I see this a lot with businesses that are run by different generations. This technology fight between the ways of yesteryear and the ways of the future. Today I want to briefly talk about the role of technology in your business and how it can help your brand.
I’ve met businesses that have been around since well before the internet and feel like they don’t need any technology at all. They don’t need a website, they don’t need social media, they don’t need a computerized inventory system, they don’t need any of it at all. How things were “back in the day” is the best way and why mess with tradition. On the flip side of that is the business that has every new automatic gadget that it’s practically distracting. Which is right? Well, here’s the deal…
In this day and age, you can’t avoid using technology, especially with so many of us working remotely now. Let me say that again, you can’t get out of using technology. It’s going to be the backbone of a lot of business processes for many companies because it’s more cost-efficient, saves time, and makes fewer mistakes. It’s meant to help you do more in your business and isn’t something that should be feared or overused.
If you shop in a store for anything you interact with technology on a regular basis. Barcodes are a great example of what technology can do to help a business. A bar code ties into a special piece of software system call a Point of Sale or POS system. When the item gets scanned the software can automatically deduct the item from available inventory and move it to sold inventory. Add the amount the item was sold for to the column for the total value of sales. When it’s time to tally up all the sales, the owner just has to push a few buttons or type a few commands and the computer pulls up everything that was sold, how much money was made, and more. This gives a business an overview of how well they’re doing and can help make bigger decisions for the business.
Now, if a business were to do all of that by hand, the owner would be spending hours tallying up the items sold and writing up the financial reports. That’s a lot of time that could be used in a different way, maybe creating new products or closing more sales, or spending time with people they care about. I’m only talking about a business that has traditional opening and closing hours too! Nowadays a lot of businesses need to run around the clock and that means technology can fill in since it doesn’t need to sleep. If you can’t tell I like technology, but I also understand that there are certain things that automation and technology can’t do! Technology can’t monitor a business’s security camera and deter potential criminals in the same way as a person, they can’t greet or answers questions the same way as a person. I’m not saying technology can’t do this stuff, it can, it’s just I think people do it better.
When it comes to your business and its reputation, evaluate your audience, your values, and how you want to be perceived, plus where you need the extra support technology can provide. Automate the parts that will help your audience have a better experience. A little deep thinking and eventually you’ll find the right mix for your business!
By the way, If you’re ready to be seen as a pro in your industry and stop being the best-kept secret, it’s time to up-level your business with clear and unified branding. Book a 15-minute no-pitch consultation call today by clicking here