What is Workflow
Workflow is defined as a “Progression of steps (tasks, events, interactions) that comprise a work process, involve two or more persons, and create or add value to the organization’s activities.”
What does this mean?
The key in this definition is that if two or more people are engaged in tasks that add value to an organization’s activities, then that is workflow.
For example, if you are a customer service representative, your workflow may involve receiving customer questions, complaints, and occasional compliments through email, social media, and phone. Then, resolving those issues after discussing possible solutions with the customer and other team members in the organization.
The workflow looks different in every industry, but the importance of maintaining a consistent workflow remains. The trouble is that workflow can be hard to create, and many factors can get in the way of maintaining a consistent flow. Hence, it is imperative to eliminate all existing barriers in workflow.
What causes barriers in workflow
There are tons of factors that can get in the way of a workday that flows smoothly. One of these factors that get in the way of true workflow is poor communication. Poor communication comes in many forms. Work especially does not flow smoothly when employees aren’t provided all the information, they need to take action on the task at hand.
For example, imagine a customer service representative receives an inquiry about the sale price of a product via email from a fellow coworker without being provided complete information on the product. The customer service would have a multitude of questions that would lead to back-and-forth conversations between the coworker who asked them and themselves.
What product is the customer inquiring about? What location do they live in? When did the sale occur?
The customer service representative would not be able to answer the question before asking a coworker for more details. This leads to a bottleneck in workflow due to poor communication caused by lacking context. Now the time has to be spent unraveling the question to find out what this customer is actually asking about. Only then the representative can provide the correct answer to help the customer.
How context helps clear the bottlenecks
Normally to resolve such issues the customer service representative may email the coworker back asking what they were specifically inquiring about. The coworker forwards the customer’s original email to the customer service agent. Now, since the customer service representative understands the original question from the customer, she can directly answer the question without asking any additional questions. The original customer email in this example provides the needed context, and in turn, solves the issue in communication.
Now you may be thinking to yourself that this was just poor communication by the coworker who didn’t send all the information in the first place. Well, you’re right! It was poor communication. But, events like these happen every single day! So how can we fix this reoccurring issue? Using combined communication apps is one way to start!
How Clariti enables smooth workflow
Clariti is a SaaS application that combines emails, chats, calls, documents in cloud storage, and to-dos in one app and links all related information in a Workspace. For every context, a new Workspace is created and all the relevant information is linked and stored automatically. Workspace not only makes communication faster, it also eliminates the need to search for any information and the stress that comes with it.
This way, if the customer service representative and coworker, in our example, were to use Clariti, the coworker could have simply started chatting with the customer service representative from the customer’s original email. All the conversations between them would be preserved in a single Workspace. Not only that, but the customer service representative would also have full freedom to organize the Workspace in a manner that makes the most sense to them. In the example below, the representative can arrange the Workspace based on either customer or the type of the issue being addressed.
When the context is clear, there are no bottlenecks in communication and work flows naturally. Clariti enables a smooth workflow through context-based communications in the form of Workspace.
The answer to workflow is really simple. Use Clariti that can assist in making your work flow! Sign up for free here and start having more efficient workdays!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the advantages of working with threads?
One of the advantages of working with email threads is that they provide a continuous record of communication on a given topic. This can be helpful when trying to track down information or troubleshoot a problem. In addition, email threads can help to save time by avoiding the need to repeat information that has already been communicated. Another advantage of working with email threads is that they can help to build relationships. By keeping communication lines open, email threads can help to foster trust and collaboration between team members. As a result, working with email threads can have a number of benefits that can be beneficial for both individuals and teams.
How do threads improve performance?
In today’s business world, email is one of the most important tools for communication. However, managing email can be a challenge, especially when multiple people are involved in a conversation. Email threads provide a way to keep track of a conversation and make it easier to reference back to specific messages. In addition, threads make it easy to add new recipients or remove people who are no longer needed. As a result, email threads can help to improve communication and performance in the workplace.
What are thread advantages and disadvantages?
Like most things in life, email threads have both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, email threads allow for easy collaboration between multiple parties. All of the relevant information is stored in one place, and everyone can see the discussion as it unfolds. This transparency can help to prevent misunderstandings and miscommunication. Additionally, email threads provide a written record of the discussion, which can be helpful for keeping track of decisions that have been made. However, there are also some drawbacks to using email threads. One downside is that they can quickly become overwhelming, especially if there are a lot of people involved in the discussion. It can be difficult to follow the thread if it gets too long, and important details can be lost in the shuffle. Additionally, email threads often lack the personal touch of a face-to-face conversation, which can make it harder to build rapport and trust with team members. Ultimately, whether or not to use email threads is a decision that each team will need to make based on their own needs and preferences.
What are the uses of thread?
Email threads provide an efficient way to keep track of complex conversations. By keeping all messages in a single thread, all parties have easy access to the entire history of the conversation. This can be especially useful when dealing with customer service inquiries, as it provides a complete record of what was said and who said it. Additionally, email threads can help to prevent duplicate requests or forgetting to follow up on important issues. By keeping all messages in one place, email threads help ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. In short, email threads are an essential tool for anyone who needs to manage complex conversations. Thanks to their convenience and efficiency, they are sure to become even more popular in the years to come.
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