Modern technology has found its way in all sorts of businesses these days, no matter the industry or size. As a business owner, you probably already use several tech tools in your personal life. But are you harnessing the full power of tech solutions in your business life as well?
Technology can simplify and improve a number of business operations, and the right tool can save you time, energy, and even more money. And, the good news is that you don’t have to run a cutting-edge tech company to benefit from technology.
The tech arena is no longer something only accessible to large corporations. Even small companies can utilize digital advancements to earn more money, grow, and have above-average employee growth.
Here are our tips for choosing the best tech tools for your small business and how to buy them in a smart way:
Talk to your employees
The first thing you want to do when planning to digitalize your small business is actually to understand its tech needs. Maybe your small company needs some tech help in the marketing or sales areas. Or, maybe it needs some tools for better data management. Either way, the best way to truly identify your business’s tech needs is to talk to the people that will use those solutions to make your business more efficient and productive. That’s your employees!
Gather your employees and start a conversation on what technology tools would help them do their job better. Try to identify your employees’ pain points because those are your business operations’ pain points as well. You may hear your employees saying, “It takes too long to enter all customer data.” Or, they might say, “Automating some marketing tasks would give me more time to focus on the strategy.” Or, your employees might complain that “It takes too long to communicate internally using email.”
If your employees have such complaints about how they have to do their job, it is very likely those areas need improvement. And, there are a number of tech solutions that can help with that. This is a great starting point to know which tech solutions are needed to make your business operations run more smoothly.
Talk to your IT guy first
Once you’ve identified what areas of your business could use some tech tools to improve, it’s time to turn to your IT guy for some advice. If you’re the IT guy for your small business, then you know what you have to do. Yet, if you’re not a tech-savvy person, it’s best to ask for advice from that one person that knows how tech works, how it can be implemented in your business, and what tools you should be looking for.
Ask your IT guy to give you some insights on what tools your small business needs, be it more laptops, a marketing software tool, a payment processing system, cybersecurity solutions, or a project management platform. From here, you can move forward to starting your hunt for the best tech out there.
Read online reviews
When you purchase tech for your small business, you likely want to do it in a smart way. And, this means that you should make sure that what you’re buying is genuinely worth the money.
One good way to make sure that you spend your money wisely is to read online reviews for any product you plan to buy, be it software, gadget, or computer. There will surely be a number of reviews from other customers sharing whether or not there is an issue with the product, if it truly has the capabilities written in the description and if it is really helpful.
Since you’re in the business world, you can also reach out to your other entrepreneur peers for recommendations on products they are using for the same operations in their companies. A business owner that already knows how a product works and improves a business can be a reliable source of advice for you.
Buy refurbished things
Many people try to stay away from refurbished tech gadgets because they are not sure how good they are and work. Yet, the truth is that refurbished things are, most of the time, just as good as new stuff. The only difference is that they cost significantly less.
Buying refurbished gadgets is a great way to save money on your tech investment. If you buy from a reliable seller, preferably one that offers a guarantee as well, you shouldn’t worry about the product’s quality.
Search for discounts
One way to buy tech for your business the smart way is to spend as little money as possible. If you can buy the same products for less money, why not do it, right?
So, how do you buy cheaper tech products? There are plenty of options:
- Compare prices for the same product from different sellers. You can use a price comparison website to identify the cheapest price for what you need.
- You can look for buy now pay later electronics options so that you purchase what your business needs now and pay when your financial situation is more stable.
- Look for discounts and coupons to buy the products you need cheaper.
- Considering when you buy the tech products you need can also make a difference in the final price you pay. More precisely, consider the demand for the product you want. If you buy when the hype is over, you’ll be sure that you don’t overspend. Also, consider looking for deals related to holidays like Christmas or Black Friday.
Consider maintenance
Last but not least, when buying tech products for your small business, you also need to consider maintenance. More precisely, consider these two aspects:
- The cost for maintenance: You likely don’t want to spend more than you’ve paid for a gadget to replace a damaged part of it. Look for tech products that don’t cost a fortune to fix.
- The complexity of maintenance: Make sure that if something goes wrong with the product you buy, you, your IT guy, or your team will know how to fix it so that you don’t spend extra money on repair services.