Imagine how time-consuming it would be to work on projects without a computer. How difficult it would be to connect with your customers without a business phone system. Or how tiring it would be to write documents by hand.

To most, if not all, it’s pretty much impossible to imagine a life without technology. Especially today, for the 73% of Americans who own a desktop or a laptop. Or the 77% who are smartphone-users.

This figure alone shows us how technology for businesses has become so important. Without it, it would take days, even weeks to finish a task that you could otherwise complete within hours. You would even have to travel a long distance to talk to a business partner in another part of the world!

The question is, how exactly does technology help businesses today?

Keep reading to find out facts and stats that would surprise you!

1. Faster, Much More Stable Communication

Did you know that small businesses can lose as much as $420,000 every year due to poor communication? Granted, factors like communication skills also contribute to this massive loss. But costly and ineffective platforms, like outdated telephony systems, are also a culprit.

The good news is, technological innovations, like these phone systems, have improved communications.

For instance, there’s the conference call feature. With this, several people can be on the same call at the same time. What’s more, Internet-powered systems allow call participants to be anywhere in the world!

2. Better Customer Service

Advanced phone technology for small business also features call handling and transferring. These can prove valuable in improving your business’ customer service.

With these, callers no longer have to call back if they connect with the wrong department. The operator can transfer the call right then and there to the proper department.

Keep in mind that 55% of consumers are willing to shell out more money in exchange for great customer service. Better call experience takes you one step closer to providing excellent customer service.

3. Greater Productivity with Business Process Automation

The average American employee works eight hours during the weekdays. The thing is, they don’t spend all eight hours on actual work. A third of their workday goes to admin tasks alone!

For instance, email-related activities can consume as much as 2.5 hours every day. Add to that other tasks like drafting documents, printing paperwork, and answering calls. It may seem that these only take a few minutes, but that’s already a few too many.

Enter automation technology for small businesses, such as business automation systems. These can take over many typical admin tasks, such as document creation and printing. You can even use them to automate timekeeping and record management activities.

There are plenty other purposes that business automation programs can serve. But from what we’ve mentioned alone, you can already see how valuable they are for productivity.

4. Enhanced Productivity with Collaboration Tools

Over two-thirds of an employee’s time goes towards connecting and collaborating. That doesn’t mean they always produce great output though.

Enter collaboration tools, such as Slack, Asana, and Podio. These boast organizational features, complete with messaging tools that further strengthen productivity. They’re also big players in the world of remote work, allowing you to have your very own virtual assistant.

5. Reduced Risks of Data Breaches

In the first half of 2018, the U.S. saw more than 22 million sensitive records exposed. That doesn’t even include the unreported cases of data breaches.

Anyone, and that includes you, your employees, and your customers can become a target. Cybercriminals don’t discriminate, after all. So long as they can profit from others’ information, they will launch their attacks.

The worst part is, even a single cyberattack can already lead to the complete failure of a business. In fact, these attacks have led to two-thirds of small companies going out of business within half a year.

Scary, right?

But this doesn’t mean you can’t protect your business. The right cybersecurity technology can make your business less susceptible to such crimes.

There are the ATO (account takeover) detection programs, for starters. These can tell you right away whether a transaction or any other action is anomalous or normal. From there, you can respond right away to prevent an even bigger breach from happening.

6. Makes Workplaces Safer and Secure

In 2016, 7.91 million property crimes took place in the United States. Experts estimate the losses to have totaled $15.6 billion.

That should already prove that organizations need security technology in business.

The good news is, even the simplest security technology can already reduce your risks by 300%. Today’s security systems have also become more convenient, offering smartphone monitoring features. That means you can always check what’s happening in the workplace.

The more advanced security systems also have disaster protection capabilities. Consider installing fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors for a safer, healthier workplace.

7. Creating Your Online Identity

30.2 million small businesses call the United States home. That’s 99.9% of all businesses in the country.

Now, consider that over 70% of these organizations now have a website. That should tell you that having a site is no longer a business luxury. It’s a necessity.

After all, of the 40,000 Google searches every second, most are for products or services. That means if you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on a lot of potential customers.

Thanks to technology though, website creation has become a lot easier. Of course, you can always create your website, what with all the DIY tools out there. But to increase your site’s chances of standing out, it’s best you outsource to pro.

Need to create a website from scratch? Or are you only looking for help in creating a clean website design? Whatever you need, technology connects you with the most experienced website creators.

The Right Technology for Businesses Lead to Growth and Expansion

You may be a small business owner now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t transform it into an empire. To achieve this status though, you need to shell out money to get the best technology for businesses. Start with the ones we’ve detailed above, and from there, continue adding or upgrading to better ones.

Looking for more strategies that’ll make your business stand out? Then head over to our blog’s Useful Tips section! We’ve got more waiting for you there.