More Than a Smartphone: Here Are the Technologies that Distinguish Enterprise from Small Business

As a general rule, big businesses used to be small businesses. It is also generally the case that most small businesses never grow into big businesses. Ownership of a large business is the rarified domain of the few. One of the challenges keeping small businesses from making the leap is the small business mindset.

One aspect of business where that mindset is evident is technology. Consumer tech works for small businesses in ways that it can’t for enterprise needs. In the beginning, all you have is consumer tech, or slightly modified consumer tech. If you are not careful, you can come to believe that is all anyone really needs to run a business. After all, just look at how versatile smartphones have become. If one really wanted to, they could do spreadsheets and manage their budget on a budget smartphone made for consumers.

One of the most powerful consumer computers you can buy right now is an M1 Mac mini for $700. That will definitely get you started. However, before you make the transition from a small to medium size business, you have to shift from small to medium size thinking, and from small to medium size technology. When you are ready to make the leap, here is the next level of tech you should start researching:

Robotics for Worker Safety

If you have a business such as manufacturing that generates a lot of dust, the working environment can be quite fraught with hazards. Dust extraction systems are vital. The old way to maintain them included sending workers up on a lift as high as 50' to examine pipe section by section. The work is time-consuming, dangerous, and inefficient. GE solved the problem by using an inspection robot for that particular dangerous and dirty job. This is a small part of what they reported:

The Guardian S robot was inserted into the duct and made its way through each section, recording 4k video and capturing images with high-definition cameras. Traveling through debris, dust, rough metal edges, and exposed sheet metal screws, the robot was able to negotiate tight turns and move forward and backward for a comprehensive inspection of the ducts. The data was viewed in real-time, allowing the team to experience the inspection as it took place.

Among the results, labor hours were reduced from 448 to 24. A 1½ week inspection was completed in 1½ days. Worker safety and enhanced productivity are not mutually exclusive. Industrial robots are ushering in a new age of industrial possibilities.

AI for Supply Chain Management

When you first start out, SCM is not the biggest issue you face. You are dealing with more immediate existential matters of survival. Meeting payroll and maintaining cash flow is what will keep you up at night. But as you grow, the supply chain will grow as a bigger concern. Today’s businesses are leveraging AI to improve SCM.

In the consumer realm, technologies like AI and ML are being utilized to improve smartphone photography. Makers of smart speakers and headphones are using the tech for computational audio. This is like using a supercomputer to help you solve the daily crossword puzzle. See how true AI can help your business grow to the next level.

Cloud Computing for Scalability

How much cloud storage will your business need over the next 5 years? Storage is not the only nor biggest consideration of cloud computing. It is just the one that most people can understand. Going from a small to medium business, you will have to consider a lot more than storage needs. The last thing you want to do is purchase solutions in advance based on a growth forecast. What you want is a cloud architecture optimized for scalability and cost. You want elastic resources that grow and shrink with your needs.

As you can see, consumer-level computers and devices will only get you so far. To take the next step, you will have to move into big tech such as robotics for safety, AI for SCM, and Cloud computing for scalability.

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