How to Maximize Technology to Boost Business

Thanks to technology, running a business has been made easier. Technological innovations have allowed ease of systems that were previously logistically complicated. Take, for example, the shipping of goods. In China, a driverless cart picks up goods from a depot. The cart then plies its assigned route where parcel recipients wait in designated delivery stops. Parcels are released to their intended recipients upon input of a delivery code.

Such technology is not yet employed on a global scale. But since China leads the way in terms of these kinds of innovation, it’s safe to say that it’s only a matter of time before driverless carts become the norm in the delivery of goods. For businesses, that’s a welcome innovation. Such a system ensures shipping accuracy, reduces labor costs, and hastens the whole process.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are simpler technologies that are already available everywhere and whose benefits to businesses cannot be discounted. Here are some of them.

Work computers tailor fit to your needs

Yes, it sounds more convenient to just shop for office computers. Ready-made laptops and PCs run the gamut and you won’t run out of options. But that only applies to office work that does not require very specific computer capabilities. ;

If, for instance, your line of business is data management, and you’re in charge of large quantities of crucial data, you cannot rely on these mass-produced computers. You need a computer builder to design a reliable PC outfitted with all the hardware essential to efficiently run your business.

Management software

These days you can conduct project management via software such as Trello. This platform allows task designation and follow-up, among others. Essentially, it will help you ensure that your entire team is on the same page project-wise. Accountability becomes easy because everyone knows what everyone else ought to be working on.

Trello offers three options to users. Those options include free of charge, business, and enterprise.

As for people management, there’s Slack. This software allows quick correspondence between team members. You can create threads that address specific groups or specific concerns. Now that many people work from home due to the pandemic, Slack’s an efficient way to keep tabs on team member’s deliverables.

As for inventory management, there’s Oracle NetSuite. This platform allows ease in the inventory process from procurement to warehouse management. Even payment schedules are covered by the software.

Apps to simplify tasks

If you need to gather a team of remote workers for a touch base meeting, there’s Zoom. Now, there’s no need to reserve a venue big enough for your expected participants. You can conduct the meeting virtually.

Do you have reports in need of proofing? Create a Grammarly account to help you out in the process. It may not be a perfect tool but if you need a different pair of eyes to correct typos you might have missed, it’s sufficiently reliable.

Marketing made easy

For e-commerce, for instance, marketing has never been as democratized as it is now. That is thanks to platforms like Google Analytics, which enables businesses to quantify the return of investment they get from their online ads. Even social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help you gauge the effectiveness of your marketing strategies via their built-in analytics tools.

Employment of technological innovations to streamline business operations is inevitable. After all, technology is developed to simplify all facets of life, including running a business. Time will come when you no longer need gargantuan capital to access essential technology that will ensure your business’s continued growth. Here it pays to always keep abreast with innovations introduced in the market.

Even innovations that at face value might not have anything to do with business operations might actually be of use. Consider the story of the bubble wrap. This product was originally intended as wallpaper.

The brainchild of Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, the bubble wrap existed from as early as 1957. They tried to penetrate the wallpaper market but with no success. Next, they tried to sell bubble wraps as greenhouse insulation, but still, the idea did not fly.

Fast forward to 1959, IBM was set to introduce the 1401 computer to the market. IBM people looked for ways to keep their products safe while in transit. That’s where they realized the usefulness of the bubble wrap for such a purpose.

Here the simple lesson is innovation does not always have to start with those who create technology. It can also start with those who are clever enough to use available technology in novel ways.

Comments are closed.