Technology has significant effects on business operations. It encompasses a wide range of hardware, software and services that keep companies running and enhance business operations. Technology has both tangible and intangible benefits that will help you make money and produce the results your customers demand. So what are the key essential technologies MUST-HAVEs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs)?

1. Hardware

The three key hardware required are:

1. Computers – Laptops will be a better option as compared to a desktop due to its mobility. It may also be a good thing that built-in camera is becoming a standard feature in all laptops as it will be easier for “face-to-face” web-conferencing and video chat. This will also help reduce travel costs because businesses can set up virtual meetings and distribute data without the need to be in the same room.
2. Mobile Phones – Smart mobile phones will also help to get communication and information on the go. There are also a lot of mobile apps which allow you to do almost just as much as you can in front of a laptop.
3. Printer / Scanner – Unfortunately, we have yet to become a ‘paperless’ office and still require some documents to be printed. So a multi-function printer / scanner / copier will do just fine. A fax feature will soon be no longer required. In fact, it will be good if your multi-function printer has Bluetooth so that you can print directly from your laptop and mobile phones. No more messy cables.

You may wish to add a media tablet to your list, especially those who are always on the go and/or need to do make a lot of presentations to clients.

2. Cloud Technology

The cloud computing means programs are “rented” or “borrowed” and are not directly installed on computers, instead, these are accessed via the internet. Take for example Gmail or Yahoo mail services. You will not be confined to your office computer and you will be able to edit files on any smartphone, tablet or computer with web connectivity. SMEs can save money by switching over to cloud systems as you do not need any regular IT support staff but just the occasional contract support to ensure that your hardware is maintained. In addition, the entire businesses and employees can run their computer tools as online “rented” products and plug into that cloud every day to do their computer work. You also do not have to worry about backups as the cloud service does it for you.

Cloud computing involves these major premises:

1. Online File Storage (e.g. Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox) – No more walking around with USB or having different versions of the same file on different computers
2. Software as a Service (SaaS) – More detailed below
3. Platform as a Service (PaaS) – Refers to the on-demand delivery of tools and services that allow SaaS applications to be coded and deployed
4. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – Covers the on-demand delivery of virtualised servers, storage, networking and operating systems

Given the productivity, speed to deploy and cost savings as well as the demand for anytime, anywhere, any-device mobile access to applications, it had been predicted that in five years time, 95% of businesses will be operating in the cloud.

3. Software (including SaaS)

Software is the program that runs in your hardware. Software as a Service (SaaS), is a delivery model in which applications are hosted and managed in a service provider’s data centre, paid for on a subscription basis and accessed via a browser over an internet connection. SaaS solutions offer a number of advantages over on-premises deployments, including minimal administration and maintenance, anywhere access, and in many cases improved communication and collaboration.

There are SaaS solutions built specifically for business functions and these SaaS providers specializes in everything from productivity and project management, to security, application monitoring, network monitoring, customer service, help desk and more.

Depending upon the nature of your business and industry, there will be software that will be of higher priority than others. You will need to determine what they are, compare them and find the best solution for your business.

Some of the key software / SaaS that every SMEs should have:

1. Email – Gmail is one famous example of a SaaS mail provider
2. Accounting* – Unless you are running a charity, the sole aim of any business is to create profit. Hence, it is important that you have a good accounting system to manage your business’s financial transactions
3. Customer Relationship Management* – a tool to manage your customers and leads
4. Project Management – a productivity tool that allows you to manage all your tasks and collaborate with your team members
5. People Management – If people are indeed your assets, you should have some form of system to better manage them, even if this means outsourcing this support function out. This is more than just payroll – it should also include employee details, training records, performance levels, skills, etc.

*Depending upon how sophisticated you need it to be, there are ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) accounting software which may also help you to manage your customer billings too. You can also consider having some Business Intelligence & Analytics software to help you understand your data.

4. Mobile Apps

Similar to software, this depends on your industry as to whether mobile apps/functionality are important. In fact, due to the high mobility demand, it is not surprising that there is a mobile app version of the above mentioned software.

SMEs can also consider creating mobile apps for their business as an extension to their website. Mobile apps can be a cool marketing tool that will allow you to engage with your customers in a whole new way. Some of the biggest benefits of mobile apps for businesses include:

• Brand reinforcement
• Increase loyalty and visibility
• Increase accessibility
• Increase exposure across mobile devices
• Connect with on-the-go consumers who now can:
• Access easily to your product and services information
• Get notifications of your business’ special events, launches, etc.
• Have one-touch access to your contact information
• Get directions to your location from wherever they are

Overall, mobile technologies improve communication between field and office employees, as well as with customers. Mobility delivers greater productivity and better customer service. This can potentially translate into significantly higher revenue and profits for mobile-savvy enterprises.

5. Social Media

Social media is an important part of growing your business, whether you are promoting a new product release, making valuable connections and/or engaging your customers. These include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest and Foursquare / Swarm. Before you dive into social media, think about what you want to get out of it – Who are your target audience?; Is this an appropriate channel to reach them?; What content do they care about?; How much time and resources can you dedicate this to?; How do you track success?; etc.

Once you are clear with your marketing strategy and that social media is part of it, consider using a social media dashboard (e.g. Hootsuite, Buffer, SocialFlow, SproutSocial, IFTTT, etc.) as you can use one interface to post a single message across multiple platforms at once. Some of these will also allow you to view messages and comments from your customers, allowing you to engage and interact in real time. This is an effective way of providing additional customer service and letting your customers know that you care about what they have to say. As you move through your day, you can access your dashboard from your mobile devices to easily respond to any comments.

6. Website and SEO

Telephone directories are obsolete and people tend to search the internet for information as part of their buying process. Hence, it is important that your website gives your customers and potential customers the first right impression. Ensure that your website looks great on mobile devices and that SEO is set up in your website. SEO (search engine optimization) will help you position your website properly to be found at the most critical points in the buying process or when people need your site.

To remain competitive, SMEs must remain constantly connected. With mobile devices containing the best productivity software and apps, professionals can move from the office, to home, to a client’s conference room, without clients and colleagues ever realizing they are not seated behind a desk. It is also imperative to ensure your providers (both for Internet and cloud) are reliable so that you can focus more on building your business, working with your customers and less worrying about whether your data is secure and updated or your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn pages are running properly.

Article republished from LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140818001947-5398941-essential-technologies-for-every-small-medium-sized-businesses

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