If you’re in the manufacturing business, you’ll know only too well how much productivity and cost savings matter.
When you’re creating goods and getting them out to clients, you don’t want anything to stand in the way of efficiency. That’s where technology comes in to help ease the load and to help ease financial pressures. If you’re still a lover of the manual touch, that can be good for some industries, but you should be employing technology where you can in your operations. Here are some reasons why.
The automation revolution
Gone are the days where factories have hundreds, if not thousands, of workers producing products by hand – from start to finish. For many companies, the manufacturing process is now at least partly automated.
From preparing foods to building cars, robots have been deployed across a variety of industries worldwide – to make processes more efficient and more cost effective. So, if you haven’t already thought about automation in your business, what’s stopping you? It’s a big investment, yes, but one you should possibly explore. It could bring you some long-term rewards if you’re a large enough business to sustain automation. Have a look at what other companies are using and weigh up the benefits, compared to your current ways of working.
A hi-tech environment
As well as automation on the factory floor, are you embracing technology in many other parts of your business? For example, are you using renewable energy sources – such as solar and wind – to create some of your company’s power needs? How about lighting? Are you using energy-guzzling equipment instead of fitting power-efficient LED high bay lights from SOMPOR, for instance?
And how about kitting out yourself with the latest gadgets? Having tablet computers available to different parts of the business could help you to relay information and process orders faster, for example. What’s more, mobile technology could give your workforce more flexible options, including staying connected while working from home or out on the road.
Going digital
How is your company marketing and selling its products these days? Are you relying on sales staff visiting door to door? Or are you increasingly turning to digital options? Having a website as a shop window is the very least you should be doing if you directly sell to consumers, to help your business reach a much wider client base. It’s a great place for people to see what you do, find out about products and order them online.
Your company should also be embracing social media to highlight the products you make and the benefits to companies or individual customers that they’re targeted at.
Digital technologies can also help you behind the scenes too, replacing traditional paperwork methods in the office. For example, having a good intranet system can help keep staff informed and be a place of reference for rules and procedures. Apps and other platforms can also streamline your accounts and human resources divisions.
