With increasing sophistication and improvements in the use of technology, there is no doubt that business tools have come to stay.
As things stand today, it appears many of these tools are becoming smarter and smarter.
Some of the most common tools now being used by many business owners are computers, cellular phones, beepers, fax machines, copy machines, printers and a host of others.
For small business owners, it is smart to use business tools but these tools should be acquired with some caution.
It is extremely dumb to acquire a business tool because you have seen your next-door-neighbor using one.
Before you decide to invest in a business tool, apart from taking the cost of the tool into consideration, you must find out what value the tool will bring into your business.
You must ask and answer the following three questions satisfactorily before you decide to invest your time and money in any smart business tool.
01.
Will the tool lower my overheads? Smart business owners always strive to lower costs while doing everything to increase sales.
The ultimate aim is to keep profits up.
If a business tool is capable of helping you to reduce your overhead costs, you can invest in it.
02.
Will the tool help to increase my sales? If a business tool has the potential to help boost sales, it is worth investing in.
Every business owner will always like to increase sales because that is a clear indicator that the business is doing well.
Tools which can help a business to increase sales are the ones worth investing in.
03.
Will the tool enable me to get more work done in less time? If a business tool is capable of helping you to get more work done in less time, your productivity will automatically increase.
Increased productivity is very good for any business.
Any tool which can help your business to do that is worth investing in.
A tool which is capable of helping your business in any of these three ways is the only type worth investing in.
The ultimate responsibility of any business owner is to grow her business.
Business is not about sophistication and flashy display of tools.
It is growth in sales and profits which stand any business in good stead.
It is generally accepted that business tools are very useful tools to acquire.
However, it must be noted that these tools are not one-size-fits-all gadgets.
A business tool that may be good and suitable for one type of business may not be good for another.
The smart thing to do therefore is to find and invest only in those tools which can assist you to grow your business.
The tools which can help your business to operate efficiently and effectively in any of these three ways are the only ones worth investing in.
Those are the only type of tools which can help your business to grow from where it is to where you want it to be.
Investing only in such tools therefore, is a very smart business decision to make.