As a new startup, you’d be forgiven for becoming overawed by the amount of hardware, software, gizmos and gadgetry on the market professing to make your business life easier. The market for technology in the business world has become saturated with pretty mundane kit. However, look through the mediocre tech, and you can find some worthwhile equipment and hardware that can be worth your while investing in. While you might not have the biggest budget in the world because you are just starting out and you want to preserve your cash flow, you could seek ex-display models of hardware or second hand reconditioned software. Take a look at this essential gadgetry that every business needs.
LaptopsÂ
It goes without saying that every startup needs a decent laptop or two. Even if you work from home and you are a sole trader, you need a bit of kit that has enough storage for your needs, has sound Wi-Fi capability and will provide you with the graphics and sound that you require. If you are a graphic designer or work within the photography realm, an Apple MacBook or a Google Pixelbook may suit your requirements. The screens are vibrant and bright, and you can utilize your screen as a drawing board with add-on pens.Â
If you need nothing more than a bit of kit to check emails, organize meetings, set up appointments and do the odd bit of web development and social media management, something a little less extravagant will suffice, like a trusty Dell or HP. These are stalwarts of the laptop world and for good reason.
Payroll SoftwareÂ
The most tedious aspect of any entrepreneur’s working life is the afternoon spent glued to a screen and a calculator working out payroll. The numbers need crunching, but it doesn’t have to be you that does it. Plenty of software is now available that will work out your payroll at the click of a mouse. You no longer have to worry about working out tax implications, pension contributions or even issuing payslips. A payroll software package is money well spent as your time is then freed up to be spent on more pressing areas of your business vision.
Protection Of Your AssetsÂ
While you will have a firewall present on your network and untold layers of encryption on your sensitive files, you also need to employ this approach toward your premises. At the very least, you need a security camera system to monitor your leased office or warehouse. Small businesses can find it nearly impossible to recover if mammoth amounts of stock are stolen. Protect your business with a system that is hooked up to local law enforcement and allows you to monitor the cameras from your own home. The chances are that the cameras will act as enough of a deterrent so no theft is ever attempted and it will give you ultimate peace of mind that your hardware or product is safe and secure.Â
Businesses struggle to get by in the twenty first century without the implementation of technology. Do your research and ensure that you are spending your money wisely on the right bits of kit.
There has never been a better time to start up your own small business, but that doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to succeed. In fact, there are many problems big and small that your company could run into that can hold you back. Luckily, some of the most common are dealt with in the post below, so read on to ensure your small business is solution focused.
Payroll problems
Businesses rely on their employees in a significant way, and in a smaller company, this can be amplified as you only have a few people to get everything done. Unfortunately, a substantial issue that small business can encounter is paying their employees on time especially if they are having problems with payroll or cash flow.
Luckily, there are some solutions can work here, such as taking out a small business loan like the ones variable from kabbage loans to cover the cost of a month’s wages. Then you can be sure that everyone will get paid, remain motivated, and they don’t even have to know that things are tight financially!
Of course, if it’s a payroll administration issue things can be a bit more difficult, but that isn’t to say that they can’t be rectified. In fact, in many cases getting some advice from your accounting system provider can help. An action you that you may even be able to do over live chat, something that can help you to resolve your issue efficiently.
Customers
Customers are of course vital for the success of a small business, but they can also create issues as well. One of the most significant issues is when they have outstanding invoices that they are not paying, as this can create a cash flow crisis!
Your options here are to chase them for payment, and if things did get bad, you can freeze their account so they can’t order any more products until they have settled their bill. In some cases, it may even be necessary to take them to a small claims court to pay an invoice that has gone unpaid over a long time.
Also, another issue to be aware of with your customers is that you can end up in a dependent business relationship. What this means is that you need them to survive because they are your most important accounts. This then mean they have an advantage over you because you will not want them to go elsewhere. Something they can use to leverage better deals and discounts that will not be good for your business.
To that end, you always need to be looking for additional customers, and markets for your products. What this means investing in marketing and even research and development from time to time, so you avoid relying on any particular customers for your continuing success.
Lastly, data management can be a huge problem, especially if IT is not your forte. This is because the data that you are collecting regarding personalization preferences and warm leads are crucial to the success of your business.
In this case, it can be helpful to employ a professional to set up a data management system for you. One that allows you to draw out and use information that your needs, or adapt a pre-made system to solve the problem of data management. Â
