Because of the availability of sophisticated technology right now, small businesses have gained an advantage. What once was only available to big corporation can now easily be obtained by small businesses. It’s easy to see how the availability of technology has influenced the small business industry. But with this technology comes new responsibilities for small business owners. They need to learn how to effectively manage their business now more than ever. The introduction of business technology allows consistent expansion but it also introduced a host of other problems that most small business owners aren’t even aware of.
Advantages of using technology for your business
Using information technology for your business has many effects like increased efficiency. While you can always use manual labor in menial tasks, it can actually be considered a wasted labor. Most menial tasks can be automated now with the use of proper software and programs. A simple task that would take one week for a single person to finish can easily be done by a specific program in less than a day. I’m not saying that you should replace everything with programs. It’s just that there are many business processes that can be automated – not all of them of course, but a huge chunk nonetheless.
If you hire a business IT consultant for your company, you will be given access to many tools that promotes business expansion. If you are willing to hire an IT consultant, that is already a good sign that you want to expand. A competent IT consultant will make that into a reality. They will make sure that your business processes are efficient. Their goal is to decrease your operating cost but maintain the same product quality. This will lead to better profit margins and a better chance for expansion.
Disadvantages of using IT for your business
The only real downside to getting IT for your business is the added expense. Another thing to consider is the maintenance aspect of it. Once you introduce a new division of IT in your business, you are required to do proper maintenance for it. If you are just starting out, that is quite an expense to make. The initial investment is pretty substantial especially for a small business. However, the payoff is great if the IT consulting firm is good. The initial investment you made will be a penny when compared to what you’re about to gain.
Another possible disadvantage of hiring an IT consultant is the asset management. Once your business expansion has started, it will be hard to keep track of all things related to your company. Effectively managing your company then will be a nightmare. This is true for all businesses but if you are not the type to handle stress well, this can be considered a disadvantage.