(This post originally appeared on Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — eBay launched a new grant program to set small business sellers up for success in 2021.
eBay has announced a grant program that will be aimed at assisting small businesses in continuing operations online. The grant program—known as the Up & Running Grants program—will focus on making sure that small businesses operating today will still be here in the future by providing over $500,000 in educational resources and funds to help businesses secure their longevity through the new year. With eBay having long committed to helping small businesses, the new grant program will allow 50 businesses or sellers $2,000 in eBay credits and $8,000 in cash. (Source: PRNewsWire)
Why this is important for your business:
E-commerce sales are expected to rise this year anywhere between 35-45 percent, depending on which forecast you read. That’s due in big part to thousands of small businesses pivoting in the wake of the pandemic and selling more online. If you’re still wavering, then eBay’s grant program may be just what you need to put you over the top. I say go for it.
2 —Adobe Spark and Square are teaming up to give small businesses a holiday boost.
Adobe Spark—a tool used to help create graphics, websites, and videos—is teaming up with popular mobile payment platform Square in order to provide small businesses all over the United States some much needed help during this holiday season. Small businesses will have the opportunity to participate in the Holiday Boost Challenge for the chance to be one of five businesses to receive a $10,000 media credit as well as an Adobe Spark Premium subscription. (Source: Bake Mag)
Why this is important for your business:
Hurry – time’s running out for these great online tools. In order to be eligible—from November 13th and the 29th—businesses need to sign up for a two-month, free trial of Spark and share the ways that their businesses are setting themselves apart from the rest this holiday.
3 —Glue raised $8 million to automate customer loyalty programs.
Glue—an automation platform focused on loyalty programs—has raised $8 million and plans to use the funding to encourage small businesses to start a loyalty program in order to attract customers. Due to the coronavirus retail has been hit hard, falling about 12% lower than the originally predicted $26 trillion that was forecasted before the pandemic. (Source: Venture Beat)
Why this is important for your business:
According to Venture Beat there is data that indicates a loyalty program can assist small businesses sustain hard hits in the future, with 50 percent of customers sharing that the main reason they join loyalty programs is to help get rewarded on what they purchase. Every retailer should have some type of loyalty program in place, and if you couple this kind of program with a good customer relationship management system, then you can ensure future revenues from any visitor who bought or showed interest in your products.
4 — Intuit is introducing HubSpot for Quickbooks.
Intuit has revealed a new integration with CRM HubSpot and QuickBooks Online in an effort to add more efficient customer communication in light of the challenges brought on by the coronavirus. While the offer is only accessible to QuickBooks Online Advanced customers for now, Intuit is planning to further the collaboration with HubSpot in order to provide more solutions that will help businesses as they continue to scale. Both companies will continue to work on spreading the word on the collaboration and focus their work on helping businesses navigate managing customers and payments. (Source: Accounting Today)
Why this is important for your business:
HubSpot is a hugely popular marketing application with strong customer relationship management capabilities. If you’re seeking to integrate your QuickBooks Online system, then you might as well take advantage of a tool from the maker of the application.
5— Cleaning robots are showing up for duty at the office.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, cleaning robots have become popular in order to help disinfect offices and buildings by limiting human interaction. While hospitals have been using cleaning robots since the height of the pandemic in the spring and arenas and airports also using the popular technology, offices are getting in on the action as well. Now with more cases on the rise, offices are turning to cleaning robots to help with daily, frequent disinfecting. Xenex, a cleaning machine manufacturer in the United States shared that sales are up 600% as compared to last year for popular UV emitters and fogging disinfecting robots. (Source: The Verge)
Why this is important for your business:
Robotic technologies like this are sure to replace people, but will also save overhead. Is it worthwhile investing in a cleaning robot? That depends on how much you’re paying your outside cleaning service. And if you happen to run an outside cleaning service there will soon be a time where investing in these types of robots will not only set you apart from your competition but also enable you to expand your business.
