Upgrading a company’s technology is not high on the list of most businesspeople. Unfortunately, technology that is out of date doesn’t just hold business back, it also makes your business vulnerable to cyber security issues as well as losses of efficiency, productivity and, ultimately, revenue.
What follows are seven technological upgrades, from updating hardware and software to using Prime Data Centers, that are easy to implement and won’t break the bank.
Replace Outdated Hardware and Software
Technology that is old and outdated is most likely slow and wastes time and money. What it comes down to is that, if technology is affecting productivity, it’s time to replace it. There are many benefits of replacing old and outdated hardware and software.
Invest in Cyber Security
A recent survey found that more than 43 percent of businesses have had some kind of security breach in the previous 12 months. If nothing else, this should highlight the importance of keeping up with cyber security in any business system. Becoming educated in security measures for a business is important, so find out own to protect yourself online with a risk assessment and develop an effective risk management process.
Consider an Off-Site Data Center
It only stands to reason that, when data is kept off-site, there’s an extra layer of protection for that data that hackers will have trouble getting through. This is one of the benefits of using an off-site data center for storage of business data.
Implementing the Cloud
When most people think of cloud computing, they think of big business and their need to have additional data storage. Fortunately, cloud computing makes just as much sense for small business as it does for large ones. Further, the use of cloud computing reduces costs, increases operational flexibility, and streamlines processes. There are several uses of cloud technology, and businesses should investigate all of them.
Upgrade Broadband
Anyone who is using home broadband for business or has a connection that is slow and unreliable should consider upgrading their service to fiber broadband. Not only will upgrading result in greater efficiency, but it will allow greater connectivity between wireless devices.
Optimize for Mobile and Search
If it’s been a while since you optimized your website for mobile traffic and search engine visibility, it’s time you did. That’s because both search engine and smartphone shopping is different and has increased dramatically in recent years. This means you are not only missing traffic, but missing sales as well.
Upgrade Your POS System
Point-of-sale (POS) systems have been around for a while, but in recent years the technology has changed dramatically. This applies not only to what a POS can do but how long it takes to do it. In the past, a POS system was a dramatic improvement over the processes that were in place, but with their implementation, the equipment made everything easier. Today’s systems have improved even further, with fewer pieces of equipment to work with and refinements in capabilities such as Wi-Fi-based billing systems.
Businesspeople don’t have to be computer engineers to know that technology is changing at a mind-boggling pace. The good news in this is that keeping up with that pace, or even just approximating it will not only make business easier and faster but more profitable as well.
