The internet is said to have reduced the world into a global village and this is increasingly true. Access to internet connection is slowly but surely becoming a basic need since almost everything can be gotten from the internet. The importance of broadband can therefore not be over-emphasized in today’s world especially with the development of the e-commerce concept. Small businesses need to be connected to a fast speed internet connection if they are to compete at a global level. Slow and unreliable internet connections bring about a lot of frustrations to entrepreneurs who are at risk of losing customers or even missing out on sales. Employee’s excuses for not completing tasks given to them as a result of poor internet speeds may be very detrimental to a business owner.
Advancement in technology has made broadband connection mandatory for small businesses that wish to survive and grow. As opposed to traditional periods where the internet was only used to send emails and light web browsing, today, businesses utilize the internet to perform quite a number of functions. This fact has necessitated the installation of broadband that provide high-speed internet connection to cater for the needs of the business efficiently and effectively.
Small businesses’ installation of broadband allows them to comfortably market their products and brands easily from within the office walls. Recent reports show that many home businesses use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to advertise their products to thousands of potential customers. Poor and unreliable internet connections may delay the posting of advertisements and in the process reduce the possibility of sales. The use of broadband ensures that adverts are posted on time and that they are available to the millions of people who have access to these social media platforms.
The reward for intensive and efficient marketing should be, hopefully, overwhelming sales. The ability of a business to market itself over a large area and to very many people increases its chances of making a sale. Use of high-speed connection increases this chances by ensuring that customers have fast access to knowledge on the goods and services offered by the business. Modern technology has made most customers want value for their money and hence most of them prefer buying the products online rather than going to the business premises. A fast and reliable internet connection makes this possible as it allows for prompt purchases without delays. With a good delivery system and a reliable internet connection, the sales of a business can and will increase tremendously over a short period.
A small business needs to cut costs wherever possible if they are to succeed. One of the most major of these is ordering costs, which at times may be very high. With broadband connectivity, businesses can order for materials at the comfort of the office without having to incur costs such as carrying costs. A good internet connection allows the business owner to make a comparison of different prices offered by different vendors. Such comparisons will bring about optimal decision making hence overall cost reduction. Ordering through the internet also allows the entrepreneur to compare the quality of the merchandise offered by the different vendors and choose those of the highest quality guaranteeing production of quality end products. Broadband connectivity guarantees instant access to available orders and, for this reason, the risk of stock outs is minimized.
Great customer service can really be the key to a successful business venture. Quick response to customer queries, demands and comments is very vital to business. The internet has revolutionized how customer service is carried out. It has made it mandatory for businesses to have their websites through which customers can post their concerns and comments. Creation and maintenance of such websites require installation of very fast internet connections. You would not like a situation where a customer’s query or comment is delayed leading to a delayed response. Customers are easily agitated, and any signs of delay or miscommunication may cost you the customer and their future business. Broadband connections ensure prompt receipt of customers’ queries and also quick responses to those queries. It also allows the customers to access information and download content from the websites at very high speeds which is very desirable. Slow and inferior internet connections may lead to the website getting jammed when too many people are logged into it leading delayed downloads and access to information and that`s why your website needs reliable broadband provider.
The main goal of a business is to maximize the profits. For consistency in profits, the business has to grow and expand its markets. In the quest for profits, the business faces the threat of failing due to immense pressure from the competition. For this reason, the business must expand its market and geographical coverage so as to capture regions not yet exploited by the competition. This leads to the need for the creation branches all over the nation and even abroad. Management and control of these branches require broadband connectivity for such services as video conferencing and heavy file sharing. The entrepreneur can conveniently hold a meeting with a manager in another branch comfortably without having to travel to that branch. File sharing among the branches and connectivity of the databases can easily be achieved through cloud hosting software. With slow speed internet connections, such services are not possible or may be very tedious and frustrating. Broadband connections may be the difference between success and failure of these branches.
Employee motivation may also be affected by the internet speed. A slow or unstable internet connection messes with the completion of tasks by causing delays and breakdowns. This issue leads to reduced productivity on the part of employees which means low profits. The overall morale of the employees drops as a result of this. Broadband connections ensure that all tasks are completed as scheduled creating morale and increased productivity among the employees.
Broadband connectivity has changed the way businesses are carried out. With the promise of more advanced technology, we can expect even greater changes. Prospects of broadband speeds reaching a staggering 1 Gbp/s will completely redefine how business operations are carried out. Businesses will be able to offer better customer service. Online marketing and selling will become everyone’s cup of tea. Small businesses should ensure that they have broadband connectivity to guarantee that they remain competitive and relevant on a global scale.