These days, children as young as six years know how to use technology as well as, if not better than, adults.
Technology is having a huge impact on society, especially in how business is conducted, and businesses that use technology to reach as many people as possible are setting themselves up for success.
Here are five digital solutions that every business needs.
1. Video conferencing software
The demand for video conferencing increased dramatically because of the Covid-19 pandemic and became a necessity for any business that needed to communicate regularly.
So even people working remotely and from home are just a video conference call away, from any location around the world with a decent internet connection.
The free versions such as Join.Me generally allow a maximum 10 people to join the video conference, so businesses with larger needs would do well to sign up to a paid-for app or website.
2. Website builder
It is no longer just large corporations and businesses that need a website. It has become a necessity for any business to succeed.
Online shopping has increased immensely as well, and whether it is for the customer convenience of online shopping or for the business owner to check up on stocks, everyone likes the convenience of clicking on a website or app.
Building a website is quite simple with the website builders that are available now, such as Wix or Squarespace, and you can use the free versions of these sites to see what they can do, then upgrade to a paid-for version if you are looking for more space or other options.
3. Website performance monitoring
After building a website, it is important to see how well it is performing. Are people simply breezing through (bouncing)? If they are spending more time on certain pages, which pages are they?
This feedback helps you figure out what you are doing right and what you may be doing wrong.
Chartbeat and Google Analytics are good tools for this.
4. Customer relationship management
Every relationship built with a new lead has its unique expectations and preferences, and the chances of ruining it are high if those expectations are not met.
You have to remember when you first reached out to a client, the promises you made, how often the client does business with you, what their initial preferences were, how they have changed over time and what you need to do to keep them loyal.
But it is nearly impossible to keep track of your customers’ needs and relationships on the fly.
That is why you need a customer relationship management tool such as HubSpot to keep you top-of-mind with customers at all times.
5. Social media management
Creating a website is great, but until your customers know about it, it is just a lonely page in the massive world of the internet.
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and maybe even Snapchat are the best way to access practically everyone.
You can share things that are exclusive to your site, reach people outside your current following through targeted ads, and have some of your friends/close customers do the advertising for you by sharing your page.
Now, in combination with a social media presence (the more consistent the better), there are tools to manage interactions, such as Hootsuite, so you do not have to check each website and you can more closely monitor interactions and analytics with specific pages.
Honourable mentions
These three solutions did not make it to the Top 5 list of key digital solutions every business need, but they are worth a look.
1. Analytics search engine optimisation
SEO is key to bringing online visitors to your site, both desktop and mobile visitors. It goes hand in hand with a good user experience in boosting conversion rates.
SEO tools should be used to analyse all digital face points, most notably your website, email campaign, online reputation and social media.
2. Digital app
The future of online marketing is mobile, and that is why you have most likely optimised your website for mobile. But that is not enough to bring in mobile traffic to your business.
A strong social media presence is also not sufficient to reach out to and stay in touch with customers.
To get existing clients hooked, build a customer base and drive sales, what is needed is a mobile application for the business.
It can serve as an appointment booking platform, a platform for customers to give real-time feedback or as an extension of your website and/or social media pages.
3. Project management solutions
All businesses, big or small, need fluidity to save on overheads, get things done and projects out the door in good time. But it is hard to get organised or track a project when there are stacks of paper on your desk.
This is where project management software comes in. Good project management software will help create project schedules, share files and task lists and manage the project without necessarily being on site.
This article first appeared in The New Savvy.
The New Savvy is Asia’s leading financial, investments and career platform for women. Our bold vision is to empower 100 million women to achieve financial happiness. We deliver high-quality content through conferences, e-learning platforms, personal finance apps and e-commerce stores.