Technology is changing faster than ever. Thanks to technology, the global business landscape has changed dramatically and we’re in the midst of yet another fundamental shift.
To raise revenue, productivity and performance, businesses today need to embrace technology. The beauty of technology is it allows employees to work anywhere, anytime. One need to follow technology trend to remain competitive.
Small to medium sized businesses are the backbone of the American commerce, encompassing 65% of America’s economy, strengthening communities by employing millions of people. Technology has given small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to participate in the global market and has allowed small businesses to remain competitive. Technology is essential to business growth, sustaining economic health in today’s digital transformation offering economic security.
Aside from having the technology foundation such as laptops, printers with the capability of scanning, the following are essential to most businesses today:
Internet of Things or IoT
This (still) emerging technology is unknown to a lot of people but that is why Konnect Up Solutions exists.
To summarize what IoT is – it’s the technology that allows objects such as smart home thermostat, smart home appliances, smart TV, cars, and other “smart” devices to receive data via the internet. IoT can also gauge temperatures in delivery vehicles for products that needs to remain cool such as pharmaceuticals or vegetables. IoT is an exchange of information via the internet, all of us connected to form a vast network that can execute commands, exchanging information, communicating to each other all stored in the Cloud which can also give us the analytics of how things are working. IoT is also essential to supply chain, tracking inventory from start to finish and giving business owners data in minutes when it used to take weeks to achieve.
Currently, business owners can partner with some manufacturers that uses IoT to connect to logistics and suppliers, connecting with relevant suppliers to track orders from processing to delivery.
To increase revenue and productivity, any business size can benefit from the power of IoT.
Cybersecurity
According to a recent survey of business and technology professionals, 66% surveyed phishing and social engineering are top threats. These are the primary sources of malware invasion such as ransomware.
Tricking recipients via email and other forms of communication is a common source of infiltration providing access to some account to log-in to a site or most common use, financial information. Shadow IT is another method of compromising security. Shadow IT is an unauthorized application unknown to corporate IT commonly implemented by impatient employees accessing a specific hardware, software, or website without going through proper secure channels.
Employee training is essential to all businesses when it comes to security.
When it comes to the Cloud, not all are equal in their dedication to security. Almost every day, data breach is in the news. The astronomical number of stolen information containing sensitive and personal information are increasing every day. Hackers target small and medium sized businesses because a lot lack the necessary security.
Cloud security is the future of cybersecurity. The Cloud is evolving rapidly to secure businesses who are faced with sophisticated threats. Businesses must move to the Cloud to defeat cyber attacks in real time.
Unified Communications
Unified Communications is a collection of products essential to most businesses, packaged neatly and served “as a service”. “As a Service” means you’re charged only when you or your employees use the service.
Unified Communications consist of:
VOIP or Voice over internet protocol – software that enables to connect and transmit over the internet as a telephone. VOIP is flexible, scalable and eliminates the cost of a telephone bill.
Video conference – an effective method communicating with other participants in different location with voice and vision.
Instant messaging
Desktop sharing – desktop or screen sharing.
Mobility – connect simultaneously with your phone, tablet/e-reader, laptop anywhere, anytime.
Presence – see who is available from your desktop or mobile device.
Directory service – stored information of colleagues within your company
Collaboration
Remember when email was revolutionary in the early 90s? Information escalated from that point and we all knew there was no turning back.
Email impacted us both professionally and personally. Letters that used to take days for the recipient to receive are now reduced to minutes.
Aside from instant messaging, there’s a new method of communication, collaboration. Think of it as instant message, whiteboard, and file sharing in a conference room, except it’s a virtual conference room, while meeting with several people in different locations.
Collaboration may be the new revolutionary way of communicating that will reduce email.
Data Analytics
What is Data Analytics?
To put it simply, it is a study of data sets in order to reach conclusions about collected information.
It is referred to the qualitative and quantitative methods and procedures used to identify strength and weaknesses, increase productivity, streamline processes and reduce costs. Data is extracted and categorized to analyze behaviors and patterns to organizational requirements. It’s in the top 5 of how data can impact your business. Leverage the power of Analytics to give you the insight into customers behavior.
Website
I have a saying about websites – “Your website is your business card to the world”
A lot of companies think this mundane part of business is not as important as service. Your website is the door that brings customers into your business. Imagine it as a window in a department store where the store’s latest product is showcased and that’s what website does to business. Businesses change, and your website needs to change with it.
Before Amazon became a household name, their website showcased what’s in their “store”. Websites are still an essential part of businesses no matter the size.
Artificial Intelligence or AI
AI is not only reserved for large companies. Although AI is still in its infancy, we’re starting to see some of its power such as with chatbots. Chatbots is becoming the primary tool of communication to customers.
Many companies including contact centers have analyzed repeated customer questions, which employees were answering over and over. Chatbots has become the initial tool of communication with customers. Automating queries eliminates live agents responding to predefined questions.
Technology is a big part of businesses today. As more customers move online for purchases and search for information, small and medium sized businesses can harness this opportunity to build new relationships and market share.
Konnect Up has vetted over 250 suppliers to help find the right solution for your business. A single point of contact, Konnect Up will personalize and help design, build, implement, and help manage your I T solution. Leverage the power of our relationships with hundreds of suppliers and carriers while we negotiate contracts and resolve issues on your behalf.
