Start Playing Nice with Technology

Time is money, as the old cliché says. And for business owners, that goes double.

Which makes it even more discouraging when things don’t work right and slow you down.

Is this you? Are you aggravated at how things function in your business?

Frustrated at how clunky and disjointed stuff is?

Feel like there must be a better way?

Or even worse:

You’ve become numb and as a result, don’t even notice it anymore.

This means you’re wasting time and money. Especially if you have a team, which COMPOUNDS all that lost time and wasted money.

The good news is, the 5 things below can help you fix this.

In other words, you’ll be playing nice with your company’s technology in no time.

And on the other side is more time, and more money.

1. Use the right tools:

First, embrace everything in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 to the fullest.

These office suites are your Mission Control. That is to say, they give you a ton of core business tools that work together in one package, for one price.

For example—beyond the obvious like email and calendar—there’s also:

• Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and Google Spaces for more seamlessly connected teams
• Video conferencing for easy connecting
• Scheduling tools for streamlined scheduling
• Task and/or project management
• Cloud Storage your company owns (don’t give other people power over your files)

Plus, are you someone who’s using a generic email like yourcompany@gmail.com?

Moving to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 will give you yourname@yourcompany.com.

Isn’t an extra $6 or so per month worth the massive credibility increase?

Who would you rather work with?: ihelpbusinessowners@gmail.com or joe@ihelpbusinessowners.com?

If you’re overwhelmed where to start, don’t be. Just contact me here. I’ll also have another blog post soon walking you through the steps.

2. Learn your tools:

Secondly, know the tools you need to build your business. That’s Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, plus any other software critical to your business.

Learn to use them to their max ability. In the tech industry we call this being a Power User.

My go-to cheesy saying is “How do you build a house if you don’t know how to use a hammer and screwdriver?”

Likewise for your business. In other words, how do you build a business if you aren’t skilled with the tools needed to run it?

Leveraging your everyday tools (email, calendar, notes, document collaboration, etc.) compounds your effectiveness. It:

• Helps your clients and customers feel like they’re in good hands.
• Inspires confidence in your team.
• Gives you a leg up on your competition.

Picture it. More efficiency, productivity, and satisfaction…which trickles down into everything else you touch.

Learn your tools. Experiment with them. Even if it’s painful at first, or you’re out of your comfort zone. Keep practicing. You’ll get there.

3. Stay in your ecosystem:

So many business owners fall victim to shiny object syndrome.

They see people talking about a new software-du-jour and think, “This is going to solve my problem.”

Meanwhile, it usually doesn’t. And most of the time, a similar solution was already sitting in your lap, unused.

I’m talking again about your Mission Control—Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Or any other software that’s already central to your business.

Try to fill the gap with what you’re already using and paying for. Frankenstein-ing more stuff together gets clunky which leads to abandonment and time-wasting.

You may not get the gimmick or flash of being in on the viral software-du-jour, but you still get:

• The solution you’re looking for
• Something that plays well with technology you already use, which means less friction
• No extra costs added to your bottom line

It’s a sign of the times we live in. We’re constantly inundated with new products, services, and solutions. And some are useful. But in short, check your pantry first before doubling up on stuff you already have.

4. Use recommended integrations:

Obviously, there are times when your tools just don’t have the functionality you’re looking for. As a result, you have to look outside.

But when you do, start with recommended integrations.

And make the fact that it’s a recommended integration, a priority.

Otherwise you’ll have a lot of pain, headaches, and friction in your future.

And friction is the enemy of adoption, which translates to a waste of time, energy, and money.

So work with your business software, not against it.

For example, did you know:

• The only CRM Google Workspace recommends is Copper? That’s because unlike any other CRM, it lives inside your Google Workspace. That means chances are, it’s so convenient that you’re actually going to use it.
• And Microsoft 365 partners with Nimble CRM for as many deep integrations as possible.

• be easier to use
• play better together
• break less often
• get fixed faster when they do break.

5. Plan to grow:

Finally, make decisions based on your company’s future growth. Doing this avoids future difficulties. Things like:

• The naming convention on your email addresses (joe@ vs joe.redling@ vs jredling@ vs joer@)
• File organization, naming, and sharing structure
• Using a password manager like Bitwarden (NOT a spreadsheet!) for securely storing, sharing, and updating passwords
• Choosing Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365. In general, Google Workspace is better for smaller teams with simpler needs. And Microsoft 365 tends to be better for larger teams or more complex businesses. But this also depends on you and your business.

TL;DR and next steps:

1. Use the right tools:

   • Are you using a business office suite Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
   • If not and you need help making this happen, contact me. It’s simpler, easier, and less costly than you think.

2. Learn your tools

   • Put 5-10 minutes in your calendar each day to learn something new about your tools and practice.
   • Learn the tools you have in the “Stay in your ecosystem” post below to see what you’re not using, but could be.

3. Stay in your ecosystem

   • Is there a feature you’ve been looking for? Firstly, get familiar with what your suite has:
   • Check out a somewhat layman-friendly list of Microsoft 365 features here.
   • And another somewhat layman-friendly list of what Google Workspace features here.

4. Use recommended integrations

   • Search for tools that integrate deeply with your software. (Distinct from integrations that rely on something like Zapier–a great, useful tool but not the same as true, deep integration.)
   • If you can’t find something that deeply integrates, something like Zapier‘s your next best bet. But be sure to look up exactly what the Zapier integrations can do, to make sure you get the functionality you need.

5. Plan to grow

   • If you’re not already, start using a password manager now.
   • Research file organization, naming best practices, and start optimizing and purging your files. Put time in your calendar for this each week so you’re breaking it down into more manageable chunks. You’ll thank yourself later.

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