Technology is developed to meet a problem or opportunity. Businesses use technology to extend their abilities and to serve their customers. Business owners or entrepreneurs have the vision to recognize consumer wants and to devise ways to meet them. However, they will need to use technology to accomplish some of these goals, and in most cases, they will have to hire experienced technical people who can use technology to implement these ideas. Nowadays it’s challenging for a business to gain competitive advantage without using technology.
Business owners and managers must know the importance of technology in business, and they have to plan on how to use it well so that they increase on (RIO) Return on Investment. Technology is used in various ways; businesses can use technology in manufacturing, improving customer care, transportation, human resource management, business communication, use technology to improve their services or products as a way of gaining competitive advantage .etc. However, for a business to get the best out of technology, they have to plan and manage this technology very well.
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Technology for Business – Top 100 Business Technologies
MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IN A BUSINESS:
Management is an act of planning, directing, and evaluating any activity. Management involves ”authority” (the right to direct actions) and responsibility (accountability for actions). The production and use of technology in business have to be well managed to increase output and Return on Investment. Managers have the responsibility to make decisions that ensure that the company is thriving. The authority of a business manager may include hiring a technical person to manage business technology, purchasing of technological materials, developing products, setting pay rates, etc.
PLANNING:
Planning determines the sequences of operations needed to complete a particular task. Preparation is the backbone of most production systems. Once a business decides to use technology as a way of improving on its services and productions, the manager and his technical team have to create a plan on how to use this technology to gain competitive advantage and increase on their (RIO) return on investment. Implementing technology in a business can be costly, so there has to be a plan on how to make money and get back all the investment injected in this new technology.
Below I have listed detailed points on the use of technology in business.
- Improve customer care service: The primary goal of any business is to serve its customers. It does not matter whether your business makes dog food or helps big organizations, the only reason you will stay in business is to serve your customers well and on time. Serving the needs of customers goes beyond offering the best service or product. It involves understanding what your customers want, so even though your product or service is excellent, ”do your customers need to use it?”. As a business, you can use technology to improve your customer service in so many ways. (1) Get customer data and information using information technology tools like websites cookies and online surveys. You can create a website for your business and get feed backs on what your customers need so that you tailor your service basing on what they need. (2) Use technology to simplify the way customers pay for your services or products. If your service or product can be ordered online, provide multiple forms of payment via your website; (3) Use electronic mail to notify your customers about new deals and discounts, this will make customers feel cared for and it will drive them to buy.
- …read more on …5 Ways IT Can Improve Customer Service…
- Increase in production: As opposed to human labor, technology is efficient and fast. Production activities have two primary goals; to produce a product or produce a structure. Production activities that make products are called manufacturing activities. Most businesses are involved in the manufacturing of products, and these businesses need to utilize the two factors of production which include time and efficiency. A business can use technology to automate certain areas of production, this will help the business increase in its output, and it will also enable the business to serve its customers on time. People want to get what they want when they need it on time. So if a business implements technology in its production process, they will save time and deliver the product to the end user on time. For example, a small bakery can decide to automate production by installing temperature sensors in the production room and then employ one technical person who will receive data sent by this automated temperature sensor. The sensor will submit reports on when the temperature is high or low so that the technical teams know what to do. This will help in saving time as well as led to product of high-quality bakery product because a bakery business is more dependent on heat and temperature control. Read more …The Use of Technology In A Bakery
- Manage human resource: A business can not operate without experienced employees. However small businesses may be, it will need to hire experts to complete specific tasks. So how does a business use technology in its human resource management? (1) A business can use the internet to recruit experienced labor. Nowadays their so many job portals which allow business post jobs for free and get applicants. Most of these Job portals have even integrated video services which can help the applicant explain about them selves in a visual form, then they can submit required documents and references to the recruiter’s email through the Job portal. (2) Human resource managers can use technology to assign tasks to new employees and test them; the same technology can be used to monitor the performance and behavior of the employee. Read more on this topic here…Use of Technology In Human Resource Management.
- Improve on business communication: Communication is one of the primary drivers of a business. Communication helps in the flow of information within a business. The use of communication technology can simplify the flow of information between a business and its customers, suppliers, employees, and investors. A business can use communication technology tools like electronic mail, mobile phones, and text messaging services, social networks to engage and collect relevant information. Read more on this topic here …The Use of Technology in Communication.
- Can be used as a catalyst for innovation: Technology can improve the level of innovation in business. Using technological tools like the internet can help the business find relevant information which can be used to expand their business and also create new production lines. It is critical to do research and read about your competition, this will help you understand your competitors and it will also help you know new emerging technologies which you can implement and gain competitive advantage.
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