Best Business Tech Upgrades for Your Office In 2013

Best Business Tech Upgrades for Your Office In 2013

Ed Yourdon / Ed Yourdon / CC BY-SA

It’s 2013 – weren’t we supposed to have flying cars by now? We may have to wait a few more years for that, but here are some tech upgrades for your office that are just as amazing.

1. Get rid of your clunky old server and access your files anywhere with Dropbox
   I originally signed up for Dropbox in order to have access to my files on my mobile devices — and it’s terrific for that. But then I started thinking bigger. What if I put all my files in Dropbox, or better yet, what if my whole team had their files in Dropbox. I could ditch the old server and just share Dropbox folders with my team members, and my clients! Instead of attaching big files to email, I could send a Dropbox link. This turned out to be really easy to do. Head over to Dropbox for Teams and sign up. It’s easy, and so worth it!
2. Eliminate paper with a Sheet-fed Scanner
   Paper is so the last century. I mean it can only be in one place at a time, you have to carry it around, it gets lost. Forget about it. I’m going paperless. I found this terrific ebook that gave me detailed instructions (including a geeky workflow that enables me to scan a piece of paper and have it create a PDF and file itself! I kid you not.) Now that I have all that Dropbox storage, it’s a breeze to turn the paper into PDFs and never lose them again!
3. Go virtual with your phones
   Who really uses their desk phone anymore? We all have our cell phones with us all the time. I actually heard a client say, “What’s so important that you are calling my phone; couldn’t you just send me a text?” Yep, it’s gone that far. So it’s time to go virtual with your phones. Dump that landline and opt for a virtual PBX instead. There are lots to choose from – Grasshopper and RingCentral are two big ones. They allow you to route calls from your business number to any phone (land line or cell phone) during the day, and then send everyone to voicemail at night. You can even set up different rules for different people. It’s cheaper than those landlines and who needs those cluttering up your desk?
4. iPads for everyone
   Ok, maybe you’re not an Apple fan, so I should say Tablets for everyone, but really, it’s time. These tablets are terrific tools for business and there are lots that you can do with them. They make awesome sales presentations. They are superior to a spiral notebook for taking notes (You can make an audio recording of your meeting and it synchronizes with your written notes. Tap your notes later and replay that portion of the meeting! Try that with paper.) Plus it enables you to access your files (those files you put in Dropbox, remember?) everywhere you are.

That’s my list, what are you upgrading in your office this year?

About The Author:

Brad Farris works for EnMast. They help small businesses get on the right track with tools and processes that are built for success. With businesses growing online it pays to have the best tools and collaboration strategies to help ensure success.

 

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Filed in: Technology Tags: dropbox • ipads • Sheet-fed scanner • virtual phones