5 low cost technology upgrades for small businesses

07-30-2014 5 low cost technology upgrades for small businesses

At a certain point, you may find that your computer equipment needs to be upgraded. Maybe your business has grown substantially and the current equipment no longer meets your needs, or maybe everything is running slower and is outdated.

If that’s the case, it may be time to upgrade! If your budget won’t allow anything major, consider some of these low-cost technology upgrades for your small business.

  1. Upgrade to a wireless 802.11n wouter with guest access
    If your office is still running an 802.11b or 802.11g Wi-Fi network, you can speed things up by upgrading to an 802.11n network. This is going to give you and everyone else in your office an enhanced and faster experience. Also, adding a guest network is something you can do as a convenience for your customers allowing them to access the Internet while preventing them from getting into other storage devices on your network. You can do this type of upgrade for approximately $100 if you shop around and look for a good deal.
  2. Upgrade the RAM in your PC
    Most new computers these days come with adequate RAM to meet a typical user’s needs; however, having enough (or more than enough) RAM enables you to have a faster and smoother experience. Depending on the type of business you run, you may find that upgrading the RAM in your PC would be a huge benefit.
  3. Purchase a NAS (Network Attached Storage Device)
    Network attached storage refers to a relatively small-scale server that supplies shared storage and networking capacity between a small group of computers. These can be very beneficial for a small office or a residence that requires transferring of information on a regular basis. This is a fairly inexpensive upgrade to make. Check out some options here.
  4. Make the switch from paper invoices to online billing and invoicing programs
    Rather than using traditional, paper billing, you might consider switching to online billing. When you do all your invoicing on paper, it can be difficult to stay organized and it can be very time-consuming. Using online invoicing makes it possible to have everything you need in one secure location. It is also less expensive. By using online invoicing, you may be able to completely eliminate the need for an accountant, plus you won’t be spending money on postage or paper. A great option for online billing is Invoiceable – and it’s free!
  5. Opt to use faster USB devices
    Not all USB flash drives offer the same level of performance. Different flash drives work at different speeds, so if you are a business that uses flash drives for large files such as high-resolution pictures, you may appreciate one with higher write speeds.

Making technology upgrades to your small business does not have to cost you thousands of dollars. As you can see from the above suggestions, there are many upgrades you can make relatively inexpensively that will make a huge difference in your productivity.

Kim George is the founder of Small Business Sense, a blog sharing business tips for small business owners and entrepreneurs. You can find out more by visiting www.small-bizsense.com.

About Guest Blogger

Guest bloggers for the TDS Business Blog.

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No comments yet.

Leave a Comment