Small businesses and technology
When properly used technology has the capacity to change small businesses globally. Thinking outside the box, hard work and the willingness to grow are very essential in small organizations. Technology has the ability to make or break the small firms. Luckily, technology is evolving to fit the needs of many businesses and it is paramount that firms adopt these strategies that fit their needs. Therefore, this paper will identify and discuss IT applications and technology that I would recommend for a company to succeed in challenging economic times.
Firstly, use of productivity apps will be my first recommendation. Having project managers will cost a small business a fortune. Thanks to technology, these firms do not require hundreds of specialists to stay afloat. Use of productivity apps such as Podio or basecamp will put a small firm in the small percentage of small organizations that are exceedingly effective. These apps are free can be matched with a desktops for faster use.
Secondly, a small business can use analytical tools to do a SWOT analysis. With technology advancement, this analysis can be done instantly by checking the company’s website traffic or assess the speed or time it takes to load. These analytical tools also help businesses compute performance indexes of the firm within a short period of time.
Furthermore, small business can invest in internet based payment systems. These systems will ease how we send and receive payments while offering a number of payment alternatives. These payment plans offer flawless incorporation into the approved accounting programs.
When these firms use this new payment methods, they attract new consumer segments. You can sell your commodities and services to more clients because of investing in new web based payment plans.
A small business can invest in digital marketing strategies because they have the prospect to provide specific targets, instant results and two-way communication. Compared to traditional marketing strategies, digital marketing provides higher results on advertising spend. Also, digital marketing is easily available and popular to small businesses because review results are immediate unlike TV advertising where the reviews are done after the campaign is over.
Finally, storage of a firm’s data is an essential part of running a business. Small organizations can store their information on cloud without buying in high volume storage gadgets. Today, hosting information through web based storage account is what many small businesses are doing. Cloud storage enables firms to access their information from any location and store limitless information. Thus, small firms can always rely on these to compete with large organizations.
In conclusion, for a small business to survive in tough economic times, it has to invest heavily on technology. These firms should rely on technology on a daily basis because of the positive ways that IT will improve the fortunes of the business depending on the objectives the company has in place and the acceptability of the technology by employees. Employees’ play a significant role in any organization; thus training should take place so that the workers may not feel left out.