Startups Should Carefully Evaluate Needs Before Purchasing Technology Tools

Starting your own business is an exciting and scary proposition. You may have a great product or service, the knowledge and connections to market and sell it efficiently and the drive to put in long hours to achieve success. But unless you have the right technology tools at your disposal, you have very little chance of achieving your goals.

Communications solutions are perhaps the most important tools for any business and certainly a startup. Having a reliable way to engage with customers is a necessity, and startups need solutions that meet the demands of today’s omni-channel customer engagement landscape without breaking the bank. That’s where business VoIP offerings come into play, offering a host of features that may be implemented easily and at a low price point.

Business VoIP specialists Nextiva recently published an article outlining some of the technology necessities for starting a new business. The company stressed that the latest and hottest gadgets may be appealing but not necessary or practical from a business perspective. Nextiva recommends starting with the basics – a computer, either a laptop or desktop. New businesses need to evaluate their needs and business models to determine whether mobility is a necessity or if a desktop would be a better fit for their needs. Companies should also ensure they have a good warranty to protect their investments.

A credit card reader is another valuable piece of technology and a necessity for both online and in-person sales. Thankfully, credit card technology has evolved to the point where it is not cost prohibitive for a startup business to process cards. Companies can choose from traditional machines or a mobile card reader and processing service that will work with a smartphone or tablet. Businesses should also ensure their card readers are EMV complaint so they can read chips in addition to magnetic stripes.

A smartphone is another invaluable investment, enabling all the business VoIP functionality of a regular desk phone in a clever mobile package. Smartphones handle a host of communication jobs and can also be connected to cloud-based VoIP phones, which can reside in an office. A tablet or hybrid device is another potentially valuable piece of technology, particularly for certain retail businesses that need to be able to interact with customers, process credit cards and conduct other transactions on the go.

Ultimately, startup businesses need to carefully evaluate their objectives and needs before making technology purchases. By looking at the big picture and finding cross-platform solutions like business VoIP that fulfill a number of needs easily and cost efficiently, businesses can glean the most value and longest life span out of their tech purchases.