Running a small business and surviving in a competitive business landscape is a daily challenge. You need to take care of customers, manage employee payroll, plan for expansion, and have numerous duties that are hard to count. Let’s make your job easier with the following essential tools.
Every small business is made up of several components. Each task needs to be executed at the right time for a smooth workflow. However, it doesn’t need to be a pain when you adopt project management software. You can create tasks, assign them to your employees, and track the progress to keep things smooth. This also increases transparency and makes employees more accountable.
There are several project management software in the market. From Trello and Wrike to Asana and Paymo. These apps allow you to integrate other apps in your business software suite while enabling seamless collaboration between your team and your clients. Apart from web-based versions, they also come in mobile versions so that your employees get updates while on the go.
As a small business, hiring a full-time accountant may be financially inviable. Most small businesses grow to a certain size before they can afford to pay a full-time bookkeeper. That’s where accounting software comes in. These apps help you track payments for vendors, calculate profitability, and integrate data from payment plugins.
While the market is full of various options, you should choose accounting software that serves your needs without breaking the bank. For instance, if you are a micro-business owner, Xero might be the best choice. It has a low subscription fee, comes with Gusto payroll integration, and allows flexible options for invoice management and payment collection. On the other hand, service-based businesses prefer to use FreshBooks for its advanced invoicing and time-tracking features.
Consumers often prefer to buy products and services from small businesses for personal connection. They expect stellar customer service that isn’t available at Walmart and Amazon. You can’t ignore customer service if you want to thrive as a small business. Business owners invest in CRM(Customer Relationship Management) tools that help them improve customer service along with sales figures.
CRM software collects customer data from all the channels and presents it to you in a central repository. You can use it to track service issues and address them as soon as possible. The best CRM tools also allow you to manage marketing campaigns and identify prospects to boost your sales figures. Opt for CRM tools like Zoho CRM, Flowu, or FreshSales to win new customers and retain loyalty among your existing clientele.
Every small business owner understands the importance of local searches and has a long list of clients who discovered them after an online search. A website can boost your visibility on search results, help you establish your credibility, and create new channels for communicating with your customers. No one expects you to hire a full-time web developer for the job. Instead, you can make one within a few minutes with a website builder.
Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify help you create websites from scratch with no coding knowledge. Website builders come with templates, plugins, and even AI assistants that allow you to create a modern and professional-looking website with minimal effort.
Even micro businesses that are essentially one-man operations have started to rely on certain tools to simplify their operations. Business owners can leverage these tools to get more value out of their small enterprises and secure a steady path for growth.
Mr. Robert Willson is one of the few geeks who never gets tired when it comes to technology. From the latest gadgets to AI and machine learning, Mr. Willson translates them into easy-to-digest insights. Where there is tech, there is him!
