Doing business online
The recent devastating COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuing restrictions that have had to be put in place to try to halt its progress, have forced businesses into a ‘work from home’ situation. Frankly those businesses that have not been geared up to conduct business online are far worse off than those who have for some time foreseen the changes taking place in the business environment and ensured that they are optimising their online business operations.
These include online presence, marketing, online orders and payment systems, online training and of course generally conducting business more online than in the traditional way. Some have, thanks to advanced technologies, been conducting webinars and even online events for some time, as opposed to have people travel to convene in one destination.
The way of the future
It certainly looks like a better way to operate right now doesn’t it? Well it’s never too late and any sort of business, even those that do rely on a lot of contact with people, can at least take this time to set themselves up in a better way to conduct their businesses more virtually in the future.
COVID-19 will pass, but when it’s all over will your business be geared to operate in a virtual world? There’s no doubt about it – this has shown us that doing business online is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ – but absolutely essential. It is the way of the future – like it or not!
Essential elements for a successful online business
There are 2 essential elements to doing business online. These are your website and the software you develop for your specific business needs. Think of the website as the front office and sales department – and the software development as the machine room or factory. It is essentially the systems you employ to maximise production.
Website development
It can’t be stressed enough that the ‘front face’ of your business, your website should not only stand above the rest, but have the necessary backup required to ensure it is found and is optimised.
The whole point of your online marketing is to drive traffic to your website. It has to look spectacular, give the right messages and be operating at optimum level to compete in an online world that demands a high level of quality and engagement when they land on your home page.
It also needs to be effectively hosted and optimised for SEO, to ensure that you can and will be found in the ‘maze’ which is the internet and it should perfectly display all devices from a 25inch screen to a smartphone. We provide excellent web development services to ensure a modern responsive website.
Software development
Speaking of software, the second important criteria is developing the software that can help you to create a business that is streamlined to be effective online. Every business is different and has a unique set of requirements according to their own business operations. Having the right software development solution can increase productivity exponentially and therefore increasing business growth and productivity.
This is a big subject that we will go more into in future articles, but basically ensure that you get good product support and guidance through the entire process when developing the software you require. Also insist on training for your staff members to become fully versed with the systems you have developed.
Engage the professionals
In the setup of both these essential elements of becoming an effective online business, seek the help of experienced experts in these fields who have a solid reputation.
LIVEX is one of the leading software development companies in South Africa specialising in custom software development, websites and online business solutions to substantially increase your online business productivity.
Doing business online is no longer just a ‘nice to have,’ so contact us and let us help you build your brand and grow your business by tapping into our years of experience in every aspect of website and software development.