We are one month down. If you have not done so already, this a good time to review the technology you use for your business and make any streamlining efforts where possible.
In addition to the devices and services you use for your business, take a look at the applications that help with your productivity, interfaces between them and any permissions you have in place for people and services that may be out of date. Not only could these actions help your business run more efficiently, but they could also protect your company. It's also a good time to update passwords and turn on authentication services for the applications that you use. I have seen more than one business in the last few months to loose a social profile due to cyber attacks. When you have worked so hard to organically grow your following, the last thing you want to do is start over at the beginning.
Here are a few of the changes I have made recently as an example of how this review can work in your business.
1. I changed my phone service to a new provider. I had encountered low coverage during conferences and at my work location such that I could not network when needed and my response time to clients was significantly slowed. Even if you have to pay a little more for the service, the flexibility and reliability it gives you in responding to your customers is priceless.
2. I added another line to my service to add a connected tablet. This allows me a dedicated line to work when on location and It also provides a secondary device so I can have an assistant help me during vending events.
3. I checked my website interfaces to maximize on what I was using (or not) using as was my case. I use Squarespace for my website and finally spent time learning how to connect my Squarespace shop over to Facebook so I can have shop item automatically update on both Facebook and Instagram. Follow me over on Instagram www.Instagram.com/upstatemississippi and see how I am now able to tag my products directly in my posts making it easier for followers to click to purchase. Squarespace now also has integrated scheduling and email campaigns so those are items I will be investigating using as well.
4. I had hired a part time assistant a couple of years ago. She still had administrative rights to my website which is no longer needed. I removed those permissions to my website.
5. I also checked any apps I had connected to my website and removed permissions for any that I was no longer using.
Take this as your reminder to review the technology and services you use for your business. Leave me a comment and let me know what changes you have made (or plan to make) after your review.