Seven Ways to Maximize Technology in a Small Business
Whether it’s a small company or a multi-national corporation, technology plays an essential role in any business. This is why any expenditure on technology should be seen as an investment to help your business grow, and not as a cost.
While most entrepreneurs use technology to accomplish everyday routine tasks, the smart entrepreneur will integrate it as vital part of their business. Business owners who can stay on top of all the latest technological advancements are the ones who will gain an edge over the competition.
That being said, here are 7 ways small businesses can utilise technology to their advantage:
1. Use technology to stay mobile
Being out of the office is not an excuse to not be able to access e-mails or faxes from customers and clients. If you are frequently on-the-go, get a laptop with a mobile internet connection or a smartphone with a data plan so you can answer e-mails or sales queries wherever you are. Responding quickly to such requests may often be the difference between making and breaking a deal.
2. Invest in all-in-one office equipment
While printing, copying, scanning and faxing are essential processes of any business, specialised machines for each of these tasks are often not required. Many business solution companies such as Canon offer compact multi-function devices that can effectively perform these tasks while also taking up less space. This helps to free up your office space for other important functions.
3. Ride the cloud
A popular strategy for many new business start-ups, cloud computing puts your documents up on the web so you and your employees can work from almost anywhere and still have access to them. Not only do they allow for easy collaboration on projects, being stored on the web also means you won’t have to worry about losing your documents in the event of hardware failure.
4. Update your website regularly
Your company website is the face of your business on the Internet. When potential customers visit it, they want to see the latest news and information. So be sure to update its contents regularly. Maintaining a blog on your website is also a good way to let visitors know about your newest promotions or products.
5. Leverage on social media
In today’s business environment, having a social media strategy is fast becoming a pre-requisite in any marketing plan. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn serve as a inexpensive way to market your brand to larger audiences. They can also double up as a customer service tool that lets you communicate with consumers easily.
6. Save on communication costs with VoIP
VoIP or Voice over IP allows you to make phone calls or carry out videoconferencing over the Internet, and are often much cheaper than traditional telephony services. If you make frequent international business calls or travel overseas a lot, switching over to VoIP services can help slash your operating costs by huge margins.
7. Seek IT advice from the experts
When it’s something as important as the IT infrastructure of your business, sometimes it’s better to get help from the professionals. There are companies such as Canon that can provide total business IT solutions specially customised to your business. Consisting of both hardware and software solutions, they can help improve productivity and get your business off to a flying start. Learn more at https://sg.canon/en/business