Business Technology: A Guide of Must-Haves for Hopewell, VA Small Business Owners

Being a business owner means making decisions to benefit your company's growth and operations. If you haven't taken the time to analyze operations and assess what technology your company needs, now is your chance. Consider implementing some of these must-have technologies, courtesy of the Hopewell/Prince George Chamber of Commerce.

Payment Processing Tech

Processing payments is what keeps a business in operation. Gone are the days of waiting for checks to arrive in the mail and using handwritten bookkeeping. You can need payment processing tech to help you get the money for your products or services in your hands right away. You can start by creating a professional-looking invoice online. Just find a template that suits your company and input your own information. Make sure the design on the invoice meets your company's branding standards. You want your logo to be instantly recognizable. Once you have the process in place, you can keep up with accounts receivable and payable more efficiently.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is an absolute must for any business. Even if your online transactions are limited to your website, you gather sensitive data every time a customer uses it. Your job is to ensure their data is safe and secure. Before you invest in cybersecurity technology, be sure to check their customer support details and read reviews from other customers. Security breaches can occur at any time, and you want to ensure you can contact support right away.

There are small daily practices that you and your employees can put into practice to ward off cyber threats. Start by educating your staff on how to identify fraudulent email and phishing scams. It’s also best to implement dual-factor authentication on any business software. You should also convert important documents into password protected PDFs. 

First, convert your file to a PDF using a free online conversion tool. Simply add the file you want changed into the drop zone and the tool will convert it to PDF automatically. Then download the file and choose Protect from the Tools menu. There, you’ll see the option to Encrypt, and then Encrypt with Password. Your file is now protected from cyber threats.

Robotics Solutions

If your company produces a product onsite, Intel says that you should consider robotic solutions to streamline production and make a better product. Efficiency in manufacturing saves money, and there are robotics companies making solutions for every industry. It is typically a substantial investment, but what you spend upfront, you make back in quality control and production efficiency. 

Research the companies producing robotics in your market. You'll likely find something that could boost your business. Be sure to vet these companies well before investing.

Project Management Software

Project management software is a vital tool for any company with multiple departments or many eggs in a single basket. Your business reputation relies on you managing your projects well, and this software can help you do that. For example, if you have multiple departments working on a single project, you can use project management software to keep an accurate tally of billable hours from each individual on the project while also having a single place to store all information regarding that project. It helps you stay organized and save money.

Social Media Presence

Marketing is an important component of any business plan, and social media has become the heart of digital marketing. If you have no means to make any investments now, the least you can do is ensure your online presence is strong. This is the easiest way to draw new customers to your business. Mirabel’s Marketing Manager reports that social media is one of the best ways to grow your client base and expand your market research. Every business person, from large technology corporations to self-employed artists, uses social media to get their information out to the general public.

Constantly Improve Your Technology

Once you start evaluating your business technology needs, it would be wise of you to never stop. Business technology is an evolving market with new ways to improve your company's operations appearing often. Whether you’re looking for ways to streamline your invoicing or production processes, or increase your cybersecurity, take advantage of these opportunities to get ahead of your competition.