Simply put, no business can go without technology nowadays. Even the local bakery will benefit from implementing technology. Of course, technology is available in payment systems and a website. However, technology can support small businesses in many other ways. It can simplify many business operations, and save you time, energy, and money. Unlike what is often thought, a business does not need to be of a certain size to benefit from technology. Actually, small businesses can benefit as much from technology as larger businesses do. In this blog post, an overview is provided of the best ways in which technology can support small businesses.
Customer Management
For both offline and online businesses, customer management is crucial. Without happy customers, a business will not be able to keep it up long. Keeping track of your customer data is essential to be able to provide them benefits. This is the case for online businesses, where personalized gifts like a discount on the customers’ birthday will make them more loyal to you. However, customer management is just as important for offline businesses. For example, offline businesses often work with bonus systems in which customers can earn points by buying products. A customer management tool will support the proper management of this bonus system. Triggre.com offers a custom-built business platform including a customer management tool.
Inventory Management
For a small business selling goods, inventory management is essential. There should be enough inventory to prevent selling out, while there also should not be an overstocking. Inventory management is the key to achieving those two goals. Inventory management will enable a small business to closely monitor the inventory and predict the necessary inventory levels. Moreover, inventory management will improve customer service. This is the case for online businesses by make it easier to track products on their way to the customer. For both online and offline businesses, inventory management improves customer satisfaction by preventing a product from being sold out too soon. Search online for more information about inventory management as part of a business platform.
Social Media
Both offline and online small businesses can’t go without an active presence on social media. Lacking social media performance is essentially giving your competitors an advantage over you. Customers use social media to get inspired and informed about products and services they want to buy. Since social media platforms like Instagram are used so widely, being present on social media will allow a small business to reach a large audience with a small effort. It is important to choose the right social media platform that matches your target audience. For example, Tiktok is often used by the younger generation, while Facebook is popular among an older audience. Instagram is taking up a place in the middle, by having both young and older users.
Driving growth
Lastly, technology is indispensable for the growth of a small business. Technology increases efficiency by taking over tasks that are time-consuming, such as administrative activities. Moreover, technology improves the flexibility and scalability of a small business. For example, strategic initiative tools predict whether campaigns will finish on time and within budget. They provide valuable performance insight and display it in charts and dashboards that make analysis easier. This allows companies to make better decisions regarding product launches and marketing campaigns. Technology also helps businesses to automate employee expense reimbursement using an app, making it easier for business owners to track expenses and avoid fraud. With regard to communication, technology will do nothing but improve it. For example, by a tool improving communication inside the business, better performance will be achieved. Concluding, in a large number of areas, technology will make your business a winner!