That tradies can greatly benefit from technology is a fact that’s easy to prove. Technology creates several advantages for tradies. Most notably, these advantages are demonstrated when it comes to marketing, communication, scheduling/organization, payments, and mobility.
1. Exploiting the Use of Mobile Technology
Mobile technology has greatly advanced over the years that business can already be conducted through mobile phones. With mobile devices capable of doing more than just calls and the sending/receiving of text messages, there are many ways to use mobile technology to improve business. There are many apps that can be installed on mobile devices to make doing business easier. With a web-connected smartphone or tablet computer, it’s easy setting appointments, interacting with customers, processing documents, communicating with customers and employees, and doing many other related tasks from anywhere. On the other hand, the popular use of web-connected mobile devices also creates opportunities for tradies to more easily find and reach out to prospective customers who regularly connect online through their smartphones or tablets.
2. Social Networking and Marketing
When it comes to looking for prospective clients and marketing, it only makes sense for tradies to take advantage of the popularity of social media. Social media networking and marketing should be an integral part of tradies’ promotional efforts. Regardless of the extent of the marketing campaign, it’s always advisable to incorporate social media. Self-employed or individual tradies can market their services even by just using their mobile phones. Larger companies or tradies groups/unions/cooperatives can come up with more systematic and sophisticated social media marketing efforts. Social media marketing is a confluence of internet.
3. Software/Apps for Tradies
Tradies should also consider the use of software or apps. There are many of these available for desktop and mobile devices. There are software applications designed to suit specific tradies industries, for example: electrician service software.These applications come with varying specialized functions and features to suit specific tradesman needs. They are designed to make it easy organizing tasks and monitoring availability or progress. They can also be used to take notes, send invoices, and get a heads up on important details such as the availability supplies needed for rendering services. Many of these software/apps support integration with other business software. You can find apps that can be quickly integrated with accounting software such as MYOB, Xero, and QuickBooks Online. This simplifies the process generating financial reports or taking a real time peek at financial performance at any time.
4. Improving Communication
Communication is essential for tradies. They need to master the art of communication as they look for and interact with their prospective and current customers. Fortunately, modern technology provides advantageous new ways for communication. Technology makes it easier, faster, and clearer to communicate through different means. Now, it’s easier answering customer inquiries sent through a website on your phone or desktop computer. Answering to requests for price quotes for the services being offered can now be automated. It has also become way easier setting up appointments as it can be done by phone, email, chat, special apps, or even through social media. It would be advisable for tradies to make use of all possible communication channels in interfacing with customers.
5. Facilitating Various Payment Options
Certainly, doing business nowadays is no longer limited to cash and checks. Technological advances have led to the creation of various new ways to make payments. Aside from making payments through credit cards, there are numerous e-payment options available worldwide. PayPal and other similar services have been working with banks in different parts of the world to facilitate more convenient ways to pay. Additionally, cryptocurrency such as bitcoin may be used to pay for services. It’s not necessary to do bitcoin-to-bitcoin transactions as bitcoins can now be converted to fiat currency through bitcoin exchanges or through bitcoin debit card services.
Payments can now be done through the internet and via mobile technologies. It’s possible to accept credit card payments using mobile devices even in the same manner as how it is done at stores (swiping a card). Tradies can invest in good web-enabled POS systems that can be used as standalone systems or used alongside smartphones. Some of the most commendable options include Square Register, PayPal Here, Innerfence, and GoPayment.
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A combination of the five points briefly discussed above will surely improve the way tradies do business. Imagine how more efficient things can get if tradies use social media to target customers, employ desktop and mobile apps to organize operations/tasks, and make use of mobile technology to communicate with customers and employees/contractors from anywhere as well as to receive payments. Using these tech-based ways will definltely improve the business and efficiency of tradies.
