3 Types Of Tech All Small Business Owners Should Invest In For Long-Term Success

Press release from the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce:

August 12, 2020

According to SmallBizGenius, approximately 85 percent of small business owners have achieved financial success and growth through the regular use of one or more digital tech tools. From website security to communication and collaboration tools, tech can cost quite a bit upfront, but the long-term benefit of investing in technology often pays for itself over time.

Website Security

As a small business owner, you may feel as if your risk of falling victim to a cyberattack or security threat is much lower than that of a government agency or larger corporation, but this is far from the truth. In fact, small businesses are the targets of about 43 percent of cyberattacks, and only 14 percent of business owners have the tech security needed to defend themselves from these threats. What’s more, targeted businesses end up spending around $200,000 in recovery costs — and approximately 60 percent of these businesses shut down permanently within the following six months. These are frightening statistics.

As you can see, website security is vital for a number of reasons — and investing in it could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in the event of a cyber threat, while also protecting the future of your small business. A few essential security tools to invest in include the following.

● Network firewalls, malware, anti-spyware, and antivirus software
● Data backup and recovery
● Website encryption, such as a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Secure HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTPS)

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Whether the pandemic is keeping your team from communicating and collaborating in-person — or your small business is completely home-based — online tools like Microsoft Office 365, Flock, and Asana can help to maximize business profits, boost productivity, secure and store data, and improve team satisfaction. When choosing the right collaboration tools for your small business; however, it’s important to take the time to find the best fit for your team. The tech tools you invest in should simplify and boost collaboration.

Professional App Development

In addition to website security and collaboration tools, you’ll want to invest in professional development services if you’re going to create an app for your small business. Unless you have the in-house skills needed to build an application from scratch, this is one tech investment you’ll want to make for long-term business success and customer satisfaction. Depending on your specific development needs, several types of app developers include Swift, Android, and Java Developers — to name just a few. Swift developers, for instance, will be an integral part of the development process if you’re building an app for iOS devices — as these experienced professionals can do everything from:

● Planning, coding, integrating and testing the software.
● Creating wireframes.
● Designing the User Interface (UI).
● Submitting the app to the App Store.

Whatever your development needs may be, you can use online job boards like to find people who have the skills and experiences needed to develop an app for your small business. Investing in tech can be a big, costly endeavor when you’re running a small business, but the long-term benefits of putting some money into website security, collaboration tools, and professional app development will be well worth the initial expense. Many tech investments can help to grow your small business, boost productivity, improve online security, enhance the customer experience, and even cut costs in the long-run. However, the right types of tech for your small business will depend on your specific needs and budget — so be sure to take the time to find the best possible fit for you and your team. According to SmallBizGenius, approximately 85 percent of small business owners have achieved financial success and growth through the regular use of one or more digital tech tools. From website security to communication and collaboration tools, tech can cost quite a bit up front, but the long-term benefit of investing in technology often pays for itself over time.

This press release was produced by the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.