5 Ways New Tech Gives Small Business A Leg Up

One of the most important things for a small business owner or hopeful entrepreneur to realize is that businesses in modern times are more dependent on modern technology every day. We live in a digital age, and often the latest technological innovations hardly have time to settle in before they’re updated, upgraded, and replaced. Staying on top of this rapid progress by employing the latest tech is a great way to give even a small business an edge over the competition.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of some of the specific ways in which small business owners can look to do just this.

Using Wearable Tech For Social Marketing

This is a tricky area to talk about because it’s really only getting started. But one tech-based marketing article about how the Apple Watch can change marketing captured most of the relevant concepts pretty nicely. The idea is that many new businesses are already taking advantage of social marketing opportunities that exist through apps and mobile devices; apps allow these companies to access individuals on a broad scale, offering updates, news, coupons, purchasing opportunities, etc. Translating this marketing opportunity to wearable tech just puts companies that much closer to consumers, which is always a good thing. The article also makes the interesting point that iBeacon technology even allows for instant, location-based marketing—for example, offering a coupon to a consumer when his or her devices indicate close proximity to a store location.

Improving Efficiency Through Cloud Usage

By now the cloud has become a reasonably familiar concept, and a vital tool for most businesses. The specific options for shared data hosting and security are just about endless, and different solutions are best for businesses of different sizes and natures. For some, easily accessible systems like Google Drive or Dropbox will suffice, and for others a more comprehensive, enterprise-geared service may be necessary. But the bottom line is that the ability to share and collaborate on business-related documents and projects is crucial for maximizing efficiency.

Tracking Vehicles With Automated Systems

For a lot of small businesses, vehicle use and shipping plans are not yet relevant. However, companies seeking to expand will ultimately require some shipping activity, and this is one somewhat surprising area in which the latest technology can actually be incredibly helpful. One report on vehicle fleet management through wireless tech in the city of Napa suggested that thousands of dollars can be saved simply through automation of vehicle diagnostics checks. Knowing when vehicles need repairing, how they could travel more efficient routes, and where they are at all times can give you full control over company shipping activities, and help to cut costs in numerous ways.

Accepting & Facilitating Digital Payments

To some extent, this idea goes hand-in-hand with the idea of implementing wearable tech to expand marketing. Allowing consumers to make purchases of your product or service through the same tech devices is certainly part of this process. However, it’s also becoming increasingly important for new businesses to facilitate payments both through digital means (for example, having an iPad that can accept Apple Pay at a cash register) and through actual crypto-currency (such as Bitcoin). Many consumers love the idea of moving their money and payment methods into digital form, and allowing them to do so incentivizes purchases.

Creating Web Platforms Independently

One very intriguing development in modern tech for small businesses is that new web design platforms have been invented specifically with the goal of simplifying the process of creating a website. Wix and Squarespace, in particular, have become popular in recent years as alternatives to some of the more complex platforms that have existed longer. There’s an ongoing debate about which site is better for different purposes, but both allow the average computer user the ability to create and sustain a fully functional professional website. If your business ends up being successful and expands, you’ll likely need to spend quite a bit to meet your needs on the web. Being able to start off on your own can cut a lot of initial design costs.

Paul Bryant is a part-time freelance writer with a strong interest in small business. His writing covers topics related to business education and early business strategies.