When asked why they weren’t implementing more technology in their business practices, 41% of small businesses said they didn’t have the budget for it and 24% said they lacked the right kind of tech support. While small business owners and even bootstrapped startups understand the growing importance of technology, implementation of it typically gets put on the backburner due to factors such as lack of access to the right technology and a solid understanding of just how it helps small businesses grow. While these might be valid concerns, the digital age we live in provides free access to many easy-to-implement tools.
Providing Access to Digital Marketing Tools
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Whereas quality marketing content used to be accessible only by large corporations with enough ad money to throw at big agencies, technology is transforming the ways in which small businesses can access a variety of tools. Numerous free apps exist that help marketing teams either work collaboratively from remote locations or even create consistent content for their brand. This alone is revolutionary, but as more and more small businesses take advantage of digital marketing tools at their disposal, innovation and new technologies will continue to influence change. While business tech continues to advance, experts note that productivity apps, social media platforms, scheduling apps and customer relation tools are the best suited for small businesses.
Cloud Solutions Increasing Business Agility
After implementing a cloud computing solution, 40% of businesses stated that they saw better agility, which essentially means that they were able to more easily adapt to market changes and adjust their practices accordingly. This type of technology, which is becoming more integrative, economic and even safer, provides a way for small businesses to scale flexibly, automate system updates, and engage in more effective remote work and collaboration. Not only are these all challenges that make running a business difficult sometimes, but they’re challenges that small businesses in particular face. Cloud computing technology therefore allows individuals, startups and small businesses to scale their business growth strategies in a way that is suited towards their specific needs and pain points.
Constant Connectivity Promotes Productivity
Employee engagement is an issue that companies of all sizes face, and 56% of employees don’t have the latest tech needed to complete their job well. In fact, only 44% of employees thought their company used the latest technology to enable them to effectively perform their role. This is a problem for startups particularly who want to show their employees that they care about their professional performance by providing them with the tools they need to succeed. While this might seem like a big investment, technology has actually been shown to increase productivity, particularly when used to monitor goals, track success and learn about employee behavior to cater the job role and feedback to their personality and working style.
Accept Digital Transformation Gracefully
The idea that technology is quite rapidly integrating itself into every aspect of the business world is nothing new, and the quicker that startups and small businesses can come to terms with this, the quicker they can learn how to effectively leverage the tools that technology provides them with. For example, you can now use a map maker to get a brand new insight into your data and improve it much faster and more efficiently.
The ability to scale a small business mindfully, increase productivity and gain access to endless tools are just a few ways in which technology is making business at least a little easier for small companies who need the extra help.