Why Technology is Important to Small Businesses Throughout Sacramento
Why are Business IT Solutions So Important in 2018?
Technology has become a major factor in every business, large or small. Numerous small business tasks that were once daunting and time consuming have been made trivial through automation. Advances in technology have improved payment processing for commerce-based business, while new cybersecurity and data backup solutions have improved business continuity and reduced downtime.
This is just a small part of what tech does for our business owners in Sacramento (and beyond). Below, we'll take a look at a few more reasons why small businesses are relying more and more on modern technology.
Improved communication and customer relationships
Advances in email systems, chat portals, and social media have made it easier than ever for organizations to open lines of communication with customers and prospects. Businesses of all sizes can now reach out to their customer base quickly and efficiently, while providing multiple channels for those customers to provide feedback or ask for support.
This improved flow of communication unlocks potential for faster growth and greater customer retention. The free exchange of ideas and input also means small businesses can be incredibly agile, responding quickly to customer requests and improving their products and offerings to suit demand.
Marketing
Technology has certainly redefined the way small businesses conduct their marketing. No longer must entrepreneurs and startups rely on print ads and word-of-mouth to grow their business!
Email marketing platforms, websites, lead generation funnels, and even social media have made it possible for the smallest of businesses to reach audiences of almost infinite size. With a click of a button, a one-person operation can deliver their marketing message to hundreds of thousands of people -- a huge departure from the old days of Yellow Page ads and Penny Savers.
Businesses that don't leverage digital marketing to their advantage will have a very difficult time growing or staying afloat. Most businesses these days rely on their online marketing efforts to sustain and expand their organization. If their marketing machine experiences any downtime, the losses can leave them very shaken.
Mobility
Many businesses are cutting overhead by reducing -- or eliminating -- their need for office space. Cloud solutions and virtual workstations allow employees to work from home, a winning proposition for both the staff and the employer in many cases.
Even if you have an office, cloud solutions allow for easy access to important files and software from anywhere there's an internet connection. We have numerous clients who have made extremely good use of this power, either by improving their work-life balance or by allowing them to stay productive while traveling.
Productivity
Small businesses tend to operate on very tight budgets, often with razor-thin margins (at least in the beginning). For this reason, it's imperative that SMBs get the most use out of their resources, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency whenever possible.
Technology serves a very valuable purpose towards this end. Office productivity tools help to keep employees focused and facilitate the best use of their time. The right hardware and software solutions will keep your staff working at peak efficiency while ensuring that critical business processes are followed.
Security
Nearly all businesses are susceptible to cyber attacks. Current technology offers protection for financial data, internal documents, customer information, and other critical data. In businesses that face regulatory compliance, cybersecurity is absolutely critical to their long-term sustainability.
Managed IT Sacramento
As a Sacramento managed services provider, Integral Networks provides these and other technology solutions to businesses throughout California. Whether you're looking to make your business mobile with cloud solutions, or you want to protect your data and network with the latest cybersecurity solutions, we are ready to help. When you need a technology expert to help you leverage technology, give us a call at 916-626-4000.