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¸ ı ŒŒ «( ¶ ¶ how to select the r i g h t t o o l s t o r u n y o u r b u s i n e ss
n yssa cromwell you’ve started your business,
raised your shingle and functional areas. Also detailed is a recommended list of
you are putting the word out - you’ve even gotten some items within each area that your integrated technology customers. It does not take long however to recognize that should be able to track and monitor.. there are some gaps in the mechanics of your operation. So what critical step did you miss?
This provides a framework that you can apply to your own venture. It should be noted that this article focuses on
Many business owners never consider HOW (systems, service-based businesses; areas such as shipping/receiving, processes, and tools) to run their business. Too often inventory management or other manufacturing or supplyenergy and resources are narrowly focused on the WHAT chain processes are not captured. (products and services) and the WHO (customers). Maxi-
• Human Resources (HR) - The People Factor - this
mizing service production and profits demands well inte-
area deals with managing the
people working
grated systems when architecting a business; systems that
within your business. Any software used for HR
can grow with your business and produce steady returns
should effectively capture private employee data, job
on your investment.
descriptions, manage job candidates/applicants, track employee personal files, signed policy documents and
Understanding Your Business’ Functional Areas
performance reviews.
Every business has a set of functional areas; each area
• Marketing - this drives all of the brand management
works towards the goal of the business in order to keep it
and revenue creation in the business; marketing
running profitably.
should attract right- fit prospective customers
There are many different ways to determine or dissect your business’ functional areas. For larger, more compli-
(prospects) into your sales funnel. • Your chosen tech should support the management
cated businesses there may be more subsections than
of
unique
emails,
brand
metrics,
prospects,
would be required for a smaller establishment. Functional
opportunities/deals, funnel management, digital
areas are also not stagnant and it is therefore necessary to
property management, marketing operations (ops)
reassess at different stages of development and expansion.
and website management.
The following list is an example of how one could
• Sales - this addresses the process of converting
dissect and analyze aspects of most businesses based on
a prospect into a customer, ensuring a win-win issue ii
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