There are probably infinite ways that technology can improve your business. Some take large investments in time and money to implement while others can be implemented in minutes and cost nothing. Other ways that you might use technology to improve your business are specific to your business or its industry. I would like to focus on those ways that can apply to many businesses quickly and effectively.
Software is one of the best ways to harness technology to improve your business. It's relatively cheap to acquire compared to physical products, and it can have an immediate, significant and positive impact on your business. There are millions of software solutions available, and if you can't find what you're looking for custom solutions can be quickly developed and implemented. There is almost certainly a software solution that could improve the operation of your business or its products and services.
VOIP (Voice Over IP) is a great technology to take advantage of. VOIP replaces the majority of hardware involved in a standard phone system with a server running software. VOIP software solutions provide tons of features and infinite configurations not available with a standard phone system (at least not within the budget of most businesses). There are many commercial-grade VOIP software solutions available, with costs ranging from free to thousands of dollars. You can convert a small office to full VOIP by using an existing server and a couple hundred dollars in equipment.
Wiki is a funny name, but a powerful technology for collaboration. Whether you have one on your intranet, website or both, a wiki allows you to share knowledge in a very accessible, yet controllable, way. Everyone in your company could share useful information like company manuals, news, product ideas, etc. on your intranet. You and your customers could share support information and user experiences on your website. Wikis are simple to add to any intranet or website and increase the knowledge and relationships between employees and customers.
Blogs are another powerful technology for sharing information, though with less of a focus on collaboration. Blogs "push" information to readers, they're kind of a "stream" of information. Blogs can be useful for internal information, but provide even more value externally. A blog can bring more return visitors to your website by providing new interesting or exciting information. You keep complete control of the blog's content, but they should be written from a more personal perspective than press releases. A blog can become another medium for communicating with your customers. One that keeps your customers interested, excited, and coming back.
Open Source software encompasses a large set of software solutions that are freely available to use, modify and distribute. Many of these solutions can be quickly implemented by businesses to improve their productivity and offer more value. In fact, there are powerful and mature Open Source software solutions for all of the technologies mentioned above. Also, businesses can enhance their products and services with little investment by incorporating Open Source software. There is Open Source software for many business tasks from administrative to production, all of which you can begin using now at no cost.
Technology can improve your business in many ways, many of which you probably haven't even thought of yet. However, technology can be expensive. Software is a relatively cheap form of technology that businesses can utilize to improve every facet of their business. Open Source software is the most accessible software, allowing businesses to innovate and stay competitive with very little investment.