SMART HOME

There is so much we can learn from new technology that we have adopted into our style of living. The purpose for creating a “smart house” is to ease our burdens of maintaining a home, thus allowing us more time to spend with our family and friends. Another benefit was the savings they provided, allowing us to spend those saved dollars for the benefit of our families.

The smart home was not an instantaneous happening; it crept up on us as new inventions were adapted in our homes. Things like the washing machine, the vacuum, the dishwasher, the clothes dryer, motorized lawn mowers, electric typewriters, etc. All these items allow us more freedom, more time to do the things that matter.

As small business owners time is one of our most precious commodities. Just like in a home, there are many new technologies that when used in our businesses, allow us the time to do what we do best instead of “housekeeping” our businesses.

I am a great believer in growing a business by using the “human touch” as a critical component of who you are and what you stand for. That requires knowing what work can be done by other methods. You can call it systemization or internal efficiency, which will allow you the freedom to focus on the critical things needed for business growth and profitability.

Efficiency does not always mean technology; I was visiting with a small business owner who shared his lack of time to work “on” his business that day. He had to go to an office supply store for material and to a grocery store for “goodies” he kept in his office for staff and clients. The COVID-19 pandemic has grown a wide variety of delivery services for almost any product needed. Two phone calls could have saved my friend almost 3 hours.

CRM systems, Alexa, your computer, Zoom, and a multitude of other technologies can free you up to work on your business instead of in your business. Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, and 3-D printers and a slew of new voice technologies are but a few of new time saving devices and systems that are available.

Many small business owners can tell you about smart cars and smart TV’s but very few can tell you about smart business tools. Spend a few hours each month researching new “time saving” business tools.

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Tips & Advice by Nick Petra, CFP – Founder of Strategic Duck and BizQuack