The world of business changes so quickly these days. Much of the reason for these changes is technology. The tools we use to manage and organize our business – whether small or large – are improving all the time and it often feels like we’re behind the proverbial 8-ball if we don’t keep up with everything. And, in addition, we wonder…are we doing the right things so that our business remains ready for the future and other changes that will come down the pike in a few years?
That’s an interesting question. How do you “future proof” your business and what does that really mean?
Well, in short, future proofing means to plan improvements to your business TODAY that can still be used in the future, even when technology changes. This allows you to avoid a lot of stress in the years to come and will likely save you plenty of time and money as well.
Consider these IT solutions that will help with your future proofing goals:
- Go paperless and put all your content online – If you’re a business owner, you may already understand how much time is wasted when you’re dealing with paper. Documents are lost, misfiled, stapled to the wrong thing! Finding something can be a lesson in futility. Instead, if you put everything online, things will be at your employees’ fingertips and your content will be so much more secure.
- Address cybersecurity NOW – The biggest fear for many companies, no matter what their size, are related to cybersecurity threats. That means now is the time to invest in tools that will protect your business data against unwanted intrusions. Cyberattacks and cyberthreats are becoming more and more common and chances are they will continue to increase, so be ready and keep your tools up to date.
- Consider low- or no-code custom software – If you’re looking for tools designed exactly for your needs, this might be the option for you. Low- and no-code software can indeed be customized to the exact needs of your business in order to improve and increase its performance productivity while still staying secure. Another perk is that these platforms can be used by non-technical personnel.
- Track customer behavior – The future of your business depends on knowing what your customers want and need. So invest in IT solutions that track customer behavior to predict changes in buying patterns as they happen. This way, you can measure and analyze ways in which you can better engage with your clients or customers.
- Think about using online scheduling – Online scheduling reduces errors, is fast and simple, and is proven to reduce missed appointments. Use it for your clients or vendors or even for setting up meetings for teams or individuals within the company. Many kinds of businesses have adopted online scheduling and brag about the advantages.
- Use Cloud technology to keep your entire business connected – Using the Cloud helps with quality control, collaboration, updates across the organization, and so much more. Worldwide, some 70 percent of businesses say they already use cloud technology and many plan to implement it soon. It’s definitely a tool that will assist in future proofing your business.
At Stillwater IT, we can present you with a wealth of solutions to bring your business up-to-date and keep it relevant into the future. Our IT experts can meet with you to discuss tools that can benefit your business now and 2 years from now, keeping in mind the individual needs for your type of business as well as your IT budget. For more information, contact us at 604-899-1105.