8 Ways To Improve Your Business Through Technology

Make your business more efficient and effective by leveraging a little tech.

If you’re operating a business, you’re likely already using some form of technology to help run and grow your company.

But are you using enough? Are you using what you have effectively? There are a number of ways you can make the most of the latest technology to boost productivity and improve customer service.

Here are eight ways you can make use of technology to better reach your business goals.

Explore Automation

There is no shortage of tools available that can automate a multitude of business-critical tasks. You can streamline how you pay bills, respond to emails, and manage employees with automated software. There are even programs that can help you manage your social media platforms. You can get a month’s worth of marketing tweets arranged in the space of a few hours.

Automation can lower instances of human error and waste, as well as catalyze productivity. By using automation for even a few basic tasks can save your business a significant amount of time and resources over time.

Make Use of Productivity Apps

A solid, easy-to-use calendar app is a great way to manage your time — both short and long term — to meet business goals. Being able to view tasks and events in daily, weekly, or monthly terms allows you an improved perspective on how best to manage your business and how to organize day-to-day tasks best. Scheduling meetings and calls can take up a decent chunk of time. A good scheduling tool, be it a calendar app or planner app, can free up time and keep you organized.

Planning and calendar apps aren’t the only tools that can help you meet business goals. Grammarly can help your business writing communication. Hootsuite can help you manage your social media presence. Apps such as Google Keep or Simplenote allow you to share notes and checklists across multiple devices and platforms.

Check Your Network

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to evaluate your networks for security and efficiency. Both occurring could result in data loss and downtime, which could possibly lead to total business failure. At the very least, it will cost you time and money to recover from.

System analysis tools, malware trackers, and the special knowledge and tools of a contracted IT service provider could help keep problems from happening before they’ve had a chance to occur. By staying on top of the health of your network, you can ensure uninterrupted, secure business each day.

Improve Password Management

Careless password use can open your business up to all manner of security risks. Set company-wide policies on robust password use, such as forbidding personal information like birthdays, children’s names, or anniversaries. Combine letters with numbers and special characters, and don’t use the same password for more than one network or site. It’s also not a good idea to come up with letter sequences that spell words that appear in dictionaries.

Finally, make it a rigid policy not to use the same password for more than one network or site. Consider implementing password management programs to help keep your passwords safe.

As a matter of business policy, certain passwords should be changed whenever a key employee leaves. Likewise, there should be strict communication guidelines for sharing passwords. They should never be printed, emailed, or given to unauthorized individuals.

Invest In New Technology

A decade-old desktop computer and an 80s-era phone system are only going to get in the way of an employee’s ability to do their job at the level they need. Consider switching to a cloud-based VoIP phone system. Its flexibility and ever-expanding range of functions not only give employees the tools they need to stay in contact, collaborate, and conduct business but sends a message to your customers that you’re a modern business able to fulfill modern needs. Depending on the size and type of business you run, you might also want to see what artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies can offer you.

Use a CRM System

Using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system allows you to effectively organize and manage everything from customer contact information to marketing strategies. You can set up a CRM to focus on a variety of aspects for any business, including marketing, sales, service operations, and analyzing customer data.

You could even work within a field of business with a collaborative CRM that allows companies to pool data.

When you have a wide range of data connected in a CRM system, you can use those tools to target and bring in new customers. You can also more precisely target existing customers. A CRM platform can track what services and products your customers purchase and how they’re using it.

Take Advantage of Mobile Technology

Employees need to be able to perform all their necessary work tasks off-site as well as from the office. Mobile tech can boost productivity even when employees are on the road, working from home, or in the office lobby. Mobile technology can also improve the way you reach customers.

Outsource Your IT

As technology becomes increasingly more complex, outsourcing your IT needs might be the smartest move. This will free up your time and resources so you can focus more on meeting your business goals. Over time, you’ll find yourself reducing costs, errors, and downtime. The savings will allow you to redirect your budget to other avenues, such as improving your products or services.

Growing Your Company

Chances are you’re already using some of these approaches to technology and business. How are they working out for you?

If you’re like most other businesses, you’re wondering how you got along without such advantages before. Business and technology are a natural pairing. As much as technology helps business, so have the demands of business spurred the ongoing growth of technology.

The exciting thing to see will be where we are in a few more years.

About John Teehan

John lives in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and dog. He specializes in tech, health, business, parenting, pop culture, and gaming. Visit wordsbyjohn.net for more info and rates. Twitter: @WordsByJohn2