Make the right decision using your business dashboard

To make the right decisions, you need the right data. More importantly, you need to be able to access that data in a fast, accurate, cost effective way. With the increasing prevalence of cloud and mobile technology, businesses are processing and accessing data in real time and using it in innovative ways.

Being able to access data and critical business information is only part of the story. Your company needs to be able to store information and display it in a simple, user-friendly and accessible way. Dashboards are an effective tool for this end. Having an effective dashboard can help your business operate and grow to its full potential. With the right software, your business dashboard can expand and adapt to your business growth, creating a positive impact on everyone from managers, employees to customers receiving your service.

Going mobile

Mobile technology allows your business to operate truly from anywhere, at any time. Its user-friendly, convenient and readily accessible features allow you to get the information you need whenever you need it.

As mobile technology develops, many spreadsheets, presentations and communication programs previously only available on PCs are now going mobile and offering the same level of quality on all your devices. Adopting this shift towards mobile accessibility will equip your company to make the right choices more quickly.

Changing with the times

Dashboards have evolved from a few basic keystrokes and mouse clicks to the modern day fully functioning touchscreen that can accompany you everywhere. As dashboards continue to evolve, hardware is becoming less and less relevant.

Features like language assistant allow your programs to recognise, process and act on the nuances of your voice. With the ability to access information on-the-go more readily and easily, virtual assistants can help you organise information for your searches and support you in your daily decision-making. There will no longer be a need to click the “help” button. To save time and take multitasking to a new level, just say the word and your wish is your software’s command.

Up in the air

Cloud technology is increasingly used in various industries to help businesses operate more efficiently, generate profits and create customer satisfaction. For your dashboard - the command centre of your business data - cloud computing has been a game changer.

A key feature of a good dashboard is its ability to stay connected at all times and present the latest, most up-to-date information. Cloud and mobile technology free you from being tied to your desk and computer hardware, and give you access to your data from anywhere, at any time, and on any device. While you cannot physically see the cloud as you see your computer hardware, you can access your dashboard and be assured of the real-time results it delivers with the aid of cloud technology.

A panoramic view

A limited dashboard restricts your view of data. Some less powerful software offers only a small selection of options and probabilities, and provides you with only one or a few KPIs. This makes it difficult for you to contextualise your information in the bigger pictures and get a panoramic view of how your business is operating.

To see your information in a way that helps you make the right, well-informed decisions, you need a dashboard with a large interface capable of loading data from different sources. This helps you to visualise how different areas of your business work with each other and impact on each other’s performance, so that you have the complete picture to come to the right decision.

The optimum company dashboard might include the following special datasets:

• News feeds
• Social feeds
• Diagnostic sources
• Other departmental data

As the user, you have the flexibility to set up your dashboard to show only real-time data that is relevant to your needs. For optimum time efficiency, it is important to avoid clutter on your dashboard and the need to shift through unnecessary information. Better can be better, an expansive dashboard should still be one that is streamlined and adapted to specific business needs.

Our solution for you

For your company to continue to grow and succeed, you need to be able to make full use of the business data and information available to you. An effective, well-designed dashboard can provide support to your employees and customers in innovative ways. InspHire rental software provides you with a fast and intelligent information management strategy so that you have the support you need for your business in real-time.

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Tips for running your business

Regardless of your company’s sector, size, goals or any other factors, certain principles of best practice are universal to business management. Adhering to these best practices should keep your business operating smoothly and in a good position to achieve your planned milestones. 

Invest in your people 

A well-run company is a team effort. In order for the whole team to achieve success, it is important to invest in the team members. Provide your employees with the best training from industry experts. Test their knowledge retention in performance review. Having a skilled and well-informed workforce is the surest way of providing high quality service and support to your customers. It also saves you both money and time in delivering efficiencies and high performance, while minimising problems caused by defective administration and service. Train your staff so that they have a complete understanding of their roles within the organisation, and provide them with the right tools and support so they feel at ease to ask questions and report any issues or weakness they have identified in their job. 

Communication is key

Communication is a two way street, and good communicators understand when it is about leading, and when it is time to listen. Successful companies listen to their clients, customers, and themselves. Well-informed customer service officers have a comprehensive understanding of the product they represent, and ensure that their customers get the answers they are looking for. Listening to clients and employees allows them to give valuable feedback on their experiences with your business’ products and services. This in turn provides your business with opportunities to identify strengths and weaknesses from a variety of perspectives and helps you formulate a business plan going forward. 

The flip side of communication is about being able to convey your ideas and expectations effectively and courteously, whether it is to your clients or internally. Misunderstandings and errors can cause serious problems in a professional relationship. Ensure that everyone in your organisation knows the appropriate contacts for their various needs, the different channels of communication on which they might be reached, and their hours of availability. 

Having the right tools to run your business

Other than a high performing workforce, you need to have the right equipment and an efficient means of tracking it. Our inspHire rental software allows you to streamline and manage your rental business processes in a highly efficient and effective way. This allows your employees to have on hand the right tools for their job, and provides your business with the right resources to best service your customers. 

Contact us today to find out how your rental software can help you best run your business.

Integrate your IT and business strategies in 2014

Integrating IT strategies into your overarching business goals can seem like a daunting task. However, the rewards are numerous - merging your IT and business strategies can benefit both your employees and customers. It allows you to operate your business more smoothly, increase your business efficiencies, and reach your overall business goals by the end of the year. 

Taking an IT-oriented approach to your business can inspire you to make the most of your IT resources to run a truly innovative, collaborative business, and create opportunities for learning and engagement.

Learning and Development

Change begins a process of teaching and learning. Keep yourself up to date with the latest tools and resources. Invest in your in-house skills by offering ongoing training, learning and development by industry leaders and experts. A good system of learning and development helps increase productivity and quality. When employees feel valued and engaged, they become more receptive to changes and upgrades to the business, and adopt new skills and procedures faster. 

Integrating new technologies into your business means that it is easier to devise new, innovative ways of producing products. To ensure a smooth transition between past and future strategies, it is critical that you develop guidelines and create clear timeframes for change. 

Information sharing and support

Merging IT and business allows you to share resources and information between different sections of your company. Different areas of the business can access common resources and keep up to date with developments that may affect their work. Information sharing also creates more streamlined processes for those involved in a project. It reduces waste and clutter, saves time and makes a wide range of data readily accessible to those who need it.

Integrating IT into your business strategy also involves merging IT support and business support. Adopting a holistic system of support can help both your customers and employees solve their immediate problems. This in turn eliminates a lot of headaches and builds a solid foundation for the business to move forward and take on new risks with confidence.  

Management and employee engagement

Employee participation and engagement can be a stumbling block for a business going through significant structural changes. To help smooth out the process, it is vital that your business and IT strategies are integrated, implemented and enforced throughout the change process. 

This means having in place a governance strategy aimed at training, providing support and opportunities for collaboration. Similarly, your IT strategy should provide you with the right tools to support the business goals you set for company. With a holistic approach to the use of IT, you can better manage your business and achieve your goals for the upcoming year.  

A collaborative team-oriented approach

Ultimately, integrating your business and IT strategies is about helping your business attain its overall goal - its success and profitability. Having the right IT strategy in place can help you create faster, more efficient business processes and a more collaborative culture. 

Merging your business and IT solutions means that you get the most out of new technologies for your business, such as cloud computing and mobile access. These technologies can reduce the cost of extra equipment, maximise the use you get out of existing resources, and avoid duplication of processes and work. At the end of the day, merging IT solutions into your business plans is about better managing your time, money and  personnel. 

Looking ahead 

Initiating change in your IT infrastructure and business strategy can be a difficult process. When you are considering merging your business and IT strategies, it is important that you set clear goals and expectations about what you are aiming to achieve for your company. Having the right people available to assist you and provide you with the support you need can make the whole process effortless. 

Contact us today for more information on how you can integrate IT strategies into your business plans. 

Keep up to date with our latest products and offerings by following our blog. 

Why you should invest in software for your equipment safety

With tough economic times behind us, companies are starting to move forward by investing in safety and loss prevention. Rental software is increasingly used by many industries as a safety tool for their inventory and security. This is particularly evident for companies with high value equipment. 

Why should you take precautions against theft

For a lot of businesses in the construction, manufacturing, oil and gas industries, heavy equipment are among their most valuable and indispensable assets. Machinery and equipment are expensive, often hard to purchase but essential to the smooth operation of the business. Unfortunately, this also makes them prime targets for theft and vandalism.

Theft and vandalism cost businesses nearly $1 billion dollars a year in locating, repairing or replacing the missing or damaged equipment. They also cause delays and downtimes in operations, lower staff morale and raise insurance premiums.

Fortunately, the risk of theft and vandalism can be mitigated by raising awareness and checking whether your workplace has certain risk factors: 

• Unsecured premises
• Universal keys
• Lack of security and safety mechanisms
• Equipment left open and accessible
• Bad record keeping and product identification 

If your business is at risk of theft and vandalism, it is important to fully consider the consequences for your operations if the risk was to eventuate. 

Grave consequences of theft

Theft and vandalism can have serious consequences for a company. First and foremost, there will be direct financial loss due to the loss or damage of valuable asset. This will directly impact on your profitability.

Second, a flow-on effect is the time loss associated with the lack of equipment. Often, the business will be forced into a period of downtime or delay due to the lack of effective tools and machinery for employees to do their job.

Third, workplace health and safety can often be compromised when a business lacks the necessary equipment for its operations. In an effort to make up for lost time or efficiencies, employees can often overlook certain details and safety obligations that are critical to a healthy workplace health and safety culture. 

To guarantee strong safety standards and prevent loss, you need the right software. Without the safeguards provided by the appropriate safety software set up, your business run the risk of fostering a lax attitude towards safety. This may result in security breaches, injuries, and increase the cost and time taken to remedy processes and make up for business losses.

A software solution to loss prevention 

Installing the right software to manage workplace security and risks can reduce and mitigate some of the consequences of theft and compromised workplace safety.

The right software solution should have the following safety features:

• Safety inspections
• Incident reporting
• Preventative training
• Hazard alerts and awareness
• Corrective training

Having the right rental software in place means that your business would be able to access better security and surveillance, keep up-to-date with a record of what the equipment is onsite, in use or offsite. The right rental software should be able to provide you with real time status updates on your equipment so that valuable equipment is never left unattended and at risk of vandalism or theft.

With the right rental software, you can streamline processes to minimise injury, increase security and access safety mechanisms such as alarm systems and immediate mobile updates if things go astray outside business hours. Installing the right rental software can completely change the way you maintain and manage your equipment and workplace safety.

Getting the most out of your rental software

As businesses come back from a tough economy, there has never been a better time to invest in a rental software that revolutionalises the way you utilise and maintain your equipment and assets. This is particularly relevant for those in the construction industry, as the commercial and residential housing sectors continue to grow into 2014. Increasingly, rental software is becoming more functional and more integrated into the daily operations of businesses in many industries. As your business moves into the future, consider how you can get the most of out of your rental software to enhance business security, better manage your equipment and increase your business safety and security.

To find out more about inspHire’s rental software, contact us today. 

Keep up to date with the latest in business software solutions by following our blog. 

Go mobile with your rental software

We live in a post-PC world. With the prevalence of smart phones and tablets in our daily lives and workplace, the traditional nine-to-five “desk job” has become less dominant. More and more, business is now done on-the-go, remotely, and outside normal business hours.

• Has your business kept up with the changes in technology and increased your work mobility? 
• Are you able to access your business 24/7, deal with issues or take advantage of opportunities anywhere and at any time?

The time has come for you to rethink your workplace environment, ditch the nine-to-five cubicles, and invest in a more mobile business.

Data access anywhere, at any time

We depend on data and information to operate a business, but the myriad of databases, search engines and tools out there often makes getting the right information for customers a herculean task in itself. Can you access your data anywhere at any time? Is it in a presentable form on all your devices, be it a computer, phone or tablet? Your rental should not only allow you to access data remotely on the go, but present it in a user-friendly format. 

More flexibility, better work/life balance

Being chained to an office desk on a sunny day is no guarantee for productivity. Desks and workstations create clutter, inhibit creativity, and often present unconscious barriers to communication between colleagues. Increasing office mobility allows workers the flexibility to move away from their desks, interact more with their colleagues and customers, and work from a place that they are comfortable in. Offering more workplace flexibility does not mean doing away with a traditional office environment altogether, but rather that your business adapts better to the opportunities offered by new technologies to different lifestyles. 

Profits on the go

A mobile software solution offers your business more data and information accessibility, as well as more flexibility to operate 24/7 from anywhere. This in turn increases the efficiency of your business and gives you the tools to generate profits on the go. 

State-of-the-art management solution

inspHire iX has set the standard for managing rental business information. inspHire iX understands that a mobile software solution is not just about being "mobile ready". Stay ahead of the game with ready access to customer information 24/7 from anywhere. inspHire’s user-friendly WebPortal keeps key rental information ready at your disposal at any time. inspHire iX is the one tool you need to help you become a leader in the rental industry. 

For more information about rental software solutions for your business, contact us. 

Stay up-to-date with the latest business software solutions by following our blog. 

Sage Evolution Releases V6.82.67

Toll Free: 1300 763 707 Ph: +61 8 9453 7400 Fax: +61 8 9453 7499 Email: info@elev8australia.com specialise in business software for hire, accounting, HR & payroll

Dear As you may have been aware we have been testing the latest version of Sage Evolution over the last few weeks and are pleased to announce that this build is now available for customers. The latest build is 6.82.67 and sees many new features and enhancements that will benefit both existing and new sites. What’s new in Sage Evolution Premium Version 6.82 New Service Manager Module to allow for managing service tasks and requests New Version of BIC introducing features such as: 64 bit Compliancy Brand new Templates for boardroom ready reporting Distribution Instructions to offer more flexibility and control over report distribution Reporting Trees for easier dimension based reporting Mobility App enhancements including new Service Controller Auto create PO from a SO range Inventory Optimization Module (core) Email enhancements when using SMTP Enhancements to standard Inventory reports including Slow Movers, Levels and a new Report for Preferred Suppliers For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact support@elev8australia.com Sage Evolution 6.82 Guide Sage Evolution Mobile

Elev8 Australia Pty Ltd Office Address: The Beaufort Centre Level 1, Beaufort St Perth WA 6000

Toll Free: 1300 763 707 Ph: +61 8 9453 7400 Fax: +61 8 9453 7499 Email: info@elev8australia.com specialise in business software for hire, accounting, HR & payroll
Dear Elev8 Australia is proud to announce a new product available for existing and prospective clients that will alter the way you monitor your business performance. Introducing Elev8’s Dashboard Analytics Elev8 is acquiring an OEM license to deliver dashboard analytics, custom configured to suit your requirements and business needs. A sample of what a dashboard might look like is in this email but this is only the tip off the iceberg! Elev8’s analytics will allow graphical dashboards to be deployed to staff within your business, depicting Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) that will be real time working from your existing Insphire or Sage Evolution data. Staff that are allowed access to certain dashboards can be empowered to monitor performance indicators and be mindful at all times for the area they are responsible for. Each dashboards element is security controlled i.e. Tom can view Kalgoorlie depot data but not Perth, whilst Greg in Management can see all depot data, for example. Deployment of Dashboards can be to workstations within the business and to external devices such as Android, IPhone, and IPad etc. Elev8 Dashboard Analytics licensing is annual with a minimum 3 year advance purchase which includes unlimited users, installed on a single server (CPU), mobile and desktop deployment and a generic dashboard complete with 15 generic widgets ready for your use. Price per annum is $2880 ex GST – Initial 3 year cost $8640 ex GST You may have as many dashboards configured as you may require. Each dashboard contains elements or “widgets” which can be bar chart, line graph, cross-tab, pie chart, dials, heat graphs and more…. All of which have drill down to data, Google linking, drag and drop visual displays and much more… Each custom “widget” you wish building costs onetime fee of only $400 ex GST. Please Email robyn@elev8australia.com to arrange a demo soon!
Elev8 Australia Pty Ltd Office Address: The Beaufort Centre Level 1, Beaufort St Perth WA 6000