When it comes to running a small business in the 21st century, software is king. There are many great options, and the best ones are worth your time and money. When you’re looking for a software program to help manage your business, it’s essential to make sure you choose one that will fit your specific needs. Here are some tips to help you make the best decision.
Audit Software
Audit software refers to any application designed to help organizations monitor transactions in case there’s a discrepancy. This includes things like accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory management, sales tracking, payroll processing, customer relationship, shipping, and more.
For instance, FedEx and UPS audit software helps businesses save on shipping costs by providing detailed reports on shipment pricing, scheduling, tracking, and even cost analysis. Companies can take this information to their chosen carrier to negotiate a better rate or use it as a springboard when formulating a new arrangement with a competing service.
CRM Software
CRM or Customer Relationship Management software is another common choice with small and medium-sized businesses. It allows users to track their customers from start to finish, from new leads to making first contact, qualifying existing clients, closing deals, and nurturing relationships. It’s also perfect for those who want to keep tabs on their business relationships with other professionals, including attorneys, accountants, marketers, and vendors.
Accounting Software
Accounting software is another popular option for small businesses. Quickbooks Online is still an excellent choice if you find yourself keeping track of basic accounting functions such as invoicing, cash flow tracking, general ledger maintenance, and taxes. The platform is easy to use and works well for beginners and seasoned business owners alike.
Project Management
Project management software, sometimes referred to as “ticketing and issue tracking software,” can be extremely valuable for startups and larger firms alike. As the name suggests, project management software makes organizing tasks into projects easier by allowing employees to create tickets (issues) and assign them to different team members. Users can then work through these issues and tasks using the program whenever necessary, whether at home or the office.
Customer Service Software
Customer service software has become increasingly prevalent over recent years. Whether you need a simple solution for inbound call centers or you need an advanced online chat support tool, this type of software tends to focus on offering customer support-related features. Features vary between providers; however, they usually include call routing, webchats, surveys and polls to get consumer feedback, automated response tools and scripts, analytics, etc.
These types of platforms tend to grow with the demands of your company. If you don’t currently offer customer service or haven’t had much success so far, consider outsourcing this portion of your operation.
Mobile Apps
Mobile apps are becoming increasingly important in today’s business world. They help small businesses to connect with customers anywhere and boost productivity by saving time working from different locations. There are plenty of options available right now, which will enable you to choose the best one based on your needs and budget. This includes everything from social media apps that let people tag photos directly from your smartphone to more powerful enterprise-level solutions like Salesforce1 Platform and Workday.
Collaboration & Communication Apps
As we’ve already mentioned, collaboration and communication are key to running any successful startup or growing business. Fortunately, there are tons of great cloud-based applications out there that streamline internal communications and help teams stay organized. A popular example is Slack – a messaging app that brings all your conversations together in one place. Other examples include TeamViewer, GoToMeeting, Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts.
Cloud Storage & Collaboration Tools
Cloud storage is a popular way to store data and collaborate among remote teams. While there are many cloud storage solutions available, Box and Dropbox are two of the most popular ones for small businesses. The former offers a free tier, private file sharing, offline access, collaborative editing, security, and more, all at no cost. On the opposite end of the spectrum,
Dropbox provides unlimited space accessible to everyone on any device. Both have their pros and cons, but which one should you use? That depends entirely on what features matter the most to you. It’s also worth noting that both services are relatively similar regarding pricing, so you might want to compare plans to see if you could save money elsewhere. Both are great for individuals and small businesses looking to share files with others and stay organized easily.
Backup Software
Backup programs are one of the most important aspects of any reliable computer infrastructure. Most small businesses fail to back things up properly and often put themselves in danger of losing valuable information to catastrophic events ranging from hard drive failures to fire damage. Many backup software packages can be set up relatively inexpensively and can provide many benefits: disaster recovery, continuous backups, archiving, integration with other systems, and much more.
In conclusion, using software won’t guarantee success, but it will make it easier and more efficient to have an online presence. If you’re just getting started, your focus shouldn’t be on choosing the perfect web hosting service or website builder, though those are still worth considering.
