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The world is embracing smart new technology as it is becoming ever more affordable and accessible. Businesses regardless of their size are utilizing modern tech in every aspect of operations from production to inspections, job tracking, job scheduling, invoicing, payments and marketing just to name a few.
Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that it can increase productivity and efficiency to a major degree. Companies can free up teams to work on other more value-add tasks to generate revenue.
However, while the benefits of using technology are widely known, not all businesses have taken the steps to adopt it. This can be attributed to several factors such as lack of skills or technological know-how, fear of change, or inadequate infrastructure.
Businesses that shy away from adopting new technology risk not being able to compete in the marketplace. Big business opportunities can be missed, and they may hinder your ability to scale and grow.
Even a small piece of modern technology can make a massive difference to how your business operates and the output you can deliver. The key is to have the right technology and use it in the right way.
Here are some of the ways that you can leverage smart technology:
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1. Automate business operations
Running your internal processes manually will slow down your ability to complete tasks and deliver your service or product to your customers. In the modern climate, people demand things fast, equalled with exceptional customer experience.
You want to put yourself in a position where you can manage this. In instances where you may be managing large field-based teams, the level of complexity is such that it is imperative you have a solid grasp on schedule management, team dispatch and job tracking.
With business automation, you can reduce the burden of running everything manually. Consider, for argument’s sake, a contractor firm in the construction industry – they might want to utilize construction management software to track their technicians as they are dispatched to on-site locations within their service area, support with invoicing, payroll, and communications with clients to avoid last-minute cancellations etc.
When you automate certain aspects of your internal systems, you are empowered to complete more jobs, win more jobs as a result, and scale your business.
2. Invest in customer relationship management systems
Knowing your customers and connecting with them personally is crucial for any business. The best way to build this connection is by investing in customer relationships. Customer relationship software will enable you to learn more about your customers, what their preferences are, and what their pain points are.
By adopting a customer relationship strategy and proactively learning about your customer base and how to service them better, you will begin to forge much stronger relationships with them. You can use what you learn to adapt the way you approach your customers and wider audience to grow your business. The better you know your customers, the better you will be positioned to generate more conversions and revenue as you will be in a much stronger position to deliver what they want.
3. Embrace cloud solutions
Cloud solutions play a crucial role in data security and management. You want to prevent the breach of data at all costs. As a small business owner, you may not have the skills, infrastructure, or funds to do this yourself so the cloud can present itself as a very practical and effective way to meet your data storage needs. The cloud utilizes data encryption software to help protect your data and grant access to only authorized parties.
In addition to data security, cloud solutions can help speed up business operations. This is because you can host all your company data in one place, making it easy for anyone in the company to access it without requiring manual approvals. Your data will stay organized, easy to process, and use.
Also, using cloud technology means you don’t have to invest in heavy technological infrastructure since the providers already supply it. This way, you can redirect your resources to other areas of your business to expand and grow.
4. Use technology to hire the right talent
Your business growth also depends on the talent you have. You need to have people who can communicate well with customers, pitch better business ideas, attract new work, and get tasks completed in time and efficiently. Generally, you need the right talent behind you to succeed. If you can’t hire the right talent, you risk working with people who won’t add value to your company.
Smart technology can help you hire the right talent in different ways. First, smart screening can help you filter candidates in the recruitment process by identifying sets of keywords on their resumes. Secondly, you can use browsing behaviour such as how long candidates spend on your website or the pages they visit to determine their level of interest and if they’re the right hire.
5. Tracking goals and reporting
Setting goals will help you stay on track and ensure you don’t deviate from your main business objectives. Moreover, if you set and track goals, you’ll be able to prove to clients and your team that you have a plan to scale your business and you’re working towards it.
Using smart technology, such as tracking and reporting tools, will help you identify if you’re on the right path or not. It first starts with capturing the right data then developing key performance indicators (KPIs). With data and KPIs, you can develop and analyze performance reports to know your progress. You’ll also know what areas you’re not performing well, then work on improving them.
6. Develop a mobile strategy
Businesses that aren’t using mobile technology are missing out on big opportunities, as mobile is one of the most convenient means of communication. Over 50% of internet usage is attributed to mobile phones. Therefore, if your business can’t be accessed through a smartphone or device, you’re losing out.
The first step of your mobile strategy should include optimizing your business website for mobile. The website should be responsive to different screen sizes so people can access your business information without any difficulty. Secondly, you can develop a business app that fits your unique business needs and port it to different platforms for a cohesive online presence.
Conclusion
Technology is here to stay, and the sooner you find how to leverage it to scale your business, the better. The chances are your competitors will be leveraging smart technology to succeed. You need to too, to compete with them. There are different aspects of technology such as cloud solutions, smart recruitment, mobile strategy, and others discussed in this article, that can help you scale your business.
References
- “Five ways to leverage technology to scale your business” – BigDataAnalyticsNews
- “5 ways to leverage technology to improve your small business” – Techaeris
- “Win the War for Talent: 3 Technologies That Will Change the Way We Hire” – Recruiter
- How To Use Technology To Scale Your Agency More Efficiently” – Forbes
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Source: WittySparks
