6 Ways Websites can Streamline Business Processes

Websites can solve many business problems and can be an integral component in streamlining operations, marketing, and sales.

Process improvement can enhance operational work flow, increase customer response time, reduce expenses or grow sales and better utilize staff time and skill-sets. Here are a few ways websites improve operational processes.

For medical practices offering specialized services, pre-screening and qualifying potential patients can contribute to better time management for staff and physicians resulting in cost savings or other efficiencies. Well planned websites can use landing pages, and online surveys that instantly qualify or disqualifies potential patients. Qualified individuals will immediately know they are eligible for treatment and be giving an opportunity to select an appointment date. The office is notified of appointment request and follows with the potential patient to finalize the appointment. Pre-qualifying patients saves staff and the doctor(s) time by being focused on only patients they can truly treat and not on patients who aren’t a good fit for the practice.

Believe it or not, some companies are still taking quotes the old-fashioned way with a phone call and pad of paper. An online quote process could streamline the quote process enabling quicker turn-around, faster sales and better cash flow. The website would include a form requiring core information, allow for drawing or document uploading and information stored in a CRM. The service provider would receive notice when the form was completed, access to CRM for uploaded documents, conduct a focused follow up sales call and provide a quote with the minimum phone and follow up emails. This process saves staff time and resources.

General Contractors receive bids from many subcontractors when working on a large construction project. To keep all bids confidential and bid compliant, a secured area could be set up for subcontractor bids and each subcontractor would have their own password protected account. The account would enable contractors to download drawings and specs and upload their proposal. A time limit could also be set for submitting a proposal so that all subcontractors are compliant with proposal deadlines.

Marketing and sales teams can grow a company’s prospect list by using a series of landing pages, email campaigns and digital marketing. Creating a lead-generating sales funnel takes careful planning but can yield great rewards, if done well. First, define your target audience and learn what type of information is relevant to them. Create a landing page with a compelling offer that a prospect can download in exchange for their contact information (form). When the prospect signs up for the offer, they are delivered the offer and the sales team is notified of the completed form for immediate follow up. The contact information is stored in a CRM and used for future email campaigns and follow up offers that nurture the lead to a sale. Use social media to attract visitors to your landing page either through posts or advertising.

By using secure pages and eCommerce functionality, a series of self-managing online classes can be created. Students would sign up for the class(s) online and create their personal login credentials. Each class could include video training, downloadable materials, forums, upload class work and online surveys. Online classes could be set on a timer so that students have finite time to a complete a class or study materials.

A similar process to online classes could be used for businesses who offer standard orientation classes for completion by new employees. This process might also be used for annual training or certification classes requiring a test at the end. A record of all employees’ activity would show when the employee logged in to the classes, posted to forums, uploaded or downloaded documents and when they completed forms or surveys.

Thinking About Going Lean?
There are many ways processes can be streamlined in a business. If you’d like to know how processes can be streamlined in your business, give us a call at 207-464-0016 or send us and email at Design@gcmd.agency. We love solving business problems and helping businesses run more efficiently. GCMD is one of the Top Web Development Companies on DesignRush.