6 Types of Tools and Apps to Consider When Running a Small Business

When you start a small business, you will need all the help you can get if the business is to succeed. Not all the help you get will be from human beings.

Some of the help will come from technological tools that help you grow your business and increase efficiency. Every business should use such tools, or their competition will quickly outperform them.

The following are tools and apps to consider when running a small business:

Accounting and Invoicing Software

Ensuring you get paid and tracking your business’s expenditure will make your small business last. It is challenging and sometimes impossible to manually handle your firm’s accounting.

Therefore, you should get the software to help you handle the numbers. Small business accounting and invoicing software lets you know how many invoices you sent, how much you have been paid, and which accounts are still unpaid.

Instead of having an in-house accountant and adding to your expenses, get accounting and invoicing software like Intuit Quickbooks and Freshbooks to help you with two crucial and tiresome business processes.

A VoIP App

Communication is an essential part of every business, big and small. As a small business, you may not have the resources to hire receptionists and others to handle your calls. Therefore, you should consider investing in a VoIP app.

A VoIP (Voice-over-Internet Protocol) is a phone system that uses the internet to place and receive calls. There are many benefits to using a VoIP app for business. One of them is that it is incredibly cheap and significantly reduces your firm’s communication expenses.

You can also automate various processes, such as customer care responses. A VoIP app increases the security of your company’s communication and ensures you can reach your employees at any time or place.

Project Management Software

Organization is key to success as a small business owner. You will probably be handling multiple projects when trying to grow your company which can be pretty overwhelming.

A tool that can help you become more organized is project management software. Project management software can help you streamline your business processes when working on a project.

You can post the project on the software, review them all from the same location and coordinate everyone working on the project. Project management software will ensure you save time and money on every project. Examples of project management tools you can use include Basecamp and Trello.

Productivity Tools

Productivity seems to be a significant issue for large businesses, but small businesses should also pay attention to productivity. Productivity is a valuable element of business and ensures that the employees are using their time to produce the best results for the business.

Improving productivity should be at the forefront of every firm’s goals. Increasing productivity at a small business is challenging, but productivity-enhancing software will be beneficial.

Use the tools to ensure tasks are completed on time, employees are doing the right jobs, and essential areas are receiving the necessary attention. Examples of fantastic productivity tools for small businesses are Todoist and Evernote.

CRM Tools

Customers are the lifeline of every business, including small firms. Therefore, you need to ensure the relationship with your business is in the best shape possible.

A customer relationship management tool gives you the best chance to achieve that goal. The software or application will help track your interaction with prospective and loyal customers.

A CRM tool will help your store, organize and access customer information. It can also help with lead generation and after-sale services and automate marketing processes. CRM tools like Zoho can ensure brand loyalty and an impeccable relationship with your customers.

Data Management and Backup Software

We live in the information, and you cannot understate the value of data. So, every small business needs to invest in data management and backup tools.

You need a platform where you can manage all the data your company needs. The more organized the data, the better the use your firm can get out of it.

Cyber attacks are getting more dangerous and hard to prevent, so small businesses must invest in data backup tools. If you lose your data, your business can continue with adequate backups.

Small businesses need to take advantage of every opportunity to make their businesses more efficient and profitable.

Various tools can help them function optimally, including CRM tools, accounting & invoicing software, a VoIP app, project management software, productivity tools, and data management & backup software. The above tools are only the start, and businesses should choose the tools they need most.