Why Are Some Businesses Reluctant To Adapt To New Technologies?

How Hard Is It To Make The Shift?

Let's face it – today's business world moves faster and faster with the passing of each and every day. And for far too many businesses out there, it can be difficult to keep up with new technologies, new innovations, and new ways of working – especially when you barely have enough time or enough support in the day to manage your day to day operations.

With that in mind, it's clear to see just why so many businesses are either unprepared or unwilling to adapt to new technologies. After all, if it isn't broken, then don't fix it, right? Well, it seems that this is certainly a mentality that a number of family businesses can connect with and relate to. In this article, we're going to talk a bit about why some businesses are so reluctant to adapt to new technologies. If you're interested in learning more about this, take a look down below.

The Trouble With New Technologies

While there might not necessarily be immediate hindrances with, say, something like a mobile app for your business, or starting a social media account to engage with customers, or designing a beautiful website complete with regular content updates and an active blog, it's safe to say that actually doing all of the above is quite the challenge.

For some family businesses, they might believe that new technologies like the aforementioned are more trouble than they're really worth – and how can you blame them? Think about it, family businesses that have been around for decades understand that they've been doing something right for years – they've connected with their local customer base. For them, they might not have the resources, the time, or even the necessary skills and knowledge to manage a mobile app, to engage with customers on social media and grow their following, or to regularly update, maintain, and publish on a beautiful WordPress website. For them, it's simply about taking it day by day, which is what they've always done. 

Don't Underestimate The Intimidation Factor.

It's important to keep in mind the fact that some of these family businesses might feel a bit intimidated in the face of new technologies. Either they don't have the skillset, they don't have the IT capabilities, they don't have the funds and resources, or the support necessary to successfully implement these new technologies, etc. The list can go on and on. 

An article was written by the British website Telegraph.com wrote an article about this very phenomenon, saying, "for those organizations considering upgrading [technology], the price of both implementing tech and then training staff to use it correctly can be tough to justify – especially for SME owners who cannot afford to take their eye off the bottom line." 

This isn't anything new, really. The fact is that businesses are often slow to adapt to new technologies in general – but for small businesses and family businesses, choosing to avoid technology could put you at a disadvantage when looking at the competition. Remember, technology isn't here to make your life as a business owner harder – it's here to make it easier, more efficient, and more streamlined.

References:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/ready-and-enabled/new-technology-adoption/