Current Technology Trends for Small Business
If you’re the owner of a business, you probably already know how important it is for you to keep track of technological advancements that may impact your operations. You don’t want your competitors to offer services you don’t, because it may cause clients to question their loyalty to a company that does things in the same, outdated manner when another business has incorporated new, convenient technology into their operations.
One advancement an increasingly large number of entrepreneurs are implementing in their businesses is PBX phone service. While a private branch exchange is far from a new idea, today’s interpretation of PBX phone service by companies like AccessDirect provides a fresh, contemporary take on a familiar idea.
Modern PBX phone service no longer forces a business to be a hostage of a particular phone system or vendor. AccessDirect’s PBX phone system delivers phone calls using the cloud instead of traditional landlines. With AccessDirect’s system, you can add more extensions and have more customizability than you can with a conventional PBX phone system, which will be useful as your business grows. You can use AccessDirect’s PBX phone system to perform more difficult tasks using cloud-based technology as well, such as setting up ring groups and using an auto-attendant.
In addition to having the ability to handle more extensions and execute more functions, AccessDirect’s PBX phone system is more affordable to implement and operate than traditional alternatives.
Additional SMB Technology Trends
While knowing about the options that are now available for your phone system might convince you to make the smart move to a more affordable and flexible PBX phone service, being familiar with some additional small business technology trends will help you identify other changes that can benefit your business.
Here are some more trends that small- and medium-business owners need to be aware of as they move forward in 2017:
- Internet of Things Security: As business owners incorporate a growing number of connected devices in their operations, IoT security is becoming a top priority for many entrepreneurs. Malware Mirai and other malware can infect connected devices, such as surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and thermostats, and turn them into botnets. According to a survey of 593 IT and security experts sponsored by IBM and Arxan Technologies called “2017 Study on Mobile and IoT Application Security,” attacks on connected devices that aren’t sufficiently protected are a considerable threat.
- Use of the Cloud: In recent years, the use of cloud technology among small- and medium-business owners has increased from just 20 percent to 70 percent for companies with less than 100 employees. Among businesses with more than 100 but less than 1,000 staff members, more than 90 percent of companies use the cloud. To learn why our cloud answering service is so popular with small businesses in just about every industry classification, contact AccessDirect at 877-599-6500.
- Mobile Payment Apps: As more consumers and retailers are developing a better understanding of mobile payment apps, customers are expecting to find them wherever they shop. This mobile proximity payment technology lets shoppers pay for goods and services quickly and easily simply by placing their mobile phones near a retailer’s NFC reader. The volume of money that’s changed hands via mobile proximity payment technology has increased threefold since 2013, and it’s expected to increase to an annual total of $92 billion as soon as 2019.
From cloud answering services to IoT security to mobile payment apps and more, there’s plenty of technology available that has the potential to help you keep pace with and surpass your competitors. Incorporating certain technology is more affordable than implementing other technology, however. At AccessDirect, we offer affordable PBX and cloud answering services that can set your business apart. Contact us to learn more today.
