Technology has the power to elevate a business’s success, but it needs to be applied correctly. There are many technologies out there, and it can be overwhelming and challenging to keep up. Even making minor changes to business operations can have a huge impact on productivity, lead generation, and much more. You may be scared of tackling technology because you don’t understand it, but we’ve got you covered. Throughout this article, we will discuss simple technologies anyone can use to improve their business.
Web-Based Payment Systems
Sending and receiving payments online saves heaps of time, making them a no-brainer. There are countless payment options including PayPal, Stripe, and Square. Offering plenty of payment options will help you to capture more clients, and many people don’t like using traditional payment methods. To add a payment gateway to your website, all you need to do is create an account and retrieve the API information.
Productivity Tools
Productivity across the workplace doesn’t need to cost a fortune, especially with so many reasonably priced online tools available including:
- Asana. Accessible on mobile and web, Asana lets managers organise workloads and track progress.
- Slack. Laid out similarly to Discord, Slack is a workplace collaboration tool that can integrate with hundreds of third-party apps.
- Podio. A powerful CRM, Podio is designed to streamline business operations.
- Trello. Utilising Kanban-style lists, Trello is a web-based app for keeping track of tasks.
- Basecamp. Keeping up with the team has never been easy, as Basecamp ensures everyone is kept updated.
There are many more productivity tools available, but those above are arguably the best in the business. You don’t need to worry about spending a fortune because many of the services offer trial subscriptions or limited services for free.
Online Learning
Learning new skills and keeping updated with current business trends is essential for improving a business. Fortunately, thanks to tech advances, studying online has never been easier. For example, Aston University’s Online DBA uses podcasts, directed reading, video conferencing, vodcasts, and online assessment to deliver learning materials. Whether you’re learning from the UK or another country, you will receive the same level of support and come away with the knowledge that will benefit your business.
Effective Project Management
Project management has never been easier, with business leaders using tools like Podio, Basecamp, and Manymoon to track progress, assign workloads, and allow access to vital documents. Further, you can turn project management tools into a tool for presenting your product to potential clients and business panthers. For example, Keynote, which can be accessed through the Apple store, is a portable tool laid out similarly to Microsoft’s PowerPoint. Alternatively, Roambi can be accessed through the Android store, transforming your business data into useable charts and graphs.
User Analytics
Understanding how users interact with your business is a great way of improving services. You can use tools like Google Analytics to observe your current readership. Once you’ve assessed the information, you can use it to inform strategical business alterations, which will increase your lead generation. For example, if your viewers are ignoring written content but watching videos, you can shift your marketing focus to video creation.
Powerful Marketing Campaigns
Successful marketing has shifted onto the online forum, but it needs to be executed correctly. The key to successful digital marketing is consistency, understanding your audience, and following relevant social trends. Many services will help you create eye-catching media, which you can drop on your website or social media. For example, Canva Business can be used for free and will turn anyone into a professional graphic designer.
Social Media
There are more than 4.5 billion social media accounts worldwide, which is an enormous potential audience you can tap into for free. You can carry out simple audience research to find out where they hang out, and then showcase your products and speak to your followers. When posting on social media, you need to make sure every post and interaction adds benefit to the reader.
Virtual Assistants
If you’re a small business, the number of tasks can be overwhelming. Therefore, you should hire a virtual assistant to take off some pressure. You can find capable freelance virtual assistants online at an affordable price. When you’ve got the heavy work completed, you can scale down their input or let them go entirely. Freelancers have different rules for employees, which means you don’t need to give them the same termination notice periods.
Video Content
Video platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch are rising in popularity, which proves that video content is king. People interact well with videos because it’s easy to take in. If you can create an engaging video for your product, you’ve already won part of the battle.
Quality Customer Service
Customer service can make or break a business, so you need to get it right. To help people browse your online store, you can set up a communication hub, which will answer any questions they have. For example, you can write an extensive FAQ, have a chatbot, carry out surveys, and much more. The customer experience has more depth than simply buying a great product; you need to ensure the rest of the journey is flawless.
Security Services
Businesses store a lot of data, and breaches and losses can set them back considerably. Further, with the rise of reports surrounding online hackers, security actions need to be taken. Fortunately, there are plenty of backup services that will store your data in the cloud, which you can access when you need it. Further, you will find many security suites that will keep harmful viruses and malware away from your important information.
Technology has taken over the business world, and no industry is safe. Therefore, business leaders need to learn what tools are available and how to implement them. You can use the guide above to point you in the right direction, and the majority of services have extensive guides and awesome customer service too, which means you’ll never need to struggle.