Adapting to Virtual Business Trends

Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.

Many companies are taking advantage of modern technology to create new opportunities for growth and improved performance. The shift to virtual commerce has created many new trends for companies to adapt to in order to remain competitive.

Communication

As employees become remote and companies become international, communication is more important than ever. Employees must be able to respond to colleagues and customers no matter where they are. Systems such as UCaas solution providers allow people to collaborate from any device at any time. With this type of technology, work doesn't have to be limited to in-office time as it has in the past. Business owners can relax knowing they have the ability to run their businesses from their homes or on the go.

Website Design

Your website is now often the first thing a customer sees when introduced to your business. In order to make a good first impression, companies are putting more effort into their website designs. In addition to a professional design, your website must also be functional. Customers should be able to order products or make appointments with ease. Consumers have become used to instant gratification, so they don't want to spend time figuring out a difficult site. If your website is not easy to operate, you risk losing customers to your competition.

Marketing

Marketing has always been one of the key pillars of business, but the way people advertise has changed. You no longer have to rely on ads in newspapers or catalogs reaching the right customers. Instead, you can use targeted ads online. Promoted posts on social media can catch a user's eye and draw them to your profile or website. Best of all, using social media to advertise allows you to easily reach your target demographic based on platform choice alone. You can also use web tracking to gather information on people's computer usage, allowing you to get customized advertisements in front of those who are most likely to buy your products.

Globalization

Businesses no longer have to be confined to geographical barriers. Expanding operations to other locations opens up businesses to more employees, customers and revenue streams. Globalization can mean different things to each company. Larger companies may build additional offices and retail locations in other countries or broaden their supply chains. Smaller companies may begin shipping products to other countries.

Hiring employees in different locations has several advantages. Having people that speak different languages on staff allows you to serve a greater number of customers without language barriers getting in the way. You can also take advantage of different time zones. This can allow your business to serve customers day and night while letting employees work desirable shifts relative to their time zones.

Automation

Automating parts of your business can make operations far more efficient and precise, saving you time and money. Almost anything can be automated with the help of modern technology. You can use computer software to manage payroll, track spending, input data and even chat with customers. Allowing your computer to handle these tasks frees up additional time for you and your employees, allowing you to focus on growing your business or taking some much needed time off.

Businesses must continuously adapt to keep up with ever-changing business trends, but these changes can benefit them in many ways. Improved communication allows you to work and collaborate from any location. Website designs give customers a good first impression and lets them make purchases with ease. Marketing with the use of targeted ads allows companies to reach their targeted audiences more easily. Globalization creates new opportunities in the form of employees, customers and revenue streams. Automation makes business operations easier and more accurate. Applying these changes to your company will help you improve your business and remain competitive in your industry.

Small Business Tax Center • Idea Cafe Home • Sign Up • Biz Grant Center • CyberSchmooz •Coffee Talk with Experts • People in Biz Profiles • Starting Your Biz • Biz Planning • Running Your Biz • FREE Trade Publications • Marketing • Financing Your Biz • Human Resources • Legal & Biz Forms • Managing Your Biz • eCommerce • You and Your Biz • Gen X • Work@Home • The Fridge • De-Stress • Send an Award • Send an eGreeting • Yoga @ Your Desk • Web Guide • Idea Cafe in the News • About Idea Cafe • Advertise on Idea Cafe • Contact Us • Privacy Policy • Site Map • Small Biz News

DISCLAIMER: We hope whatever you find on this site is helpful, but be cautioned that it may not apply to your own situation, or be totally current at any given time. Idea Cafe Inc. and all of its current and past experts, sponsors, advertisers, agents, contractors and advisors disclaim all warranties with regard to anything found anywhere on this family of websites, quoted from, or sent from Idea Cafe. and its related sites, publications and companies. We also take no responsibility for comments published by others on these pages.

TRADEMARKS: The following are Registered Trademarks or Servicemarks of DevStart, Inc.: Idea Cafe®, Online Coffee Break®, The Small Business Gathering Place®, Take out Info®, Biz Bar & Grill®, Complaint-O-Meter®, A Fun Approach to Serious Business™, CyberSchmooz™, and BizCafe™.