgent and strategic needs that needed to be met as the pandemic persisted. 

At present, global spending on digital transformation and initiatives is still rising. Statista predicts a jump to an annual 20% jump, making it $1.8 trillion next year. 

Now that 2022 is on full-combust mode, it’s going to be hard not to be able to keep up. So what will the headlines entail this year? What is the most engaging digital business driving trends to watch in 2022? Only time will be able to tell. 

But, for now, here are some of the most interesting digital trends in 2022 that might or might not surprise you. 

Data Fabric Weaves its Way to our Doors

Data fabric architecture is the future of data management and integration. This design concept uses both human and machine capabilities to access data in place or aid in data consolidation in which is most appropriate. 

Data fabric constantly determines and connects data from different applications to find unique, business-relevant relationships in-between available data points. The data points, in return, produce insight that supports “re-engineered decision-making.” Thus providing more value for businesses through immediate data access and comprehension than the traditional data management practices.

This concept provides scalable, flexible, and more tight integration of data sources across platforms and business users. If implemented vigorously, data will now be available everywhere it’s needed, regardless of the location of the data.

Data fabric uses analytics to learn and actively recommend where data should be used and changed, thus reducing up to 70% of data management efforts.

Agile and Flexible Solutions, No longer a Fad

This trend is not new, but agile and flexible solutions will be more prevalent and necessary this year. Agile methodologies have an excellent reputation and are popular among software developers, and IT teams alike. These methodologies began to make strides when COVID forced businesses and companies to acknowledge the importance of responding quickly to extreme changing conditions.

This trend will be more prevalent amongst retail and eCommerce businesses. With a vulnerable industry, investing in flexible, scalable, and agile IT solutions can help them adapt to changing market conditions. 

Customer and Employee Experience Centric Digital Transformation Projects

The pandemic has changed the way we interact with businesses and people. And, honestly, there’s no point in returning things the way there were in 2019. COVID-19 highlighted our need to focus both on customer experience and employee experience. 

Everything has turned virtual, from ordering food, grocery shopping and doctor visits. Customers and their experiences now shifted to digital channels. Companies that deliver better customer experience brought up to 5.7 times more revenue than competing brands with bad customer experiences. 

However, emerging trends now focus on investing in customer experience initiatives. The pandemic has also changed how businesses engage with their workforce. With the work-from-home setup, some companies find it hard to find ways to make employees feel engaged with their work. 

Research has shown that one-third of employees who work from home report feeling engaged in their job. This could pose a problem for businesses as low engagement can significantly impact output and performance. With this trend, companies are expected to increase and intensify investing in adopting modern CRM systems with customer experience, employee onboarding, and data management capabilities.

The Era of Privacy Rules

Tech companies will be in a blaring spotlight. Big tech companies will be regulated, and their privacy rules revisited most significantly. We are all aware that data creates the best experiences. But, somehow, there has been neglect on how data is collected and how often it is gathered. There’s no actual law or policy on how information is monitored from last year – until now. 

With the massive amount of data we voluntarily give to apps, e-commerce, and other social media sites, we have “unconsciously” created a world where tech companies can make the best user experiences. The best-of-breed user experiences will be balanced with more solid and thoughtful data management practices this year. 

This year, organizations that rely on data collection through apps and other third-party apps or organizations will need to expand their data collection policies. This will eventually lead businesses to find a new way to source data and decide on strategies to collect and manage data openly and honestly without hurting or compromising customer experience. It sounds like a bit of a pickle, which won’t be a manageable undertaking. Still, spending and investing time in building an excellent data privacy policy will be critical to your business’ success. 

Hybrid + Multi: Are you Paying Attention?

Cloud is old-school. But a new type of cloud is taking center stage as we speak (we mean, write). Welcome to the era of the hybrid+multi cloud!

2022 will be an exciting year as vendors compete for the perfect public and private clouds mix. As enterprise IT structures become more omnipresent, hybrid leadership will remain a focal point for legacy IT and cloud providers alike. The rise of open-source and popular modalities for hybrid IT architecture will be more prevalent this year.

Experts believe that businesses will be adapting this setup as any workload to any destination remains a requirement for sustaining the complex needs of a business. This trend will be advantageous for companies that use more than one public cloud to solve their technology and business integration challenges. Companies that invest in this space can simplify the process of orchestrating workloads and make their data more accessible and secure, eventually future-proofing their business core.

Wrapping Up

2022 is just getting started. There has been so much focus on data, privacy, AI, and applications, that it has become hard to keep up with what is happening around us. However, future-proofing and streamlining your business is always a priority. Regardless of these upcoming trends, 2022 will be a great and exciting year for tech and business advancement. Let’s just buckle up and see how things play out. 

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How to Help your Business Stand out with the Help of SaaS

3 min read

The world has reached a point where everything is expedited, customer demands and expectations are at an all-time high, and employees’ mental health is a priority. Businesses scramble all over the place to find solutions to their everyday problems and the problems mentioned earlier. The pressure has become overwhelming, that business leaders are finding it hard to keep up. 

With the challenges of the 21st century, businesses cling to software solutions to meet the demands and expectations of the times. With that came the demand for Software as a Service (SaaS) products. Many companies are moving away from off-the-shelf software or pen and paper to SaaS solutions. But, even though digital integration is a typical coffee table discussion, there are still businesses that are not familiar with the term SaaS.

So, what is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

To technically put it, Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which applications developed by cloud provider hosts make them available to end-users over the Internet. SaaS models are independent software vendors (ISV) that may contract a third-party cloud provider to host the application in this model. 

How does Software as a Service (SaaS) Work?

SaaS works through the cloud delivery model. This model works when a software provider hosts a particular application and its related data through its own servers, databases, networking, and computing resources. Or it may be an independent software vendor (ISV) that sub-contracts with a cloud provider to host the application in the provider’s data center. 

The application will then be accessible to any device with a network connection. That is why you can see SaaS applications are typically accessed via web browsers. This is beneficial for businesses that use SaaS because they are no longer tasked to set up and maintain the software. Users pay a subscription fee to gain access to the software, which is a ready-made solution.

How SaaS helps Businesses Stand Out 

Customers look for two common qualities for an outstanding and reliable business: efficiency and always on the pulse. Mere processes do not achieve efficiency and being constantly on the pulse, but they are performed with tools and software like SaaS applications. So here’s how SaaS helps businesses stand out. 

Accessibility

All thanks to SaaS’s capacity for remote accessibility, users no longer have to purchase an application off the shelf or download it on their electronic device before installing it. With SaaS applications, users can have full access to a SaaS software’s features anytime and anywhere they want to. Every individual member of the team or business can easily collaborate through the software, can fully access necessary data, and be constantly in the loop. All they need is to access the Internet, and they can get to work without the hassle.

Up-to-Date Software

Most SaaS models and providers are responsible for maintaining and servicing their software, lest they want to drive away customers. Users no longer have to worry about updating or reminding themselves to update the software to the latest version. No one has to worry about missing an update because everyone gets their updates simultaneously with SaaS models.

Affordability

SaaS subscriptions run on a pay-as-you-go payment scheme. However, users must always be on the lookout for hidden costs when starting a SaaS subscription. They could be guise as maintenance fees, installation fees, update fees, and a whole lot of fees.

Users are likely to save money with SaaS software because they never have to pay for installation fees, fix bugs, or even customer support. Users also have more options for the type of features and packages they would sign up for, according to their business’s requirements. Upgrades are simple and can be done at any time, so users can always use them later.

Employee-Focused

SaaS operates on cloud computing models, and these models offer better options at communications, training, and project management throughout a regular business. Senior management can now transparently manage projects while communicating effectively with both local and remote employees. In turn, this allows companies and employees to look further off the path when finding new talent. 

Ease-of-Use

One of the most significant benefits of SaaS is its ease of use from interface to the function of its features.

A SaaS software is designed and built to be widely adopted. Therefore, it is made to have a short learning curve, well-organized, and a well-designed interface. Precisely, the interface, features, and all other components of the software are mapped out for a novice to learn quickly, either by intuition or following clear guides and tutorials. This model makes it easier for SaaS providers to keep subscribers and easily impress them than those who sell traditional software packages. 

Marketing

SaaS has dramatically increased the use of automated marketing software. Startups and small-to-medium-sized businesses can now utilize SaaS products to help optimize their marketing efforts. SaaS products not only allow businesses to automate their marketing campaigns, but they can also plan, execute and track their progress from an accessible interface, and also store and secure data in one place. 

Finding the Right SaaS Software for you? 

As much as SaaS programs are great for businesses, it is also noteworthy to remember that not all SaaS programs are created equal, and not all SaaS software fits your business. So, the actual challenge is not integrating or the process of shifting to a digital solution; instead, it is finding the right software that fits your business’s requirements, model, and budget. 

With that, you may want to check Saphyte. 

Saphyte is a UAE homegrown business operating out of Dubai. The company is currently helping hundreds of companies drive digital transformation through local support, zero implementation fees, competitive subscription models, and an advanced SaaS CRM ecosystem technology.

Interesting enough to check out? Book a demo with us today, and our digital ecosystem experts will be right on with you. 

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How Businesses Should Prepare for the After-Effects of the Pandemic

2 min read

The global economy is bound to recover after the pandemic. What should businesses do to take advantage of the growth in a post-pandemic world?

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected big companies and SMEs alike. It has created unprecedented levels of uncertainty, and businesses are left to grapple with understanding the new ways of interacting with consumers.

A shift in strategy is needed— businesses ought to find ways how to keep not only customers engaged but also their employees. 

With the complexities the crisis has created, what should businesses consider as part of their growth strategies to keep them not only afloat, but moving forward?

What you should know:

To brace for the market changes post-pandemic, understanding your customers’ needs is key to making an effective business strategy.

Smooth online experiences can make or break a business, during and, especially, after the pandemic.

Speed also gives companies an edge over competitors. And this can only be achieved through investments in technology.

It’s not enough for companies to sympathize with customers during crucial periods of their lives. Companies must demonstrate a higher level of customer understanding through business practices that provide impact to individuals and communities.

How Can Businesses Prepare for a Post-Pandemic Market?

Below are four important ways businesses can brace and adjust for a post-pandemic market:

Understanding the customer’s evolving needs and wants

Creating smoother online experiences for consumers

Investing in speed through technology

Creating value through business empathy

Understanding customers’ evolving needs

This concept is fairly simple. Customers’ needs are bound to change and evolve throughout time. What they need now may not be what they will need in the future, and vice versa.

Understanding customers’ needs is key to making your business strategy work. Without properly determining what customers are going to buy from you (or your competitors), it’s going to be difficult for you to navigate the market. 

To identify customers’ needs, a customer feedback loop is needed (i.e. allowing your customers to give you feedback at every important point of engagement).

You can also do the following techniques to identify customer needs and preferences:

Gather data about your customers (through interviews or surveys)

Mapping the customer journey (where they buy, how they check out the products, etc)

Understand the customer buying process (how the needs arise, what they think about when the needs arise, etc.)

Analyze your competition (what does your competition do to serve the same customer? What makes your competition unique?)

Creating smoother online experiences

Digital customer service interactions are expected to increase by 40% in 2021 (Forrester). That means, with the fear of virus transmissions, customers are going to rely on the internet to get their products and services, compared to going in-store.

The online experience will then dictate whether or not the customer will buy from a business again. Bad websites, slow apps, or online services with issues would discourage customers from using these marketing channels again (and might even result in customer churn).

Creating smooth online experiences is then critical to keeping customers engaged.

Investing in speed through technology

According to a McKinsey survey, investing in speed pays off. Companies that make faster strategic decisions and deploy resources faster were found to outperform others when it comes to profitability, resilience, and growth.

Making fast data-driven decisions is essential to get an edge over the competition. Improving internal and external communication, as well as providing platforms for smoother collaboration will need technologies such as CRMs to get companies quickly running. Automation will also distinguish companies from competitors.

Creating value through business empathy

Being able to assume the position of your customers isn’t just being sympathetic with them. It’s all about providing value to customers by demonstrating that you know what they need at that particular point and you’re willing to go the extra mile to cater to that need.

Empathy in organizations not only creates satisfied customers but also makes happier employees. Connecting with communities, addressing customer questions or complaints quickly, hiring people from a variety of backgrounds, or allowing employees to work from home (WFH) permanently are some of the practices in business that demonstrate empathy.

Invest in technology

Get a better understanding of your customers. Provide quicker feedback. And allow for smoother employee collaboration. All in one technology. Get started here.

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5 Small Ways to Empower Your Team to Boost Their Productivity

2 min read

Experts agree that these are five simple, genuine things you can do to empower your team and boost their productivity.

Companies around the world look for ways to ensure their employees are working optimally and deliver results. Loss hours and productivity are a universal problem, especially in the business world.

In fact, according to a survey, around 75% of employers estimate that more than two hours of work are lost every day due to inefficiency. But with the way the work environment is rapidly changing these days, what can leaders do to empower their teams and help them grow and thrive?

5 Simple Ways To Empower Your Team

1. Listen

The first thing that business leaders need to do is to listen intently to what their employees are saying— especially during the pandemic. Many employees experience more inconvenience than ever. Some are affected mentally and emotionally. The last thing leaders should do is to push employees harder during the most stressful times.

Getting feedback from your employees would also work in your favor. It helps you determine the things that need to change to facilitate a better system. It also helps you establish trust among employees, which helps push them to perform to the best of their ability.

2. Define roles and provide spaces

Giving employees the space they need have been proven to empower them. Allow the employee to make his or her own decisions within set boundaries. Set attainable goals.  And communicate the priorities and expectations set on their roles.

Avoiding micromanagement allows leaders to focus on more important management issues. It also lets employees to work on their roles, without the need to consult leaders on many small and irrelevant issues.

3. Facilitate team-building exercises

One of the most challenging parts of working during the pandemic is that teams are unable to see each other physically— and bond emotionally.

Team-building exercises help bridge the gap created by the pandemic between teams. It helps them get along with each other, know each other more, and identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Fun non-work-related activities make the workplace a happier one. And it doesn’t take a genius to know that happy workplaces boost productivity among employees.

4. Provide growth plans

Set goals not only for the company’s benefit but also for the employees. Make your team feel that working for you won’t make them stagnant, that there’s room for growth.

Remind employees that what they’re doing now will redound to their benefit in the future. Praise effort and encourage people to learn and grow. Reward loyalty.

5. Provide tools that eliminate manual effort

Working doesn’t have to be boring and monotonous. It can feel fulfilling and meaningful. To make this happen, using tools that automate tasks is the simplest thing to do.

Some tools can do things automatically for you like gather your customers’ information, send emails to target audiences, or even sort your leads for you so you’ll know who to prioritize first.

This is the biggest favor you can do to your employees and it’s also one of the simplest ways to boost their productivity.

Empower Your Team Now

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The first 3 rules of Digitization in Business

3 min read

Digitization is perhaps one of the hottest buzzwords today. And with the COVID-19 mutations happening all over the world, the demand for digital-first platforms has accelerated. However, with the apparent need and prioritization of digital tools and resources for businesses, many companies are still lagging. 

Digitization wasn’t a key priority for most businesses in the past. Still, with the pressing necessity caused by the pandemic, it should be at the top of every business leader’s mind. Digitization, when implemented successfully, can minimize business risks and help better compete with others in your industry. Taking the necessary steps to transcend your business into digitization can help you weather crises – such as a pandemic. 

So how can one company digitally transform its business successfully? Well, there are no hard-fast rules into it. But, having a booster upper can help you start in the right direction. Here are the first three rules of digitization in business. 

Rule #1: Digitization requires establishing internal protocols.

As with any other part of your business, digitization requires sound and thorough planning. It’s one thing to go fully digital. It’s also another thing to fully understand how the transformation can affect your employees and customers. 

In any digitization effort, learning curves and constant commitment to resources are a requirement. And skipping on planning and preparation could overwhelm your initiative and effort to digitize your business processes. 

Alyce L. Scott, San Jose State University professor, explains that digital projects hinge on expensive technology and thorough and practical planning. Determine your goals first, the appropriate technology will follow, and only then can you meet a project’s objectives. Going the other way around can be disastrous for your business. 

Rule #2: Digitization requires tapping the power of the cloud.

With the progress of technology, most of us have used a form of cloud technology. Whether streaming your favorite movies and music online or using cloud-based services in saving files online – you’re tapping into the power of cloud technology. 

This technology can also do many wonders for your business. Ajay Serohi, supply chain and logistics expert and staff product manager at Tesla, stated that cloud technology could enable business leaders and their employees to obtain and update vital information from anywhere in the world – even in the comforts of your own home.

Cloud apps and systems can help your business manage most of your business, from payroll to quotes and invoices to the supply chain, to improve your business’s overall efficiency and operational power. Customer relationship management cloud-based systems can be beneficial for your business, too, since these systems offer a more centralized location of crucial information for your marketing and sales teams. Your team can update data in real-time from various sources, too. Cloud-based platforms give you accurate information for better-informed decision-making and better manage performance.

The main benefit of cloud-based technologies is that they’re scalable and customizable to your business needs. This benefit negates the need to migrate from one technology to another after expanding your borders as a business. 

Rule #3: Digitization requires identifying and leveraging digital partnerships.

When you utilize cloud-based systems, this could also mean that you’re using third-party systems to help facilitate your digitization efforts.

What are third-party apps? 

Third-party apps are software applications made by developers other than the manufacturer of a cloud-based system or its operating system. These apps can vary from payment gateways (Paypal or Skrill) to chatbots to any applications available in the market. You can integrate these apps into a system of your choosing (like a CRM) and use them fully without having to pay more for subscription fees. 

As you go through your planning efforts, you should give specific attention to tasks or processes that benefit the most from automation. Of course, several automation tools and SaaS platforms in the market essentially perform the same functions. The main point is maximizing your budget. 

To make the most of your budget, you must meticulously assess the various tools that could automate desired tasks. Don’t just look at the initial pricing or its popularity. Remember, not all tools are made equal. Consider if a particular system manufacturer offers the ability to scale with your company’s growth. This capability will likely be a better option to handle your needs in the long run. Checking third-party reviews are always a must, too!

Key Takeaway

Digitization is a long process, and the pace of your journey will never be the same as others. To get to where you’re heading, you need rules and directions. 

In your search for a system to kick off your efforts, Saphyte can help you answer some of the frequently asked questions by companies attempting to start their digitization efforts. You can book a call with our digitization experts, help you through your starting point, and walk with you until you can run. 

Call us today or book a free demo. Kick off your digitization journey today and never lag behind your competitors. 

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How to Get Your Leads to Promote Your Brand for You

2 min read

Your leads can be your business’s biggest asset. What steps should you take to get your leads to promote your brand for you?

Any business needs to identify potential customers (also called leads) and walk them through a planned sales process to get them to make their first purchase (and make repeat purchases over time). But while the process isn’t that fast and easy, there’s actually a way to get your leads to promote your brand, spread the word, and help you get more leads— all without even making that lead buy first.

Let’s cut to the chase. The secret is in creating clear call-to-actions (CTAs) in all your content and making it easier for leads to share your content.

What are CTAs?

CTAs are images or lines of text that encourage your website visitors and email recipients (or in general, leads and customers) to take action. A “Share” button can be a CTA. Other examples are:

Buy Now

Download Now

Sign Up

Learn More

Subscribe

CTAs help compel target readers to act in a specific way in accordance with the sales and marketing goals of a business.

4 Tips to Get Your Leads to Share Your Content

Where should you put your CTAs? How do you encourage leads to promote your business? Below are four major tips you should take note of:

1. Put your CTAs in areas of the sales process where your leads feel good the most

You need to identify areas of your sales process where your leads feel enthusiastic about your business. 

For example:

when a lead receives a one-time marketing offer that gives them a huge discount

when a website visitor subscribes to your newsletter

when a website visitor receives the offer from your lead magnet (such as a free PDF report or a sales template in exchange for signing up).

Putting your CTAs in these areas makes it easier to encourage leads to click on these CTAs, eventually helping you achieve sales goals as a result.

2. Make clear “Share” CTAs when following up

Sometimes it takes time for leads to make a decision— especially a major one. So it’s important for sales teams to perform follow-ups.

But follow-ups shouldn’t be perfunctory. They should offer a better value than the previous engagement— better information or a better sales offer that would encourage leads to take the next step and perform the next desired action.

When this is done and your lead gets a better offer, they’re highly likely to share your content with friends, family, and colleagues. Not only did the follow-up make them feel better but it also makes them feel obligated to share it with people who might benefit from it the most.

3. Reward referrals

While leads, technically, haven’t made a purchase yet, they can still act as brand ambassadors if you reward them with marketing offers after making referrals.

For example, clicking on a “Share with Friends on Facebook” CTA button can get leads a 10% discount voucher which they can use when making a purchase. You can also add another 10% discount if they share it on a different social media platform. And another 10% discount if their friends make a purchase. 

You get the idea. Leads can promote your products and services even without making a purchase first.

4. Measure your results

While this may sound unrelated to leads promoting your brand, it’s still important to highlight how critical measuring results is in making this strategy work.

Generating analytics and analyzing results help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of this strategy. It also helps you tweak it for the better, so that the next time a lead sees a CTA button, they’re guaranteed to click on it, promote your brand, and improve your sales output.

Don’t forget to include a tracking URL so you can track how much traffic your CTA buttons generate. And remember to use sales tools that can help you track the performance of your email marketing campaigns.

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How to Find New Prospects Fast Online

3 min read

There are so many ways to find new prospects online. But time is ticking for some salespeople and there’s also the risk of competition.

Prospects are necessary for businesses. When the sales strategy is done right, they will eventually become the long-term paying customers of the business. Finding prospects may sound easy, but finding prospects that will convert becomes the main challenge of any business.

How do you find new prospects fast? Check out our tips below.

What you should know:

Prospecting is the process of identifying potential customers for your business. A successful prospecting strategy would result in a high conversion rate early on (i.e. prospects will make their first purchase in the early stages of the sales process).

Prospecting is important because it is one of the important steps to get guaranteed sales, which are needed for the business to continue running.

Sources of prospects online mainly involve social media platforms. Sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook comprise communities of individuals that may fit the customer profile you’re looking for.

With digital tools that enable sales prospecting, businesses won’t have a hard time identifying prospects and making their first contact and engagement.

What is prospecting?

Prospecting is the process of searching for potential customers, clients, or buyers for your business. The goal of prospecting is to ensure that from the get-go, the prospect identified will eventually convert into a customer (i.e. makes his first purchase and make a repeat purchase over and over again).

Why is prospecting important?

Prospecting is what makes a business continue to exist. Without customers, businesses won’t have sufficient revenue to sustain the costs and expenses associated with running a business. Skillful prospecting also lets you survive the competition. 

By securing sources of prospects that have not been identified yet by the competition, you guarantee a steady stream of sales without the threat of the competition dissuading those prospects to buy from you.

How to find new prospects fast

Below is a list of sources of new prospects online that are guaranteed to convert, no matter your business:

1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most significant social media platforms these days. With almost 740 million members and over 55 million registered companies, it’s a fresh source of professional prospects that may have needs and interests that your business can serve.

Send your first direct message (DM) to your prospect and with the right strategy, you’ll be able to secure your first prospects from there.

Pro tip: You can use tools such as Saphyte Sync so you can capture all your prospect’s data in a centralized database fast and easily.

2. Twitter

Twitter is one of those spaces where users can honestly speak their minds out. When a user tweets or retweets something, it offers additional insight into their needs and interests as an individual.

You can also use the # (hashtag) function to look for prospects that may be interested in your product or service. For example, if you’re selling wood crafts, you may look for people who typed in #woodcraft, or even narrow the search further by adding another hashtag of the city you’re in.

3. Facebook

While privacy is a main concern for Facebook users, some users remain confident with the information they put out on the site. Interests, hobbies, and the things they like offer an insight into the customer’s needs and preferences.

More importantly, by joining groups that specialize in a particular interest (e.g. Cooking Groups, Cycling Groups, Writer’s Groups), you can connect with a community of like-minded individuals that may be interested in the product or service you’re offering. This makes it easier for you to list down prospects and engage them with the unique selling points of your business.

4. Industry Blogs and Forums

Industry blogs and forums, just like Facebook groups, are blogs that gather discussions from people of the same interest. This makes it easier for salespeople to connect with individuals who are likely to be interested in the industry the blog or forum is involved with.

For example, race car blogs are more likely to pique the interests of race car enthusiasts and are likely to gather them in that channel. It’s also safe to say that members of that channel (or at least people involved in the discussions in that channel are likely car enthusiasts who may be interested in products or services targeting car enthusiasts).

5. Job Boards

Just like LinkedIn, job boards let you know the skills and possible interests of a person. It’s also highly likely that the information people put in there is sincere and honest. This lets you get a good grasp of what that person might be looking for to advance his or her career.

Using tools to make prospecting easy

To make sales prospecting a lot easier for salespeople, using tools such as a CRM software is recommended. CRMs let salespeople gather information about prospects and keep track of these prospects’ journeys. 

Automation features integrated into CRMs also let users personalize their interactions with each prospect in just a few clicks.

Check out how you can make prospecting easy by getting started here.

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4 Major Ways Business Automation Transform Marketing Teams

3 min read

In the past few years, business automation has transformed the way marketing teams work in major companies around the world. Find out how it does this in four major ways.

Automation is a major concept that’s gaining traction lately in the business world. To those unfamiliar with the term, it’s the system of using technology— such as a software— to automate boring, manual, and repetitive tasks. Using automation, marketers could nurture leads, manage customer information, and achieve sales goals in just a few clicks, without breaking a sweat.

It’s also proven to reduce costs for the company, as well as improve employee productivity. And through the integration with customer relationship management (CRM), teams from different departments can focus on their respective tasks, while keeping themselves coordinated with the others.

What you should know:

Automation transformed the way companies capture leads and nurture them

It also made email marketing much simpler for marketing teams

With automation, data and analytics generation can be done at a glance

Overall, automating sales and marketing tasks improve employee well-being and company productivity (according to 43% of marketers).

How does business automation transform marketing teams? Check out these four cases of transformation:

1. It helped eliminate the manual recording of data from leads

Before automation, marketing teams had to manually approach strangers to convince them to make a purchase. They do this through telemarketing, handing out flyers, or even through making a sales pitch in public. But while all of that may still work nowadays, the increasing accessibility of the internet has transformed the way consumers behave, making online purchases likelier and more relevant.

Marketing teams have to study how consumers interact with businesses over the internet and identify sales opportunities from this— such as when a website visitor reads a blog of the business or subscribes to the weekly newsletter. This is where automation enters.

Instead of contacting that website visitor manually, automation allowed businesses to set up their landing pages to prompt visitors to fill in their contact information (mostly in exchange for something) using a lead magnet (e.g. industry reports, data, templates, documents, etc).

The information is then migrated into the CRM platform, where the website visitor can be labeled as a lead. The CRM user then has a choice whether to include that lead in a campaign for lead nurturing.

Converting your landing pages into lead generation machines is simple and easy

2. It made email marketing much, much simpler

Nurturing leads through email is one of the most effective ways to increase your sales. It helps improve sales conversion, reduce customer churn, and help with customer retention by building loyalty among potential and existing customers.

Using a drip email marketing strategy, companies can plan how they would engage customers throughout the buyer’s journey. And using CRMs’ automation, marketing teams can just relax and let the software do its job— sending out curated content to leads as they go through the sales pipeline.

3. It allowed marketing teams to generate data and analytics fast

With automation, marketing teams no longer have to manually determine the performance of their campaigns and how they’re doing vis-a-vis their sales goals. Marketing automation software can do that for them. 

It can show them the key performance indicators (KPIs) of their campaigns— such as the open rate, the click-through rate, the bounce rate— and generate analytics for them in real-time instantly. This lets marketing teams, and the business in general, to make quick, strategic decisions to make the campaign more successful.

4. It boosted marketing teams’ well-being, as well as productivity

Doing boring tasks manually and repetitively throughout the year can get a little draining for marketing teams (well, any team, actually) and you can do away with this through automation.

In fact, globally, marketing and sales automation software was worth $6.81 billion in 2019, according to Fortune Business Insights. It’s also projected to grow $18.49 billion in 2027. What does this mean? It means companies are now seeing the importance of automation and how it can impact company productivity at the end of the day.

About 43% of marketers also reported that using automation improved their productivity, and others (41%) said it increased their ROI and improved the way they manage their campaigns (40%).

Now is the time to transform your marketing team

Don’t let your competition get the headstart. Transform your marketing team now with Saphyte’s Digital Ecosystem. Book a free demo here or get started here.

Saphyte, bringing endless possibilities for businesses through smarter tools and solutions.

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6 Ways Business Automation Helps Admin Teams

2 min read

Business automation may sound new to you, but it has been there for a long time. What used to be impossible before is now, well, possible and the technology is only getting better. But what is automation really and how does it impact business productivity and workflows?

Read on to find out more about business automation and how it can help admin teams specifically.

What you should know:

When business automation was invented: The Ford Motor Company first coined the term in the 1940s. It referred to the automatic handling of parts in the assembly line.

Popular companies that use business automation: Popular companies such as Apple, Google, and Amazon use business automation to help them achieve their business goals faster and get an edge over their competitors.

Stats on how business automation benefit companies: Automation helps increase sales productivity by 14.5% and reduce overhead costs in marketing by 12.2%. About 49% of companies now report that they are using marketing automation.

What employees say about business automation: Employees also report an improvement in productivity and wellness when using automation. They also claim that with automation, they are able to focus more on important tasks and collaborate better with their teammates.

What is business automation?

Business automation is the use of technology to fast-track workflows needed for the company to continue running. It is commonly used for sales and marketing tasks. It also helps in reducing manual effort and in eliminating the need to hire more employees to implement tasks.

Example of what business automation can do are:

Generating leads automatically – With business automation, you no longer have to manually collect data from leads. With this technology, it’s like getting a personal assistant that would automatically gather information from leads for you—any lead that visits your website, landing pages, mobile apps, social media, or your other online marketing channels.

Onboarding clients and gathering necessary documents from them – No more manually contacting clients to ask them to submit the required documentation. The software can do that for you, prompting the client to upload the information, photo, video, or files you may need from them.

Promoting products and services to increase your sales – With automation, you can promote content designed to trigger purchase behavior and run campaigns in just one click. More than that, the software is also designed to allow you to generate data and analyze insights in real-time so you could make quick strategic decisions along the way.

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What Industries and companies use business automation

Industries that use business automation include automotive, manufacturing, software, consultancy, education and training, insurance, and real estate, among others.

It is mostly used to generate leads and guide the leads—without manual human intervention– to take actions on their own that are aligned to the goals of the business such as making a purchase, providing necessary information for company use, or making referrals about the business to the leads’ family and friends.

Example of companies that use business automation:

Johnson & Johnson

Roche

Hulu

Adidas

MTV

TechCrunch

Apple

Amazon

Alphabet (Google)

How business automation affect the workplace

From the gathering of customer data using forms to the authentication of clients, business automation can cut down the duration of the onboarding process by 75 to 85%. Based on studies, onboarding processes that usually take an hour can be reduced to less than 15 minutes using automation.

This significantly improves sales operations and make them more efficient. The simplification of processes— with teams being able to do and focus on tasks that cannot be automated for the meantime— also helps cut down costs. Your salespersons do not have to repeat actions and interactions which are a waste of time and money.

Other tasks that can be automated include lead scoring, digital marketing, email marketing, customer relationship management, management of email campaigns, among others.

Watch how a consultancy company benefitted from business automation:

Take the next step to enhance your admin team’s performance

Get started here or allow us to show you a free demo of how it can be done— let business automation simplify your tasks and take your business to the next level.

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Saphyte’s Mobile CRM App for Retail Business

4 min read

The mobile app industry is slowly shaping the way we communicate and do business nowadays. Mobile phones have become an essential part of our lives and of our routines. Smartphones are the first ones we see in the morning and the last thing we see before we go to sleep. 

Mobile apps made our lives easier and if not, better. Everything is accessible from social media, communications, productivity, shopping, and even banking. You can have access to almost anything you need within your fingertips.

That is why the CRM market is catching on with the trend. There are 48% of mobile CRM users access the app through a smartphone and another 45% of users access the app through their tablets.

What is a Mobile CRM app?

A mobile customer relationship management (CRM) app is a type of CRM platform that delivers a full CRM privileges, features, and access on smartphones, tables and other Internet-enabled mobile devices. The application is designed to enable your sales, marketing, and customer service team to have access and to manage vital customer information in real time. 

How can a mobile CRM app help the retail sector?

CRM tools are known for providing ways in managing customer interaction, streamlining your sales process, and eventually improving customer service and loyalty.

Customer relationship management tools are vital for businesses – specifically businesses under the retail industry. Whether you’re a retailer in a small business or looking forward to expanding your brand – this piece of application is a great investment.

Reportedly, 65% of businesses with mobile-access CRM’s has reached their sales quota. This goes to show that having a CRM for your business creates a leverage for your retail business. But, how can a mobile CRM app help your retail business? Here’s how.

Better Ways to Identify and Act on Opportunities

A CRM’s most prevailing feature is its ability to handle a large capacity of data that you can access within your fingertips. Yet the contact management functionality of a CRM platform is often underused.

Having a tool that can manage, collate, and process customer information allows you to gain insights and leverage in dealing with your potential and existing customers. When you have the accurate insights within your grasp, you can find better ways to identify and act on opportunities to sell and develop deeper customer satisfaction.

Clean and Consistent Reports

Making intelligent and data-driven decisions are extremely difficult, only when your data is impossible to interpret. A CRM can simplify complex data interpretation into pieces, organized graphic, and real-time reporting materials.  With the tools and functionality etched to the system, you can ensure that your team will not only have access to the data that matters, but that they can also make data driven decisions for your business and keep your brand ahead of the curve.

Furthermore, modern CRM systems can integrate with other types of software and platforms. This allows you to work more productively without moving from one application to another. Thus, ultimately minimizing the number of software or application to manage and logins to remember for your mobile salespeople, and eventually cutting down on hours of potentially unnecessary administrative work.

Keeping Your Data Secure

Data breaches are a major source of worry and anxiety for most businesses. Securing a large amount of private information about your products, your team, and your consumers. It’s imperative to understand and prioritize data security, most especially we live in an era where most systems and applications now operate from cloud-based platforms.

Having a secured data environment allows you to be more confident in moving with your data with the impending fear of data loss and breach. 

Increase and Improve Communication

Efficiency is one of the most common benefits of CRM systems. When your team has access to real-time interaction with key stakeholders (customers), you are also giving your team the boost that they need.

Most CRMs come with their own built-in chat apps and other customer service management features. The convenience of real-time scheduling also keeps your remote workers accountable and gives them more insights into how other team members spend their time.

When your line of communication is seamless and efficient, you’ll have effective workflows that significantly saves time for you and your employees. The more you allot your time for productive and efficient ways, expect revenues to rise.

Why Saphyte mobile CRM platform is the best option?

Saphyte is a cloud-based CRM that helps you streamline all of your retail activities and integrate them into one powerful platform. Saphyte has sales and marketing tools designed to improve business efficiency and productivity. Tools for email marketing, sales management, marketing campaigns, marketing campaigns, and social media campaigns.

The mobile platform helps you manage your customer data, conduct your marketing tactics and strategy, and identify opportunities for the long haul. But what sets a mobile platform like Saphyte apart? Here are some of them.

Scalable and flexible and the platform grows with your business

Do have any additional modules, tools, or custom processes that you want to incorporate with the system? With Saphyte’s mobile application, you can customize the application according to your needs. This way, the application can grow along with your business and can be tailored according to your business processes.

Client Management Module

Saphyte’s Client Management module, allows you to effectively and efficiently manage your contacts database. You and your team can have access to tools that helps you categorize and group your leads, prospects and clients into segments. Along with that, you can also categorize each contact into its status and sub-status.

The client management module also consists of other task management tools and documentation features that allows your teams to organize their tasks, client notes before doing phone calls and their notes before onboarding your clients.

On top with that, Saphyte’s Client Management module is built with an auto data importation and exportation, and a duplicate sensitivity function. This allows users to seamlessly import and export their data into the system without worrying about duplicate information. The platform itself has the ability to identify duplicate contact information and prompts you for an action.

Sales Management Module

Saphyte mobile is built with all the tools you need to manage your sales activities. The application is built with tools to make your sales campaigns easier and seamless, like sales pipelines, deals management, lead scoring, sales forecasting, sales intelligence, and many more.

You can also start ditching calculating your lead scores and other insights manually, Saphyte can do that for you. All you need to do is to continually feed the system with the information it needs and it’ll do the rest for you. Easy, streamline, and convenient – at your fingertips.

Marketing Modules

Marketing is an essential role for your business. With Saphyte’s mobile CRM Marketing module you can fast-track your marketing strategies conveniently and easily. The module is built with tools like campaign management, social media marketing, email marketing, product catalogs, email template maker, form builders and more.

There are other tools like email senders and trackers, bulk emails, and social media integration tools. Your marketing team can have access to these tools even without the access of a desktop computer.

Customizable Multiple Dashboards

Saphyte CRM system has customizable dashboards that your team can easily set up. All you need is to drag and drop the widgets that you need and label them accordingly. The purpose of the dashboard is to give you a one-page overview of the information you need regarding your client, sales, marketing, and support management.

When your whole business has access to crucial insights, you can be able to respond proactively and accordingly to trends and changing customer behavior.

Conclusive Thoughts

Finding a mobile CRM app that fits to your business can be challenging. But, always choose the one that can adapt to your business and your sector.

With that, choose Saphyte. Because, Saphyte adapts to you; you do not adapt to Saphyte. Furthermore, Saphyte has amazing pay-as-you-go subscription plans.

With no extra or hidden charges, no set-up fees, and inclusive of a free demo and product training. On top of that is Saphyte’s 24/7 customer service availability.

The retail industry is a fast-paced industry, don’t fall behind just because you have not partnered with the right tool. Whether you’re a small business or an expanding enterprise, having a mobile CRM is the best investment you can make.

Call us today for a free demo. Or you can start your free trial now.