As a small business owner, you naturally have a tighter budget than larger corporations, but that doesn’t mean that you have to settle for lesser quality in any regard. Many expensive modern devices and software packages owe their status to the brand they’ve built around them, and not necessarily state-of-the-art quality and service. So, instead of following trends blindly and acquiring a flamboyant app for the simplest of tasks, take a look at the three main areas where technology can be of real help to your business.
Marketing
First stop – communication. Technology is aiding businesses in many ways, but perhaps the most prominent one is communication with customers. Although you are a small business, via social media you can reach potential buyers from all over the world. The creativity of your marketing team is backed up by technology, so that you can offer interesting content to your customers, for example, in the form of videos. Blogging is also one way to reach a wider audience, and it is the preferred source of information for those who dislike assertive messages. If your posts are engaging, you will be able to ensure customers loyalty through them. Also, if you decide to incorporate e-mail marketing into your strategy, you can simply add an opt-in form to your website. In addition to that, to be better organized, you can use software to help you create a marketing plan, so it would be easier to alter it and share it with the rest of the team.
Security
Since most of the data is becoming digitalized, information security has become a hot topic both in the EU and other countries. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has affected all countries in contact with EU citizens, so some of them, such as Australia with its Notifiable Data Breach (NDB) legislation, have followed in their footsteps to ensure data security. Luckily, there are software solutions which can monitor the data collection and storing on your website. However, you need to make sure that your business, as well as your customers’ personal information, isn’t compromised in other software, such as your e-commerce platform. To avoid legal issues, hire trustworthy local agencies. So, if you are in Australia, go for one which can offer an experienced Magento developer in Sydney or another city you reside in. Hiring local companies with a good professional reputation will give you peace of mind.
Communication
With the development of technology, both businesses and employees have moved all over the world. The beauty of it is that you don’t need to limit yourself while searching either for talented employees or prospective clients. In order to ensure a quick flow of internal communication, you might be using a messaging platform, while for communication with your partners, you might have opted for teleconferencing or group video conferences. Also, webinars are quite useful for providing additional training to your employees, as well as strengthening the bond between the team members who live in different countries. Not to mention that file sharing has never been easier. Instead of photocopying important documents and wasting paper on numerous draft versions that need to be checked, you can simply share that document online so that everyone has access to it, and if necessary, permission to make changes.
Technological advancement has influenced the expansion of businesses to international waters by simplifying communication. Besides foreign business partners, employers have started hunting for talent across the globe. Technology has also made it possible that with a click of a button, you can share ideas with thousands of people.
However, it has brought some negative aspects too, especially in the area of privacy. The security behind sharing confidential data has become a big concern, one that is still debated among experts and governments of the world. So, the best recipe is to consult with experts when you are uncertain, and to do thorough research online prior to acquiring a new piece of technology, tangible or intangible. Informed decisions are the basis of any small business’s growth.