Looking to leverage the best tech out there to optimize your business’ performance? Considering it’s the 21st century, organizations can’t rely on the tried-and-true anymore to stay competitive with a global economy. In this article, we will cover some of the latest advancements in business technology. Let’s begin!
Cloud Storage
One could make an argument that cloud storage is one of the most important business innovations in business technology. Consider the old methods of sharing documents with employees: fax machines, making endless copies, filing away documents — all of which led to exorbitant overheads and less office space. With cloud storage services, like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive your employees can access files from “the cloud” no matter where they’re located in the world. Similarly, you can share access with customers for documents/media that they need, version-control projects, and many other applications with ease and control.
Virtual Phone Numbers
As mentioned in the previous example, perhaps one of the greatest business innovations of the 21st century has been cloud computing. Thanks to the ability of transporting large amounts of information, the telecommunications industry has made huge strides in making global communication instantaneous.
This includes VoIP (“Voice over Internet Protocol”) services like Skype, Google Voice, and others, and also the innovation of virtual phone numbers. Virtual phone numbers are a simple but powerful concept for businesses. When a virtual phone number is dialed, the call is instantly routed to another phone number (known as the “destination phone number”). There’s no delay, even with calls around the world (something that plagued this innovation in years past).
Virtual phone numbers are available in nearly every country in the world and match exact country / area codes. There are also virtual toll free numbers and mobile numbers. This means that you can expand your business presence around the world simply by subscribing to a virtual phone number service provider. Best of all, virtual phone numbers come with a number of add-ons that can exponentiate their usage. For instance, you can use “time of day routing” to forward calls to different destination phone numbers, which may include two different call centers located on opposite ends of the globe.
Customer Self-Service
We live in sophisticated times and it’s never been easier to leverage automation to let customers get what they want, when they want it — and on their own terms. There’s been a recent paradigm-shift from having “live human” customer service agents to a la carte online interfaces. Customers can guide themselves down the sales funnel using easy-to-understand websites and applications. Plus, if they have questions, it’s never been easier to consult search engines, blog posts, infographics, video tutorials, and so forth for the answers to questions they need to complete transactions. Best of all, this automation saves your business on overheads and makes it more efficient.
Mobile Apps
Smartphones aren’t just here to stay; they’ve taken over. Mobile-based solutions for business have led many businesses to move from relying on static websites towards encompassing mobile apps that work for iPhone and Android users (and other platforms). Customers appreciate the fact that they can replace a trip to a bank with a few swipes in the palm of their hand. For businesses, those that embrace mobile apps that can streamline how customers buy goods (think Amazon) and hire services (think Uber) can ride this trend and oust slower-moving competition.
Online Collaboration Software
The 21st century is bringing about the end of the traditional office environment. More and more, businesses are moving towards solutions that allow workers to contribute remotely. This is being achieved by online collaboration software like Slack, Trello, Teamwork, and a variety of others. Instead of having to report to an office and get their work done in a stuffy environment, managers can delegate work on their own hours, with remote workers doing the same. Projects can be version-controlled, assignments can be delegated to subcontractors and consultants with ease, and staff can comprise talent located around the world (and not limited by geographic constraints).