Technology makes our daily lives much easier and more enjoyable, and as time goes by it can only improve even more. But how does a business harness technology? Using the right technology can make or break your business these days and so knowing how to use it is crucial. Here are five technologies that will ensure that your business is fully up to date and taking advantage of the modern technological age.
Mobile Phones
Everyone has a mobile phone these days but how can a business use them to the full? Well firstly they provide an easy way of communicating with employees at any time, and are particularly useful in an emergency. You can keep in regular contact with employees if they leave the office and update them with details when necessary. Also, on modern smartphones like the iPhone you can check email and view documents while on the move, allowing you to keep in touch with all developments, no matter where you are. You can also instant message other employees which can be a lot cheaper than calling or texting them.
The Internet
The internet is a vast resource that every business should be using as often as possible. You can use it to build relations with clients as well as find new ones and develop the business’s image. This is done through the use of websites where people can learn more about your business and contact you. Information is everywhere on the internet meaning that you can find pretty much anything that you might need for your business, from getting tech support to ordering new equipment and supplies; the possibilities are endless.
The power of computer automation
Computers are remarkable machines that can save businesses loads on additional hours and increase productivity. Manual labour has the tendency to create more human errors whereas computers can be left to process lots of data and information with only a small amount of supervision. This makes the process much smoother, allowing work to be done much more quickly. Work can even be done while no one is there – such as overnight or during lunch breaks – further increasing productivity.
Cloud computing
Having stacks of paper documents everywhere can clutter up your office, and the idea of going through them all can be very unappealing. This is where cloud computing can save the day. Cloud computing involves connecting various computers together wirelessly, usually using the Internet. Each computer in the cloud can have access to any documents or data on the network and because it’s all on an Internet based server everything is backed up. Examples of these servers include Dropbox, Google Docs and Microsoft Skydrive. You save computer space because you don’t have to store all your documents on your computer and as everything is shared each user doesn’t have to purchase their own copy of certain programs, with one being enough to share around the whole network.
Video conferencing
Video conferencing has become more and more advanced in recent years with the quality and size of the video only improving. It allows businesses to quickly and easily contact other people via the use of video, whether they are clients, other businesses or even other employees. Some companies now offer exclusive and professional video conferencing services although the smaller businesses can also use the likes of Skype for example, which is completely free. Mobile phones can help too with FaceTime on the iPhone an obvious example.
