The focused teams, agile decision-making, and carefully managed resources that keep small businesses going can accomplish a lot, but they also only stretch so far—especially in a digital environment that invites more cybersecurity concerns than ever before. This reality leaves many owners wondering: How can we continue to innovate and grow while protecting our business and ensuring resilience? 

A recent technology report from Kinetic found that, while economic concerns are the biggest challenge for small business owners and decision-makers, cybersecurity is a close second. Nearly 60% pinpoint cybersecurity as a key priority, but only 49% are able to prioritize technology spending in this area. In other words: The urge is there for small businesses to innovate and keep up with new technology, but it’s a constant battle to push forward while balancing budget and security constraints. 

In this three-part blog series, we’ll show you how your small business can innovate and grow without compromising security or busting the budget. 

Start with what’s missing 

First, you’ll want to take a close look at your current systems to determine what they lack in terms of security, scalability, integration capabilities, and compliance. A thorough assessment can help you uncover gaps, inefficiencies, and vulnerabilities so you understand what types of improvements are needed. 

For example, maybe your team is still using spreadsheets to track appointments and customer data. There’s no customer relationship management (CRM) system in place to automate follow-ups, centralize information, or track when it’s time to reach out. These manual workflows have created issues with double bookings, lost customer information, and billing and scheduling mistakes. They also make it difficult to follow up with customers or understand at a glance where each customer is in their journey or which clients need attention. 

As you seek new technology, you should be guided by clear goals that underscore what your business wants to achieve with its new technology, whether that’s streamlined operations, better customer experiences, higher productivity, or something else. In the example above, perhaps the goal is to better manage customer data with a cloud-based CRM so staff can easily access up-to-date information, automate follow-ups, and personalize communications. 

Make sure your investments drive real results and ROI  

Don’t get distracted by the latest trends or shiny new tools and platforms. Start by thinking about the costs and benefits—both in terms of upfront expenses and value, as well as how those will play out over time. Before committing to any new technology, you need to analyze the entire financial picture.  

To do this, ask yourself questions like: 

  • Which specific business problem will this solve? 
  • From setup to maintenance, what’s the total cost of ownership? 
  • How easy will it be for our team to learn how to use the technology? 
  • How compatible is this solution with our existing processes and tools? 
  • How quickly could we see results from this technology? 
  • How disruptive will deployment be to our daily operations? 
  • Will this open us up to new types of cybersecurity risks? Are we prepared to handle them?  
  • What is the expected lifespan of this technology before it needs to be upgraded or replaced? 
  • Are there any hidden costs, such as integration fees, licensing, or add-ons? 
  • How easily will this technology scale as our business grows? 

This analysis will help you make sure your investment directly supports company priorities and addresses specific challenges. And once you have a better understanding of how the technology will impact your business, you’ll have the information you need to choose the right solution. One that works with your existing systems, keeps your data secure, aligns with your business goals, fits your budget, and supports your long-term growth. 

Learn how a comprehensive connectivity solution can help keep your business running smoothly, and keep it going with part two!