Modern life is increasingly inundated with technology, and new devices come out every year. They make our worlds a little more comfortable and tasks more convenient — but their uses are not limited to delivering your favorite movie on demand or helping you stay in contact with friends and family around the world. They also have critical applications in business.
Here are some of the ways you can leverage technology to improve your business productivity.
Online Collaborations
First, remember that those same tools that keep you in touch with your loved ones can help you maintain contact with business colleagues and customers too. You can use different Internet-based solutions to make video calls and regular ones without paying long-distance fees. Plus, that’s not the only cost savings. When you can connect online freely, and at will, you can forge better relationships and save on travel costs.
Eliminate Outdated Processes
Also, use technology to eliminate outdated processes. Hand-written billing or spreadsheets that capture everything from inventory to client information are major time wasters. Adding a computerized billing program, invoicing system, or customer relationship management application will make your life easier and save you time that you can use toward activities that make money. These systems often provide automated invoicing as well as the ability to accept online payments while others offer issue tracking, online booking, and document organization.
It might sound like these enterprise solutions are designed for large corporations. The answer is yes and no. While many of these programs were originally designed for bigger companies, cloud-based technology and increased levels of adoption mean that they are now accessible for the smallest businesses — even freelancers.
Better Customer Service
Technology can help you provide better customer service as well. Automated systems and online help desks let your clients contact you at their convenience. You can also use an online help desk system so that each customer inquiry is turned into a ticket and, as a result, easier to track. Social media plays a role too. Customers often contact companies via these platforms, and they expect a response. Technology can help you monitor those communication channels so you can respond quickly. Also, you can send out surveys to gauge customer satisfaction and measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Easier Marketing
Technology lets you increase the number of communication channels you offer. You can build a website, start a blog, create social media profiles, and more. Even better, tech options let you spread the word as well as analyze how often your customers engage with your site, profiles, or content — and that can give you insights into how to best reach your customers going forward.
You can also create videos that help explain your product offerings, describe your company, or answer common questions. Amway is an excellent example of a company that has used technology and social media to its advantage. You can learn from Amway’s example on how to create videos that inspire new employees while also selling their products, like this “what is Amway’s business” video.
Conclusion
Technology can help you be a better business person. It facilitates online collaborations, enables you to eliminate outdated processes and provide better customer service. The right tech solutions also make marketing easier and teach you about what works so you can be as effective as possible.
