9 Key Benefits of Transitioning to a Digital Business Model
We live in a technology-driven era. You can either jump on board or get left behind. If you don’t embrace the incredible opportunities that today’s technology provides, your competitors will. Here are nine key benefits to transitioning your organization to a digital business model.
Skip the Mailbox
Image via Flickr by kla4067 It’s highly possible that the days of snail mail might soon be ancient history. It’s easy to sign up to receive your business bills electronically. You can also set up reminders to pay your bills and send the money right from your laptop or smartphone. Also, you no longer have to wait for that important proposal to arrive in the mail. Instead, have customers and vendors email them to you.
Sign Contracts Digitally
Real estate agents, contractors, insurance brokers, and many others business professionals have realized the convenience of the digital signature. We no longer have to run around from this house to the next, or from one part of town to the other, trying to collect needed signatures. There is no need to coordinate schedules or put that extra mileage on your new car. With a few simple clicks of the mouse, you can send contracts electronically and your clients can sign them at their convenience. After signing, a PDF file of the signed documents is sent to all parties.
Shop Online
Tired of running to the office supply store every day and standing in line at the check out counter? Need some new furniture for your office? Stop running around town using up your valuable time and gas; instead, shop online. From eBay to Amazon, it’s all available from the comfort of your couch or desk. Just set up an account and get started. Next thing you know, your friendly mail carrier will be bringing your new supplies right to your door instead of you having to run endless errands.
Enjoy Easy Marketing
The days of printing flyers so you can hand them out door to door or hang them up on the bulletin board at the local grocery store are long gone. Social media makes digital marketing easy. Just choose your audience, design your graphic, post it, and thousands of potential customers will see your advertisement. You can even take online classes that will teach you helpful tips and tricks so that you can design the perfect call to action and get better results.
Make Fewer Trips to the Bank
Online banking has changed our world. You can now send your invoices to clients via email and they can instantly transfer money right into your bank account. They can even use PayPal to pay their invoice. You can also work with your vendors to send your bills online, and then you can set up electronic bill pay with your bank. With just a few clicks of your mouse, all your bills can all be paid in just a few minutes. You can even deposit checks online now by taking a picture of them. You no longer have to plan a separate trip to the bank and stand in line.
Find New Vendors
The internet makes it easy to find new suppliers for just about anything. Looking for a new janitorial company? No problem. Need a new CPA? You’ll find lots of options in your area. You can also view posted reviews from other customers and send the vendors requests for quotes using text messaging or email. The days of having to thumb through the old tedious paper phone book are long gone.
Leave the Over-Stuffed Briefcase at Home
Remember the days of having to stuff your briefcase beyond capacity with all kinds of important documents? You had files full of proposals, marketing materials, instructions, and contracts all crammed into a limited space. Now, thanks to digital technology, you can store all those documents on a thumb drive and access them from anywhere on your laptop or tablet.
Research With a Few Clicks
There once was a time that business owners had to spend hours — or even days — at a library, school, or government institution researching important topics. We had to check out books, review the table of contents, skim the pages of the book, and bother the librarian until we found what we needed. These days, we can do all our research in our pajamas from the comfort of our couch. You can research competitors, industry trends, and get new marketing ideas all from your home, car, or favorite restaurant whenever the mood strikes you. You can also easily research and find everything you need to plan your next business trip. Brick-and-mortar travel agencies are quickly becoming ancient history. Websites like TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and Travelocity make it incredibly easy to find cheap airfare, reasonable accommodations, a rental car, and even sign up for fun tourist activities. You can even set up search alerts that will notify you when prices drop.
Find Your Next Office Space
Is your commercial lease about to expire, or have you been considering buying your own office building? The web has made it easy to find realtors, leasing agents, and property managers. You can even enter your criteria into sites like Zillow or Trulia to view available listings. Just enter your specific search criteria and you will immediately find lots of great options in your specified area and price range. Want to take a look at one of the listings? Many times you can schedule a showing with just a click of your mouse. It doesn’t get any easier than that. There are so many great benefits of transitioning to a digital business model that it’s difficult to think of a reason not to go digital. Embracing today’s technologies can save you hours, days, and maybe even weeks. These technologies allow you to communicate instantly with your customers, suppliers, and business partners via text or social media messaging. The entire world is at your fingertips. So, get out of your comfort zone and give it a try. It’s time to go digital. http://bit.ly/2pWYNNY #SAP #SAPCloud #AI