No matter what kind of business you’re running, keeping on top of technological trends is a must. Technology never sits still. As more and more developments come out there will be certain things you can’t afford not to have. In 2016, there are a variety of technologies you should really be taking advantage of. These will improve the productivity of your operation, and help you stay in-step with your modern competitors.
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One of the things you’ll have to prepare for is the new generation of professionals. You’ll find that a lot of people in their twenties are more comfortable using smartphones and tablets than they are with a standard desktop. This trend is only expected to grow, so make sure your business can accommodate for it! Mobile technology is completely changing the way businesses are run. Study any outdated areas of your business, and go looking for a mobile solution you can use instead. You’ll notice that your younger staff and even management become much more proficient with certain programs than they were before. Mobile devices also make for the smooth running of cloud technology, which brings me onto my next point.
As soon as possible, have a look for email providers who offer cloud storage and set up a subscription with them. This will increase productivity more than you can imagine! With cloud storage, you can make collaboration much smoother across your entire business. Sending an employee email after email trying to get them to edit something is a thing of the past! Through cloud storage, you’ll be able to manage which employees have access to which file. You’ll also be able to check and edit work the minute it’s completed by one of your staff members. From word processing to book keeping to contact management, you’ll never run out of uses for this technology. Cloud storage also makes it much easier to outsource work to creative freelancers. Some of these guys are brilliant but can be very unreliable. When you have them working through the cloud, you’ll be able to keep a keen eye on their work.
Last but not least, make sure you don’t neglect social media. This is where your younger workers will really come in handy. Back in the day, successful marketing campaigns depended heavily on the resources available to a company. Simply put, the more you could spend, the bigger your ad was going to be. These days, your social media following has a huge impact in your overall gross profits. There are two great things about social media marketing. It’s relatively inexpensive, and can be used to reach literally millions of people.
Whatever you have in mind for the future of your company, make sure you’re utilising these three technologies tomorrow! While these are some technological essentials, there’s a lot more you could be using to make sure you stay on top of the competition. Keep an eye on developments, and take your time deciding what would benefit your business. Don’t be too proud to ask that fresh-out-of-uni kid for their opinion, either!
