Start-up Science: 5 Technologies Empowering Small Businesses
The sheer number of small businesses currently operating today is enough to discourage aspiring entrepreneurs to start their own company. Even if they do manage to start one, keeping it alive long enough to realize profits seems impossible due to the constantly shifting commercial landscape as well as the operational inefficiencies that cost start-ups huge amounts of money. Fortunately, we live in an era where technology rules the plains. Wherever you look, there’s hardware or software that has the potential to streamline tasks and projects.
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Customer-Relations Management
As your customer base grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage existing relations and, subsequently, build new ones. CRM software enables small businesses and their respective sales teams to coordinate and organize customer information. In a nutshell, CRM software collects leads and customer data, after which it analyses the collected data to understand client or market characteristics and needs. Finally, it uses the collected information to tweak marketing campaigns to boost sales and profit for the business.
Accounting
Every business – big or small, tech or energy – requires some level of accounting to ensure they stay compliant with regulations. Since the earliest businesses were operating with their old-school equipment and methods, accountants have been at the backdrop, helping them manage financial accounts and file taxes among the myriad of other tasks that fall under their lap. Accounting practices have become more robust nowadays thanks to its infusion with software. It has dramatically reduced the margin of error and lowered the required training and learning curve for newly hired accountants. Anyone who has access to a computer and has minimal experience working as an accountant can easily commandeer the said program.
Office Equipment
Office equipment are becoming slimmer and more space-efficient thanks to the elimination of pesky wires and cables. Not only that, but office equipment are also becoming more functional. Equipment like Belkin Instant Switch, Google Cloud Print, Kwikset Deadbolt, and Plant Link all embody current technological offerings that are both innovative and beneficial in their own special ways. Another example is Nest thermostat, a smart device that learns temperature preferences and adjusts accordingly. As AI continues to increase in its capacity to understand, these smart office equipment are bound to bring unprecedented levels of productivity and cost- and space-efficiency to commercial and residential markets.
Mobile Technology
Mobile phones have come a long way from their Jurassic-sized predecessors, which were drastically limited in capacity. But it isn’t just smartphones that are harnessing modern technological advancements. Even printer companies have adapted to the market by introducing a fleet of wireless printers that lets you edit and print from anywhere using your iPhone or iPad devices. This mobility is made possible with Apple’s AirPrint feature, which lets you connect to both Android and Apple operating systems.
Cloud Computing
Basically, Cloud refers to the technology that uses a collection of remote databases hosted on the web for the purpose of storing and managing data. This practice is in lieu of the traditional method of processing data through local servers or a PC, which tend to be limited in storage space and is less secure. Cloud computing for a small business means the ability to go paperless and manage the entirety of the business’ information through a more secure platform. Business owners can save both space, time, and money trying to manage heaps of physical documents and filing cabinets. In addition, storing data through the Cloud improves a workforce’s productivity by providing 24/7 access to data wherever and whenever necessary.
These five technologies encompass a great portion of your daily business operations. Learning and mastering how to apply them to your small business can result in better savings, higher sales and profits, improved quality customer and partner relationships, and, ultimately, success for your company.
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