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Using innovative techniques to grow a business isn’t just a way to keep up with the changing times; it can also help small and mid-sized business owners save time and money, reach a wider audience, and problem-solve with the push of a button. By introducing tech solutions to your company, you can streamline formerly labor-intensive tasks while taking your business to the next level in areas like customer service, accounting, and project management. You can even add on to your marketing strategy and build your customer base with tools like an SMS messaging tool.
No matter where your goals lie, making smart choices with technology will be to your benefit for many years to come, so it’s important to learn all you can about the software and services available to your business. Lighthouse Consulting Group shares a few tips on where to look first:
Remote work — One of the most meaningful concepts to come out of the pandemic for many business owners is the idea of remote work. Not only does it allow employees more flexibility in order to handle family responsibilities, but it also provides money savings for the company. When your team is scattered, however, it’s crucial to ensure you have the right tools to keep everyone on the same page. Project management would be nothing without online communication tools that allow for secure, easy document and image sharing or team meetings, so look into the advantages of these resources for your team members. Even if you don’t currently have remote workers, these tools may come in handy down the road, and training your team members on how to use them now will save you time later.
Time management — Any business owner knows that making the most out of every minute of the day is essential for both managers and team members, but it can be hard to ensure productivity every day, especially if some of your employees work out of the office. Utilizing time management tools like a note-taking app or calendar app to keep up with meetings, projects, and deadlines is essential if you want to ensure that everyone is on the same page. These tools will help to eliminate mistakes and prevent you from having to hold meetings or training sessions more than once on the same topic, which will save time for everyone.
Cyber security — When several people are sharing files and information, it’s crucial to ensure that your business’s most sensitive data is kept secure. That’s why investing in the best cyber security software, email system, and protection tools is imperative. The good news is, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on these tools; in fact, a password-protected PDF file can go a long way toward keeping certain documents safe.
When it comes to email, Google has a wealth of resources for business owners, including a secure email system that provides customized addresses for both your business and your employees. Not only is this great for lending credibility to your company, it’s also advantageous for your marketing strategy.
You’ll also need to consider using digital backup for your most important information. Often, smaller businesses fail to protect their data sufficiently because they underestimate the risks. Some utilize security methods without updating them, while others have no plan in place at all for future data loss. Whether it’s from hackers or a system malfunction, data loss can leave your business with costly issues that affect your sales and customer trust for a long time. Back up your most important information, and utilize the cloud to store images and other documents that you don’t need immediate access to.
Business process management — Business process management can be a huge benefit to startups and established companies alike. It is the practice of taking a close look at existing processes and using analytical tools to identify inefficiencies that may be holding your business back. By re-evaluating what isn’t working, you are able to replace outdated systems or processes with ones that operate more smoothly and cost-effectively. Conducting research on business process management can get you started so you can automate mundane tasks, minimize risk, and increase profitability.
Digital marketing – Most of today’s business owners already utilize digital marketing in some form, whether it’s through social media advertising or emails to customers, but it’s a good idea to put as many marketing tactics to use for your business as possible. This might include creating a unique, easy-to-navigate website that offers several payment options and includes informative copy and keywords for SEO to drive traffic; it might also include utilizing a chatbot or SMS messaging tool that gives you access to your customers’ needs in real-time while allowing them to resolve problems.
