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Every small business began with a simple idea. With the right passion, funds, commitment and amount of luck, that idea is able to turn into a thriving company. When it comes to taking your idea to the next level, your small business needs to be equipped with the right tools and software to succeed.
What is business technology?
Business technology includes tools, management practices and technology governance to improve productivity, communication and tracking of customers and goods. There are many types of technology solutions available, this helpful guide will help you consider some of the best but simple technology solutions and understand how choosing the right technology could help your small business.
1. Payment Processing Platform
Regardless of whether your business has a physical location or is completely digital, your customers need to have an accessible platform to pay for their purchases. Your business deserves an easy-to-use payment processing platform that can accept all payments efficiently and securely. Whether a purchase is made online or in-person, you need to trust that your business is being backed by a reliable payment platform that can accept various types of payments.
2. POS Software
When it comes to point-of-sale hardware, your system needs to be able to complete transactions efficiently and effectively. Choosing the right POS software will ensure that all of your transactions can be performed quickly and securely. Other key features in a POS software include:
- Quick turnaround on cash flow so you can run your business smoothly
- Secure terminal so your data will be kept safe
- Easily crafted invoices
At the end of the day, a top-of-the-line POS software means that you can stay focused on your business and let your customers stay focused on enjoying your services or products.
3. Employee Management Tools
From time cards to analytics, it is imperative that your employees are able to easily communicate with each other. Employee management software or an employee management app can give your business the freedom to keep track of sales, customer data, employees and more all in one convenient location. The ability to track cash drawers online can even give you the freedom to manage a business that has multiple locations. With the right employee management system, the opportunities are endless for you and your small business.
4. Online Store
Customer behaviour has changed drastically over the last few years with more Australians shopped online than ever before in 2020. The internet does not only make the shopping process of customers more convenient but also makes doing business easier. With an online store, your profits are no longer limited by the number of walk-in customers and definitely not affected by external factors such as weather, opening hours or in-store availability of products.
5. Analytics and Business Intelligence (Bi) Tools
Every business would be more than beneficial from data analysis in making business plans and decisions. Square Analytics, which is hooked up to the transaction data from your Square POS, has a wealth of information to help: things like historical sales reports, your busiest times of the day and how many new versus returning customers you’re bringing in.
6. Inventory Management Software
It’s a good idea to be on top of your inventory management, especially with the help of the right software. There are numerous technology solutions available in Square App Marketplace that help sync in-store and online inventory in real time, reducing merchandising delays.
7. Accessible App Marketplace Integration
With so much technology available, there are plenty of apps to make running a business online easier than ever. However, having all of your apps scattered in different locations can make it challenging to quickly access them when you need them. Syncing all of your apps can make it easy to look at all of your data and manage your apps from one location. For example, Square is able to be integrated into numerous popular apps such as QuickBooks, Mailchimp or accounting software apps such as MYOB and Xero.
These integration solution apps are a lifesaver for most small businesses, and Square allows business owners to access these applications from one space. Save time looking for all the apps you need across multiple programs, within one convenient platform.
If you want to give your business an edge over its competitors and the right tools to propel it to the next level, it is important to have the best online solutions at your disposal. Make sure your business has the digital tools it needs to grow and thrive by considering these key technology solutions and software.
