While some small businesses may wish to keep their operations simple by limiting their use of technology, this strategy may hinder their growth. The truth is, new technological developments often have the capacity to make many companies’ day-to-day work easier and more efficient. Consider just a few areas in which recent tech trends could have a positive impact on your small business.
Cybersecurity
If your company stores any information online, as most businesses do, it’s important to implement security measures that prevent cyber attacks. There are a variety of ways in which your workplace can do this. For one, you may wish to take steps to prevent employees’ accounts from being accessed by an outside party. You can accomplish this using passwordless authentication methods, for instance. Instead of requiring employees to create and remember secure passwords, they can use biometric identifiers or hardware tokens to gain access to company information.
Another important way in which small businesses must consider cybersecurity issues involves the use of mobile devices. If your staff members work on their home computers or any portable equipment, it is essential that each of these devices has similar security software as the desktop computers in your office do. This may include installation of firewalls, for example. Another option, for improving security, is by adding some type of biometric authentication, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition for logging into a system.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing presents today’s small businesses with a versatile and affordable means of connecting with potential customers. Your company can often create a profile on these sites at no charge and begin gathering followers by advertising this profile. These platforms offer you the opportunity to directly communicate with a group of people who are interested in your product. Be sure to post interesting and varied content that includes all forms of media: text, pictures, videos and audio.
Social networking sites also often allow you to pay for advertising that allows you to reach a wider audience. You may even be able to participate in A/B testing as you advertise in order to determine which out of a selection of ads is the most effective. Because there are so many social media sites to keep track of, you may wish to use additional platforms that allow you to monitor your interactions with customers over multiple sites.
Organization
As your small business grows, it may no longer be practical to store all of your data in physical filing systems. Thankfully, there are a variety of software options that help you conveniently organize your financial and customer information. One area in which this may benefit your company is keeping track of inventory. Additionally, you may wish to consider investing in budget-tracking software.
In-House Communication
There are myriad ways your company can improve communication between staff members using the latest technology. For example, there are many apps that allow workplaces to establish different groups that can post messages to one another throughout the day. Additionally, video software enables you to hold teleconferences with people working from home or from other locations and even to hold training sessions or other meetings virtually.
If your employees would benefit from having access to calendars, documents and other information while also being able to post data of their own, an all-in-one digital workspace may be a smart investment. These types of software may not only make communicating with your whole team more convenient, it may also cut transportation and venue costs.
Mobile Payments
A final recent technological development to keep in mind is mobile payment software. Customers appreciate convenience when it comes to doing their shopping, so offering ways for them to skip the line and make payments ahead of time is a must. Mobile payments can be paired with strategies like curbside pick-up or simply a special checkout line in your store.
Maintaining the competitive edge of your small business requires you to stay up-to-date when it comes to the latest tech trends. By implementing new software and other useful techniques, your company can continue serving its customers exceptionally well.
