Laptop and Desktop Accessories That Enhance Business Operations

 

 

Businesses that upgrade or purchase new computer equipment enhance the operation of their businesses. In fact, because of rapidly changing technology, businesses either upgrade or buy new computer systems nearly once a year. From adding more desktops to a company network or providing sales professionals with laptops, businesses see a rise in sales, coupled with an increase in profits. However, investing in laptops and desktops may seem like the path towards business bliss, but the stationary and mobile computer mean virtually nothing unless they are equipped with the accessories that further enhance business operations.

Businesses can find laptop and desktop accessories in big box electronics shops and smaller office supply outlets. The best way to buy laptop and desktop accessories is online at eBay. Not only does eBay provide the largest selection of laptop and desktop accessories, the company also offers the most user-friendly ecommerce tools. Before venturing out for laptop and desktop accessories, consumers should learn how laptops and desktops improve business operations, as well as the most important accessories that ensure improved business performance.

How Laptops and Desktops Improve Business Operations

As recent as the early 1990s, business was conducted at a snail's pace. Written correspondence and landline phone conversations comprised the bulk of business communications. Data was stored in multi-level file cabinets that required a CSI team to decipher. Meetings were typically held in large conference rooms that fostered more chaos than cohesion. Now, we benefit from instant communication, huge information transfers, and tight, well-organised business meetings. Technology, specifically laptop and desktop computers, has transformed the way we conduct business. There are five ways that laptops and desktops have enhanced business operations.

Communication

While mobile phones and text messages have increased the speed in which business professionals exchange information, the real impact of technology on business communications has come in the form of laptops and desktops. Emails are the preferred mode of communication in most business organisations, whether the electronic mail originates from a co-worker on the go or a supervisor who works diligently in the office. Social media sites and Skype have also pushed laptops and desktops to the forefront of improving business operations.

Marketing

Laptop and desktop computers allow businesses to promote their products and services by implementing email marketing programs. Email marketing represents a low-cost method of effectively reaching prospective and loyal customers. Laptops and desktops also host the files that form the structure of a business website, where companies promote their products and services and offer a virtual marketplace for their businesses.

Productivity

There was a time when "taking work home" meant stuffing dozens of papers and files into a briefcase and lugging the bulky briefcase home to spread out the dishevelled papers and files over the living room coffee table. Laptops and desktops allow business professionals to access the same information from home in real time that they access in the workplace. Telecommuting on laptops and desktops allows workers to share digital documents, present presentations, and conduct employee training sessions from home. Another productivity enhancement are the increasing number of laptop and desktop hardware programs that boost computing power.

Customer Service

Customer service is the deal maker or deal breaker in most industries, especially service-focused industries including retail shops and restaurants. Laptops and desktops provide businesses with around the clock, real-time customer service. Businesses utilise laptops and desktops to answer customer questions via email, and chat with them live to solve product problems. Call centres that take advantage of the latest telecommunication equipment technology have the upper customer service hand. Online customer service requires a number of laptop and desktop accessories.

Teleconferencing

Teleconferencing eliminates the cost of sending employees halfway across the country to learn about the latest product innovations or customer service trends. Employees can now sit at their work desk and teleconference via laptop and desktop computers. Web conferences require audio accessories to create an interactive online meeting place. Participants also need to utilise the latest video technology to work on documents and establish company policies. Another way companies develop their employees through the use of laptops and desktops is the participation in webinars.

Must-Have Laptop and Desktop Accessories to Improve Business Operations

Business professionals can spend all day listing the essential laptop and desktop accessories that enhance business performance. However, there are a few must-have or can't-miss accessories that should be on every business wishlist. Some accessories, such as webcams, target specific business improvement goals. Other accessories, such as USB flash drives, improve the overall operation of a laptop and desktop computer.

Laptop Cases

Laptop computers are typically regarded as one of the greatest innovations for businesses, as workers can communicate and conduct business in virtually any environment. Laptop cases protect sensitive laptops from damage incurred from falling off of desks and other places where there is high traffic. Waterproof laptop cases protect sensitive data from disappearing due to a short in the wiring system. Once one laptop breaks down in a system of business laptops, work comes to a standstill and productivity rapidly declines.

Cleaning Kit

Dust, dirt, and even food particles can collect in, and around, laptops and desktops to inhibit computing performance. Laptop and desktop cleaning kits and equipment include microfibre cleaning cloths to evenly apply cleaning liquids, without running the risk of scratching the chassis or computer screen. Some cleaning kits include solution solely meant for cleaning laptop and desktop screens. Keys on the keyboard can stick unless workers utilise a cleaning kit to remove sticky substances and dust particles. Cleaning kits ensure uninterrupted business operation.

Anti-Hacker Software

The greatest threat to the disruption of a business comes from hackers who try a number of tactics to gain access to company information. Anti-hacker software in the form of antivirus and firewall programs bolster company security and prevent hackers from obtaining financial and customer information. Most businesses consider anti-hacker software as mandatory and not an accessory, but the fact remains that anti-hacker software does not come with laptops and desktops, and hence, should be considered a complementary product. Remember to update antivirus and firewall programs once per week.

Microphone

The growing popularity of Skype and other teleconferencing platforms means businesses must equip their desktop and laptops with microphones to enhance verbal communication. Microphones project clear, pronounced audio that allow a worker in New Delhi to hear a client in London clearly. The main microphone buying decision comes down to wired or wireless. Wired microphones are usually the cheaper option, and they typically include both earphones and the microphone. A number of sellers on eBay bundle laptop and desktop microphones with used or new laptops and desktops.

Webcam

The video half of the teleconferencing equation is called the webcam. Laptops and desktops that do not include webcams are virtually worthless for conducting long distance communication. Webcams feed images in real time to laptops and desktops, which enhances the interaction during webinars and business presentations from one end of the globe to the other. Webcams connect to laptops and desktops via USB or FireWire cables. Another way webcams enhance business operations is by a growing phenomenon referred to as Augmented Reality. This technology allows customers to view ecommerce products through a webcam, and thus, provide them with more buying information. Studies show that businesses who utilise webcams for Augmented Reality witness an increase in sales.

USB Flash Drive

What happens when a network of laptops or desktops break down? Does the integrity of the company's data remain the same? The answer is yes, if businesses back up important files and documents on USB flash drives. USB flash drives provide businesses with a convenient and portable way to store copious amounts of business information. The flash drives attach to a USB port and users have numerous choices when it comes to storage capacity.