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As an SMB (small-to-medium sized business), it’s essential that you’re able to adjust to the current marketplace. That includes making investments in the right technologies. But for many small business owners, this is a daunting task, and it can be hard to decide whether an investment in a specific kind of technology is worth it. You want to get the best bang for your buck, which may include long-term cost savings, better communication, stronger customer service, greater efficiencies, or less time lost.
Top Tech Investments for SMBs
Cybersecurity
It should come as no surprise that cybersecurity is one of the most crucial technologies for SMBs. In 2019, 43% of cyber attacks were aimed at small businesses, but only 14% were prepared to defend themselves. Meanwhile, these attacks cost all businesses an average of $200 000. These statistics make cybersecurity an extremely cost-effective way to spend your money.
There are a lot of different ways to use cybersecurity to your advantage. Disaster recovery, cybersecurity services, and learning how to identify threats are all factors in stopping cybercrime, and all of them should be used within a strategy or framework to fully secure the business.
Project Management Software
Many businesses consider project management software to be a critical part of their everyday organization and communication. These cloud-based tools are designed to help manage time, resources, and budget for all your projects. This can be a relatively inexpensive investment but can make your business’s productivity levels skyrocket.
There are plenty of project management software options out there, so you have a variety to try and choose from. Popular choices include Asana, Teamwork, and Wrike.
Automated Marketing
Automated marketing is a way to streamline marketing processes and campaigns, so you don’t have to spend time on menial or time-consuming tasks. Automating campaigns and sales activities means that you won’t have to send all your customers a tailored email, or press ‘send’ on every social media post – the automation does that for you!
By collecting customer data, marketing automation allows you to provide automated customer service that remains personalized and keeps the customer experience pleasant. At the same time, your business will save time and resources for more important projects and tasks.
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage is another technology that businesses of every size can use to their advantage. Storing data on the cloud is less expensive than storing it on hard drives, and makes your data more easily accessible since there’s no physical item required to retrieve the information. Plus, cloud storage allows for better data security; the data can’t be damaged or destroyed by natural disasters, and in the case that information is lost, it’s much easier to get back.
You can get cloud services for storage, security, or optimizing your business processes. If you’re going to invest in cloud technology, you can also invest a little more in implementation and training so you get full use of the product.
Point of Sale Systems
Point of sale systems, or POS systems, are key in ensuring that your sales run smoothly. POS systems are essentially the place that a customer makes their POS transaction. Unlike a cash register, these systems can be seamlessly integrated with other technology, like mobile devices or cloud services. Most systems have built-in payment flexibility and have software to manage orders, track sales, issue receipts, and more.
One of the bigger benefits of a POS system is its mobility. Many new systems are known for having attachments that can be added to a phone or tablet, allowing customers to swipe a credit card without the hassle. There are pros and cons to different types of systems, so reach out if you’re looking for the one that suits your business best.
Managed IT Services
IT management services are a secure and simple way to make sure your business’ technology runs as smoothly as possible. Alt-Tech offers services like cybersecurity, cloud hosting, and more, so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with the technology to keep your business secure and running efficiently. For more information about investing in technology and how to manage your digital needs, check out our other blog posts or get in touch.
