Many small businesses avoid setting up a computer network, because they consider the setup to be something hi-tech that they don’t actually need. This is not at all true. A business can benefit tremendously by having office workstations connected. And on the cost front too, the expenditure will be minimal. Below, we take a look at five ways a computer network will help you improve the efficiency in your business operations.
Equipment Sharing
Using a centralized computer networking system, you can share components like computers, printers and scanners. As such, you don’t need to purchase extra equipment. For example, if people in your office only use their computer for a few hours during the day, you don’t have to buy individual computers for every one of them. Instead, you only need to purchase one computer for 2 or 3 people. You can then set up a network and enable employees to login and use any computer while maintaining the privacy of their documents. Plus, if you decide to procure computers through the refurbished IT gear option, you can cut down on investment costs even more.
Easy Remote Access
Ever faced a situation where you wanted to access or edit some business files from home but could not because the file is stored on the office computer? Setting up a computer network is the solution for such issues. Since the data will always be online, you can easily access it from your home computer or laptop while travelling. Plus, the remote access feature also gives you the option to allow employees to work from home.
Efficient Collaboration
There are many collaboration tools available that can make working on a computer network far more productive. For example, a single Word document can be accessed and edited by multiple people at the same time. As such, a supervisor can change and correct the errors in a document from New York while the employee can watch the changes being made from the office in Boston. If your business involves a high level of team activities, then a computer network is a must.
Simple File Sharing
By setting up a computer network, you can easily share data with all members of your organization. You don’t have to waste time copying the files to a USB or burning it on a DVD. Once you upload the required files to the central server, you only have to share the link to team members and they can access it from any device, anywhere in the office or home. And by setting up restrictions on who can access the files, you can ensure that the data is only viewed by the people you want.
Set Up Centralized Applications
Install a single application on the server for everyone in your business to be able to use it. As such, you can avoid wasting time setting up or updating business apps on each computer. Instead, just update the application on the server, and every employee will be using the updated version instantly. Plus, many applications have discounted pricing for network editions.
For a company with an employee count of 10 or more, a computer network will definitely increase the productivity and efficiency of the business. Get in touch with the nearest IT firm to understand how setting up a computer network can specifically help your business.
