When it comes to technology, it can be easy for organizations to get lost in “big picture” questions, such as, “How can we leverage artificial intelligence?” While it’s essential to pay attention to sweeping technology trends to remain competitive, focusing solely on “the next big thing” can lead business leaders—and professionals of all stripes—to overlook both tested and emerging tech resources and tools, as well as “basic” strategies and applications that offer real value.

From simplifying the sharing of information to brainstorming ideas to protecting valuable data and much more, there are plenty of tech-forward tools and strategies that can provide a significant ROI in terms of time savings, productivity boosts, cybersecurity, customer reach and beyond. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council discuss often-overlooked tech tools and strategies that businesses and professionals should pay attention to and why they’re so impactful.

1. Versioned Documents

Versioned documents can be managed by a myriad of tools, but often, we end up passing around “Important_Doc_2024_Rev2_Final_Updated.docx.” With online shared documents or repositories where an updated version can replace the existing one, the older versions are never truly lost. I can’t recall anyone ever wanting to go back to the version from three weeks ago, anyway. – Luke Wallace, Bottle Rocket

2. Collaborative Ideation Tools

Oddly, whiteboards and collaborative authoring and design tools have gotten very little attention. They can have a tremendous impact on productivity and enhance the value of remote collaboration and teaming beyond slide-sharing and inline chat. – Leonard Lee, neXt Curve

3. Websites

With the rise of social media, businesses have often overlooked their websites. However, relying on social platforms’ unpredictable algorithms poses a significant risk. Recent shifts, such as the phaseout of cookies and stricter privacy laws, are reminders that you don’t own your social media audience. By investing in its website, a business can cultivate a stable, direct customer relationship amid the uncertainties ahead. – Itai Sadan, Duda Inc.

4. Speech-To-Text Tools

Your average device’s speech-to-text capabilities have gotten so much better that typing seems almost archaic by comparison. You don’t need anything special here; just use your device’s voice recognition tool. But if you want to get fancy, you can send a voice note to a large language model and ask it to format it as a document or an email. Bonus: You can provide a sample of your writing as a reference to make the model write like you. – Mohammad Nasrullah, Integry

5. Application Security

Application security has long been viewed as a hindrance to software delivery, but in reality, it not only improves an organization’s cyber resilience, but also decreases project delivery delays and improves developer productivity. As with other tools and processes in the software development life cycle, to capture the maximum benefits and ensure it’s in lockstep with development, orchestration is critical. – Brittany Greenfield, Wabbi

6. Enterprise Application Auditors

Any tool that increases visibility into the enterprise tech stack is valuable. Businesses often adopt software without understanding how it’s used or, more importantly, if it’s being utilized in a way that will deliver its intended ROI. This complicates workflows and is a huge waste of money. Regular audits of enterprise applications can uncover underutilized software, streamline work and, potentially, save millions. – Dan Adika, WalkMe

7. AI-Powered Customer Support

Level up your customer experience with AI-powered support. AI can analyze customer interactions to identify usage patterns and areas where self-service can be improved. This empowers customers and reduces the support burden. Additionally, AI can flag potential issues and proactively reach out, preventing frustration and boosting satisfaction. – Mukul Garg, PubNub

8. Open-Source Software

Open-source software offers robust, secure and cost-effective solutions. Embracing open-source software fosters innovation, agility and customization, enabling businesses to adapt rapidly to market changes without being tied to vendor-specific constraints or licensing fees. It’s a powerful way to build and maintain a competitive edge. – Matthew Peters, CAI

9. Offensive Security Controls

Businesses focused on preventing cybersecurity breaches often implement defensive security controls to “keep the bad people out.” In addition to these traditional security controls, companies must adopt an “attacker mindset” and implement offensive security controls, such as proactive technical security testing, to identify the vulnerabilities a malicious person might exploit to steal information. – Caroline Wong, Cobalt

10. Edge Computing

An often-overlooked yet pivotal technology is edge computing. By processing data near the source, it significantly reduces latency, enhances operational efficiency and ensures real-time data analysis, which is crucial for industries where milliseconds matter. This technology empowers businesses to make faster, more informed decisions, driving innovation and competitive advantage. – Imane Adel, Paymob

11. Google Analytics

A free tool that nearly every business should leverage is Google Analytics. It’s not just designed to measure Web traffic—it can also reveal weaknesses in business applications while providing much-needed context for making the best adjustments for the business. This tool goes beyond digital marketing, allowing a company to identify new business opportunities as well as challenges. – Alon Bender, BenderXpert

12. CX Tracking

It’s essential to keep an eye on the customer experience. In many organizations, the focus is often turned inward—on product refinement, strategy and expanding value to existing customers. However, technology companies must keep a finger on the pulse of consumer sentiment, making it critical to observe behavior both inside and outside of their space. Online retail evolution, mobile technologies and AI have merged to greatly impact the pace of business and the expectations of our customer base. – Shayan Hamidi, Rechat

13. Outsourcing

There is a trend toward specialization in business. Focus on the founders’ and core team’s strengths, and outsource the rest. Accounting, software development, financial management and so on—anything that is not core to your business—can, and maybe should, be outsourced. This allows fast scaling within various sectors of the company and more predictable cost management. – Paulo Carvalho, Avantsoft

14. Low-Code Development Platforms

One under-the-radar resource that packs a punch is low-code development platforms. These tools let you drag and drop building blocks together to build everything from a mobile app to a product landing page. I’ve found these tools to be fast, flexible and an excellent choice for both beginners and those who have a good idea but don’t want to learn a coding language to turn their vision into reality. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster

15. Geospatial Analytics

Geospatial analytics is a powerful but often underutilized tool. Its ability to analyze and visualize data with a geographical or spatial component offers immense benefits for micro, small and medium enterprises in areas including decision-making, strategic planning, market analysis, logistics and even better understanding of customer demographics. – Ravi Changle, Compunnel Inc.

16. Zero Trust

The zero-trust security framework operates on the concept of “trust, but verify.“ No user or device is automatically deemed trustworthy, regardless of location (within or outside the network perimeter). It emphasizes the verification, authorization and monitoring of all access attempts. – Mike Housch, Dark Matter Technologies

17. Application Code Dependency Scanners

With over 80% of the code in modern applications being open-source, understanding and securing the software supply chain is critical for application development, yet there’s been a lack of technologies that can do so without taxing developers. A new generation of tools scans all application code dependencies, slashes the volume of false security alerts, prioritizes vulnerabilities and automates remediation. – Varun Badhwar, Endor Labs

18. Data Management Software

Data management software systems are crucial for organizations across every industry, because they ensure results, compliance and accessibility. They streamline operations, aiding in regulatory adherence while also fostering efficient business practices. – Matthew Polega, Mark43

19. Platform Engineering

Platform engineering has been a recent trend, but honestly, the principles of platform engineering can and should be easily leveraged, particularly by tech companies. Platform engineers are the unsung heroes underpinning advances in AI and other cutting-edge technologies. Their approaches and expertise will be pivotal in overcoming the challenges presented by groundbreaking technologies such as AI. – Steve Rodda, Ambassador Labs

20. Digital Twins

Digital twins have real-world applicability with tangible benefits for businesses. A 3D replica of a building can provide real-time analysis, testing and control of the built environment. Monitoring data such as CO2 and volatile organic compounds, indoor light, and occupancy levels, the digital twin is a node for improved workflows and facilitates monitoring and reporting on environmental, sustainability and governance targets. – Dan Drogman, Smart Spaces