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Essential Tech for Startup Businesses

Starting a business is exciting and demanding.  Thanks to technological advances, there is an amazing array of tools and devices to help business startups get up and running quickly and to enable them to expand at their own pace.  Here is a quick guide to some of the essentials that can make business life and work easier and more efficient:

 

Internet of Things (IoT)

Data handling and management is a key component of business in the modern world.  For example, data can be collected and analyzed to unlock valuable insights into customer behavior and thus identify what are likely to be the most successful marketing strategies for a business.  In terms of physical objects or “things” that exchange and collect data, there is an ever-growing family from which to choose.  This family of gadgets is embedded with electronic technology, including software and sensors.  Network connectivity allows items to be recognized and controlled via the existing technical infrastructure.

In daily life, “things” can refer to a wide range of devices, not just laptops, tablets and smartphones.  For example, they also include built-in sensors in automobiles, heart monitoring implants, or smart thermostat systems.

In business, the most important question to ask is what will be of most benefit to the startup, both now and in the future.  Streamlining systems and saving money are at the core of business success, so monitoring processes, such as inventory tracking or predictive maintenance can yield good returns.

 

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

As landline telephone networks recede into the past, VoIP continues to surge ahead as a win-win choice for businesses.  A hosted PBX phone system utilizes cloud-based technology and can grow with the business, so is endlessly adaptable to the extent that a startup that initially operates with a small team can build on the same system for use with a staff numbering 5,000.  At the forefront of quality suppliers is undoubtedly Primus, which helps business customers make substantial savings in excess of the initial SIP trunking cost.  Mobile businesses also benefit from this technology, which allows owners to create virtual offices in other places and to access calls from any linked device.

 

Automating Tasks

People are becoming used to browsing online, making buying choices and completing a transaction without any human contact.  However, this doesn’t mean they don’t want to feel valued.  Scanning social media responses to brands quickly reveals that customers are willing to comment loudly and clearly on their purchasing experience – good as well as bad.  If a business selects the right automation software and has collected quality data, it can make all the difference.  Judicious use of segmentation, landing pages, forms and targeting can help a startup build a great reputation right from the beginning.

 

Finally, a brand new startup should aim to keep abreast of the latest technological developments, as customers will expect it.  Staying on the cutting edge as a business owner is highly beneficial, as is ensuring the chosen technologies have a positive impact on the business itself.