March
22, 2021
5 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The pandemic accelerated electronic commerce among Mexicans. From grocery shopping and grocery shopping to clothing, electronics and luxury items, everything traveled from the point of sale to the door of the house. The result, according to the Mexican Online Sales Association (AMVO) , was an 81% increase in the value of e-commerce in 2020.
However, despite the fact that e-commerce solved a global need – to acquire products, even services, without risking contagion – it faced businesses with a rapid digital transformation. For this reason, it is now said that regardless of the industry to which it belongs, all companies are technological.
It is important to clarify that being a digitized company implies a reconfiguration of the business model to turn it into an aligned, synchronized and ready unit to respond to the constant changes in the consumption habits of the target market and not, as many companies do, to have a site and social media.
If your business managed to overcome the challenges of 2020, and you already had a site that offers a good experience to your customers, then you need to implement these three technological tools to continue operating in this new normal.
1. ERP in the cloud
Although the economic reactivation is starting, day-to-day business remains the same: fixed expenses, billing, accounts receivable and accounts payable, payroll payments, inventories, etc. and if managing the business correctly was already complicated, now it is even more so, as we must make the most of all resources.
The good news is that enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems exist today. They are the softwares that have the ability to take charge of different internal operations of a company, from production to distribution and the vital correct management of inventories.
You may think that this type of technology is only used by large companies or the occasional medium, but no. Now it is a reality that an ERP system in the cloud is suitable for all types of companies, from multinationals to SMEs and there are some very accessible from $ 300 pesos per month.
It is due to its dynamism and great advantages that any company, regardless of the different processes it has or the sector to which it belongs, can adopt this software. Currently, there are providers that specialize in the implementation of ERP in the cloud designed to solve the management and administration needs of SMEs.
2. CRM to draw up effective sales strategies
According to Hubspot, in Latin America 8 out of 10 new companies do not reach their third year of life because they do not know the basic rules of customer service. For this reason, a CRM ( Customer Relationship Manager ) is one of the key tools that every SME can implement and that, most importantly, will help them manage their sales strategies.
A CRM is a system that stores customer and potential customer data in order to manage information and provide proper monitoring and service. This tool can be used in both large and small businesses. For SMBs, it can help anticipate needs, increase sales, and create efficient marketing campaigns to attract more customers.
Basically, the function of a CRM is to organize customer databases, analyze the data so that each contact has a well-defined profile, monitor the purchasing behavior of each contact, and optimize sales strategies. In other words, a CRM is the tool that enhances the work of the Sales team.
3. Tools for managing invoices
In 2018, the SAT updated the billing version for the entire country with the aim of improving the quality of information and the process when carrying them out and, above all, detecting mishandling and possible fraud. Therefore, it is very important to be very clear about how to fill out and manage all your invoices to avoid penalties.
Now it is possible to identify both for you and for your clients what is being invoiced, the way in which the payment is made and the amounts pending payment. The advantage of making electronic invoices is that you can have control of what you buy and sell, as well as a better vision of your accounting and the direction of your business finances.
Today, technology is available to everyone. It stopped being a luxury to be part of the daily life of small and medium-sized companies thanks to models in the cloud and On Demand . In addition, there are business software developers specialized in solving the needs of SMEs, with which, if you are the owner of a business, you get the same technological advantages as large corporations.
Without excuses, you are in time to add your business to the global digital transformation and boost its growth.
