Tips For SMB Owners To Avoid Becoming Overwhelmed By Technology

By Dennis Hung, Consultant

Most small business owners are easily overwhelmed by technological advancements due to lack of proper guidance and support. They also find social media, cloud computing, and even CRM tools very vital in running their businesses optimally. SMB managers have created websites and blogs that are user friendly for the purpose of reaching out to a wider customer base on the virtual online market.

Any business that intends to minimize its input by utilizing cheaper digital marketing strategies will be competitive regardless of whether it is a small business or large enterprise. A survey done on small business owners has shown that 59 percent don't have access to sufficient IT resources in their business communities.

How To Solve Technological Advancement Challenges

Outsourcing IT Services

Advancements in technology can be a daunting task for a small business owner who is not sure whether there is a good ROI in investing his or her limited funds on technology. Outsourcing IT services such as virtual bookkeeping to a managed service provider can help your company to save a lot of money that you could have spent in investing in building an onsite server. Leaving IT and troubleshooting issues to the experts will help you free up enough time to concentrate on the core issues of your business that will in the end translate into increased profits.

Cloud Vs. On-premise

Before the advent of cloud computing, businesses were expected to invest in expensive servers and software. They also had to go through the hectic processes of installing the servers and connecting all their devices to these servers, besides making periodical upgrades for software. With cloud technology, however, even small business owners can pay a small monthly fee and let the experts do the applications' support on the file storage servers. In fact, cloud computing enables individuals and business owners to access all of their personal documents from anywhere at any time, provided their mobile devices are connected to a stable internet.

Comprehensive Solutions

There are various software applications designed to execute different functionalities. The software can be expensive when purchased and used separately. However, if you invest in an application that integrates other solutions for your small business, the overall costs will be efficient.

For example, you can invest in CRM solution that can also handle other services such as contact management and other HR related solutions in your business. You need to shop around in order to get the best product since not all service providers offer what they claim in their software packages. There are social media forums like Facebook that offer amazing customer service options. With the millions of people accessing these social media platforms every minute, you can be sure of serving your clients on a daily basis reliably.

Support On Call

You shouldn't start searching for cheap IT service providers every time your business is experiencing a downtime caused by simple troubleshooting or other IT-related issues. Consider doing your searches and having contacts of experts who can provide you with immediate assistance without necessarily having to travel to your site.

In fact, there are various online forums that can help you in solving IT issues and get back to business when you know the right credible platforms to check out. You don't have to wait for several hours to have your technical issues fixed when an expert can do it reliably on call.

Most small business owners are only overwhelmed by technology because they fear to take on the challenge and embrace the new era of doing business. Instead of being left behind in the competition, embrace these ideas and position your small business strategically.

About The Author

Dennis Hung is a business consultant and writer who is passionate about technology and innovations and how they are continually disrupting the business landscape. He spends most of his time consulting for companies in North America. Dennis can be reached at dennis.w.hung@gmail.com.