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Technology is an asset for small businesses. There is a technological solution for anything and everything these days, including project management, inventory management, and even intangible things, such as productivity.
On the flip side, there can be thousands of solutions to choose from. As such, small businesses often find that their biggest challenge is knowing what technology to adopt, and how to adopt it.
In this article, we will take a look at 7 ways to adopt the right technology solutions for your small business.
Identify Your Pain Points
Technology can assist small businesses by helping them overcome their problems. For example, if you find that inventory management is something you struggle with, you can adopt an inventory management solution.
A good starting point is to identify your current pain points. Where do you need to improve? What processes within your small business are lacking at the moment?
If you’re not sure, talk to your team. Find out what they’re currently struggling with and go from there.
Consider Your Financial Model
The obvious advice is to suggest that you take a look at your budget when weighing up which technology solutions to adopt. But the smarter advice is to take a look at your financial model.
Why?
Two reasons. First, your financial model will naturally dictate your budget, which is of course an important consideration.
Second, your financial model indicates how you plan to make money. In other words, it will tell you what your core objectives are.
Once you understand your financial model/core business objectives, you will be in a better position to understand which tools need to be prioritised in order to a) help you meet those objectives and b) stay within your budget.
Know What Skills Your Team Possesses
It can be tempting to implement new tools that we think will benefit our team, without consulting them first. This is because we’re sure that the solution will help everyone level up.
However, some solutions are easier to adopt than others. For this reason, it’s essential that you assess what skills your team currently has before choosing your technology solutions.
For instance, you might like the look of a tool and believe it will really benefit your team, but if it’s going to demand huge investment in terms of training, it might not be worth it.
Invest In Training
Some training will be required, no matter what technology solution you go with. This is so that everyone is able to get the most out of your new tool.
Training can be demanding. To make sure it’s as effective as possible, it’s important to make it as engaging as possible. Research shows that 83% of employees would rather watch a video to learn something new instead of reading a document.
Find Technology Solutions That Are Scalable
Technology solutions that are literally designed for scalability (such as cloud-based platforms) are preferable because they evolve as your business evolves. In other words, as your business evolves to meet growing customer demands, your tech is there by your side to assist you.
For example, many solutions come with additional services and features that are available as and when you need them. Therefore, these are the types of tools to look out for when adopting new solutions.
Find Technology Solutions That Are Secure
Security must be a priority for small businesses in the market for new technology. You need to be sure that your data is safe and secure and in good hands. This includes financial data and employee data.
SaaS solutions offer top-notch protection, as they typically do more when it comes to keeping your data protected.
Before you choose a new piece of technology, read user reviews to learn more about how secure it is. Find out whether it includes access to top-rated data centres, and what data encryption it uses. If you’re not sure, you can contact the vendor to find out.
Talk To Experts
Lastly, before you make your final decision, it’s always a smart idea to talk to experts.
It might be that you have decided to adopt a piece of technology that will help with your IT strategies. Before you make a move and invest in the tech, you should get advice from an IT expert who understands the field and the various technologies available.
Conclusion
Because technology is there to help your business-level up and get more juice out of your employees, it’s really important that you choose the right solutions. Use the tips in this article to find platforms that work for you and your team, and make sure to invest in training so that you’re able to get the most out of them.
“The opinions expressed by BizWitty Contributors are their own, not those of BizCover and should not be relied upon in place of appropriate professional advice. Please read our full disclaimer."
