2013 was an eventful year for small businesses. This year saw the proliferation of mobile devices in ways never imagined before. Besides, there has been a lot of chatter among the policy makers for policies and laws that would make running a small business an attractive proposition. Given these circumstances, 2014 is expected to be a lot more significant and eventful if you are a business owner. Here are some of the areas that you must focus on in order to ensure that you are among the pioneers in the adoption of technology and processes that will define small business in future.
Cloud Computing:
The world is moving away from expensive in-premise technology systems to cloud computing. To explain this in simple words, cloud computing is the technology that enables a third party service provider to take over the technology systems of your workplace and providing you with an internet-based login access for you to remotely access business data from the provider’s computer servers. Unlike traditional setups, cloud based services do not require any expensive machinery. Instead, you can subscribe to cheap monthly plans that will let you access the same technology systems through an internet connection. An example of such a system is a cloud based accounting software that can be accessed over the internet just like your email.
Paperless Office:
In the current mainstream business setup, the turnaround time among your business partners is in the order of a few days. This is because contracts take a few days to be signed and circulated among the various partners. In 2014, there will be a bigger push towards a paperless office culture. Here, paper contracts will be replaced by the digital alternatives where signatures will be replaced by electronic signatures. Silanis, a leading provider of electronic signature services has recently reported a 90% adoption of electronic signature among companies like Wells Fargo, US Bank, Cisco and ADP. Given the low cost of adoption, 2014 could see small businesses moving towards a paperless office.
Gamification Of Customer Engagement:
Gamification is the process of incentivizing customers with reward points, loyalty cards, etc, either physically or virtually to increase their engagement with your business. This process has long existed in large retailers in the form of membership points and rewards. However, with the launch of services like BadgeVille, such features are now within reach for small businesses. This year, more and more small businesses are likely to take up gamification to increase their customer retention. You should too.
Outsourcing:
More and more businesses are today realizing the futility of holding all their non-core business tasks in-house. Thanks to the rise in the number of SaaS based businesses, it is now extremely easy to migrate all the technological infrastructure outside. Also, services such as Elance and Freelancer make it simple to find remote skilled resources who you can outsource your businesses’ non-core activities too. This ensures that you can retain your focus on the core activities while reducing your business expenditure through smart outsourcing.
What other activities do you think small businesses would adopt in 2014? Tell us in the comments.
Cloud Computing:
The world is moving away from expensive in-premise technology systems to cloud computing. To explain this in simple words, cloud computing is the technology that enables a third party service provider to take over the technology systems of your workplace and providing you with an internet-based login access for you to remotely access business data from the provider’s computer servers. Unlike traditional setups, cloud based services do not require any expensive machinery. Instead, you can subscribe to cheap monthly plans that will let you access the same technology systems through an internet connection. An example of such a system is a cloud based accounting software that can be accessed over the internet just like your email.
Paperless Office:
In the current mainstream business setup, the turnaround time among your business partners is in the order of a few days. This is because contracts take a few days to be signed and circulated among the various partners. In 2014, there will be a bigger push towards a paperless office culture. Here, paper contracts will be replaced by the digital alternatives where signatures will be replaced by electronic signatures. Silanis, a leading provider of electronic signature services has recently reported a 90% adoption of electronic signature among companies like Wells Fargo, US Bank, Cisco and ADP. Given the low cost of adoption, 2014 could see small businesses moving towards a paperless office.
Gamification Of Customer Engagement:
Gamification is the process of incentivizing customers with reward points, loyalty cards, etc, either physically or virtually to increase their engagement with your business. This process has long existed in large retailers in the form of membership points and rewards. However, with the launch of services like BadgeVille, such features are now within reach for small businesses. This year, more and more small businesses are likely to take up gamification to increase their customer retention. You should too.
Outsourcing:
More and more businesses are today realizing the futility of holding all their non-core business tasks in-house. Thanks to the rise in the number of SaaS based businesses, it is now extremely easy to migrate all the technological infrastructure outside. Also, services such as Elance and Freelancer make it simple to find remote skilled resources who you can outsource your businesses’ non-core activities too. This ensures that you can retain your focus on the core activities while reducing your business expenditure through smart outsourcing.
What other activities do you think small businesses would adopt in 2014? Tell us in the comments.