This year marks a new milestone for people who aren’t yet digitally connected. The long-awaited Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law, which is set to improve infrastructure in the country. Part of this law will facilitate government programs to enhance the country’s broadband infrastructure, which will provide more reliable, faster internet services that everyone can afford.
According to JD Supra, an industry leader in legal intelligence, the IIJA will help bridge the digital divide that keeps many people from connecting to the internet. This is especially true now that the pandemic has made people more dependent on internet access to work, purchase products, and avail services.
Aside from bridging the digital divide, the IIJa can help foster technologies that micro to small businesses can use for business growth. Technological infrastructure has positive effects on business operations. It has benefits to help your company increase profits, adhere to customer demands, and achieve business goals.
Technology Is Indispensable
Companies can use software, systems, and apps for management, accounting, communication, and other business processes. Smartphones, laptops, and other mobile devices, on the other hand, enable businesses to increase connectivity, which allows business operations to be managed remotely.
Technology has indeed affected the way businesses handle processes. In fact, according to the digital magazine Industry Today, technology is indispensable for businesses.
For a better understanding of these technologies, this article aims to explain each one that can be helpful for your micro, small, or home-based business. Hopefully, in the end, you can decide which one to try first and eventually apply all of them as your company grows.
1. Social Media
Digital marketing is one of the most effective strategies that enable business growth today. This is caused by rapidly changing consumer behavior as people prefer to purchase and avail of products and services online.
Social media is vital in digital marketing. You can reach out to your target market through different platforms, engage them, turn them into leads, and eventually make them your customers.
Small businesses can take advantage of the free marketing venues through different social media platforms. For example, cast stone suppliers can promote their products through Facebook and Instagram. They can showcase their work using captivating images of their products or photos of their previous work with satisfied customers.
With social media, you can increase your brand reputation and awareness for your products or services, all for free. Social media can also be used to improve your customer service, considering the communication capabilities that social media offer.
2. Cloud Services
As a small business owner, you can use cloud services to move your critical operations to internet-connected third-party servers. This allows your business mobility because the permanent loss of data, crashes, and downtime is eliminated. Because of this, you have the chance to scale efficiently and innovate your
business. What’s more, you can compete with other companies that are even larger than your operations.
3. Cybersecurity
Unfortunately, because most businesses are done online, there has been an increase in cyber attacks that put the critical and sensitive company and customer data at risk. However, businesses that use cybersecurity technologies have a better chance of fighting these attacks.
Cybersecurity technologies allow small businesses to protect their data and, eventually, their operations and company as a whole.
4. Mobile Applications and Devices
Because of the pandemic, many small businesses have shifted to a mobile-first business model. Adopting a mobile-first approach means you’ll prioritize your customer’s mobile experience whenever they make transactions with your company. It means that messages you want to communicate and products you
want to offer will be done through mobile applications and devices.
Mobile applications are accessed through smart devices, digital tools, and mobile devices. Because of this, mobile technology also allows you to manage your business remotely. It’ll also enable you and your staff to accomplish tasks and complete business processes even though none of you are in the
workplace.
5. Business Software
Software used for businesses enables automation of costly, complex, time-consuming, and sometimes labor-intensive processes that are typically done manually.
Business software was once thought to benefit only large organizations for their high-demand processes. That isn’t the case anymore. Small businesses that require basic processes like accounting, inventory, payroll, management, and many others can utilize business software’s functions and capabilities.
Small businesses that use business applications increase the efficiency of their operations and the effectiveness of their products and services. They can achieve this as software enables a reduction in workload, automation of repetitive tasks, and elimination of human errors.
Modernize Your Business
Modern technology offers modern solutions to modern businesses. It’s a great way to grow your business while protecting it as well.
While it’s understandable to have a fear of the unknown, modern technologies can only be the last strategy you’ll need to keep up with increasing customer demands, business vulnerabilities, and competition. Considering this, take advantage of the growth opportunities that technological solutions provide today.
