The topic of digitization and learning digital skills is relevant because it is a rapidly evolving area. How to start the digital transformation of business? According to Mydatascope, digitalization “cuts” an average of 20% of the company’s operating costs.
But Deloitte experts have found that digitalizing businesses not only increases profits but also helps conquer new markets by improving the customer experience. Surely, the arguments are strong enough to at least try to start digitalizing the business.
Numerous companies that have gradually introduced digital technologies into their business processes have survived the lockdown and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic much better.
For them, the transition to remote mode has not been a problem. Let’s review the top tools that will help your international business thrive.
Best Tools for International Business
According to McKinsey, in 2020 the business underwent a path of digital transformation, which under normal conditions would take 7 years. Here are six reasons why any business should work and grow online:
- Consumers are increasingly spending time online due to the growth of information flows.
- Your availability around the clock increases the speed of purchasing goods from you.
- A confident online presence enhances and strengthens the image of your company.
- The effectiveness of online marketing tools is growing rapidly.
- When you work online, the quality of your customer service is better.
- Operating costs are optimized – overall costs are reduced, there is no need for a large team to implement online projects.
Information is a key resource in today’s world that helps companies do business. To take full advantage of the information available and to make international communication easier, it is necessary to find good translation websites which can adapt your information. This can also be done by online translators, but they won’t do nearly as good a job as human professionals.
To begin introducing technology into your business, analyze the processes in the company and think about how technology can improve them. The business audit will help you better understand your company, its strengths, weaknesses, features of process organization, human resources, and more. Next, set the goal that the digital transformation must achieve. The strategy should not contradict the company’s business goals, so ask yourself:
- Why do we need a transformation?
- What is needed for its implementation?
- How can this be done?
For example, if the company has a high rate of customer failure, you need to mitigate this situation and help to correctly interpret the wishes of your customers. This is the answer to the question “Why?”.
In this case, the answer to the question “What is needed for the transformation?” is the collection and analysis of customer behavior.
The answer to the question “How?” is as follows – via specific digital tools (bots, online voting, etc.). The use of tools for international business opens the way to innovative ways of development:
- Cloud technologies allow several teams to work on one project simultaneously and efficiently use the company’s resources.
- Using the Mobile First strategy, companies receive and monetize mobile traffic that has already caught up with traffic from fixed devices.
- Ready-made solutions save time on tasks. Various programs, extensions, and connectors optimize the company’s work with minimal time needed for their implementation and adaptation.
Tech advancements can be of great help, but people are still the main resource for every business. When dealing with international relations, your business will definitely need an online certified translation, which can only be done by human specialists.
Technologies have made the entry threshold to many areas lower. Starting your own business and developing it has become easier thanks to a huge number of tools.
There are many data or Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools nowadays. They are aimed at processing information flows, on the basis of which you can make decisions, adapt proposals to specific customers and predict their behavior. They have different uses, including storage, translation, transcription, etc. Although, the latter task is best left to professionals that can offer transcription for your business.
If you are an international entrepreneur, you probably have long known about the features and possibilities of working on the Internet. In this review, we have selected the most useful services for your online business. With them, you will not only improve the process of your work but also make it faster and more productive.
1. G Suit
G Suite cloud solution service will become an indispensable tool for the organization of your team’s work. This platform provides full access to corporate mail. Users are also provided with cloud storage for documents and shared calendars. The service is perfectly adapted for mobile platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows Mobile.
2. Dropbox
Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple’s iCloud allow you to store and access your files from anywhere: on the network, on your hard drive, or on the go.
3. MailChimp Editor
The built-in MailChimp editor will allow you to create emails for your customers by yourself. If your business needs regular mailings, this service will greatly simplify the work. In addition, if you are new to this field, there is a test version of the service, with which you can send up to 12 thousand emails per month for free.
With the help of the extensive functionality of MailChimp, you can make a plan for sending emails on convenient days, set up a system of automatic emails, evaluate the effectiveness of mailings and even create a landing page. MailChimp connects using the API.
It is compatible with most well-known CMS systems but also works well with third-party SaaS platforms and social networks. The cost of MailChimp tariff plans varies depending on the functionality you want to use. There is a free starting rate, and the cost of the most expensive is $299.
4. Freelancer
Freelancer is a freelance exchange where you can find an artist for any task. There are many such exchanges on the Web now (FL, Freelancehunt, Upwork, and others), through which online businesses find programmers, designers, copywriters, CEOs, accountants, and other employees to solve everyday problems. The cost of the service directly depends on your task and your arrangements with a particular freelancer.
5. Tripit
Tripit is a travel planner that allows you not only to conveniently get a lot of information about the route but also manage roaming, access to mobile communications and the Internet. This is a must-have resource for international business and corporate travel.
6. Outsourcely
Outsourcely was founded by Richard Walton. He could not find an effective virtual assistant to organize his busy life and decided to start his own business. Every business needs help with daily administrative matters. These people have a variety of responsibilities: paying bills, booking tickets and hotels for travel, and reimbursing expenses.
7. Scanbot
You can use Scanbot to process scanned documents, images, and codes – it automatically scans graphic and textual content at a resolution of 200+ dpi. You can scan any documents, business cards, plans, diagrams, barcodes, and QR-codes.
You can save scan results in PDF and JPG formats not only on your computer or laptop but also in any of the following cloud services: iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, MagentaCLOUD.
Scan results can be further optimized in color or grayed out. Cost: free and a package of professional opportunities for $5.99.
8. Asana
Asana is a mobile and stationary application that helps improve communication and collaboration within the team. With remote work, commuting, and hybrid offices we employ nowadays, an app like this one is necessary.
9. Ucraft
Ucraft is a site editor where all actions can be implemented by simply dragging all the interface elements and components of the site with the mouse.
If you are not a web developer or a designer, you should take advantage of Ucraft, a site builder for those who lack the skills to write code and design layouts.
The result will be adaptive – universally displayed on any device and screen. You will also be offered a set of ready-made templates for creating your sites.
In addition, you will not have to worry about creating a logo for the site and search engine optimization issues, because these features are already built into the site editor. Cost: Three packages are offered – free trial, $8 / month for developers and agencies.
We Are Into a Digital Age
It is difficult to imagine a successful modern international business without the use of technology. Devices and tools open up new opportunities for growth and cooperation with other companies.
For example, thanks to modern technologies, geography is no longer an obstacle to work: you can conduct business and look for partners anywhere in the world. And the open API makes collaboration even easier and more convenient.
It is worth remembering that without digitalization it is impossible to become the best or work with the best. Leading companies are already implementing digital transformation strategies and want to partner with those who match their level of development and share their values. Implement modern solutions so that your business wouldn’t be left behind!
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