These days, many small business owners are fully aware of the ways in which access to the latest technologies can affect their ability to be as flexible as possible. Many clients and even employees may want the ability to better deal with any potential problems they might face by using mobile devices and other things that can help them succeed.
As technology is becoming more ubiquitous for companies of all sizes, it might be small businesses that are in the best position to grow more quickly as a result of their use, particularly when it comes to getting into exporting their goods or services, according to a report from the New York Times. While many larger entities in a given sector may already be able to deal with foreign entities with ease – and thus would benefit little from expanding technological availability – smaller companies might be able to make themselves feel bigger by using certain new tools in this regard.
The latest data from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of International Trade shows that only about 1 in every 20 independent firms is involved in exporting their wares, and most that do not do so cite high costs, a lack of time, and information gaps as the reasons why. Others simply don’t export because they’re not big enough that they need to.
“Of course, the U.S. market itself is pretty big, so many companies don’t feel the need to export,” Zev Siegl, a small business consultant in Seattle, told the newspaper.
Where does technology come in?
However, these new technologies allow companies to reduce the traditional problems of exporting, the report said. Many such solutions actually come in the form of mobile device applications that connect owners with services that will do some necessary and time-consuming work for them, at a relatively low cost, which removes significant hurdles to previous investment in exporting efforts.
If companies are going to devote more of their focus to exporting in the future, it might be wise for owners to first look at other aspects of the firms to make sure things are running as smoothly as possible. For example, they may want to consider ways to cut other costs at this time, such as those for small business insurance policies like general liability insurance. By doing so, entrepreneurs may be able to save their companies thousands of dollars annually.
