There once was a time when businesses were offline. However, today almost every business needs a strong online presence. Gone are the days when a simple email account was all you needed.
As things progress, what people expect from businesses and their online presences is also evolving. Customers expect more, they demand support, and want to be able to use any form of device. Thankfully though, new technologies are providing modern solutions.
The Basic Online Requirements
Most customers expect companies to have their own website. However, they also expect that website to be easy to use and to format well on any device. Fortunately, with platforms such as WordPress and other content management systems, building a website is now much easier and therefore also more affordable. Easy to install pre-made themes that range from free to about $100 also make websites look professional and fully responsive with ease. There really isn’t an excuse for having a website that looks like it’s from the early 90s anymore.
Along with the website, customers want support (and in some areas are legally entitled to get it). Therefore, it is important to have the minimum of showing key company information on your website, along with contact information, a privacy policy, terms and conditions, and cookie policy. GDPR (EU customer protection) enforces some of this with quite heavy penalties. You should also have at least a couple of the mainstream social media accounts for your company, to keep followers up to date with what is happening, new products, news etc.
If your business is still growing, then you may need to fund the initial setup in order to grow. If you choose to take this route, there are plenty of options available, including secured loans, bank loans, overdrafts, small business grants and more. You should plan this step carefully, but when done correctly, it can help take your business growth to the next level.
The Next Step Online
As companies grow, then customers want more. For smaller businesses, this was previously hard to provide, as online 24/7 support just wasn’t possible. However, with new developments in AI and online service centers, it is now more affordable than ever. An AI Chatbot can handle most ‘standard’ inquiries with efficiency and speed. Applications can also allow for live chat services, and online support teams or freelancers can provide support. It allows what could be a ‘one-man business’ in the real world to appear as a professional organization online.
Artificial intelligence is continuing to develop and provide more and more solutions to businesses. It can analyze data, learn from prior information, or adapt to new scenarios. Long term, AI is going to produce some quite amazing changes online.
Augmented reality is also becoming much easier to create and to use. It can be used with full AR devices or even a standard mobile smartphone. Apps allow small businesses to scan real-world objects into AR. This then allows customers to place these objects into the real world. However, it is also being used in many other ways, such as giving information in shops and providing guidance in airports. As this technology evolves further, it will be interesting to see home much of the online world merges with the real world through AR.
Summary
If your business doesn’t look as good as the competition, it may be time for an update. Even if you aren’t tech-savvy, many content management systems like WordPress makes it easy to build beautiful looking websites. You can even find developers that will set everything up for you for a quite reasonable price. With AI and new online tools, you can also provide responsive support and replies to your customers, making them feel happier. Take a look at what’s available, you might be surprised.
Founder Dinis Guarda
IntelligentHQ Your New Business Network.
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