If you haven’t set specific business goals for 2023 just yet, there’s no better time than the first month of the year to make them. Whether you want to increase sales, customer loyalty, improve operational efficiency or some other key performance indicator, you must be intentional about your resolutions. If you keep your goals vague, you probably won’t take many strides to achieve them. Instead, be specific and start with small steps. From that foundation, you can build until you’ve reached your objective.
Fortunately, there are some great resolutions related to tech that can help your business accomplish its yearly goals. Here are a few:
1. Improve Your Customer Experience
Does your business have a website? For most companies, the company is, obviously, “yes”. But does it drive any sales? Do your customers enjoy the experience of using your website? These are all questions you need to ask yourself—and if you answer “no” to any of them, then you need to reevaluate your website and digital customer experience.
For businesses that sell products, web pages must be easy to navigate, and a straightforward checkout process should run smoothly. If your business does not sell products online, use your digital presence to post blogs that inform your clients about your industry or talk about events within your community.
In addition, check out chatbots if you don’t already use them. They work around the clock to provide your customers with answers to questions about your business. Some chatbots even utilize artificial intelligence, which makes them capable of learning providing more personalized communication.
2. Invest In Cyber Security
Cyberthreats never take a day off. While large businesses that get attacked garner a lot of attention, small businesses are at equal risk. You must do everything you can to protect your business and customers. This month, take some time to evaluate your cyber security practices and determine areas for improvement. If your hardware is old, it might be time to update. When you get notified of new software versions, do not wait. Most of these software updates include patches to better protect you from new cyberthreats.
But quite possibly the most critical part of your cyber security plan is employee education. Your entire team needs to know and fully understand your cyber security practices and why you have them in place. If you don’t run your team through cyber security training at least once a year, 2023 is the time to implement this best practice. Make sure they know about password security, phishing scams, social media etiquette and the importance of protecting company and customer data.
3. Get Help with Your Changing IT Needs
Technology changes quickly, and while there’s certainly no need for your business to adopt every shiny new thing, it is important that you regularly assess how new tools or platforms could contribute to your success. It is our job to stay on top of advances that may support clients’ operations. If your business is changing in 2023 — new services, locations, competitors, you name it — or some aspect of your IT you would like to improve, let us know. Echopath consultants offer practical, budget-conscious recommendations specific to your business, and help you map out a step-by-step plan for putting them in place.
The new year provides us all with an opportunity to reset and refocus our attention on making improvements in our lives, including business. But to succeed, you need to make a plan! These resolutions are the tip of the iceberg, but a good place to start thinking about how to up your game.