Think back to how business was done a few decades ago. There was no
email, Internet, mobile marketing, telecommuting or smartphones. Now
communications are instantaneous, huge amounts of information move
through email and the Internet and powerful tools are in the hands of
owners and employees. Innovations in technology have improved operations
at companies of all sizes and helped turn small local businesses into
global businesses.
Communication
Cell
phones have become small business necessities for owners and employees.
These devices are lifelines for staying in touch when on the road and
responding to customer inquiries in a timely manner. Smartphones raise
the bar with access to the Internet, email and business applications in a
small hand held device. Email, text messaging and social networking are
other advances in communication that keep small businesses connected to
their customer bases and improve internal communication within the
company.
Marketing
Technology
has freed small businesses from the restrictions of prints ads when it
comes to reaching new and existing customers. Internet marketing ranges
from a simple informational website, to advertising on search engines,
to online product sales. Email marketing is an effective and low cost
method to reach a large group of people with a newsletter, coupons or
business updates. Mobile marketing is a relatively new frontier that
reaches people through text messaging, advertising on mobile
applications and offering branded applications that tie customers into
what is happening with the business in a fun and entertaining way.
Productivity
Small
businesses need to wring every ounce of productivity out of their
operations and technology tools help employees get tasks done more
quickly. This may range from printing out marketing materials to
providing customer service through email or online chat. The key is to
keep employees focused when using technology and to use it appropriately
with the goal of saving time. Sometimes, a phone call may be more
efficient and productive than an email. Provide employees with the right
hardware and updated software to keep them working at peak proficiency.
Customer Service
Technology
brings businesses closer to customers. Businesses use email to answer
questions, offer online chat to help customers that are visiting the
business website, and equip call centers with the latest phone equipment
that makes customer service agents more efficient. Give customers a
choice of ways to contact the company. Technology is powerful, but keep
the people element in mind and don't skimp on training employees in
effective customer service techniques and the proper use of the
technology.
Telecommuting
Many
small businesses now offer telecommuting and flex time as benefits.
Colleagues can stay in touch from different locations, and when working
different hours, by using email, online collaboration tools and mobile
computing devices. When in the office, workers can share digital
documents, convey information through presentations and create training
videos to bring new employees up to speed.
Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing
over the phone is one of the simplest conferencing methods, but
advancement in recent years have brought web conferencing to the fore.
Web conferencing can bring together web cams, audio and collaborative
online meeting spaces to create an extremely interactive environment.
Participants can see each other, work together on documents and recreate
the in-person meeting experience no matter where they are in the world.
This is one way that small businesses can extend their reach to include
global customers and workers.
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