Setting up a new business is a process that is both exciting and anxiety-inducing. It’s a new journey with limitless possibilities, along with many uncertainties. The best way to ground your dreams and settle your concerns is to plan. Understanding what to expect and potential obstacles can help your business prepare for just about anything.
No matter what industry you’re in, you’re going to need tech. Tech can make any business more efficient, cost-effective, and more productive. It’ll make your business better; it doesn’t matter if it’s a coffee shop, accounting firm, financial institution, or a creative agency.
It’s common knowledge that tech benefits businesses, but precisely what tech will your new business need? What tech can you invest in today that will be present and functioning in the future? Understanding this is essential for making the right decisions early. Here are a few things you should consider:
A Server
A server is hardware that manages a centralized resource, service, data, or programs to other computers. The computers that make requests to servers are “clients.” If you’re going to collect a lot of data or run specialized software, you’re going to need a lot of processing power, and a server offers just that.
Servers differ in size, cost, function, and structure. You can have one right in your office, in another physical location, or a virtual site. A server could handle a single function or multiple tasks. They can also be a simple desktop or a massive rack. The range and use of servers are extensive, so what you choose depends on your needs.
Setting up a server can start from less than $50 for the software you can use on a desktop computer to large-scale enterprise solutions with the budget to match. The scale of the server you should use depends entirely on your needs. You should consult an expert to help you find options and calculate the costs of a business server that suits you.
Desktops and Laptops
Computers and peripherals are essential to any business. Your business needs will determine the type and specs you need. For example, a traveling sales team needs laptops while a creative agency could better use desktops with large screens.
How many computers you need will depend on the number of computer-reliant tasks and the number of employees needing to complete them. Depending on your business, you may only need one computer, or every employee might need one.
Security
Your inventory, office documents, and digital data are all assets that need protection. Your business needs to have a physical security system to detect and deter intruders. A physical system will include tech like cameras, motion sensors, and alarms.
Your digital data also needs protection. Data breaches are costly because of regulatory fines, and it damages your brand’s reputation. Install security software on your network and each computer. Also, you must keep the security software up to date.
Point of Sale Software
The point of sale is a critical customer stage that must be secure, quick, and painless. If your cashier has to rush outside to look for change or cannot accept card payments, then it can ruin the customer experience. That’s where a point of sale (POS) software comes in; it’s an efficient and versatile way to accept payment. With POS software, you can receive multiple forms of payment securely and efficiently.
POS software can also make managing your books easier, as it links directly to your accounting and inventory systems. That way, each sale is automatically recorded, and inventory levels are automatically adjusted. Some POS software comes with its own accounting and inventory management systems, saving you money.
Another key feature of POS software is its ability to integrate with websites and apps. That’ll give your business the ability to accept online sales or build apps from which customers can make orders.
Productivity Tools
Managing staff, aligning projects, keeping track of tasks, and many other managerial functions are no longer paper-based. You can have all these functions in easy-to-use, sometimes free, applications that make management more effortless.
You can take your productivity to the next level using collaboration platforms that can provide communication, task management, document sharing, document editing, and conferencing capabilities, even to small businesses. They make collaboration more manageable, especially for mobile or remote teams. You could use any of the popular ones in the market like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Trello, or Asana.
Accounting Tools
Managing finances requires consistency, accuracy, and compliance. Every transaction must be correct, accounting protocols followed, and regulations respected. Accounting is a repetitive department, so it works well with tech.
Accounting software can immediately rectify incorrect entries, produce reports instantaneously, and automate mundane tasks, which can save your business time and money, as the accounting software does all the heavy lifting for you. There are many options in the market that you can choose from, including QuickBooks, SAP Business One, and Sage Accpac.
Tech Your Business To Success
Focus on making your business a success and let tech do the rest for you. Tech can take care of repetitive tasks and still deliver accurate results. It can also make your business more efficient and agile. Invest in the right tech early to reap the benefits.
