These tech trends can help to transform your business for the better
Technology is more involved in the world of business than it ever has been before. Even the smallest business must create an online profile for themselves in order to stand out, as well as using modern tech advancements like can be found over at vantiq.com to make things simpler and speedier day to day.
Businesses rely on technology a huge amount these days, from making basic changes in the workplace to implementing long-term improvements to how you interact with customers.
But for many small businesses, the world of tech can be a little overwhelming. It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to improving your business with tech advancements. That’s why the team at Syntax IT Support London are here to clear things up for you.
By making use of these ten tech solutions, you can streamline the way your business is run, saving yourself and your team time for more important matters. It can also help to improve your relationship with your clients and give you a better understanding of your business overall.
Inventory and Product Management
Technology provides a more streamlined experience when it comes to communicating with your customers, particularly about what services and products are and aren’t currently available.
It used to be that customers would place an order only to discover – potentially days later – that the item was out of stock. But nowadays, technology allows you to offer real-time updates on stock as it is sold, showing you exactly where your stock levels are at.
This can also help you with ordering the right amounts of items based on popularity, or even implementing auto-ordering based on previous quantities used. Inventory management can help you have your most popular products always to hand.
Online Customer Support
Contacting customers online is one of the best things about technology for businesses. From social media to your official website, having a strong online presence gives clients and customers a greater spectrum of choices when it comes to getting in touch.
One example of tech-supported customer service is VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol. This allows the internet to handle calls rather than relying on a traditional landline. This is a cheaper and more accessible option for businesses, allowing staff to handle enquiries from their PC or smartphone rather than huddling round a business phone all day.
Software
Streamlining a business has never been easier with all of the new and emerging software that has been created. It seems as if every industry has someone developing a way to make certain business processes require less time or effort for workers. Take the finance industry and look at this as an example. There are appointment-setting services out there that will target any new potential client leads and then automatically set appointments with the most qualified of those prospects. Companies such as Leadjig now take this one step further by prequalifying the prospects with questions that the financial advisor may want to be answered before the appointment takes place. There is plenty of emerging software similar to this for other industries too, so it’s important that businesses do their research to see what’s out there.
Chatbots
Chatbots are another great example of tech-supported customer service. You can’t expect any member of your business team, including yourself, to be fully available to talk to customers at all times. At the same time though, you don’t want to leave customers feeling ignored.
Whether through Facebook, WhatsApp, Slack or on your own website, a messenger chatbot offers a quick port of call for customers, saving you in both time and staffing. Hook up your chatbot with answers to all your business’s most frequently asked questions. If more specific advice is needed, your bot can ask customers to leave their details for someone to get back to them.
More and more consumers are using chatbots to make their purchases, so this is definitely worth considering for your business.
Online Sales
The switch from in-store shopping to online shopping has changed everything about the experience of buying things. For most of us now, shopping online is our first choice, making for a faster and smoother process overall.
Because of this, businesses are feeling the pressure to make their online buying experience as streamlined as possible. Online sales are hugely important to the long-term growth and management of your business. Thanks to modern tech, you can make buying from your business a simple experience. Features like one-click buying and free delivery are tempting additions that make consumers more likely to choose your business time and time again. It is simple to streamline the entire delivery process by using companies such as Revel Systems who offer an easy to use delivery management software.
Real Time Analysis
There was once a time when, if you wanted to receive accurate data about your business growth, you would have to invest your time and budget in a financial advisor. Nowadays, there is no middle man because your business can be analysed in real time from the comfort of your own PC.
A wide range of new algorithms have completely changed this experience, making it clearer and less biased. AI software can help to power the data-driven solutions you need to know how your business is performing; which areas are thriving and which areas require more attention.
Immersive Experiences
If your business specialises in property or interior design, tech advancements like augmented reality and virtual reality trips can be a viable asset to your business website. In the past, these industries were difficult to translate onto an online platform because customers want to experience the property or item before committing to it.
Virtual reality allows them to do that from the comfort of their own home. A 360-degree tour can give a much clearer idea of a property than simply looking at photographs, allowing customers to experience their potential future home time and time again at their own leisure.
Product Testing
You can even take this immersion one step further by allowing consumers to test products online using tech advancements. Think about how many apps and brands offer free trials, from audiobooks to streaming services. You can even go on Amazon and read the first chapter of a book you’re thinking of buying, or consider a website design and have the chance to play around with it first to see if it’s the right fit.
This allows your consumer to get familiar with your products before they’ve even committed to buying them, creating a strong connection between them and your brand, and making them more likely to return to your business time and time again.
Blockchains
Think of blockchains as electronic ledgers. They allow transactions to be recorded with near-total reliability, in a secure environment, without having to worry about third-party fees.
And while blockchains might not be the right fit for every business, if you find them to be a useful addition to your organisation, you’ll reap plenty of rewards, namely security, speed and full control.
New IoT Devices
The internet of things has become an increasingly common term over the last few years, and refers to the multiplicity of devices connected to the internet. Everything from speakers to fridges can be connected online in order to make them more useful and streamlined.
For businesses, the IoT can help to drive efficiency, speed up arduous tasks and cut costs. Everything from sharing files to providing information to team members can be streamlined with increased connectivity. And the interfaces we use to consumer information, entertainment and advertising are becoming more diverse, from smartwatches to Alexa.
Cloud Computing
The Cloud has been a staple aspect of IT for the last few years, with increasing numbers of businesses implementing it into their daily routine. The Cloud allows you share files and information in a safe online space where everyone in your business can access them, amend them and comment on them.
Not only does this make it quicker to share files across your business – eradicating unnecessary costs like printing – but it can also increase security in your firm by allowing you to back up your files safely.