Work from Anywhere with Remote Business Management

Every hardware retailer is by now aware of how popular smart home products have become. The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) estimates the market for software and products that allow homeowners to control virtually every aspect of their home – from the heating and cooling system to security to what music will be playing when they open the door – will triple by 2022 reaching $63 billion in sales. Why should a business be any different? Remote business management, also known as remote monitoring and management (RMM), allows retailers to run their stores from just about anywhere. 

The same innovative technology that allows homeowners to turn on the lights and check on security before they drive home from work is available for businesses. Today, store owners can control inventory, adjust employee schedules, check on deliveries, create product sales and promotions, and even do the daily receipts from just about anywhere. 

All of this and much more is possible from a retail platform with remote management that touches every aspect of a business.  

Technology Built for Remote Work

For generations, the heart of every retail business was the cash register and the inventory ledger. Those tools were consolidated and automated when computerized point of sale systems were developed. Retail technology today extends far beyond the checkout stand and the warehouse or receiving dock. 

A modern retail platform touches all business processes including ordering and inventory, customer outreach and management, employee scheduling, accounting, and digital marketing and sales. And access to those platforms is available through remote business management applications. 

 “It’s a tool that allows business owners to manage their own network from anywhere they can get an internet connection,” said CJ June, Managed Services director at Paladin Data Corporation, a leading retail technology provider. “They are able to remote into the server computer and have full control of it just as if they were sitting in the office. Anything they could do at the computer they can do from home or wherever they log in from.” 

Paladin Pilot offers the convenience of remote business management through its Managed Services package. 

Companies like Paladin also provide managed services that automatically backs up data and monitors computer and network performance, but the remote monitoring and management the company uses to keep tabs on client networks is available to businesses allowing owners to work in and police their own systems.  The added control of remote business management or RMM: 

The Right Digital Tools for the Job   

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, digital technologies have become increasingly important. Statistics show that retail sales in 2018 totaled $3.7 trillion across all categories, and 92% of those sales were influenced by digital factors such as online marketplaces, digital advertising and marketing, and mobile searches. This trend indicates that digitally influenced purchases are here to stay.  

That’s why having powerful in-store tools combined with a strong digital business presence is so important and having remote access to those tools is more essential than ever. Modern retail technology with remote business management access provides a single touchpoint to control all aspects of a store. 

The World is Your Office

Imagine being on vacation halfway around the world when your store runs into issues an assistant manager can’t resolve. With remote business management software, an owner can log into the store’s server and run the show just like they were in the back office. Vacation saved! The remote desktop can do anything the retail platform allows. 

Business today is rarely a 9 to 5 job done at a single location. Even brick-and-mortar stores operate web stores that record sales 24/7. And often employees or contractors work from home or their own offices. Remote business management software allows store owners or managers to keep track of what’s happening round the clock. 

Remote business management allows owners to include or limit who has access to the network. That means off-site staff can work without being at the store. This flexibility also helps businesses save money on expenses such as travel time for employees or contractors. Instead of having business platform providers or technicians visit to troubleshoot a problem, they can monitor the network or work to solve many issues without leaving their desktops.  

Remote business management services are often available through retail technology providers that offer innovative digital tools. They are essential to running a store effectively and efficiently. They streamline operations and are critical in creating a dynamic shopping experience that, frankly, customers have come to expect nowadays. In short, remote business management: 

• Allows for remote network management  
• Boosts operational efficiency 
• Helps keep labor costs down 
• And extends network maintenance services well beyond a business’s location  

For business owners or managers on the go, it’s a good way to keep a finger on the pulse of their business without having to be there.