Top 5 Ways to Use Technology to Save Money

Even as the economy turns a corner, many small business owners are still feeling the effects of the 2009 recession. There are a whole host of options available that take advantage of technology to save money on everyday operating costs.

VoIP

Many consumers are aware of VoIP services and are starting to use them for residential local and long distance calling. However, small business owners aren’t taking advantage of these cost savings that work with your existing network – no upgrades needed.

VoIP carriers like Comcast, Skype and Vonage all provide calling services and other products like magic Jack are available with additional features that can be added fairly inexpensively.

Make use of social media

While larger companies are making their social presence known, many small businesses have yet to take advantage of the marketing opportunities available via social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Businesses can create their own pages/profiles on these sites and broadcast promotions, keep in touch with customers and attract new business…for free.

Online Postage

Postage meter companies charge small businesses for a monthly lease, maintenance fees, and other hidden charges so it’s hard to keep track of exactly what you’re being charged for each month. Online postage services use an advanced postage printing system that doesn’t rely on expensive postage meters. All you need are your existing computer, printer and Internet connection. It’s easy, reliable and at least 50 percent cheaper than traditional postage meters.

Make your office mobile

As smartphones proliferate, business owners are finding that employees, customers and clients are all accessible at their fingertips – no matter where they are. For many businesses, this has eliminated the need for a traditional office or at the very least allows for cost savings by limiting time spent in the office. By equipping employees with a laptop and smartphone, they have created a mobile workforce that is more efficient and more importantly, cheaper!

Use Online Productivity Tools

There are a host of online tools available to the tech-savvy worker that don’t just save money but make a business run more smoothly and efficiently. For small business owners, it is perhaps even more important to be able to access documents from a variety of computers or devices as they are often working at home or out in the field. Online and cloud-based services like Remember the Milk, DocStoc.com, FreeConference.com and Google Notebook can provide everything from to-do lists to calendars and forms…either for free or at a very low cost.