Tech solutions to modernise your business
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This is a phrase that’s uttered all too often. And it’s a dangerous one for a business to adopt.
We frequently meet businesses that are reluctant to update their familiar processes, despite how impractical they may be today. It’s not shocking to find businesses stuck in a digital rut, particularly if they have been trading for many years. Time has taught us to think if it’s not broken not to fix it. But in this case, we’re wrong on that one.
Just because once upon a time fax machines were at the height of technology. Along with the beeper and mobile phones the size of your shoe. But that doesn’t mean that’s best for business now. Or, more importantly, what’s best for your customer. And with the wealth of tech solutions and tools available, you can’t afford to turn a blind eye. Not when it would be so easy for competitors to sneak in and steal your spot.
So, where to start?
Finding a tech solution to adopt today is easier than it’s ever been. Tech is everywhere you look. It’s adopted by 64% of SMB’s, growing to an estimated 88% throughout 2017.
But how do you figure out which of these tools is the one for you? There’s so many to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming. Are they right for where your business is at? How do you determine where your business needs a boost? There are thousands of technology companies in the UK alone. It’s easy to get distracted or feel overwhelmed with the selection that’s available or to even feel that some are unnecessary.
The key is to identify what holds you up. When do you spend the most time completing a task? What is it that keeps you waiting? Where do you spend your time chasing clients or colleagues? What aspect could use some digital organising? You need to pinpoint where you feel you don’t have the right tools at your disposal to get your work finished.
How do you keep your processes on point?
- Don’t get comfortable
This might sound strange because comfortable is meant to be good, right? We all like feeling comfy. And yes, it usually is. But when you feel comfortable you’re not moving. Which means not moving forward. But when you feel uncomfortable it means you’re trying something new, and that means growth for you and your business.
- Know your customer
You need to understand where they are and what they’re doing. By knowing this you make their buying experience easier, which can identify where you might need help. Is sending documents via post slowing down signing things off? Then you’ll need to find a paperless solution. Do you need to strengthen the communication between your customer? Opt for a digital help desk. How about ease of sending files? Cloud storage means you no longer have to zip 20MB files & in the (naive) hopes they email just fine. There are hundreds of tech solutions for all areas of your company.
- Don’t get complacent
Stay aware. As soon as something starts to take time out of your day, starts to bug you, or becomes the task you start dreading the most – that means there’s room for improvement. And if it can be improved, then that means there’s probably a solution waiting for you to try out.
So stop wasting your time! Taking on tech solutions will mean your business is constantly innovating and streamlining its approach. And as a report by Business Review Europe highlights how “new technology adoption is crucial to business success”. Explaining how “businesses can only progress as quickly as IT enables them to – it’s business at the speed of IT.”