The short answer
A small business rarely needs a lot of tech, but it does need the right tech. The trouble usually isn’t a missing device but what nobody set up properly: a router with its factory password, logins that only one person knows, a backup that never existed.
Good tech at work means devices that suit the job, a network that runs reliably, and someone who knows how it all fits together. The points below help you sort things out, whether you’re starting from scratch or tidying up what you already have.
Computers, laptops and tablets
- Off the shelf or built to order? For the office and reception, a standard machine is usually enough. If you need more power, for plans, photos, video or a till system with many devices, a computer configured and built for the job is the better choice. The performance fits, and parts can be swapped later.
- Business phones for the team. If your team uses the team app in the field, deals with customers or is reachable via WhatsApp Business, a separate business phone keeps work and private life apart. Set up with the app, the logins and remote lock in case it gets lost.
- Laptop or desktop? If you move between the office, building sites and customers, you need a laptop. At reception or for the accounts, a desktop with a large screen is enough.
- Tablets for appointments and the team. At reception a tablet shows the appointment diary; in the workshop or the van it shows the jobs from the team app. A case, a mount and a fixed charging spot often matter more than an expensive model.
- Keep an eye on updates. Before buying, ask how long the manufacturer provides security updates. A cheap device without updates soon becomes a risk.
- Order from day one. A separate user account for each person, encrypted drives in case a laptop goes missing, and a password manager instead of notes stuck to the screen.
Printers and scanners
For many small offices, a multifunction device that prints, scans and copies is enough.
- Laser or inkjet? For lots of text such as quotes, invoices and delivery notes, a laser printer is usually the better choice; for the occasional colour print, inkjet will do. Look at the running costs for toner or ink before you buy, not just the price of the device.
- On the network, not on one computer. A networked printer prints from every computer, tablet and phone, even when the office PC is switched off.
- Scan to the right place. Receipts, delivery notes and contracts go straight into a folder or inbox at the press of a button. That saves piles of paper and helps with the bookkeeping.
- Printers for special jobs. A receipt printer at the till, and a label printer in the shop or for shipping.
Wi-Fi and network
The network is the invisible part of your tech. When it fails, the till, card machine, printer and appointment diary all stop at once.
- The router. Change the factory password, switch on automatic updates and use current encryption (WPA2, preferably WPA3).
- Guest Wi-Fi separate from your business network. Guests, customers and patients get online but can’t reach your computers, printers or till. Many routers have a dedicated feature for this.
- Coverage everywhere. A router in the storeroom rarely reaches the terrace or the stockroom. Several access points, for example as a mesh system, spread the signal evenly.
- Cable for what matters. Tills, card machines and desktop computers run more reliably on a network cable than on Wi-Fi.
- A plan B. If the internet goes down, the card machine should keep working, for example over mobile data. Ask your provider whether your device can do this.
Backups and logins
Back up your data automatically and keep at least one copy off site or in the cloud. A tried-and-tested rule of thumb is 3-2-1: three copies on two different storage media, one of them off site. Check from time to time that a backup can actually be restored.
Keep the logins for router, Wi-Fi, accounts and devices in a secure place that more than one person can access. Otherwise things get difficult when that one person is on holiday.
Till and card machine
With a till, it pays to work out first what it needs to do. A restaurant needs tables, open orders and tickets for the kitchen; a shop needs products and stock; a salon needs services and appointments. That decides whether a tablet till or a fixed system suits you better.
- Connect till and card machine. When the card machine is linked to the till, the amount is passed across rather than typed in twice. That saves time and typos.
- Compare costs. Card machine providers usually charge a fee per payment, and some also charge rent for the device. Work out what that comes to with your turnover.
- Data for your accountant. The till should export sales cleanly so that nobody has to retype them for the books.
- Loyalty cards at the counter. Stamp cards and vouchers on the phone are redeemed with an app in the browser that runs alongside any till. More on that under wallet cards.
What applies to tills in Germany
This section describes the rules in Germany. If your business is based elsewhere, other rules apply; many countries have their own fiscalisation requirements for tills.
If you use an electronic till in Germany, there are a few rules to follow:
- Technical security system. Electronic tills need a certified technical security system, known as a TSE (technische Sicherheitseinrichtung). It records every transaction so that it can’t be changed unnoticed. It is certified by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).
- Receipts. A receipt must be issued for every sale, on paper or electronically. Customers don’t have to take it.
- Notifying the tax office. Electronic tills must be reported to the tax office, which is done via ELSTER, the tax authorities’ online portal.
When buying, ask whether the TSE and receipt requirements are covered, and agree the set-up with your tax adviser. This is guidance only and is not legal advice.
What typical businesses need
- Trades: a laptop for the office, tablets or phones for the team app and a multifunction device for quotes and delivery notes.
- Restaurants and cafés: a till with card machine and receipt printer, reliable Wi-Fi with a separate network for guests and a tablet for reservations.
- Practices: a computer at reception, a scanner for documents, a network that nobody in the waiting room can get into, and backups that are checked regularly. Health data deserves particular protection.
- Shops: a till with card machine, a receipt or label printer and a tablet or phone for online orders and loyalty cards.
Signs it’s time to act
- Nobody knows exactly what the logins for the router, Wi-Fi or till are.
- Guests and the till share the same Wi-Fi.
- The last backup was a long time ago, or there never was one.
- A device no longer receives updates.
- The Wi-Fi doesn’t reach every room where people work.
What we do
On request, we and our partners also look after your tech: computers, laptops and tablets, printers and scanners, Wi-Fi and network, till and card machine. We configure and build computers for the job, source business phones and the other devices, set everything up and connect them to your website and apps, such as the tablet at reception with online booking or your team’s business phones with the team app. You have one contact for both your brand and your tech.
What your business needs and what it costs is set out in the quote after a free intro call. The tech can be combined with any of our packages.