By 
For many businesses, if you’re not keeping up with technology, you’re almost certainly falling behind. This doesn’t mean that you need to run out, empty your savings account, and invest in every single tech upgrade you can get your hands on. But you can probably find a handful that you should consider for the future. With a seemingly new innovation arriving every other day, though, how do you decide what’s worth your time and your money? Here are several tech innovations that can really give your business that extra punch.
A smarter voicemail system
Especially if you’re running a smaller business, chances are you don’t have the extra arms, legs, and hours in the day to handle every task yourself. Often, this can start to affect other areas of your operation. It can mean missed customer calls, unanswered emails, and administrative errors. That’s why companies such as Stratics Networks have developed tech that allows your business to leave ringless voicemails without requiring you to physically call your customers. It’s a great way to conduct outreach and marketing efforts without adding strain on your business. That’s another reason the ringless aspect resonates with so many business owners and customers. Instead of devoting your time to cold-calling, messages are sent out on the backend. Essentially, it saves time for all parties across the board.
Greater automation
Especially when it comes to saving time and money, business automation can be an entrepreneurial lifesaver. That’s why it’s so exciting that it’s permeating so many aspects of business, from CRM systems to dialers. Think about automated email blasts that are only triggered to send when a prospective customer meets certain conditions. It’s a great way to nurture buyers through the purchasing funnel without requiring you to handcraft dozens upon dozens of messages. Automation also has other benefits. It can help you avoid those typical “phone tag” situations and connect you with customers much more easily without requiring you to own and operate an entire phone bank.
Augmented reality
Though it isn’t for every single business on the market, retail in particular is seeing a large rise in augmented reality, especially when it comes to projection mapping and AR applications. Businesses such as Nike are using AR to maximize the space in their storefronts, allowing customers to interact with digital renderings of products in a more sophisticated take on the “try-before-you-buy” method. It’s a great way to bridge the gap between more tech-savvy consumers and your business and, while it may seem like a novelty, is likely a technological advancement that’s here to stay.
Increased reliance on robotics
This is another innovation that will have more niche applications but shouldn’t be discounted. Robotics and automation tend to go hand-in-hand and can cut down on staffing needs, reduce human error, and speed up internal processes. Robotics also have the potential to increase workplace safety, boost your bottom line, and improve workplace culture by automating more mundane tasks that have a tendency to reduce employee morale. Though most entrepreneurs don’t associate small businesses with robotics endeavors, there’s great potential for the two to coexist and comingle.
Again, while not every single tech innovation is the perfect fit for every single business, enough are out there to fit each organization and can provide you with the added boost you’ve been craving. Whether you’re investigating automation and software applications that can streamline your customer service initiatives or are interested in refining how you handle outreach and marketing, there’s bound to be a service that aligns with your mission. With some time spent researching, you’re bound to find the right tech advancements to help your business thrive.
Comments