What’s a day in the life of a small business owner entail? It should come as no surprise that there’s more to running a small business than hustling to make sales. Although no two days are the same, Forbes reports that most entrepreneurs work long, “jam-packed” days. That’s why it’s essential to find lucrative, efficient ways to run your business.

Thankfully, modern technology can help you stay productive and secure while boosting your bottom line. From helping prospective customers find your products to providing people with a delightful online shopping experience, tech tools and software solutions could be just what your business needs to stay ahead of the competition. To get the most bang for your buck, look for software and apps that are easy to use, affordable, and meet your needs.

Below are some smart tech investments that will save you so much money in the long run that they’ll practically pay for themselves.

 

Data Protection

What’s a successful business without a good security system in place? A data loss prevention (DLP) plan is not only vital for keeping confidential files safe from the hands of a rogue employee, it can prevent costly and stressful situations that involve recovering from data misuse. When cloud-based services like Office 365 come into play, your business becomes especially vulnerable to data loss due to easy company-wide access.

 

Website Development

These days, every business needs to have a functional, engaging website. That way, clients, customers, and prospects can find you when searching for products and services on the internet. When someone clicks your site link, they should see a webpage that’s easy to use, striking, and visually appealing.

If you don’t have the time or the tech skills to build a site yourself, don’t worry. A freelance JavaScript developer can give your site the boost it needs. Best of all, because JavaScript is a mobile-friendly coding language, your site will look great and function properly across computers, tablets, and mobile phones, including Apple and Android devices.

According to Upwork, you should look for a qualified JavaScript developer who knows fundamental coding languages like HTML and CSS, in addition to JavaScript; uses software tools like Grunt, Gulp, and Bower; and understands back-end website technologies. With the right help from a top-notch developer, your site will swiftly capture your customers’ attention and effectively showcase the products and services you offer. If you want to make more sales and stay competitive in your industry, a website built with the latest JavaScript technologies can help boost your ROI and keep your customers coming back for more.

 

Point of Sale (POS)

Another business essential is your point-of-sale (POS) system. Simply put, your point-of-sale system is what you’ll use to accept payments and process credit cards when your customers make a purchase. According to Business.com, a quality point-of-sale system goes a step beyond managing the checkout process by enhancing your relationship with your customers.

These days, businesses can choose between apps, hardware, or even cloud-based point-of-sale solutions. For instance, some credit card readers plug directly into a tablet or smartphone. Meanwhile, cloud-based systems work over the internet from any computer or mobile device. Best of all, many solutions are free or low-cost. That’s much cheaper than the $5,000 to $7,000 you’d spend on a traditional, in-store POS system.

 

Productivity Apps

Technology can also help your company (and your employees) become more productive. For instance, Small Business Trends recommends using free and low-cost apps like Toggl and Asana to manage time, efficiency, and productivity. Business Matters Magazine suggests using Google Drive thanks to its popularity, synchronization features, and cloud storage. One of the many perks of Google Drive is its price. It’s 100 percent free, although you’ll need to pay a storage fee if your company requires more than 15GB of space.

 

Think you can’t afford business tech? Think again. Modern technology is more affordable, straightforward, and accessible than ever. The World Economic Forum reports that “prices have dropped dramatically in almost every tech sector.” Even if you’re not tech-savvy, many apps and tech solutions are straightforward enough for beginners. More great news for small business owners: You can hire an expert to help you set up and manage the more complicated technologies, such as JavaScript. With the wide range of benefits and the potential impact on your bottom line, your business can’t afford to not invest in modern technology.