Three technologies from the Internet of Things, that small businesses need right now
Business technology is all about the Internet of Things, which means the ability to provide services faster and better, at a constant pace, using the most advanced, and yet not always the most affordable technology.
Every business is different, and requires different tools to function and stay competitive. Here is three technologies, for different business categories that urgently need them.
Food service and the cloud
Ordering food, or placing a reservation online is fundamentally different, compared to retail. Food that is ordered, must be prepared on the spot, and must be ready by the time the customer arrives. Having an online ordering system in place means that when a customer places an order, a ticket is immediately printed within the restaurant’s kitchen, to alert and inform the restaurant that a new order has been received.
Those handy little paper tickets can drive up costs significantly, as soon as the online ordering scenario comes into play.
Online ordering required more than simple local ticket printers. Special hardware is required, that is capable of connecting to the web and interfacing with a web-based application, so that customers can place their orders. This hardware is often three, four times more expensive than regular printers, even if it allows the business to open its doors to a whole new segment of clientele, previously untouched.
Providing affordable connectivity between web applications and brick and mortar businesses is invaluable, and won’t come a minute too soon.
Ubiquitous NFC Payments
The ability to provide more payment options to customers is crucial. the iPhone 6 is coming, and with it, a new trend in how we pay at physical stores, that is more secure and reliable.
NFC payments are not new, but they are not yet as popular as they should be. Most of what users know about NFC, is the way it can be used to transfer information from a phone to another, such as contact cards, or media.
NFC, as introduced by Apple, could become a threat to other payment providers, such as Square, who may be seen as obsolete and unable to provide a solution as secure as it could be, if it were embedded in a smartphone’s casing.
Automated Inventory control
There is nothing worse for a business, than running out of stock. Whether it is internal supplies, or merchandise, inventory control needs automation. Tracking technology and stock quantity detection, coupled with the latest innovation in wireless connectivity, can give a business much needed peace of mind.
Fortunately there is no shortage of great tech, such as RFID chips, Bluetooth, GPS tracking and NFC connectivity, still, complete solutions that can really help, are still scarce.
There is room for speculation around the notion that inventory automation belongs to larger business entities, closer to corporate settings, when in fact, small businesses would benefit greatly from more efficiency and control.
Old School, New School
There is also a circulating notion that small businesses, especially family owned, are resistant to change and innovation, which couldn’t be further from the truth: there is a high cost associated with operating a business in this day and age, which is, in next few years, destined to change, as innovation becomes more affordable, smarter and better connected.