Starting a business from home can be a bit of a daunting process. There’s something about an official office space that can inspire productivity, creativity and perseverance; while the home space is typically reserved for relaxation and, well, living, but having said that, remote working is on the rise. A recent projection stated that 25% of professional workers will be working entirely from home by the end of 2023, with that number expected to grow even further by the end of 2025. For this reason, if you are going to set up a business, it is entirely feasible to do so from the comfort of your home office.
This is, however, only because of the tech landscape, which has evolved even further over the last few years. In 2023, you can have the same amount of tech to drive your business at home that you would have in a rented-out office space. This means that remote working can not only save you money – especially when it comes to rent and energy costs – but you will not be falling behind any competitors. That’s not to say you will be changing the world from your bedroom with a cheap laptop, however! As mentioned before, you will need to invest in the right tech to help you through your first year in business and take you onward towards a successful future. Keeping this in mind, here are a few ideas of where to invest and put the odds of success in your favour:
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Website Design Tools
First off, without an office, you’re going to need a base of operations that can draw the customer in and look professional. This will be your website, which will need to be constantly updated with engaging, entertaining content while also being highly accessible and aesthetically pleasing for the browser. To achieve this, it’s best to find people who are experts in creating websites and have experience in growing businesses from the ground up.
Social Media Management
It is also important to utilise new tech to keep track of your social media pages and formulate a wealth of data and metrics that can help you develop the business further. Social media – like your website – will be the place where a number of your customers are going to find you, and it will also give you the opportunity to engage with your customers and build a solid relationship. According to recent statistics, as many as 76% of consumers buy products that they see on social media, demonstrating how it can be the perfect gateway to attain more revenue, build a rapport and accumulate all the data you need to innovate further.
Cybersecurity
If you’re working from home, then you will also need to protect yourself. Recent data has told us that 530,000 small businesses were subjected to an attack over the past few years, with 60% of small businesses failing within the first six months of being breached. This is why it is crucial that you do everything you can to set up a wall between you and the hackers. There are a number of efficient softwares in 2023 that can provide your business with the appropriate firewalls while also helping business owners to manage multi-cloud networks – that are usually harder to maintain observability
Monitors – At Least Two Of Them!
In terms of more simplified tech, it is important that you do not simply make do with a laptop when building a business in a home office, while your whole business exists in a cloud. You will need to have optimum accessibility, preferably by connecting two monitors to one computer – or multiple monitors – and giving yourself the ability to flick through multiple tabs with ease.
Microphone And Webcam
Try not to cut corners on a microphone and webcam too. If you are running a B2B company, for instance, then you are going to be liaising with a number of clients and attempting to build loyalty for you and your brand. To do this, you need to show them that you are as professional as any one of your competitors. This can be done in a number of ways, but oftentimes the differentiating factor comes in the simple things.
If you are speaking to a customer in a call and your connection keeps slipping – or your voice is muffled and difficult to understand – this is immediately going to put a negative idea of your business into your customer’s head. It will make you seem amateur compared to your competitors, no matter how good the product or service is. Do not forget about the basics. Work out how to set up video conferences with a good webcam, and ensure you’ve got the latest tech when it comes to video and audio capabilities.
Productivity Planner
It is also likely that you are not alone in your business endeavours. If you have formulated a team, no matter how small, it is crucial that you inspire their productivity and keep them engaged in the business itself. This can be hard to achieve from a home office. Without an office space where everyone can interact, you need to make sure that everyone is up to date with daily tasks and know exactly what they are expected to achieve on any given day. There are a number of business software that can achieve this for you, including productivity planners that will work to plan busy schedules and help organise the most important tasks.
Instant Communication
Keeping the topic of productivity in mind, communication between you and your employees is also important. As mentioned before, without seeing your colleagues day-by-day, it can be hard to promote engagement, motivation and – most importantly – employee well-being. This can then lead to the employee churn rate being high, which won’t help the reputation of your business in the long run. Maintaining that communication, however, can be achieved through business communication apps which will help you to keep in contact throughout the day.
As well as this, more complex tech tools are finding their way into the market. Virtual reality, for instance, is getting more popular by the day. One of the areas where the new Meta Horizon Offers delivers is the bringing of colleagues together from the comfort of their own homes. If you are looking to create an innovative business, which prioritises strong communication, well-being and motivation, then this is certainly something to look into to build towards a stronger future.
Overall, There are many advantages to remote working, but that does not necessarily mean it is easy. Of course, there are many remote businesses that are prospering in the current climate, but they are doing so because they have set things in motion to ensure their business does not fall into any potholes.
Make sure that your company does the same. If you and your employees are working from home, always invest in tech that will make it feel like you are in an office, ensuring your business is constantly thriving and productive.