Chika Uwazie’s TalentBase: 5 Ways Technology Can Lead To Business Growth

Take a moment to think back to how business was done a few decades ago. There was no email, Internet, mobile marketing, telecommuting or smartphones; all we had were typewriters, desk phones, handbills for marketing and the likes. Now communication is on an  instantaneous level with huge amounts of information moving through emails and the Internet. Innovation in technology has improved operations at companies of all sizes and helped turn small local businesses into global businesses. Here are five important points on how technology can lead to your business growth.

Communication
Cell phones have become small business necessities for owners and employees. These devices are lifelines for staying in touch wherever one might be, and very useful for responding to customer inquiries in a timely manner. Smartphones raised the bar with access to the Internet, email and business applications in a small hand held device. Email, text messaging and social networking  are other advances in communication which keep small businesses connected to their customer bases, and improve internal communication within the company.

Payroll Technology
Payroll Technology has become an important part of business, because as many companies are empowering employees to file expense reports via apps, they’re also providing employees access to their pay cheques, hours, tax and other information via online portals. Employees just need internet access to find the information they need. By automating business processes, companies can improve efficiency, accuracy and strategy.

Not only do automated Payroll systems like Talentbase improve efficiency, they provide a wealth of information with which to make strategic decisions. It’s no surprise that payroll technology is moving to the forefront as well, for both the companies doing their own payroll and the consultants they hire to do payroll for them.

Marketing
Technology has freed small businesses from the restrictions of prints ads, when it comes to reaching new and existing customers. Internet marketing ranges from a simple informational website, to advertising on search engines, and  online product sales. Email marketing is an effective and low cost method to reach a large group of people with a newsletter, coupons or business updates. Mobile marketing is a relatively new frontier that reaches people through text messaging, advertising on mobile applications and offering branded applications that tie customers into what is happening with the business in a fun and entertaining way.

Telecommuting
Many small businesses now input telecommuting and flextime in their work. Colleagues can stay in touch from different locations, and when working different hours, by using email, online collaboration tools and mobile computing devices. When in the office, workers can share digital documents, convey information through presentations and create training videos to bring new employees up to speed.

Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing over the phone is one of the simplest conferencing methods, but advancement in recent years have brought web conferencing to the fore. Web conferencing can bring together web cams, audio and collaborative online meeting spaces to create an extremely interactive environment. Participants can see each other, work together on documents and recreate the in-person meeting experience no matter where they are in the world. This is one way that small businesses can extend their reach to include global customers and workers.

Are there other business growth roles technology is playing for your organisation? Let us know in the comment section below.