TECHNOLOGY
Technology on Your Side
For small businesses , free or low-cost tools can provide an advantage
BY George Usi
SHUTTERSTOCK ILLUSTRATION
Doing business virtually is now the norm . Online commerce , digitally signed contracts , and virtual meetings and events are all standard operating procedures for many businesses and have become more so for many others since the start of the coronavirus pandemic . But if you are a small business that once relied on human interaction , how do you manage this digital shift when you may be already operating in survival mode — and feeling technically insufficient too ?
Before taking action , evaluate your business mindset and the reason you are in business .
Karen Holmes of Karen ’ s Bakery in Folsom has always had a firm understanding of why : to offer a cafe experience with fresh gourmet food . When the pandemic hit , she had to reinvent her business while staying faithful to that mindset .
Using home deliveries , meal kits and expanded outdoor seating , Holmes and her team were able to adopt a new working footprint . On the tech side , the investments weren ’ t much more than website modifications and some extra hours on Instagram . But they were enough to keep the company afloat without taking dramatic action , like switching to a discount supplier — a violation of the business ’ s mindset .
Being a small business means you can be lean , scrappy and agile : You can change faster . Embrace those advantages . Many effective , low-cost tools are available to help you do that . Delivered
18 comstocksmag . com | December 2020