Technology – If you are not using it as your competitive advantage you are going
to get left behind, maybe permanently
I know you have heard or read about this before, but it is time to start taking
it very seriously. What has gotten you here is not going to keep you here. There
are very few industries, if any, who can ignore technology and just keep on doing
things the way they always have and expect to survive, let alone prosper.
Technology is playing a huge role in our lives today and it will only play a larger
role in the days to come. We are seeing this in our personal life as well as in
our business life. Technology is changing in months not years. The cost of technology
is dropping drastically making it affordable for even the smaller business. In fact,
technology can make a small business compete on a level playing field with large
more established companies
Watching commercials on TV, looking at ads in publications, and reading articles
in magazines, businesses are talking about how they are using technology as their
competitive advantage. There are numerous commercials on how companies will be using
technology to keep the Olympics running smoothly. In the past, when you heard it
from us technology guys, you might think that we want to use technology to solve
a problem because we love technology. But now when you see business talking about
how they are using it, you know it is time to start thinking seriously about it.
There are so many choices, so many strategies on how to use technology. What type
of activities in your business should you be looking at using technology? You need
someone who knows technology and who knows business. Just implementing technology
without fully understanding the business impact it can have can leave companies
with technology that looks amazing but does not actually solve a business problem
or take advantage of a business opportunity. Most people don’t know half of the
technological capabilities that are out there available for use.
Everything is becoming connected and available 24/7. We have mobile devices, on-line
ordering systems, and on-line business systems. Businesses are linked real-time
with their suppliers. Vending machines let head office know they are running short
on product and need to be refilled. With the economy and with our competition, many
industries are being asked to do more with less. This is where technology shines.
Through gained efficiencies it is not unusual for technology/software/web system
to free up a position or more in a business with the added bonus of being able to
do what has never been possible before.
I know business and I know technology, let’s sit down and see how you can use it
to take your business to the next level rather than being left behind to wither
away.
Keith Narsansky, CMA is the Software Architect and Business Process Engineer at
The Business Solution. The ultimate marketing and management software and web system
(including CRM) that helps small business save time and money; improve customer
satisfaction; increase sales; and run their company with ease.
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