Over the past couple of decades, technology has grown at a speed that’s nothing less than staggering. Today, you can find an app for virtually anything, and people feel lost without their smartphones. Businesses that aren’t making full use of available technology are almost certainly not making the best use out of their time and their staff as they might.

It may not always be profitable at first for businesses to be online, but it is certainly going to be unprofitable not to be online. ~ Esther Dyson

So, how can you use technology to boost productivity? Here are four specific ideas to get you started.

1. Create a Network

In this day and age, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to reach your associates all the time. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be set up fairly economically, and your workers can have access to one another as well as to all the tools they need in order to do their jobs effectively, from any location at all.

You’ll want to shop around a bit for a provider, and make sure that they can guarantee that you’ll be up and running 24/7. There’s no point in using a network that’s going to be down periodically, or slow at certain times of the day.

When choosing a VPN provider, security is of the utmost importance, so the most important question you can ask a potential provider is “Do you log?” If the answer is yes, then look elsewhere.

You want to be assured that there’s nothing stored that could lead a third party to your IP address so that they can track your activity and view confidential information. You’ll also want at least 128-bit encryption. VikingVPN, BTGuard, IPVanish,and Privacy.IO are just a few VPN providers that guarantee no logging.

2. Keep Your Phone Lines Open

Perhaps you’re accustomed to relying on voice mail when your office is closed. This is old school. There are so many providers of 24-hour answering services these days that more businesses than ever are using them. This means that you’ll never miss a call.

You should also consider CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. It’s a way of enhancing your network phone system. When a customer is on the line, whoever takes the call can see a window on the computer screen that shows every bit of information you have on that customer. It makes it a lot easier to communicate with the customer, and streamlines the process as well.

Salesforce.com is leads the pack in CRM applications. It’s a cloud-based service that is equally good for small and large businesses, with prices ranging from $60-$125 per month. Keep in mind, though, that no CRM application is “one size fits all.” You need to customize the service modules to your particular needs in order for your database to work effectively.

3. Keep Your Technology Current

Take a look around your office and evaluate the technology you’re using right now. Is the hardware current? Is your software up-to-date and fully compatible? If you’re using outdated equipment and software, that’s going to adversely affect productivity. You don’t want workers to be frustrated by outdated, under-performing equipment any more than you want a sluggish, unreliable network.

4. Use Technology to Save Time

There are numerous web-based solutions that you can use to set priorities and track your progress on various projects. Most will allow multiple users to make changes, and alert others to any adjustments they’ve made. Time tracking apps are also available, and can be very effective in helping workers to determine exactly how their time is being used in any given day.

One great app is RescueTime, which runs in the background of your mobile device or computer. There’s a free version available that allows you to track how much time you’ve spent in various applications or on different websites.

If you think you spend too much time on Facebook, RescueTime will tell you. There’s also a premium version for $9 per month that will allow you to keep track of off-computer time too, and even block websites for you after a specified amount of time.

Toggl also offers a free version, and the full deal is just $5 per month. You can separate work and personal time tracking, and even generate charts that show you how you’re spending your time.

Summary

With the advances in technology, it’s now possible to work faster and more efficiently than ever before. Staying current with technology and keeping up with what’s new is one of the best things you can do for your workplace’s overall productivity.

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