Adopting technology for small business efficiency can help you reduce costs, eliminate tedious tasks, and boost productivity, meaning improved team performance and higher customer satisfaction.
But it can also be very daunting. It requires an upfront investment in both time and money to scope, introduce and embed new processes within a company.
Read on for the essential questions to ask yourself before introducing new business technology to your company.
Questions to ask before adding a new technology
Before adding any new business technology to, you need to ask some hard questions. But you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) do this alone. These questions should involve key members of your team at different stages.
The most important thing is to get buy-in from people early and allow them to share their feelings before you take any action. Not only will this help guide your decision, but it will also help make your team feel more invested in the success of that new integration. That’s because people are psychologically more likely to like an idea if they feel like they’ve helped develop it.
This is also known as the ‘IKEA effect’: a cognitive bias that makes people place a higher value on things they helped to build or create. So by including your team in agreeing to the how and why of instituting a new technology, they’re more likely to be invested in its success.
How will this impact my customers?
Perhaps the most important consideration before implementing any new technology is how it will impact your customers. Even technology that isn’t customer-facing can disrupt the customer experience.
Study your sales funnel and align each stage with the customer journey. Where will the new technology impact this journey? For instance, if you’re implementing a new CRM in your real estate business, you need to consider:
- How it will impact the way you communicate with clients,
- The way you’ll store their private data, and
- Access to key resources like customer portals and appointment calendars.
How will this impact my team?
One of the most important considerations for any new technology is how it will impact your team. The last thing you want is to introduce a new technology only to find out it’s made your team’s lives harder.
Gather feedback
It might seem obvious but it’s important to gather feedback from different points of view. Speak to your team prior to choosing the new tool. Step back and make sure you fully understand what you are looking to achieve and what the challenge is you face today before jumping straight into looking for a solution. Record their responses and factor them into your choice of technology and how you introduce it.
As a start, gather feedback on:
- What business problem are you looking to solve with this new technology?
- What is happening currently?
- What is working well and why?
- What challenges are you facing and why?
- Any suggestions for improving this?
- Any learning experience from introducing other technologies?
By identifying and understanding your team’s point of view, you can ensure everyone is on the same page about what needs to be achieved. It’s important to gather feedback from people involved at different levels in the organisation to ensure a holistic view of the issue or goal you want to achieve. This will allow you to anticipate some of the challenges that might be faced in introducing a new technology.
Ease of use.
Before implementing any new technology, you need to evaluate its user-friendliness. This will also help you map out the learning curve your team will require.
Training requirements
Plan for the necessary training sessions for staff to effectively use the new technology, and consider the cost and time involved.
Recommended Reading ? : The pros and cons of adopting tech for small business efficiency.
How will this impact my revenues?
Initial and ongoing costs
Assess the upfront costs of purchasing and implementing the technology, as well as any ongoing maintenance, subscription, or upgrade fees.
ROI and payback period
Estimate the potential return on investment (ROI) and how long it will take to recoup the costs through increased efficiency, sales, or cost savings.
How will I measure the impact of this technology?
Implementing any new technology can be risky. However, by setting measurable targets, you can identify how effective the technology is in achieving its objectives.
Start by documenting specific, measurable objectives you expect from your outsourcing partnership. Include quality standards and customer satisfaction metrics. Share these with the technology provider during initial meetings and make sure they understand and agree to these expectations.
Implement a system to regularly monitor the outsourced team’s performance against the key performance indicators (KPIs) set at the outset. Use customer feedback, call recordings, and performance reports to assess their work. This data will be crucial for identifying areas of improvement.
Customer service needs can evolve, so it’s important to remain flexible and open to adjusting your strategy. Based on performance data and customer feedback, work with your outsourcing partner to refine processes, training, and even objectives as needed.
Regular strategy sessions can help align both teams with any new goals or changes in direction.
By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition and maintain high-quality support that aligns with your brand’s values and customer expectations.
Recommended Reading ? : Embracing technology: Small business tech trends in 2024.
What level of service does the technology provide?
It’s essential that you research the technology’s reputation to gauge its service quality. Ask for case studies, with qualitative and quantitative insight, to show the impact it could have on a business like yours. Look for reviews and testimonials from other businesses that have used the technology. Positive feedback and a track record of excellent service indicate a commitment to professionalism and flexibility.
Plus, you may find areas you want to question the supplier on based on challenges others have experienced.
What areas of my business could be improved by introducing new technology?
Technology can rapidly increase your business efficiency, but with so much choice, knowing where to start can be challenging. As already discussed, the first thing you need to do is determine your end goal and work back from there. With the right tools, you can streamline key areas such as customer service, automation, communication, data, remote work, and supply chain management.
- Automation: Remove tedious tasks from your workflow. Reduce mistakes and get more time to focus on your most important tasks. For example, AnswerConnect integrates with your existing CRM so you can find customer call information available in seconds. Also with Setmore scheduling included with every account, you can send automated appointment or payment reminders to customers. Automated reminders mean fewer no-shows, missed payments, and no more chasing.
- Communication: Use video conferencing software, instant messaging tools, and project management tools to reduce delays and misunderstandings in your communication and move faster. With the AnswerConnect app and Business Line ID, you can find all of your business call messages and chats in one place making it easy to prioritize who to respond to first.
- Streamline customer service: Technology makes it possible to manage high volumes of calls, no matter how small your business is. 24/7 answering services and live chat make it possible for you to be there for customers around the clock – without any additional staff or admin.
Gain a competitive advantage with AnswerConnect
All of the above features can help you get the edge on your competition. Find out more about how AnswerConnect can help your business and all of the tools included with every account.
