Review almost any business article on how to improve profitability and you’ll find a step focused on improving productivity. But practically speaking, how do you do that? Most of us are so busy doing our jobs we don’t have time to figure out how to do them better.

In his article, Five rules of productivity improvement, Lean specialist Torbjorn Netland urges organizations to focus on some clear-cut principles:

1.  Deliver value to the customer. First, focus on doing the right things. Then, focus on doing those things right. In other words, Quality first. Then figure out how. 

2.  Get processes under control. Leverage technology to help automate tasks and remove bottlenecks in your operations. As a technology company, Sage can help with this one.

3.  Synchronize processes as a system. Be systematic in your approach. Variation is the enemy of productivity, so focus on eliminating dysfunctional variety in your processes. Your Sage 50 software, by design, integrates processes. So… we can help with this one too.

4.  Shorter throughput times. Keep things moving and eliminate wasteful steps. Knowing how to use the software properly can reduce waste and rework.

5.  Continuously improve. Your systems will never be perfect and the environment will continue to change. Build an organization that is committed to continually evaluating and learning a better way. Sounds good in theory. But how and when do you start?

Instead of giving up on productivity improvements altogether, why not start today by taking a few strategic steps focused on using your software more efficiently?

Sage offers Productivity Tips and Tricks Boot Camps. This seminar style boot camp is intended for customers who want to improve their productivity, as well as benefit from the powerful features available when working with Sage 50 Accounting.

Visit Sage University to learn about additional training options, and join us for this productivity boosting opportunity!

Register for the productivity Bootcamp (or other instructor-led, online training) by August 31st using code DiveIn17 to save 25% on instructor-led training.