As an entrepreneur, you must find ways to save money. With new technologies being unveiled every day, there are so many ways to change the traditional way of doing things and get better quality, faster and more affordable ways. Here are some ideas:
 
Digital payment systems
Mobile payments systems are becoming the trend in most small businesses. This type of payment system is faster and more convenient for both the businessman and the customer. It is safer since you do not have to risk having huge amounts of money lying around in your store. Additionally it is easier to keep track of your financial records when using this electronic system. Your records are also automatically backed up by your service provider in case of any loss to the device you are using. This tool will offer your business flexibility and ensure effortless transactions with your clients.
 
Social media marketing
Traditional advertising has always been very costly especially to start-up businesses. Not only does it cost a lot of money to get your advertisement on a billboard, broadcasted on television or printed on paper or other kinds of media, it is also very time-consuming. Social media offers business owners the opportunity of a ready audience to advertise to at very minimal costs. Through various platforms online, you can advertise your store and create an online presence through interacting with your customers. It is also an affordable and time-saving way to offer one-on-one customer care services to your clients. In this era, you cannot afford not to have a social media account.
 
Online stores
Depending on the kind of business you are involved in, you can create a backup online outlet. Making your goods and or services available online expands your market. You can offer free delivery of goods purchased online or discounted shipping costs. This way, just in case your physical store is not doing as good as you expected, you have another chance at making money from the internet.
 
You do not have to create an online store from scratch if you find that too involving. You can place your items on websites that offer these services at affordable rates. With people leading very busy lives, you will never lack a customer who prefers to carry out transactions online. It is also a way to advertise and market your business.
 
Cell phone instead of PBX phone
Cell phones have more affordable plans that your business can subscribe to in comparison to the traditional alternative. Especially when you are running a small business where you are the only person running a shop or where you have employed a few people, a cell phone will work best. You will reduce the costs you spend on telephone bills. Carry out some research in your region and find a cell phone company that can offer your business the best rates.
 
Electronic invoicing
E-invoicing enables business owners to automatically send electronic invoices to their clients through email. This is a very convenient and effortless way to get your invoices to your clients. It will save your business a lot of money that you use for making print-outs and for buying postage stamps. It will also save you valuable time that you can use to make more money. Having most of your work done electronically means that you do not have to employ so many people since most of the tasks will easily be handled by one person.
 
There are so many ideas that you can apply to ensure that you spend less and make more from your business. Find out more tips from other business owners running similar businesses. Mostly very small changes can help make a huge difference in your business and save you a lot of money.
 
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Faxage, a leading company that provide internet fax services for individuals and businesses.

Many industries have succumbed to the loss of their business thanks to the birth of the internet. As much as many celebrate the internet technology, others think the rate at which it is killing traditional companies is its darkest side. Those who have adopted this new technology are thriving in business. A number of things that the world once considered social diehards are now either obsolete or on their way to extinction. Some of them have not died completely but have been reincarnated in a different form. This article focuses on 5 obsolete small business tools saved by the internet.
 
Box Files/ Diskettes vs. Google Docs/ Google Drive
 
Box files and computer disks have been replaced with Google Docs OR Google Drive. Keeping files is one thing business people cannot afford not to do. However, in this advanced age of technology, people do not see the need to walk around carrying heavy files. To ensure that the filling tradition does not die, the internet introduced the businessperson to Google Drive, which is Google's cloud based file storage system. It integrates well with file sharing as well as collaboration tools inside the Google Docs. This has become a virtual helper and one can work on all documents on the same file. The drive has a storage capacity of up to 15G before having to pay for more additional storage.
 
The Business Letter vs. Email
 
Before the birth of email, the world was abuzz with the telephone directory and address book. Post offices had a hard time locating letters and sending them to the right person. This could take even a month before the communication reached the recipient. However, the last two decades have seen the traditional letter lose grip and in most places, post offices have closed down. To ensure that business people still communicate and transact business, the internet has given birth to email. You can now reach and connect with as many business people as you want by simply clicking your mouse.
 
Retail shopping/Banking vs. Online Shopping/Online Banking
 
In the age before internet, retail shopping or banking was the way things were done, but then the internet changed all that. With the internet, retailers were afraid that clients would no longer buy their merchandise at their stores, but with the emergence of ecommerce stores that fear slowly subsided. The days are gone in which a person would have to wait in line to deposit a check. Instead, people can snap photos with their smartphones to deposit their checks directly into their bank account. This has offered more convenience and both the parties are reaping big. Of course some major brands have been phased out, but those who looked at this change positively and innovated are sure not complaining.
 
Business diary/Calendar vs. Google Calendar/E-Diary
 
Regular calendars are definitely nice to look at with their pretty images and designs, but they are officially obsolete when it comes to their business uses. This has been saved by an online management calendar, most prominently Google Calendar. Business/work diaries were extensively used by business people. It was the easiest way to book and remember business meetings and engagements. However, with Google Calendar technology, it was no longer fashionable to carry diaries to schedule or confirm meetings. Instead, business people could schedule directly on their computers or smartphones and send confirmation emails or reminders to make sure there was no oversight.  Google calendar was perfect for managing and monitoring appointments.
 
Faxes vs. E-fax Services
 
A few years ago, faxes were still being used to communicate between businesses. Faxes were notorious for having to deal with jammed papers, low ink/toner, and unreceived messages. With email becoming more prominent, faxes were falling to the wayside. Instead of being completely obsolete, faxes turned to the internet for their rebirth. Fax to email or email to fax would combine new age technology with old age technology (for those who were still using fax machines). Faxes would come into a computer as a PDF, free of jamming, low ink, or error, and would be able to be saved or backed up on a computer or server for future reference.
 
It could be true that the internet revolution has destroyed old ways of transacting business, but it should also be appreciated that it has brought about numerous opportunities for growth and innovation. Businesses have to find a way of flourishing even in the wake of all these changes and the successful ones do. 
 
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Faxage, a leading company that provide online fax services for individuals and businesses.
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Employees can waste a lot of time in their workday performing tasks without access to the right productivity tools and resources. While every business organization grapples with how to fund new technology and productivity tools for its employees, some investment in these will pay off almost immediately in terms of greater efficiency. With the right tools, employees can do more in their typical workday.
 
Mobility Matters
While some businesses do most or all of their business using electronic devices such as computers and tablets, other businesses still maintain physical locations and manage vast amounts of paper records.
 
Both cloud-based and paper-based businesses will benefit from using these 5 time saving tools:
 
1. VOIP software for inbound and outbound calls.
If the business has any kind of internet connection, it can save time by using this voiceover internet protocol software to handle incoming and outgoing calls. Employees can talk to customers on a headset connected to their laptop or desktop computer. They don't have to spend time near a desk with a traditional phone.
 
2. Productivity software.
Every business can benefit from tracking in a spreadsheet or productivity application all of its major and minor tasks. Software makes it easy to assign tasks to employees and give them deadlines. This software also helps business owners and managers track how many labor hours go to each task, which helps with budgeting and billing.
 
3. Copier equipment.
It is costly to spend lots of time and effort printing out mass materials on a single desktop inkjet or laser printer. It wastes even more time to run up to the office supply store and have copies made by an employee. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from purchasing or leasing at least one copier that will keep up with the duplicating demands of the organization.
 
4. Job aids.
Businesses also need quick training tools that will help new employees and cross-trained employees with performing tasks that are not necessarily in their regular duties. For example, a job aid might list a set of questions and answers that customers who typically call the business will ask. This is helpful so that anyone can answer the phone and take messages when staffing levels are low or the main line needs to be covered for a meeting.
 
5. Tablets.
Many businesses now provide their goods or services to customers on the go. Any employee who is going out into the field to perform his or her job or move frequently around the office can benefit from using a tablet. This handy device saves time going back and forth to a computer by giving an employees mobile access to email, voicemail, memos from the boss, and Internet access to web-based computer systems and internal databases. Employees can even use tablets to take pictures and make notes about projects on which they are working at any time.
 
Keeping employees productive will help any business save time. Because every employee is costing the business money in terms of wages, the greater efficiency that can be achieved through adoption of technology and productivity tools is worth trying at least once.
 
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Faxage, a leading company that provide email fax services for individuals and businesses.
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