5 Technology Essentials For Every Business

It’s difficult - nigh on impossible - to run a business these days without keeping up to date with advances in technology, and these are just five of the tech essentials that every business should have:

1. Responsive web design: Mobile commerce is on the rise, and people now want to be able to shop for items from their smartphones and tablets, and from wherever they happen to be. For a website to perform at its best, its design needs to be responsive, meaning that it should work effectively on any device. The investment for this need not leave a big hole in your budget, and its benefits could soon see your profits increasing. If your businesses website is not accessible from these types of platforms, then you could be missing out in more ways than one.

2. Mobile money: If your website has a responsive design and can be accessed easily from a mobile device, then you need to be able to take payments that way, too. Many more customers are paying for products or services online, and often from their mobile devices, and if someone is interested in what you are selling but cannot easily pay you for it, well that spells disaster for you and your business. You’ll need to research mobile payment technology carefully though, and only invest in it after seeking professional advice and guidance.

3. Cybersecurity: While it’s usually larger companies that can fall victim to cyber-attacks, smaller businesses may be at risk, too. Attacks from those attempting to steal credit card numbers from card reading devices, or by skimming cards, are on the rise, and to protect your company from such attacks, you must invest in the very best online security system that you can afford.

4. Social Media Expertise: Nowadays, most of us are active on at least one social media platform, whether it be Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to name but a few, and these can be a great way for businesses to interact with their customers. Accessing these sites is of course free, but knowing how to use them to your company’s advantage, may not be so easy, and investing in someone with social media expertise, can often quickly prove its worth.

5. Data Management: Even if your company is small or medium sized, you should still be collating the data that you will undoubtedly have amassed, and using it to help you predict future opportunities. Investing in a system that automatically stores, collects and even analyses data, will help you to make the most of your business and help it to grow substantially. Seek professional help and advice, to get you the best system that you can afford, and which will be the most effective for your business and its needs.

These points are valid for any business, but there will always be technology available that is industry specific, so do plenty of research to discover what technology will work best for your type of business, or seek professional help to get you started.