DORSET BUSINESS FOCUS / NEWS
Growing Digital Digital technology. Love it or hate it, it’s become an integral part of life if you’re running a business. It doesn’t matter what sector you’re in, you’ll have digital touchpoints that require investment – in hardware, software, or those whose job it is to operate it. The last 20 months have highlighted the important place that technology has in business. It can help build resilience, boost sales or productivity, reduce costs and improve efficiency. But not everyone in business finds it easy to embrace technology. Some businesses still struggle to get started and worse, some end up doing digital badly. Think about it, how many infinite loops of artificially intelligent customer services have you been stuck in over the past six months - when all you really wanted was to speak to a real person? Deliver digital well and no one really notices but, do it badly and you can find yourself losing customers and damaging your businesses brand. There’s good news though. If you’re not in that hard-earned position where your digital service is so slick it’s invisible, there’s a new government initiative launching this month. It’s the second part of the government’s Help to Grow programme; the digital sibling of the Help to Grow: Management offering that launched in October - both of which are designed to help SMEs recover from the pandemic. 42
December 2021 | Dorset Business Focus
Help to Grow: Digital - as you’d expect - is an online programme to help small and medium-sized businesses learn new skills, reach new customers and boost profits. The online resource is free to access and impartial. Think of it as a digital triage, to identify technology needs, assess technology purchasing options and implement new technologies across business operations. It also includes a voucher scheme. Eligible businesses will be able to apply for a discount of up to 50% on the costs of approved software, worth up to £5,000. Vouchers will be available to businesses that meet all the following criteria: • Have between 5 and 249 employees • Are registered in the UK at the relevant Companies House or are a registered society listed on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Mutuals Register • Have been trading for more than 12 months prior to the date of application • Are purchasing the approved software product for the first time.
their accounts and finances digitally. So, there it is - a neat package of support that can make a real difference to your business and the experience of your customers. www.gov.uk/helptogrow
The vouchers can be used for software that helps businesses build customer relationships and increase sales, make the most of selling online or manage /company/dorset-chamber/
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