The importance of keeping up to date technology in the workplace

All businesses use technology. It determines how customers reach and interact with your business and it can drive company growth.

Today’s workplace has little in common with those a few decades ago. Typewriters have been replaced by computers, tablets and laptops, devices have decreased in size and access to the internet is frequently available remotely. The contribution of modern technology to each worker’s productivity is nearly five times greater today compared to previous years.

Technology includes a wide range of tools such as computers, mobiles, networks, software, security services and phone systems. Technology could be a card machine to pay for purchases or accounting programmes to assist with business finance. All these products help to streamline day to day operations, improve productivity and give you a competitive advantage.

We explore why it’s important to keep up to date technology in the workplace.

Provide a more efficient service

Advanced operating systems, content management systems, and secure cloud-based services all assist businesses in staying organised. Technological innovation has been influential in supporting companies streamline their processes and significantly reduce the need for paper files.

Businesses with a modern phone system benefit from many features such as call routing, call management and smartphone integration – all helping provide an efficient, smooth service.

With the feature voicemail to email, for example, your business can stay on top of its missed calls. All voicemails are converted to an mp4 file and received as an attachment to a chosen email address – meaning they can be called straight back from another location.

The internet

For on-site traders such as coffee shops, bars, shops and hotels, guest WiFi is an increasingly important factor in customer satisfaction and influences their loyalty and visit frequency. A study revealed that 80% of customers in retail outlets felt that providing free WiFi would influence their purchasing decisions. Furthermore, it is likely to encourage more potential customers into stores and increase sales opportunities.

A huge area of expansion is online shopping, which continues to grow annually. Research shows online sales in the UK, US, Germany and China will grow by £320bn between now and 2019, expanding the size of the online market to £645bn. The growth will be driven by the increasing power of smartphones, which is boosting mobile shopping, along with retailers investing more in their digital operations.

For example, before committing to a purchase, customers want to be able to research online first, such as reading online reviews. Companies need to meet customer demand, step up their mobile sales efforts and take advantage of new technologies.

Marketing

Communicating with customers online is essential. Email, SMS, a website and social media are just some of the many platforms available to market to customers. Mobile web usage has overtaken desktop, so it’s crucial to look at factors such as if your company website is compatible with mobile.

Technology has allowed businesses to communicate with customers on another level. For example, GuestWiFi features advanced real-time marketing tools such as:

• Tracking visitors
• Identify peak visit times
• Create customer mailing lists
• Send a message as soon as a customer has disconnected from WiFi
• Tailor marketing activity

A customer registering for guest WiFi would need to answer a series of questions before connecting. This could be “when is your birthday?” or “what is your favourite drink?” – all to personalise future promotions, increase returning customers and boost your sales.

Security

The majority of modern technology automatically updates to the latest version of software, ensuring the most recent bug fixes and built-in security features are installed.

Cloud-based phone systems are hosted in highly secure data centres over the internet. If there is an issue with the connection– there are many backup options which take over your voice traffic in this event, ensuring no downtime.

Businesses with fibre broadband experience increased security due to the difficulty of hacking data signals run over fibre cables.

Finally, secure guest WiFi for business means protecting yourself and your customers. It will ensure they are protected when connected to your network, preventing malware downloads and blocking phishing attacks. You will also be protected from legal liability.

Technology is always evolving

Much like the iPhone, devices improve over time and new versions are released with enhanced security, tools and features.

Businesses that use telephones will need to ensure their phone system runs over an internet connection rather than traditional telephone lines by 2025.

This comes as BT has announced plans to switch off the traditional telephone ISDN network and migrate all phone systems online, affecting millions of businesses across the UK.

It’s important to embrace new technology to stay ahead of the competition and future-proof your communications.