A small business technology investment boost can be a fickle friend for your small business. You proceed with it and take the max benefits of it when it works in your favor. But, when it turns against you, the only thing you need to do is cut ties. Cutting costs and repurposing old technology can go a long way in keeping your small business running smoothly without draining you of too much money.
Here’s how to have a small business technology investment boost: The first step is admitting that you have an issue with technology in general. You might not be using every single app, program, or gadget on Craigslist, but there’s an underlying issue of over-usage that you need to fix if you want to thrive as a small business owner again. The second step is tracking down what’s no longer helpful in your current line of operation (whether that’s because of expansion or technological advancement).
Thirdly, getting rid of anything that’s no longer useful to keep costs low and expenses lower still. Follow these five steps to have a small business technology investment boost and repurpose that leftover tech into something more beneficial than before.
Track Your Tech Usage
Keep a record if you’re curious about how often you use certain tech items. This will help you analyze correctly how much you use and help devise a cutback plan. You might also keep track of data usage and bandwidth to see if you’re turning off some lights or devices you don’t need on all the time.
Repurpose Software and Hardware
Old computers and smartphones are great candidates, but anything with a power cord that’s not in use can be repurposed too. You can apply an old computer as a printer, a scanner, or a file server.
You can also use old technology as a dedicated server for certain parts of your business and cut back on the number of devices you need to keep running. You might have a computer or two that are no longer being used, but the parts you can use are still in great shape. Sell them online or brag to your IT department and ask them to put them to use—if they’re willing to do it for cheap, that is how you build up a small business technology investment boost.
Cut Costs
To cut costs in this situation and keep a small business technology investment boost, start by figuring out how many other companies are selling products with similar features as the items being repurposed. You might be able to get a reasonable price on an old server if there are plenty of people who want to buy them and ship them to a drop-off location.
You can also consider getting an extension on your phone plan if you’re using data for a tablet or laptop on an indefinite hiatus. That way, you don’t need to use data until it is back in service. Another way to cut costs is to use cheap or free software instead of expensive, full-blown programs. You can also try reducing the number of meetings and streamlining some of your processes to save on travel expenses.
Check What You Have
Sometimes, you have to take a step back and look at what you have in terms of technology and see if you can repurpose some of it to make a small business technology investment boost. You might have old desktops that you can use as dedicated servers, old laptops that you can use as remote access devices, or old smartphones that you can turn into Internet hotspots.
Make a Routine To Use Only the Most Useful Apps
Once you’ve identified which apps are taking up all your time and which ones you don’t need, you can start making a routine to only use the most useful apps in your line of business. Try to set aside part of your day where you don’t use any of your techs. You can use this time to focus on selling to your clients or exploring new opportunities. This will free up your time for when you’re selling.
Also, you can use this time to take care of any urgent business or clean the desk. If you can set aside these few hours, you can finish up the tasks you’ve been putting off during the busy days of your business. There are many applications developed for your help to slim down your tech use. You can use these apps to get a better idea of how much you’re using your tech and how you can slim it down to have a better small business technology investment boost.
Give Away or Sell What’s Left
Depending on what’s left after you’ve cut back on your tech usage, you might want to try selling what’s gone on Craigslist or eBay to get some quick money as a small business technology investment boost to your current cash flow.
You can also try giving this stuff away to strangers—it might not be for you, but it could be for someone else who’d love to get some help with their current tech issues. If you have a lot of stuff that’s still useful, consider renting out a storage unit or asking a family member if they’d like to help you store some of it.
Stay Connected and up to Date
With any new technology or upgrade, you must ensure that you’re staying connected and up to date—especially if you have a business that relies on technology. You don’t want to be caught off guard by any new developments or advancements in the field.
There are many methods to connect with your business and keep it up to date. You can use services like Upwork, Hubstaff, or Trello to stay connected with your team, keep track of all your tasks, and manage your projects.
One good way to do this is to use scheduling tools to schedule downtime for yourself to focus on business instead of your day-to-day obligations. You can use tools like Rescue Time or StayFocused to help you set these schedules, keep your business up to date with the latest technological developments, and experience a small business technology investment boost.
Conclusion
Technology can be an excellent tool for growing a small business, but it also has the potential to be a roadblock. If you want to stay ahead, keep costs low, and make the most of your existing resources, you need to pay attention to what you’re doing with technology for a small business technology investment boost.
