Tech Trends for 2014 Your Small Business Needs to Know About

Considering how technological trends are going to develop during the year ahead is important for small businesses and enterprises. By understanding what’s causing a stir it’s possible to work out how you can leverage on technological advancements to enhance your business, increase your productivity and engage with your customers.

The technological world is extremely fast paced, it changes rapidly, and the only way to keep up is by monitoring the trends and anticipating what’s to come and when you should be acting. Here are some of the tech trends that you need to be watching right now.
You Have to Go Digital
It’s essential that all businesses have an online presence of some sort. This is true even if you have a market stall or a bricks and mortar store. Getting online will be the most valuable thing you can do right now, and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Consumers expect to be able to research, find, contact and buy online, if you’re not there when they look they will simply find someone else that is. You can’t afford to ignore the digital world any longer. Get yourself a website, build a presence on social media and begin marketing.
Wearable Tech
It’s worth investigating wearable tech such as the Google Glass and the Galaxy Glass Smartwatches that are coming to market from the tech giants Samsung. Technology is becoming more pervasive and as a result you’ll need to update your marketing campaigns to embrace this trend and reach your customers on a whole new level.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing has been on the rise for a while now but it’s expected to explode during 2014. Cloud computing has so many advantages for small businesses that you really should get on board as soon as possible. The virtual storage and collaboration tools allow businesses to run efficiently, save money and work better as a team. The low cost and multiple options available means there are packages for everyone, regardless of size and budget.
Payment Changes
Expect changes in how your customers want to pay you. Virtual wallets are going to become the norm, with mobile devices used to make swift payments rather than credit or debit cards. Bitcoins are also hitting the headlines. Offering your customers to pay using Bitcoin will be expected, so it’s something you need to become familiar with as soon as possible.
3D Printing
The world is loving 3D printing right now and the interest is high. The doors 3D printing can open for small businesses, and even individuals, is extremely exciting. In recent days a 3D printer even managed to make a house! The potential is there, it’s down to you how you make use of this potentially world changing technology. Most small businesses are using Rapid 3d Printing to create prototypes that are cost effective and quick to produce. There is also the possibility that 3D printing will improveproduct design.