A recent article, Top 3 Small Business Technology Trends by Drew Robb says that there are three essential trends that will influence the small business technology arena in 2016, namely: the cloud, security and mobile technology.
Let’s discuss these.
1. The Cloud
- The cloud is ready to outstrip on‐premises deployment in 2016 in areas such as collaboration, file sharing, and marketing automation.
- “More businesses are choosing managed cloud‐service providers to maintain the underlying technology.” This allows business owners the ability to focus on their customers and grow their businesses.
- Larger or more tech‐savvy SMBs also look to the cloud for analytics capabilities such as IBM Watson, SAP Lumira Cloud, Microsoft Power BI, and MicroStrategy Analytics Express.
2. Cybersecurity
Small business owners better get ready for more cyber attacks this year. Cybercriminals are usingransomware and targeting SMBs to quietly extract funds at disturbing rates.
The best defense against this threat is tried‐and‐true best practices for safety such as employee training, backup, firewalls, anti‐virus (AV), anti‐malware, intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems, etc.
If you plan to use third‐party cloud providers, ensure you select your vendor wisely. Small businesses should refrain from using consumer‐grade tools or tools that have insufficient security. Be aware that data breaches can end up putting you out of business.
3. Mobile Technology
SMB Group surveys show that 59 percent of small businesses see mobile technology as vital to their business, with 70 percent expecting mobile apps to replace at least some of their existing business applications.
Because mobility trends are on the rise, SMBs have to prioritize mobile apps and features that satisfy the most pressing needs, looking at how your clients and teams want to interact with your company on a mobile device.
Conclusion
These three important trends are really beneficial to businesses but the level of technology needed will depend on what type and even what size small business you have. As a small business, you may also look for a workspace solution to best suit your business needs. YourOffice has come alongside hundreds of business looking for everything from staffed flexible offices to agile office space. We know your business is unique, and your office space shouldn’t be any different. Let us match the perfect space or service to fit your business needs.
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