Technology has improved a lot. And it improves faster than anyone could imagine. One day you have the newest version of a product, the next day it is already old because another one has been developed. Although keeping the gadgets up-to-date is the fallback of technology, this century has a lot of things to be thankful for.
Technology has made business transactions easier. A business owner who is out-of-town can close deals with a supplier located across the state. He can even send the salaries of his offsite employees with a few clicks of a mouse. As more technology and devices are developed, the easier it becomes for business owners to oversee the operations and manage the small enterprise.
However, if one would buy all the devices in the market, a business may suffer financially instead of doubling the amount it gets monthly. Purchasing different gadgets which do not jive with one another or which are not truly needed in the operations is a waste of profit. In order to avoid spending too much on devices, I have gathered all the essential gadgets which a small business would generally need in its operations. Below are the important gadgets which can not only help you manage your business but also connects well with your RingCentral business telephone.
Business Intelligence Applications for mobile
Business Intelligence or BI is an application downloadable in your tablets or smartphones. It provides a simple way to view real-time sales and customer data which can help any business owner in making informed decisions even when on-the-go. These apps will also help any small business increase its productivity. Some of these BI applications include Roambi, Yellowfin, MicroStrategy, MobiWeave, IBM Cognos Mobile and Push BI.
Social Media marketing
Social media gave small businesses a new avenue to compete with their larger counterpart. With the Internet, a small business can reach the same clientele abroad and can give out the same amount of information as large corporations do. Social media gave a small business the power to cast a large shadow in the market industry.
Managing social media is not easy as eating peanuts, though. In order to maximize one’s use of a particular medium or website, certain tools are necessary. These tools are also in the form of applications which are downloadable to your tablets or smartphones.
One is particular tool is Spredfast. It does not have competitive metrics or sophisticated interface but it sure does organize the contents of various social media well. It supports several platforms including Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Slideshare, YouTube, and Flickr. Another good tool is Sprout Social. This app has the ability to manage and monitor up to 10 profiles. It also has the capability to schedule messages for publishing. It supports YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Cloud storage
Most small businesses are operating through the cloud. They have no more physical office. Instead, the employees meet online and finish daily tasks online. So far, this virtual set-up has made small businesses save a lot and lessen their expenses for operations. Although the cloud cannot be accessed without Internet and electricity, it is by far easier to manage than searching through files in the steel cabinet. Moreover, it allows employees and business owners alike to view a single file all at the same time without the need for duplicating it. Moreover, maintaining back-ups in the cloud will make it easier for a business to continue its operations despite a crash in the system.