Technology has come a long way… from the regular table telephone to the supercomputers we all have in our pockets. Smartphones with incredible compute power and powerful operating systems to back them up.
And this evolution in consumer tech has not come without its downsides, as most of us have to learn to adapt to some new technology tool almost every new quarter. If you’re a developer, there was a time when WordPress was enough, now there’s Framer, Webflow, and Wix, just to name a few.
Taking a step away from developers, what are the top tech challenges freelancers face?
Common Tech Challenges For Freelancers
Website crashes, potential customer data breaches, app timeouts at the wrong times… we can go on and on.
I’m sure you’ve had times when you needed to work with your financial apps to make a simple transaction… and hours later, this “brief” transaction has snowballed into a string of 4 messages to the support team asking for immediate assistance. Now imagine if this was a super important business transaction you needed to wrap up ASAP… sucks, right? This is why in this part, I will show you what to look out for when picking tech tools for your business:
→ High reliability: How reliable are your tech tools? Sure, we know no tool is 100% efficient but can it crack 90? 80? Enough to help you complete important business transactions? Then it is a tool to keep in your stack.
→ Affordability: You want a tool that you can afford without breaking the bank, or having to depend on patronage from certain big clients to renew your subscriptions (if you use this type of tools) with your tool.
→ Intuitiveness: How easy is it to set up, use, and integrate with your other tools? Do you need a professional to help you with the setup? If you do, a good place to start your search is our marketplace, our marketplace hosts top professionals ready to listen to you and help you design your solution to profit your business. On the flip side, if you feel you are not at the point where you need a partnership, you can go with a more beginner-friendly solution that is easy to set up and manage.
→ Scalability: Can you increase the capacity easily to suit your business demands? If yes, this is a winner, if not, you’ll need to take a step back and reassess your options.
→ Low latency: How long does it take for your apps to load? How long will it take to load on clients’ ends? If your tool takes too much time to load, then perhaps you need to take a look at other options that have lower latencies (take less time to send information from your tool to the server).
Fixing Common Tech Glitches… So Your Business Doesn’t Suffer
- Slow Website Load Times
A slow website can affect your credibility and turn potential clients away… straight into the welcoming digital embrace of your competitors. If your site is taking too long to load, here’s what you can do:
Solution: Compress images, clear out unnecessary plugins, and use a content delivery network (CDN) to boost your site speed.
Pro Tip: Run a website speed test (like Google PageSpeed Insights) to identify specific issues slowing your site down.
- Email Deliverability Issues
Not reaching your customers’ inboxes can seriously affect your communication and marketing efforts.
Solution: Check your email service provider’s reputation, ensure you’re not using spammy keywords, and always authenticate your emails with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC settings.
Pro Tip: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers that may hurt your deliverability.
- Social Media Account Breaches
A hacked social media account can damage your reputation and cost you clients.
Solution: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts, use a password manager for stronger passwords, and keep your devices secure.
Pro Tip: Monitor your social accounts regularly and be mindful of phishing attempts via emails or DMs. If you receive messages with links that look sus… DO NOT CLICK THESE LINKS!
- Device Running Out of Storage
Something almost every Android device owner can relate to, running out of space on your mobile device–or computer– can slow down your productivity.
Solution: Regularly clean up your device by deleting unused apps, old files, and moving large files to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Pro Tip: Automate cloud backups to free up space without losing important data.
- Frequent App or Software Crashes
If your work apps or software frequently crash, it can be frustrating and lead to missed deadlines.
Solution: Make sure all your apps are up to date, check for compatibility issues, and uninstall unused software to reduce system strain.
Pro Tip: Try clearing cache or reinstalling the app to resolve persistent crashes.
But if you still need expert help, our marketplace has a wide range of specialists who can study your systems and proffer solutions for your tech challenges.
Outsourcing Your Tech Needs: Here is How it Can Be a Game-changer For You
As a freelancer or small business owner, wearing multiple hats is part of the job… until it’s time for tech. We both know how overwhelming new tech can be (especially before the release of updates and other security patches) especially when you need to take care of it yourself. But what if you can let a specialist take care of your tech challenges… while you focus on your business? Sounds great, yes?
Here is why outsourcing can help you win. You can→
- Save Time and Focus on What You Do Best
Running a business involves countless tasks, but spending hours troubleshooting tech issues or learning new software eats into valuable time that could be better spent on activities that move the needle for your business.
Why Outsourcing Helps: By outsourcing tech challenges like website updates, software maintenance, or digital marketing automation, you free up valuable time to focus on what you’re truly passionate about—whether that’s serving clients, creating products, or expanding your business.
- Gain Access to Specialized Expertise
Tech-related tasks may require specific skills and knowledge that may be outside your area of expertise.
Why Outsourcing Helps: By outsourcing to professionals, you gain access to specialized expertise without having to invest the time and money to learn it yourself. Experienced tech professionals can ensure things are done right the first time, saving you from costly mistakes. If you’re not sure where to start your search, here is a good place to start.
- Cost Efficiency and Flexibility
Hiring full-time, in-house tech talent can be expensive, especially for a freelancer or a small business with tight budgets. On the other hand, handling tech challenges on your own can lead to mistakes that cost even more to fix.
Why Outsourcing Helps: Outsourcing allows you to only pay for the services you need when you need them. This flexibility is ideal for small businesses that want expert help without the overhead of hiring full-time staff. You can scale your tech support up or down based on your current needs.
To wrap this up, tech challenges are a part of the journey as freelancers, but what matters is how you can adapt and find a way to thrive, even with these hurdles.
