If we have learned something with this crisis caused by Covid-19, it is to react quickly. Some stores and bar businesses, which until the pandemic lived in a long lethargy (digitally speaking), are now becoming aware of and accelerating the automation processes in the backroom tasks. In other words, they digitize those procedures aimed at balancing the accounting, paying the payroll of their employees, making the invoices for their suppliers, monitoring clients or closing the procedures with the Administration. They intend to speed up an apparently invisible but vital work to keep business activity afloat.

From the Union of Professionals and Self-Employed Workers (UPTA), in collaboration with the State Foundation for Employment Training (FUNDAE), they argue that “employers spend too much time on these issues every day because they are usually uncomfortable and complex processes to carry out. "And, most importantly," they represent precious time that sometimes they don't have. With the digitization of these tasks, the self-employed can save time and money, collect well-ordered information, avoid trips to the Administrations (something very useful in these times of physical restrictions), achieve clearer accounts or eliminate paper from invoices, among many other advantages.

Digitization, crucial for business
According to a report carried out in 2020 by the digital service provider GoDaddy, 56% of small companies in Spain consider that digitization "is a relevant element in their business." Of these freelancers, 90% have already applied high-level digitization, and many of them regret not having done so before the pandemic, which would have allowed them to better cope with the crisis.

56% of SMEs in Spain consider that digitization is a relevant element in their business

However, although digitization is a reality and there are great advances among the Spanish self-employed, there is still a long way to go. The Spanish Chamber of Commerce collects in its studies on the digitization of businesses, that less than 25% of SMEs use cloud services, only 30% use electronic invoicing and only 21% carry out training in ICT (technologies information and communication). These percentages are lower when it comes to smaller companies (with less than 10 people on staff).

Keys to not being left out of the game
The Union of Professionals and Self-Employed Workers (UPTA) proposes a series of measures to be taken into account to streamline management processes of SMEs, give greater visibility to the business and, in this way, achieve greater efficiency and profitability. They are as follows:

Digital tools for invoice management. They help to eliminate the paper of the invoices of the suppliers, to order all the information and to have an easy and fast access to it.

• Office automation applications connected from various devices are useful to collect all the information in real time and automate the procedures.

• Accounting software. It is the best way to have clear accounts and avoid problems due to carelessness in the recording of income and expenses.

• Task organization tools. They are shared online calendars, email platforms with calendar or virtual assistant functions. In a world as complex as today, these applications are essential to compete.

• CRM or customer management software. It allows to centralize the relationship with customers and their information, making a closer and more complete monitoring.

• Cybersecurity tools. They are relevant to protect data and tasks. They also serve to track the dangers that may arrive through emails, and to navigate safely on the Internet.

• Data storage in the cloud. These services allow you to store information safely, share it easily, make backup copies and free up space on your computer.

• Digitalization of procedures with the Administration. By creating electronic signatures and certificates, you can, for example, process permits, make tax payments or request financial aid without leaving the store.

• Big data services. They facilitate the collection of data on customer buying habits and then improve the offer. They are also used to know the most productive moments of the business, establish a more efficient distribution of tasks, the most frequent purchase hours or which are the most used purchase channels.

Knowing these tools, their advantages and how they work is necessary and also possible. One of the main obstacles that appear in the digitization of small businesses is, precisely, the lack of training to carry it out. But it is never too late to learn how to do it and eliminate unnecessary headaches; technology has come to make our lives (and our business) easier.

There are many resources for SMEs, such as tutorials on YouTube or online video training content (webinars), as well as platforms that offer free courses for training in the digital field. The right thing to do is to find the one that best suits each business.

 

Fuente: https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2020/12/28/extras/1609180035_463590.html