Operating an online business in 2019 is markedly different than it was even five years ago. As the Internet grew at an exponential rate, new services appeared to make the life of any fledgling online entrepreneur easier. This isn't to say that creativity and effort are no longer required. But by leveraging the tools you have at your disposal, you can focus on the important aspects of running a business. WayKen a prototype manufacturing companies in China, see that using their websites to serve the global customers. Whether you own a small online shop or a thriving company with multiple products and services, here are five areas in which the right kind of technology can really make a difference:
1. Accounting
It's easy to overlook the nuts and bolts of accounting when it comes to running an online business. But all that paperwork will quickly pile up unless you get a handle on it in advance. Luckily, there are a host of apps that aim to both keep tabs on your income and expenses while also informing you about your billing obligations. QuickBooks is the golden standard of small business accounting, a feature-rich tool that's dedicated to servicing all your e-commerce accounting needs. Among other things, the software allows you to keep track of your inventory and bills, and also provides detailed accounting reports that showcase your company's performance at any given point in time.
2. Payment processing
One of the main rewards for having a quality business is the presence of paying customers. But you'd be surprised just how many digital companies run into roadblocks when it comes to processing payments. Part of it is because of the sheer number of payment options available today. For that reason, you're going to want an all-in-one solution that can facilitate payments made through a variety of channels ranging from credit cards and bank wires to cryptocurrency transfers. Enter FlexiPay, a start-up devoted to ensuring that merchants take charge of their funds with zero risk of chargebacks, no rolling reserves and instant settlements.
3. Content creation
Your company's website is its image to the world. Google rewards active websites that offer valuable content, so it's worth taking the time to create a blog that's chock full of valuable information for your customers. You can either write the blog entries yourself or employ a freelance writer, but make sure you uphold high quality standards in order to improve your rankings and attract new customers. As for subject matter, it's usually a good idea to approach topics that are relevant to your industry. A fintech start-up, for instance, will benefit from having articles related to banking and personal finance. Whatever you do, be sure to also integrate plenty of pictures and videos in order to ensure that your content is as eye-catching as possible.
4. Customer service
Good customer support is one of the pillars of any self-respecting company. Despite vast improvements in automation, clients by and large still prefer talking to real people whenever possible, so integrating a live chat or having a dedicated customer sales rep on-hand to answer calls is essential. There are services out there such as LiveChat that aim to streamline the process by providing both automation tools and features designed to improve customer satisfaction and increase your bottom line. Collecting customer data is priceless in this regard, as it provides valuable insight into how your customers interact with your website and which products pique their curiosity.
5. Social media management
Last but not least, it's important to note that a simple online presence for any digital company is no longer enough. Most Internet users spend a lot of time on social media, so you'll need to maintain a dedicated presence on websites such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube in order to acquire new customers. With so many sites to keep track of, it's no wonder that comprehensive social media management platforms such as Hootsuite have taken off. Instead of having to micromanage each account individually, you are given access to a dashboard that controls each of your profiles, where you carefully plan activities such as scheduling posts in advance and synchronizing marketing campaigns.
As you can see, there are multiple areas in which using the appropriate tools and apps can push your online business to the next level. As the number of e-commerce websites keeps growing at a steady pace, the way you organize and structure your business, in addition to the quality of your services, is what will help you stand out from the pack. So take the time to browse through the solutions presented here and pick the ones that make the most sense for you and your company.
