Updated on 6/2/2025. Originally posted 9/2/2021.
In recent years, technology providers have rapidly expanded their offerings to keep pace with the evolving needs of their customers. But diversification doesn’t come easy—it demands significant time, effort, and resources. The real challenge lies in balancing the core business with the ongoing need to enhance internal processes and technology, all while delivering an exceptional customer experience.RELATED: VLOG: How Your Office Technology Business Can Use Technology Integrations to Save Time
There is no single answer; however, the higher the number, the higher the risk. While it’s rarely feasible to manage every aspect of your business with a single platform, the systems you do choose must integrate well and share data seamlessly. There are two different categories when selecting a system: best in class vs. an integrated solution. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of both and determine which is the best approach for your business.
Any time there is manual entry, there is a risk of errors and delays. The ideal situation is to reduce the number of times people must input information and ensure data is automatically passed between systems. If you decide to pursue the best in breed, this is even more important to fully integrate the systems used across your process. When working with third parties, ask about their integration capabilities because many times you can be very efficient with your data internally, but then that efficiency falls apart during those interactions.
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One way we help our customers improve their efficiency is through integration with their CRMs. These integrations help streamline and speed up crucial steps in the financing process, like submitting a credit application for example. Through integrations with industry-leading CRMs, data you already have stored in your system can be pulled to automatically populate a digital credit application, which is then sent directly to the GreatAmerica credit processing queue. This process makes things better for both you and your customer; No double entry, no timely data input, less risk of errors, and ultimately, faster decisioning.
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While it’s rare for a single system to meet every business need, the amount of manual work in your current process may actually reflect how well it’s tailored to your operations. Take time to evaluate what you're entering manually and the value that information brings to your business. As your needs evolve, your processes may need to adapt to stay efficient. If you identify gaps, collaborate with your software vendor to explore opportunities for automating those manual tasks.
Someone who has never been exposed to your process or your systems can be a great resource because they will ask the questions others can’t or won’t. They aren’t used to the workarounds and don't know the tricks necessary to make your systems work. Encourage your new employees to ask questions, provide feedback, look for opportunities to streamline your processes, and help improve your operations.
New team members - especially those unfamiliar with your systems - can offer a fresh perspective. Because they haven’t adapted to workarounds or learned the “tricks” others rely on, they’re more likely to ask insightful questions that others might overlook. Encourage them to speak up, share feedback, and identify opportunities to streamline workflows. Their input can be a valuable catalyst for improving your operations. How easy is it to get actionable data from your primary business applications?
Systems are needed to run your business; however, an overlooked element is using those systems to drive behavior. Data can be a powerful decision-making tool. If the data isn't available to make the decisions you need, add it. Monitor key metrics and use proactive alerts through the system when they fall outside your tolerance. Drive more consistent execution by using automated workflows triggered based on specific criteria or scenarios, eliminating the need to think about what needs to be done.
Challenge yourself by looking at your business from this viewpoint and seek a fresh perspective by getting feedback from someone that isn’t as close to the system. These questions are certainly not the only ones you should be asking as a business owner, but they will shed light on the areas of your processes that may need updating.
Looking for ways to better allocate your time and resources? Integrations can significantly reduce administrative burden, streamline workflows, and ultimately enhance your customer experience.
Explore the many integration options we offer at www.greatamerica.com/integreat.
Or, click the button below to schedule your free Technology Integration Review. We’ll assess the software tools you’re already using and provide a personalized report highlighting where your team could be gaining greater efficiency.