You probably already know that your website is an important—if not THE most important—component to your branding and marketing strategy. But have you ever thought of it as a productivity tool?

Building into your website the right features and functionality can dramatically increase your efficiency, help you better serve customers—and save you loads of time.

Consider these time-saving benefits of some our favorite features.

Cut down customer service calls

Before we even talk about features, let’s talk about the value of clear, thorough website copy. Customers are going online to find out about your business. That’s just a fact in 2020. When they can find pertinent information, such as business hours, contact information and directions, you make their lives easier.

Plus, when you add in an in-depth FAQ page and through descriptions of your products and services, you can eliminate many of those time-consuming customer service calls.

Sell products

The mind-boggling success of Amazon and other online marketplaces makes one thing very clear: People want to shop online.

Selling your products online can dramatically increase your business, without your having to open additional locations. Many of the e-commerce solutions that integrate with your website offer bonuses too, such as inventory management, shipping label printing, tracking and more.

Accept payments

One of the greatest conveniences you can offer customers is the ability to pay online.

Doing so can also simplify your bookkeeping, as most online payment solutions provide robust reporting options, enable you to create and send invoices and overdue reminders, calculate taxes and more.

Schedule appointments

Customers love the convenience of clicking a few buttons to schedule a call, consultation, appointment or meeting online.

With an appointment scheduling tool, you enable online booking that integrates with your calendar, allowing customers to choose from openings in your schedule. It saves you both time and frustration and prevents overbookings.

Simplify paperwork

If you require some form of intake form or discovery call, allow customers to fill out the information online, in their own time. It is convenient for them, and you receive all the forms you need ahead of time.

Builder deeper connections with customers

Businesses across all industries are increasingly developing client portals to offer customers a secure place to access account information, place orders, request appointments, make payments and ask questions. Essentially, they go to one place for all their needs.

Portals offer customers a very personal experience and enable you to serve them more efficiently. The client portal tools that integrate with your website tend to be easy to use and set up too.