For more than a century, people engaged in manufacturing, selling, and providing services have sought out techniques for increasing efficiency. Assembly lines, weekly meetings, on-site cafeterias, and task specialization were early examples of strategies that helped entire organizations become more efficient at whatever they did. Nowadays, there’s still room for improvement. Here are several of the most effective methods used by companies of all sizes to get more work done in less time and at a lower cost.

Automation

The interesting thing about automation, particularly with new companies that have fewer than 15 employees, is that it delivers results from day one. For instance, a family retailer with four workers might be resistant to the idea of automating the payroll function. But the advantage of doing so is two-fold. First, workers get paid via direct deposit at the exact same time after each pay cycle. But perhaps the more significant benefit is that putting automated systems in place frees up time for managers and owners to do other, more relevant tasks, like long-term planning, scouting for new office space, etc.

Fleet Management Platforms

Owners of small and medium-sized companies often overlook the need for a top-notch fleet management platform. That’s a big mistake because real-time fleet tracking is a focused, effective way to cut spending and make sure you’re getting optimal use of key assets. And, it’s not all about cars and trucks. If your organization uses trailers, forklifts, vans, on-site electric carts, or any other type of conveyance, you’ll get real-time tracking for improved efficiency with a competent fleet management platform in place. Another advantage of implementing this type of tracking early in your entity’s growth cycle is that it will be in place and operating smoothly as you acquire more vehicles, employ additional workers, and continue to expand operations.

Outsourcing

Startup managers and founders sometimes take a dim view of outsourcing. Some view it as giving up and not making an effort to bring in permanent staff members who can do a specific job, like payroll or cybersecurity. Unfortunately, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to do everything. Any owner can enhance overall productivity and financial success by being willing to outsource compartmentalized chores like accounting, human resources, IT security, and payroll processing. Unless someone already on board has the time and experience to take on a job, it usually makes sense to hire it out.

Software for Task Management

For more than two decades, email served as a relatively effective way for team members to communicate with each other while working on common tasks. It still gets the job done for two-person teams but falls far short as the size of the group increases. Task management software has all but replaced on-the-job communication for people assigned to the same project. What’s the big benefit? It eliminates wasted back and forth dialogue that often weighs email discussions down. But maybe the central selling point of task management platforms is that they keep all the messages and work progress charting in one location, so any team member can view it without getting into the weeds of email messaging.