Despite economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, record numbers of people are following their dreams of launching businesses. In 2020 alone, more than 835,0000 new businesses were registered in the UK. Additionally, more than 2 million people in the UK work as freelancers and contribute a collective £125 billion the country’s economy.
As technology gives start-ups and entrepreneurs access to global markets, it’s easy to see why so many people are choosing to go it alone. However, launching a successful business isn’t always straightforward. Statistic show that the majority of new businesses struggle to survive the first five years, which highlights the risks that come with starting your own enterprise.
For many entrepreneurs, funding difficulties, overspending and limited cash flow present the most significant issues, but these aren’t problems that need to impact your business. In fact, by being aware of them, you can create sure-fire strategies to ensure these common start-up issues don’t affect your business.
Make Tech a Top Priority
For any business in today’s climate, technology must be a top priority. Whatever type of business you want to launch, technology is going to be at the heart of it. From engaging with your target audience and generating leads to closing sales and even delivering digital services, tech is a critical factor in the success or failure of any commercial organisation.
However, it’s here that many businesses make their biggest errors. Overspending on tech hardware that’s not needed is one way to blow your budget, for example. Alternatively, using inefficient or overcomplicated software can reduce productivity and affect your financial performance.
To make sure that your business can leverage technology and benefit from it, it’s vital to have a tech strategy in place. While many up-and-coming entrepreneurs assume you must have a vast IT network and infrastructure, this isn’t always the case.
In fact, you might find that you can get your business up and running by using just a single device: a smartphone. To find out how and why a smartphone should be at the core of your tech strategy, take a look at the benefits on offer:
1. Maximum Portability
Millions of people might dream of being their own boss, but the reality can be different to what you expect! When you’re running a business or operating as a freelancer, it can be tricky to separate your personal and professional lives. Although it’s important to factor some downtime into your schedule, you also need to ensure that you’re available to clients, customers and/or staff.
It’s particularly important to ensure your availability in the early days of launching a business or a freelance career. After all, every client or customer counts at this stage, so it’s vital not to miss any incoming enquiries.
Furthermore, new businesses can experience teething problems, so you may be called upon to resolve issues as they arise. By making sure that you’re available at any time, you can avoid decreased downtime and the financial consequences that come with it.
As you might expect, a smartphone is the only device that offers this level of portability and freedom. It doesn’t matter where you are, your smartphone can connect you to the world and enable you to liaise with suppliers, investors, customers, clients or colleagues.
What’s more – you aren’t limited to just one form of communication. With a smartphone by your side, you can call, text, instant message, email, voice call and much, much more.
2. Keep Costs Low
Every business can optimise profitability by cutting costs and this is an important way of enhancing your commercial performance. When you’re first starting out, however, it’s essential to keep your budgets as low as possible.
Investing in tech you don’t need can be a waste of resources, so think carefully before you decide to purchase large screens or on-site servers. You might find that everything you need to run your business is already available via your smartphone.
If you want to keep costs low when you’re working as a freelancer or launching a business, look for the best SIM only deals. This will ensure you can use virtually any smartphone, so you aren’t limited when it comes to operating systems or functionality. With the best SIM only deals from Lebara, for example, you can keep communication costs to a minimum and benefit from zero ‘out of bundle’ caps and international minutes too.
3. Seamless Integration
Experienced managers and business owners know just how important integration is when it comes to your tech setup. If you have software that will only run on a certain operating system or you use apps that won’t connect with one another, for example, it reduces operational efficiency and increases the risk of errors being made. In many instances, integration issues can even spark companywide downtime, which can be extremely damaging to your business.
Fortunately, smartphones can easily be integrated in any existing tech setup, so you can transfer data to and from other devices that you may already have. Similarly, most smartphones also give you the option to automatically back up your content, so you won’t have to worry about important information being deleted in error.
Major software manufactures have launch apps to facilitate mobile usage, so you can use the biggest project management platforms or workflow systems directly on your smartphone, without needing any other devices at all. If you do choose to switch between a laptop or tablet and a smartphone, however, you can be confident that hassle-free integrations will simplify your processes.
4. Cloud Functionality
Cloud computing has revolutionised the tech industry and every other sector too. Now, applications and software can be hosted via the cloud, rather than on-site. This enables you to access platforms and databases from any location, providing you have the correct login details. Not only can this be a cheaper and more flexible way of managing your tech setup, but it can also allow you to collaborate with workers, suppliers and other businesses all over the world.
Although internet-connected devices can access cloud-based platforms and data, the transition to cloud computing makes it even easier to run your business using a smartphone. With everything you need stored in the cloud and instantly accessible, you needn’t worry about having limited device storage.
5. Features and Accessories
Today’s smartphones are packed full of features that are designed for entrepreneurs and there are endless apps to download as well. From accounting and tax management to workflows and file sharing, you can access a wide range of features to streamline in-houses processes.
In addition to this, there are numerous accessories you can use to enhance the functionality of your device even more. A wireless keyboard can make it easier to prepare lengthy documents, for example, while cost-effective projectors can cast your screen on to any surface.
Choosing the Right Smartphone
A smartphone can be a core component of your new business, providing you choose the right device. With so many options on the market, it’s important to do your research and find a model that offers the right range of features for you. By doing so, you can get the best deals and gain access to the tech functionality you need to kick-start your new venture.
