Last updated on January 30th, 2024
Technological disruption is here to stay and continue to transform our lives. Just a decade ago, no one would have suggested you make a payment online. Who would ever order food and groceries online? Customers’ requirements keep evolving with time and technology innovations. Perhaps changing customer behaviors and the need for quick solutions to daily issues are key reasons businesses should adopt online solutions in their operations. In this post, we’ll be sharing why adopting online solutions in business is essential today.
Overall, investing in digital transformation is imperative because it begins with the customer and ends with the customer. Today, moving your business online is not an option; it has to be done at any cost.
Before the pandemic, many entrepreneurs were in a dilemma about digital transformation, or else you can say they were overlooking it. If there were any lingering doubts about modern online solutions’ essentiality to the business era, the pandemic has shut its mouth.
Apart from profitability, embracing online solutions in business offers plenty of benefits, such as:
- Transform business model.
- Increase employees productivity.
- Increase business agility.
- Keeping pace with the competition.
- Data-driven decisions
Moreover, penetration of smartphones and wide access to the Internet are a couple of reasons that encourage people to opt for online solutions over offline.
Businesses Need to Adopt Online Solutions
According to HubSpot, here you can see Google and Facebook are the most-used places to get news. Earlier, the usage of smartphones and computers was limited; mostly they were used for business purposes. And now you can’t imagine your day without these devices. Today, most of our tasks are governed by digital devices. From everyday chores to complex operations, online apps and solutions are making our lives simpler and easier as it was never before.
On the other hand, businesses can also enjoy several benefits by implementing online solutions. This is why most enterprises are redefining their business models and coming up with innovative solutions to meet modern consumers’ rising needs.
A survey conducted by UK decision-makers claimed that 75% of entrepreneurs believe that the outbreak has pushed them to transform their business model. Today, business owners are investing in digital technologies to modernize their business, and COVID-19 has compelled brands to adopt online solutions much quicker than they ever imagined.
Moreover, customer’s inclination towards online solutions is increasing. In the internet age, they want everything quickly; hence it is necessary to embrace online solutions to your business. Be it in the form of a website, eCommerce platform, social media sites, or anything else, implementing digital solutions reap many benefits in the long run.
If any brand wants to drive more sales, going digital is the effective way to go because online tools and technologies are changing customer behavior and interacting with brands.
Once you leverage online solutions, underneath are five benefits you will get:
- Cost reduction
- Increase profitability
- Enhanced productivity
- Improved customer reach
- Better customer experience
And, online solutions have the ability to avail above benefits. In order to stay competitive and relevant, brands need to leverage online solutions.
Adopt Online Solutions To Survive
According to Gartner, almost 91% of organizations are occupied in some form of online solutions to achieve digital business success. The word “going online” is no longer a buzzword in the business landscape. According to the report released by Statista, half of the global population today is active internet users, and numbers will keep growing in the years to come. Thus, operating a business at the fingertips is not a “trend” or “luxury” but a “necessity.”
Now, imagine the situation from the user’s perspective.
How often have you searched online for the nearest coffee shop? And how many times you surf shopping sites to buy new products? In addition to that, how many of you think of ordering food online instead of visiting a restaurant?
Perhaps, three out of five customers order food online; hence entrepreneurs intend to develop app like ubereats for delivery business as it streamlines operations and delivers a better experience to customers.
In the UK alone, a person spends three to four hours in a day online, which is double as long as a decade. Now you can estimate what would be the condition in the next ten years.
Without any further ado, here we have addressed why a business should go online.
Makes It Easy For People To Come To You
As mentioned earlier, the journey of digital transformation commences with customers and ends with customers. Today, if customers want to get any information about a brand or product, or service, instead of asking anyone, they research online. Now only information, even if they want to buy essential products, they check reviews and visit your social media pages. Moreover, when you accept online payment, people can buy from your business since the payment is much easier to make.
Here it is clear that having an online presence gives you a competitive edge. Make your own website, start posting fresh and quality content on social media sites; it will not only boost sales but makes it easy for your potential customers to come to you.
Here you can consider the example of Domino’s Pizza. It allows pizza orders from a smartphone, app, smartwatches, and even through emojis on Twitter. And most interesting is after placing an order, you can even track it. Indeed, it makes sense as it allows your customers to access products and services from multiple channels.
Harness The Power Of Mobile Technologies
Businesses have understood that mobile technology is the future of everything. Statista claims that more than 3.66 billion people are using smartphones, and this number is growing by leaps and bounds. It means enterprises can harness mobile technologies’ power to upscale their existing business because the level of smartphone penetration in the business world is immense.
Advanced mobile technologies have changed the way we live, talk, eat and travel. Here you can consider how companies like Uber and Make My Trip have digital assets but changed how we commute and travel.
Furthermore, businesses are using instant messaging apps to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Using chatbot and Facebook Messenger, brands can now interact with consumers round the clock and assist them in real-time.
For instance, travel partner Kayak uses Facebook Messenger if the passenger has any query regarding bookings.
Improve Your Brand Image
Perhaps, this could be enough reason to implement online solutions in your business. Having a strong brand image is everything in today’s competitive world. Creating a solid brand identity combines multiple factors. Branding is not all about creating colorful logos and banner advertisements. You have to do a lot.
Technological innovations and customer’s preferences keep changing over time. It means you need to keep pace with emerging changes. Here you can take the example of Amazon. How it is taking the advantage of emerging tech solutions such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to provide a personalized user experience.
Obviously, you need to embrace modern technology tools because customer’s preferences keep changing with time. If you fail to do so, you might lose potential customers, which will adversely impact the business.
Build Strong Relations With Customers
You have to be there where your customers are. Brick-and-mortar business models do not allow you to build strong relations with customers. It means you can not know what your customers think about your products and services; as a result, you fail to fulfill their requirements. Whereas online solutions let you build strong relations with customers.
Chatbots, social media websites, etc., give your brand a voice and make your company more social and relatable. By doing this, you can easily get to know your customer’s preferences. Once you identify their likes and dislikes, you will be able to deliver top-notch service.
Social media websites such as Facebook and Instagram are effective ways to get personal with potential customers and to build strong relations with them.
It Is Easy!
Running a business in this competitive time can be a daunting task, but thanks to the Internet. With the search engines like Google and Yahoo being a major hub of information, moving your business online is no longer a challenging task.
Using readymade design templates and builders, you can set up a website within a couple of hours and achieve success. At the same time, several online websites and platforms help you identify prevailing trends. Overall, starting and managing a business will be a tough task, but online solutions help you a lot if utilized appropriately.
If you are looking for economical solutions, using a platform like a WordPress blog, you can build an attractive website for your business. With an alluring WordPress theme, you can showcase your products and services and almost create your own website without writing a single code.
Overall, the beauty of online solutions is you can solve business issues, accept online payments, streamline business operations and, yes, increase productivity and profitability.
Conclusion: Online Business In The Online World
Today, there is hardly any sector that is untouched from digital disruption. Modern consumers are more tech-savvy and want to access information within their palms. The business environment is changing rapidly. Some experts call it “industrial revolution 4.0”. New opportunities are knocking on doors and allow you to add new layers to your products and services. Eventually, it will result in increasing profitability, customer engagement, and loyalty.