In this post, we’re going to take a look at some ways to optimize the way you use technology. The purpose of this post will be to help you take a more objective look at the way you run your business and how you make use of different technologies so that you can avoid wasting money in the near future.
What Is The Purpose Of Your Technology?
Before you invest in something like a monthly cloud software subscription or a new computer, ask yourself what the purpose of that technology is. For instance, the purpose of online ordering software for restaurants should be to speed up transactions, make things easier for your staff, to keep better track of your finances. These are some extremely helpful tools, but what are the tangible benefits here?
For starters, it speeds up transactions because you no longer have to manually process them. Automatic payment processing methods are far more accurate and faster than humans, meaning you can quickly get your customers in and out of the door with fewer errors and billing mistakes. Similarly, “making things easier for your staff” generally means lowering the amount of knowledge they need to perform their job well, meaning there will be fewer mistakes and less effort spent by your staff.
Lastly, keeping track of your finances comes with the data-oriented systems that are used by cloud software companies and other similar software developers. Every transaction in this example restaurant will be recorded, meaning you can keep an eye on your stock, forecasts, profits, and so on. In short, technology can be really useful for improving a restaurant, and these were just a few examples of what they can help with. This is how you should be approaching technology for your business.
When Does Technology Hinder Your Growth?
Now let’s talk about areas where technology can actually hinder your growth.
One of the prime examples of this is when the technology is convoluted and difficult to learn. For example, you might adopt a brand-new order processing system for your small business because you want to speed up orders. However, the system might be designed for a large-scale business, so there are lots of tools and complicated features that you don’t quite understand. This could lead to staff taking longer to adapt to the new system, resulting in delays and errors for several days, weeks, or even months.
As such, you should always be mindful of when technology is actually hindering your progress instead of encouraging it.