Help for Your Small Business
If you are the owner of a small business, congratulations! While there is a surge in small businesses at the moment, it is still a difficult undertaking for many. Small businesses create nearly two-thirds of new jobs in the working industry in the US and are responsible for 44 percent of the US economic activity. Evidently, small businesses are becoming a big players in the world’s economic scene. However, there are various challenges unique to small businesses that bring an element of difficulty to the task. As interest rates climb, fuel costs steadily increase, and disposable income dwindles, the future of small businesses could seem bleak. Yet there are things that can help businesses to navigate these stormy waters and survive in the current economic climate, thriving in the field of entrepreneurism. One of these ways is through the effective use of technology.
Help for Small Business – Technology
Technology is a daunting topic for many yet embracing digital transformation can mean major improvements and great success for any kind of business. The problem with running a small business is that you are a small team, perhaps even relying on the knowledge of one individual. How can make good tech decisions without an IT expert on hand? As a smaller business, you likely don’t have the resources to get expert information whenever you need it, or to hire an IT manager and competent IT team. The truth is that small businesses need more help with their tech. Finding the right solution is a massive undertaking and might put people off from looking into it altogether. The danger with this is that competitive businesses will have the upper hand as they benefit from the implementation of technology that can streamline processes, drive sales, and give valuable business insight.
Getting the help you need with the limited resources you have is not completely impossible. If you can’t justify the hiring of a permanent IT team, think about appointing one on a consultancy basis, to be available when you need it. Join associations that are relevant to your industry – this important networking will give you valuable contacts to get in touch with when you need some advice or assistance. Learning from other people’s experiences will be of great benefit to you and your small business. Be humble and willing to approach bigger businesses to get their expert assistance. You don’t have to go it alone when It comes to navigating the challenges of a small business.
Implementing even the simplest of technological systems could have a massive impact on the day-to-day running of your business. If a piece of tech can do one of the more mundane tasks of the day, you will have more time and energy to focus on tasks that need your support and will bring the best rewards. One such technological system could be in the form of phone answering services. As a small business, you can’t be everywhere at once and this means you could lose a lot of opportunities by simply not being able to take incoming phone calls. A staggering 92 percent of customer interactions occur over the phone, so answering it when it rings is a necessity. If you can invest in a call answering service, where your customers and potential clients are transferred to a trained and professional receptionist that can speak to them live, you will never miss a phone call again. This will go a long way in improving the reputation and image of your business, showing how concerned you are about your customers and the desire you have to meet their needs. The staff members within your small business won’t be tied to the phone all day but will be able to focus on things that will make a big impact on your business. No matter when a call comes in, a phone answering service operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, will take messages and even schedule appointments, if necessary, on behalf of the business. This means that your business can successfully go global if desired, as a change in time zones will cause no difficulty at all. The underlying benefit of this kind of technology is the fact that will greatly reinforce the relationships that you have with your customers. Small businesses rely on their customers, and to retain your customers you need to build strong relationships through consistent communication. You might not be able to personally answer the phone 24/7, but a call answering service will enable your customers to contact you as a business 24/7.
Help for Small Business – Stress Management
It may not be as obvious a need, but small businesses also need help to manage stress. As a small business owner, you likely have experienced how stress has become part of your everyday life. You have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders – there are customers to please, orders to fulfill, expenses to cover, possibly staff to pay, and your own wages to deal with. A recent study found that the common symptoms of poor mental health, such as disturbed sleep, anxiety, and irritableness, were experienced by 80 percent of small business owners in the last couple of years. The consequences of such cannot be understated. Not only is it detrimental to your health but experiencing stress as a business owner could also cause harm to your business, threatening its success and its future. On the other hand, business owners that can focus on the well-being of themselves and their staff benefit from a more productive workforce and in the end better economic outcomes.
Fortunately, there are many tips, suggestions, and initiatives that you can investigate on how to support mental wellbeing within your small business. Ensure that mental health support is available for all staff members. Organizations like Mind and St Johns Ambulance provide lots of useful information, as well as training for the workforce, about understanding and dealing with mental health problems.
With the right support, both mentally and technologically, you can succeed as a small business!