Thinking for the Long Run

Searching for a customer record in an ocean of cards can be a real time burner. Software solves this problem immediately.

For a developing country like Malaysia, most businesses are in the transitioning period towards digitisation. Some of them are contemplating whether to take the leap of faith while others are rather reluctant in making the switch. It is not easy to make a change, especially when Rome wasn't built in a day and changes take place within a period of time. Digitisation is cost effective, convenient and allows one to save more time. Taking the first step to be more aware of technology and implementing it into the operations process of organisations benefit both the business owners and their businesses in multiple aspects. To ignite and drive competitions of better quality as well as bringing Malaysia to a higher stand on the global stage, business owners should step out of the comfort zone and embrace technology, incorporating it into their operations process.

With customer records digitised, pulling up details is just a touch or click away.

One of the reasons that fuels the reluctance in digitisation in Malaysia is affordable labour. According to Bank Negara's 2018 annual report, local wages are comparatively lower than benchmark economies such as Singapore and the United Kingdom. This situation still applies when the productivity level of the workers are taken into consideration as Malaysians are earning lesser even if they are producing the same level of output as others. The mentality of 'if the labour is affordable, then I do not need to change anything' has to be eliminated and stopped because it is not practical or beneficial in a long-term period. Business owners should think ahead and make efficient decisions that are advantageous to their business in longstanding future.

Hiring manpower can be affordable in Southeast Asia but it does not provide a long-term solution because labour forces may not be permanent. It is not ideal for businesses to compete by just getting through the day. In these cases, performances will be stagnant and that will not bring the business to a better position. Businesses should always be improved whenever possible to create healthy competition which will, in turn, raise the quality bar to encourage the betterment of local businesses. The advanced technology leaves us with many alternatives that we can utilise to not only enhance our lives but also to develop our businesses.

Using software prevents human errors and you will not need to search for a misplaced record anymore.

The implementation of software and equipping businesses with advanced technology enable business owners to reap a plethora of lifetime values. Besides that, technology embracement will save both time and money as well as tremendously improving business performance and service quality. Doing this will also free up the staff and they can then be allocated to different, prioritised tasks while providing a higher quality of services to the customers. Automating the business process with software allows the assigned staff to have more time on hand and focus on making customers happy through increased personal interaction with them. The resources that one has saved as a result of technology incorporation in business can be used in another area that can further help the business flourish.

In order to sustain a business and achieve the optimum outcome, going out of the comfort zone is inevitable. It may take some time to implement software into the business operations and for the staff to adapt but it is definitely worth it, especially in the long run. Customers who are satisfied with the quality of service will surely return and this will add significant values to one's business over time. Business owners should not be easily satisfied with their current stand and should always be striving for improvement in serving their customers. Hiring labour may be affordable and may solve short-term problems, but it is definitely not the best choice. With the implementation of software, the benefits for the business are beyond solving day-to-day issues.