Apart from the everyday technology that has become tantamount to breathing in a thriving business (imagine life without your cell phone, laptop and tablet!), there are emerging small business technology tools and solutions that can also play a vital role in your success. But with tight budgets and changing priorities, where should you put your financial focus?
Regardless of budget, SMBs can make small adaptations go a long way. Your small business technology investment today can mean a more efficient operation, better managed expenses and greater agility to be responsive to customers’ needs and changing trends.
Smart security solutions – According to Jim Lippie, General Manager of Cloud Computing at Kaseya, data breaches and security threats will not let up for SMBs in 2019. One seemingly small incident can shutter a business for good (60% of small businesses go out of business within six months of a cyber attack)2, so the need for comprehensive security has never been greater. Every Xerox® ConnectKey® Technology-enabled printer is armed with a holistic four-point approach to security, helping to ensure protection for all system components and points of vulnerability.
Financial and accounting software - Keeping a tight hold on your finances is imperative to your success and being able to reinvest down the road. The number of online accounting apps and services can be overwhelming but can also provide a lot to choose from to meet your exact needs.
When it comes to payment options, today’s development platform providers are working to integrate one-touch payments on SMB websites in addition to mobile devices, with PayPal and Apple Pay being just a few that are quick and easily accessed and becoming more popular with consumers.
Scalability and Security – think of it as “technology on demand”, when you need more memory or hard drive space, or actual CPUs, it can be accommodated instantly saving tons in costs and IT time, and often with more security than those resources in the office.
Savings and Access – with a pay-as-you-go approach you can save thousands of dollars a year and increase productivity when files and tools are available anywhere at any time.
Xerox® ConnectKey® technology-enabled printers let you access all your cloud services — Dropbox™, Google Drive™, OneDrive® via the VersaLink® tablet-like touchscreen interface.
Automated marketing and lead generation - Marketing automation software makes it easier for small businesses to leverage limited resources to create big marketing impact by helping you secure leads and set up processes automatically based on responses from your customers. Cloud based email marketing services like Mailchimp or Marketo can help you nurture and engage clients with automated emails and campaigns. And a social aggregator like Hootsuite can help manage your social media interactions by easily posting to all social channels at once.
Mobile tech and collaboration tools - A strong mobile strategy offers more agile solutions to your customers and greater efficiency for you. Responsive websites, effective apps and mobile payment methods are crucial to customer engagement and retention; smartphone and tablet apps equally so for conferencing and remote work needs. Xerox mobile technology enables your mobile device to let you work from anywhere; download, share, print, scan, distribute and even translate documents on the go, simply by tapping an app.
With more and more people on the go collaboration tools are key to helping people work together, even in the office. Chat and messaging, document management and file sharing are the most common, with Microsoft Office 365 for Business, Google Apps for Business (G-Suite), Slack, and HipChat being popular, helping streamline communication and letting workers share content regardless of location.
Home office tech - Don’t let smart investments in tech stop at work – your home office can also benefit from teching up. New home automation technology like smart lightbulbs, smart plugs – and yes, even smart curtains – can boost your focus and productivity. Smart speakers can’t be beat for providing instant assistance but still carry privacy concerns for many, so consider turning them off when not in use. In today’s home office, tech like a good quality back up hard drive or webcam can be essential. And wearable technologies like smart earbuds and smartwatches integrate into your lifestyle with ease and can support your work wherever you go. Looking into a security system/camera is worthwhile, too, for providing peace of mind while you're away or to monitor the premises while working at home.
Today’s tech invites SMBs to compete with larger businesses and can yield high returns on even the smallest investment. Discover more small business tips on how technology gives SMB owners an edge.