There are many ways to get ahead in your industry, but for an IT team, paying close attention to technology trends is undeniably at the top of the list. Small business owners are increasingly looking at these trends to figure out where their next move should be to increase brand awareness and customer reach.
It’s common knowledge that having a robust IT presence can assist in many areas, including security and sales. But, 64 percent of small business owners still feel “overwhelmed” when it comes to technology according to a report from Brother International Corporation and non-profit SCORE, conducted by Wakefield Research.
The same study shows that 59 percent of those owners said there are “insufficient resources” available in small business communities to help them. Taking stock of tech trends, and speaking with experts, can help decision makers evaluate the next steps their businesses need to take in order to stay productive and successful.
Go Mobile
Mobility is huge today. The majority of adults are carrying a smartphone in their pockets, making them capable of looking up various topics and landing on your page anywhere and anytime. This will only happen if your website is mobile friendly.
According to a survey from Marketing Land, almost 56 percent of consumer traffic on the Internet is occurring through mobile devices. These people will not return to your site if it isn’t running optimally, which is why you need to make sure your website is mobile friendly.
Get Your Head in the Cloud
It’s not a buzzword anymore. The “cloud” is the real deal. Small businesses everywhere are finding efficiency in cloud-based solutions that help them manage and operate their business. Forbes found that nearly 80 percent of small businesses in the U.S. will fully adopt cloud computing by 2020.
Your business phone system can be cloud-based, as can your accounting, web hosting and many more areas important to running a business.
AI is Coming Your Way
Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t just for the big corporate players. AI is so popular today, and accessible, that Gartner says by 2020, 85 percent of customer interactions with businesses will not involve humans. Speech recognition, translation between languages, decision-making and visual perception are all areas that are enjoying leaps in improvement, which is why even small businesses are jumping on board with AI.
At Copper State Communications, we’ve offered technology services for more than 35 years. Our clients rely on our advanced phone systems, voice, data, IT and cloud solutions to gain a competitive edge over their competition. Contact us today and let’s talk about how we can get you involved with cutting edge technology.
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