The year 2017 has officially come to a close now, and as 2018 begins, it is a good time to reflect on your small business and examine what worked to help your small business thrive. Operating a small business can be a lot of hard work and require a lot of mental focus. Since many people are short on focus time throughout a busy day, this information will help you put some current technological trends into perspective.
Many small businesses today are the innovation of a younger crowd. The current workforce is comprised of younger workers who are interested, and embracing, new technology advancements, whether it’s new hardware or software creations. With younger folks in leadership roles within small businesses, there is an increase with mobile device usage, because they typically have an “anywhere/anytime” mentality. The current workforce is more likely to work during hours beyond the 9-5 historical timeframe, and they desire the ability to have more physical mobility, also. This increase in a younger population is a generational shift that is occurring naturally as time continues to pass.
With the increase in use of mobile devices, comes an increase with cloud usage. The increase in cloud usage is currently one of the biggest advancements within the world of small businesses. Statistics show that approximately half of all small businesses use some sort of digital cloud. The cloud is used for a variety of purposes, including: communication, productivity, backup storage, and disaster recovery. How is cloud usage working for your business?
Another trend, although somewhat slow in developing, is the use of mobile payment options. Mobile payment varieties, such as Apple Pay and Android Pay, represent a growing movement of a mobile society and advancements in productivity, both of which directly impact small businesses. This is a trend that will continue to grow and develop, and small business owners will need to stay on top of this technology.
Lastly, cybersecurity issues are another main concern for small business owners. Once seen as an issue that was allowed for minimal time and money, cybersecurity threats have recently become a growing concern for small business owners. Preventing cybersecurity breaches has become a large part of a company’s focus, along with added resources. It is vital for a business to devote the time and money needed to stay ahead of cyber attackers.
As a small business owner, there are many technology aspects that need to be taken into consideration in order for your company to stay on top of advancements and trends within the Information Technology world. IT issues are changing and growing rapidly, and it is extremely important for you and your business to be up-to-date. As the new year begins, take a few moments to determine which technology trends are working well for your company and which ones need further attention. Contact the team at RedWave Technology Group, LLC to help you stay ahead of the game when it comes to your business’ technology.