echnology is always moving forward, seemingly faster and faster every year. For individuals, technology has become a central part of almost everything people do. Over 80% of Americans now have a smartphone which means instant access to a world of information and tools right at their fingertips. For many businesses, technology tends to move a little slower than what is seen in the consumer world. After all, an individual buying a smartphone is a much faster and simpler change to make than expecting a business to pivot their entire operation.

Of course, it’s impossible to ignore the changing trends of technology forever when running a business. Fall too far behind and the world will simply pass by. Having the right technology is essential to staying competitive. Here’s exactly why having the right technology matters in business.

Productivity and Efficiency

The ultimate focus of technology since the beginning of time has been improving efficiency. A wagon is faster than walking, a car is faster than a wagon, and a plane is faster than a car. The same rings true in business. Consumer behaviors have been changing in recent years. People get their packages shipped to them in 1-day, their ride across town arrives at the tap of a button on their smartphone, and they expect this kind of service in everything they do.

Businesses that want to remain successful need to deliver on these growing consumer expectations of speed and convenience. One of the best ways to do this is through automation. When many people think of automation, they imagine robots but the reality of automation is much more digital. With the right tools and software, businesses of all sizes can automate some of the most time consuming and mundane tasks within their workflows. This ultimately improves efficiency by freeing up employees to do the work that allows them to make the most difference. This could be focusing on more challenging tasks, engaging directly with customers, or getting out of the office to make connections. Whatever it is, automation equals efficiency and technology enables this.

Effective Communication

There was a time when business communication basically started and ended with phone calls or emails. Today, communication is much more advanced and complex, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic sending many people to work from home and adopt new methods of communication, like video chat, as part of their day-to-day routine. Nearly 75% of adults aged 18 to 34 say they regularly use video chat platforms. This is an important statistic to understand. This is how people are communicating at work now. This is how customers want to communicate. The right technology needs to be in place to implement this.

Of course, the classic phone call still serves a purpose in business. However, the traditional landline is no longer sufficient for a modern, agile business. VOIP (voice over internet protocol) is the phone call of the future. VOIP uses a data connection and software to deliver voice calling. The advantage of VOIP is that it’s mobile, scalable, and more affordable. With a smartphone app, employees can take their office line on-the-go. Plus, new features can be deployed as the VOIP provider updates their software. With many VOIP providers also including seamless text chat between team members as well as video chat, it’s an all-in-one communication package that can help businesses rapidly adapt to changing communication habits and preferences.

Technology Affects Staff Morale

Believe it or not but technology can play an important role in how much staff members enjoy coming to work. This is important because everyone knows that happy team members are more motivated to do better work. However, it can be hard to stay motivated when fighting with old technology. This may ultimately lead to disengaged staff, high turnover, and loss of revenue. Generally speaking, people want to do the best job possible. But they need the best tools and technology in their hands to do that. If the competitor across town enables their staff with the best technology and begins taking sales then it may be hard to stay motivated.

Technology can also make attracting and hiring new staff easier. Job seekers, when given the option, would rather work for the business that has the better technology to enable them to do their best work. Not only can they see themselves being more successful in the role but it’s also more exciting to work for a forward-thinking company rather than one that’s always playing catch up.

Find and Implement the Best Technology

Making a change in the technology used at work can sometimes feel like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be that way. The technology experts at James Imaging Systems are ready to help businesses of all sizes find and implement the technology to help take operations to the next level. Contact them today to learn more.