How Technology Can Further your Business' Capabilities

There’s working and then there’s W-O-R-K-I-N-G. Learning the ins and outs of being more effective when you work is the key that successful entrepreneurs seem to have mastered while you’re struggling to pay the bills and find a clerk for the front of your store. Effective entrepreneurs know when to bring in additional resources to grow their business and when technology can impart additional benefits.

1. K.I.S.S.

A great mantra for any aspect of your life, the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly!) method is a groundbreaking way to live. We are fortunate enough to live in a time where devices and technologies can be easily connected. Bluetooth linking allows remote control over everything from home lighting and thermostats to banking and financial management with just the swipe of a screen. Use these tools to your advantage especially when they will save you time, money and increase productivity. Be aware that the Internet of Things also has its drawbacks, so guard your online usage for items like banking and client transactions cautiously and protect it with substantial defensive shields. Make sure that your computer systems are guarded by firewalls and that your handheld devices and laptops are encrypted. That way if the device is lost or stolen, you won’t risk important company or client data falling into the wrong hands.

2. Go Mobile

There are thousands of clever apps and integrated programs to help connect your mobile device to your main office. Mobile is also THE way to keep members of your small, but growing, enterprise connected. Streamlining technology will reduce duplication and protect from data loss. Start by linking your calendar app to your Office 365. Now meetings scheduled outside the office instantly link to one central calendar. Track business receipts with apps like WIP, a free, easy-to-use accounting software platform that can quickly scan your purchases and file them for monthly travel and expense reports. WIP is perfect for small to midsized business owners. The software is available online and the apps are found in the Apple Store. The app integrates with Quickbooks, a nice cost-saving feature that allows the app to be scalable both to other integrations and ERP systems as well as to the number of employees using the app.

3. Set Goals and Constantly Evaluate Progress

Many small business owners are so busy working in the present that they often don’t take the time to strategically plan for the future. Goal setting is an important process and something that should NOT be pushed to the back burner. How can you reach your goals if you never plan for them? You can't. The first step is to write down what you would like to accomplish. A majority of these types of statements will be qualitative, "I’d like to have more personal time" rather than quantitative, "I’d like to have five additional hours of personal time a week by next October." Once you can put quantitative qualities around your goals, the next step is to rough out a plan for achieving the goal. How can I free up five hours a week in my current business operations? Do I need to hire a person to assume some of my tasks or am I working too inefficiently and need to restructure my work day? Narrowing down both the cause and the solution will help solidify the path toward achieving the goal. Once you’ve designed a set of achievable goals, build a specific time frame for accomplishing the task. At the end of the campaign or goal effort, be sure to have measurable outcomes so that you can review what you did and make a determination on the success or failure of the effort. Remember, failures are great learning opportunities too! It’s ok if every task isn’t met with 100% success. Reframe your goal and try again with a new and improved strategy.