There is an abundance of the newest technology that it seems like there is a new gadget that tech companies release every week. It could get overwhelming to choose which one you would really find useful for your business, especially if you only have a small startup and you’re trying to save money. But there are only a few technologies that you would really need whatever your business is, whether you operate a restaurant or offer online DMV defensive driving courses.
Essential Technologies For Your Businesses
It’s only natural to take time to consider the gadgets and technologies you really need for your business as not every one of them could be useful at first. The good news is that the essential ones are either free applications or affordable gadgets. Here is a list of some technologies that you should consider getting as soon as your business starts operations to help you save time:
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Financial Management Software
Before accounting software became a thing, business owners and their accountants had to spend so much time looking at their finances to make sure everything was in order. Bills, invoices, and receipts were accumulating and adding to the headache of the financial aspects of most businesses.
Fortunately, in 1978, Visicalc and Peachtree‘s spreadsheet software was invented and introduced to the accounting world. Now, you have more advanced choices accounting software to choose from, like Tally ERP 9, Zoho Books, Vyapar, myBooks, Logic, and Busy Accounting. These kinds of software simplify the accounting process and make the tasks of managing your finances easier and more efficient.
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Cloud Storage
Cloud storage like Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, Nextcloud, iCloud, etc., act as a backup for your main in-house storage if there were any problem that could cause you to lose some vital business-related files and information. It’s common for computers’ memory or hard drive to crash, so getting cloud storage should be one of the first things you do, especially as most of these applications are free.
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Inventory Management Software
If you have a business that sells or handles products, it could be a challenge to keep track of all of them. Fortunately, there are now cloud-based apps that could help manage your inventory. These types of software would help you in your reports, assist your customers, keep workflow running smoothly, and more. LOCATE, Zoho Inventory, Upserve, Cin7, and Fishbowl Manufacturing are some of the leading inventory management software used by most product-based businesses.
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Customer Interaction Management Software
There are many ways businesses connect with their customers that it could feel overwhelming for business owners to access their phones, emails, social media, websites, live chats, etc., all the time. But there is a solution that can be used to manage customer interaction using a single platform; apps like Genysys and Podium are some examples of customer management apps that you should check out.
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Project Management Software
Since remote working became more popular, project management software like Hive, Trello, Nifty, Basecamp, Smartsheet, Wrike, and Workfront was must-have. These tools would allow business owners better to manage the projects and tasks for every employee more efficiently, thus increasing productivity. It’s something that can be used in physical offices as well, of course. So, get one to help you keep track of your business’ workload.
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Cybersecurity Tool
Cybersecurity would help businesses protect their data and important information from any cyber threats that could lead to theft, hacking, alteration, erasure, and damage. Of course, most businesses are aware of how rampant hackers, malicious content, and intellectual property theft are these days, so it’s only natural to invest in cybersecurity tools.
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Artificial Intelligence
Most research has long predicted the important role that artificial intelligence will play in accounting, audits, inventory, customer interaction, and more. These are all essential aspects of any business, and incorporating artificial intelligence to do all the tediously repetitive and time-consuming tasks helps the rest of the workforce to focus on more manual tasks and advisory roles.
Imagine a world where there would be lesser human errors without removing them from the workforce. It would make businesses grow bigger with more desirable results for all parties included. So, investing in artificial intelligence early on would help your business in many ways.
Giving your business the digital transformation it needs is something that would benefit you. As mentioned, some of these tools are free, and some might cost a little bit of money, but they will go a long way in helping small businesses grow bigger and any well-established businesses to become more successful in no time.