A start-up can be classified in many ways, but most people use the term to refer to a small business that hasn’t quite actualized its production or brand yet. This means they may be running with a skeleton team, on a shoestring budget, with modest surroundings. That’s fine, however, as long as they can develop and deliver value to willing customers or clients, and provide essential provisions like customer support, can we really judge the validity of a business through all the trimmings it uses or lacks?
However, it’s also important to note that start-ups do not run in a vacuum. Certain technologies are needed, such as the basic IT infrastructure to combine and format productivity tasks, while also ensuring they can perform outreach where appropriate.
If you’re planning to run a start-up you may wonder what technologies you need to leverage straight away, and which you can do without for the time being. You’ve likely already signed up to suite workspaces like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, and you may have curated a template website page and online store – but where do you go from there? In this post, we’ll discuss that and more:
Payment Processing
Payment processing is essential to consider when running a small firm, even a small brand with a storefront. For instance, implementing valid payment processors online through PayPal, Apple, and Google Pay, and secure card information with a clear data policy is key – as there’ll always be a secure option for a hopeful customer to try. In addition, using machines for processing credit cards in your pop-up stores or retail environments can be more than worthwhile to get right.
Data Security
Without the ability to correctly store and handle other people’s data, be that account information stored with you, address information for easier ordering, or any sensitive data you use to run your firm on a day-to-day basis, then your brand’s reputation will tank rather quickly.
This is why it’s important to use VPN encryption for your data traffic, to use secure cloud storage with the correct permissions given to whoever you’re working with (or outsourcing at the time), and to make sure these platforms are secure by default, such as by using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, as well as secure templated website hosts like Squarespace or WordPress. This way, even your small brand retains its responsible approach to data.
Seamless Communications
Seamless communications are always essential. Using services like Zoom, Slack or AI chatbots that allow customers to connect with your support agent (in this case perhaps you or a partner), through a brand lens can make a big difference. Moreover, having an active social channel that updates on your progress and shares media from your website can be a big helper, and leveraging platforms like Twitter in that direction can make a big difference.
With this advice, you’re sure to leverage not only the best technologies your start-up may need, but the right technologies for you, and benefit in kind.
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