Are you finally ready to start the small business that you have dreamed of for your entire life? If this is the case, you are about to embark on an exciting adventure. However, the business world is very competitive. If you are not completely prepared, you will be at the mercy of your competitors. Therefore, you need to be certain that you have several pieces of technology in place before your business is up and running. Here are some of the most important tech items that all small businesses need to survive.
1. VoIP
If you are not familiar with voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) by now, you need to get with the program. VoIP services such as Skype and Vonage have changed the way that businesses and customers communicate with one another. One of the main reasons VoIP has exploded in popularity over the past decade has been the low pricing that is available. Companies can now pay only a fraction of the money they were spending on phone services. You might think that because VoIP costs less than traditional phone service, the quality must not be very good. That could not be further from the truth. VoIP technology has advanced a lot since it was originally introduced. The clarity that you will receive from a VoIP connection is just as good as a traditional land line phone.
2. Online time clock
One of the areas where companies of all sizes lose an enormous amount of money is their time clock. Dishonest employees have been manipulating this system for decades, allowing themselves and their coworkers to get paid for time they were not actually at work. One of the most common forms of time clock misuse is called buddy punching. This involves one employee punching the time card of a different employee who is not at work. However, new technology exists to make buddy punching a thing of the past. You can now use a time clock that is online. Each employee punches in by using their fingerprint, making it impossible to punch in a different person.
3. Social media
Like it or not, we are now officially living in the age of social media. In order to compete in the business world nowadays, you need to actively use free social media services like Facebook and Twitter. If you are not experienced using social media, you can hire a college student to act as a consultant for a small fee.
