There are many reasons why one may prefer working from home using the various types of technologies available online – it provides an opportunity to do away with the restrictions regarding clothing, travel, and having to be on time.
There are also various types of businesses that can be run smoothly online, from the comfort of your own home, such as teaching online, making and selling homemade products online (paintings, crafts, bakery, etc), among others.
Additionally, apart from being able to achieve that long-sought-after work-life balance, you may also be able to save on investing in real estate and curb many other expenditures while working from home.
Here are some technologies that are highly recommended to invest in to launch your small business.
1. Data Recovery/Backup (cloud)
If you choose for your business to go online, your business will inevitably generate gigabytes of information that you will need to store. For easy retrieval and also for organizational purposes, it is best to opt for cloud storage software. It helps you save on having to physically jot down important information in paper and even saves you space.
Storing all your data in a location that is virtually invisible also gives you the freedom to access it from any device. Cloud storage is the preferred method of data storage by businesses globally also due to the fact that it makes file sharing and collaboration much easier.
2. Payment Systems and Methods (Finance & Accounts)
It is often cumbersome to have to manage your own finances sitting at home. So, it is advisable to find a reliable software that does exactly this for you, in a highly organized and efficient way.
They save you valuable time and effort and make the entire accounting process virtually automated! Additionally, since your accounts are online, you have access to them 24/7. There is also no requirement of any special training to handle the finances, once the initial set-up and brief introduction are complete, you are set to go.
3. Internet Connection
As a business owner, you will be downloading and uploading data, doing research, and interacting with customers and your employees all-day. Indeed, the slightest delay in any of these processes has the potential to impact productivity.
According to research, slow internet can cause losses up to thousands of dollars to a company! Not only does a good internet connection offer reliability and quick access, but it also provides the opportunity to save money. Despite the relatively larger initial investment, spending on a good internet connection ultimately benefits the company largely in the long run.
4. Security Tech
Internet security is essential to any business, regardless of whether it is small-scale or large-scale. It is a technology that runs in the background of the system, scans all the data that comes into your devices, and alerts you about potentially harmful threats. Internet security acts as a virtual barrier to the different types of viruses that lurk on unsafe websites.
Since small businesses perform most of their transactions online, it is crucial for the owners to invest in reliable security technology to prevent any thefts/mishaps from occurring.
5. Digital Marketing & Advertisement
In today’s digital age, all the components of a business are invariably shifted online. Advertisement and the marketing aspects, as well, take on a brand-new form while being adapted for the internet. From social media to email marketing, content creation, and curation, along with search engine optimization, all these factors come under the umbrella of digital marketing and enable a business to enhance its expansion.
It is also a good idea for small businesses to invest in digital marketing as it helps the business to advertise and compete for a relatively lower cost of investment.
6. HR Software
For businesses of any size, human resources software integrates the human resources management of a company into its technology. It serves to reduce cost, time as well as effort and efficiently combines dynamic applications and modern technology.
These types of software largely rely on a centralized database that retrieves information about the details of all the employees of the business, such as their address, personal contact number, work experience, the number of years in the current company, etc.
This software can also make the process of hiring new employees easier by providing online application and interviewing platforms. Along with this, the software can offer assistance during the on boarding of employees, keeping track of their leaves, as well as in handling the payroll and payment processes.
7. Social Media
Almost all small businesses find that the return on investment towards social media is quite high. Instead of hanging up flyers and notices, businesses opt to pay for social media services. To reach out to and engage with their customers, as well as to broadcast their ideas, businesses turn to social media.
They invest time and money into various platforms such as Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram to not only advertise and increase brand awareness but also to analyze customer feedback. Social media helps increase website traffic, boosts sales, and also generates valuable leads that can potentially turn into lifelong customers. It gives businesses the opportunity to collaborate with influencers and promote their own content.
8. CRM (Customer Relations Management)
This software system manages the interactions and relationships of a company with not only its current but also its potential customers. It streamlines the process of communication, tracks leads, and manages customer relations.
The main target of the CRM Software is to increase sales by enhancing business relationships. It helps consolidate all the required data of a company into one place, increases sales opportunities, and shifts attention, time, and money investment into the company’s customers.
9. AI & Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence can be a handy tool for small businesses when it comes to improving productivity and efficiency. AI can be in the form of chatbots or even virtual personal assistants.
Overall, they can improve the results when it comes to sales, increases revenue, and improve all human-resource-related functions. AI can help do away with routinely/repetitive tasks that otherwise have to be taken care of, manually. Additionally, such software gives quality insights into business analytics and statistics and thus promotes growth.
Author Bio:
Mary Jones is the co-founder & editor-in-chief at TopMyGrades, which focuses on Content Marketing Strategy for clients from the Education industry in the US, Canada & UK. Mary has conducted a series of webinars on Essay Writing AssignmentEssayHelp on assignment help. She has extensive content editing experience and has worked with MSNBC, NewsCred & Scripted. She has also authored blogs on Lifehack.org, Wn.com, Medium.com, Minds.com and many more digital publications
investing in a technology now a day is a must because of this pandemic most poeple are working from home. but the cost is high.
amazing article..
Very Insightful read. Investing in software and tech can do wonders for your business. I recently got payroll software from dli-it.com and that saved us a lot of time and effort!
Agree with the overall pointers mentioned in the blogpost.