For many startups in the UK, the three primary operations concerns have been cash flow, cybercrime, and Brexit. However, since 2019, many of them have found ways to move around these issues with the help of useful technology. Statistics indicate that 76% of these startups benefitted from technologies adopted for their businesses. Because of enhanced efficiency, it is safe to say that you can use technology to move yours to the next level. If you’re wondering how, here are some tips.
1. Optimise business operations for mobile
As of 2020, the mobile penetration rate in the UK was 72%, with smartphones making up almost 50% of online traffic. For a startup, this is crucial information you cannot overlook. Considering that the average person spends 148 minutes on their phone, there is so much to harness from this. For instance, by optimising your operations to be mobile-friendly, your business would be closer to the target market.
From communications to marketing and purchases, people will be more interested in patronising you if they can easily have access on their mobile or smartphones. The mobile demographic in the United Kingdom is impressive and listed among the top five in Europe. Therefore, optimising for mobile can only bring positive outcomes if done well. However, you will want to focus on local SEO for those interested in accessing your business through these mobile devices. The possibilities are endless here.
2. Significantly reduce manual labour
Although there is an ongoing debate about robotics and automation gradually pushing the human factor away from the workplace, this one is worth the try. If your startup is into retail business such as frozen foods, devices like weigh price labellers will be very useful at your disposal. These machines are created to do exactly as the name says; to weigh, price, and label goods without relying on your workforce’s manual labour. They significantly reduce the likelihood of pricing and weighing errors a human would have made. As a startup business, this reduces time wastage and helps present your business as a technology-focused entity.
3. Benefit from web-based payments
Online payments take away the stress of making physical payments at the pay point or the cashier. In the UK, many small businesses use PayPal, SumUp, Revolut, Worldpay, etc. The truth is that most startups consider certain factors before deciding to go with a particular web-based payment platform. For example, Revolut is known to have low transaction costs. Additionally, the platform makes provision for multi-currency accounts.
However, SumUp has no monthly fees but comes with a fixed card rate. The pros and cons of each web-based payment system will usually determine which type is best for your startup. Fortunately, one thing that cuts across all these platforms is the convenience and safety they offer users. As a startup owner, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that this bit of technology protects your financial transactions. This also helps your business reach new markets that prefer to make payments via digital platforms.
It is a digital era, and until you plan your startup to align with current tech demands, you may be left behind in the business world.