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Pagoda Blog

Why Your Business Needs a Technology Update

October 5, 2017

Keeping your technology up to date isn’t just for the Silicon Valley startups and tech giants like Amazon and Google. Whether you run a dog-walking franchise or a local coffee shop, the success of your business can hinge on how well (or how poorly) you use tech to run your day-to-day operations.

 

Here are four ways you’re putting your business at risk if you don’t evolve with the world of tech:

 

Weakened Security

If you’re one of those people that avoids software updates like the plague, it may be time to realign your priorities. Heeding your computer’s pleas to download the latest version of macOS or Windows can protect you from ransomware and other malicious viruses. When you put off an update, you’re not only missing out on new and improved features but you’re also missing out on the operating system’s latest security protections. Hackers target older machines with outdated operating systems because they lack these security protections, making it fairly easy to gain access.

 

You’re also putting your whole company at risk when you’re not up to date. When Microsoft or Apple is alerted to a security breach, they quickly release a security patch that can prevent hackers from spreading malware throughout an entire network (such as the network of computers at your work). These patches only fully succeed, however, if everyone installs the latest update. 

 

Missed Opportunities

In order to bring your business’s technology up to date, you have to use technology in the first place. Even if your business runs off referrals, you need a website. In an age where free wi-fi is easier to come by than a phone book, most of your potential customers are searching for your service or product with an online search engine. Without a website, you’re sending a significant amount of business to your competitors.   

 

Lower Productivity

When you’re still using technological tools from five to ten years ago, without updating your software or exploring new features, your efficiency and your team’s productivity as a whole suffers. Cloud-based applications like G-Suite, Slack, and Asana allow you to easily communicate with clients and team members, keep track of project tasks, provide feedback on a live document, and quickly find past conversations or notes around a particular topic. Here at Pagoda, we’re huge proponents of also using a cloud-based CRM system to effectively manage your customer relationships without losing sight of your main product or service.

 

Less Attractive to Potential Employees

The new, younger crop of professionals are all accustomed to life online. They connect with friends and colleagues via social media, plan everything from a monthly budget to their next camping trip using Google Spreadsheets, and probably have a blog they built from scratch on WordPress or SquareSpace. The qualified employees you want to attract are tech savvy and are looking to work for an equally tech savvy business. If you don’t meet those standards, they’ll move on to a company that does.

 

Need more reasons for embracing the ever-changing world of tech? Check out these blog posts:

 

5 Ways Technology Can Reduce the Environmental Impact of Your Business

9 Useful Apps Every Business Owner Should Know About

A Few Areas Where Your Business Might Need Help in the IT Department

 

 

Want to get more posts like these once a month in your inbox? Sign up for the Pagoda newsletter and learn how to protect and grow your business with monthly IT tips from our experts. Subscribe today.

 

Need ongoing IT support for your business? Contact us for a free consultation. We’d love to work with you!

 

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About Pagoda Technologies IT services

Based in Santa Cruz, California, Pagoda Technologies provides trusted IT support to businesses and IT departments throughout Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area and across the globe. To learn how Pagoda Technologies can help your business, email us at support@pagoda-tech.com to schedule a complimentary IT consultation.

 



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As your trusted IT service partner, Pagoda Technologies is here to help you achieve your near and long-term business goals through reliable and affordable IT support. 

Pagoda Technologies

101 Cooper Street

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-419-8000

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