JoshWhen you launch your own company, you’re probably aware of the fact that technology is going to play a major role in its growth. This is simply the way of the world now, and frankly it’s hard to imagine a new business that could develop in any meaningful way without significant technological elements. There are a number of tech hurdles for a growing company to overcome, especially in their first year.
Knowing you’ll need to use technology and understanding the specific demands and solutions are two different things, however. Often even if you’re prepared for basic concepts, like starting your own website, wanting to send fax online, using an app for bookkeeping, etc., you may not have a comprehensive grasp of the different ways in which online and mobile products are going to have to be integrated into your company. To help pull back the curtain on some of the ideas that will come up and the decisions you’ll have to make, here are a few words on some of the common tech hurdles modern businesses face.
Cloud Storage
A relatively new concept to most just a few years ago, cloud storage has become the safe, secure, and efficient way to store company data, from casual communications to important files and financial records. That’s all well and good, and for the most part cloud storage providers are fairly easy to get the hang of. The hurdles are in figuring out which one to use and integrating it fully into your company practices. There are lots of cloud storage options out there, and ideally you’ll want to find one that balances strong security with ease of use, so that everyone involved can quickly get up to speed.
Mobile Device Usage
When you’re just starting out, you probably won’t need to worry so much about what kinds of mobile devices your employees and/or partners are using, so long as they’re getting their work done. Eventually, however, uniformity begins to matter. For reasons of compatibility as well as for cost efficiency with regard to company supplies, it’s a good idea to get everyone on the same plan and using the same general family of devices. This can be a difficult set of tasks to manage on your own, but you can actually seek out help developing enterprise mobility solutions for you and your company.
Team Communication
Naturally, getting on the same mobile network with similarly compatible devices can go a long way toward improving team communication. Nowadays, however, with so much work conducted on computers and mobile devices, it’s also a good idea to pick a program that facilitates workplace communication. There are essentially business-oriented social networks now that can be used privately within a company, and can facilitate everything from real-time chatting to file sharing and emailing. Finding a service like this that works for you is an excellent way to ensure that day-to-day practices will run smoothly.
Digital Marketing
So far we’ve mostly covered internal issues, such as storing your files, managing your devices, and communicating with your employees. But we’ll end on another crucial tech hurdle that virtually every modern business has to confront: how to grow your digital presence. This can mean anything from bettering the design of your website to making an app, as well as all kinds of specific marketing efforts that can be conducted based on these platforms. It’s an aspect of your company that will require regular attention, and can be one of the most vital components for growth.
Considering these challenges in advance is a good way to prepare yourself from some of the tricky aspects of starting and growing a business. You can confront them all in different ways, but rest assured they’re likely to come up.