If you’re a small business owner, you probably don’t have time to search through thousands of service providers, apps, products and marketing tools. However, a successful business wouldn’t become successful without the help of some essential operational tools. Regardless of what industry you work within, we’ve put together some of the best services and products every business needs.
Reliable IT Support
It’s almost impossible to run any kind of business in 2016 without computers and servers. Most businesses need technology to deliver their products and services, as well as give satisfactory customer service. That means when things go wrong – as can often happen with computers and other software – you need it fixing fast. If you don’t have a huge IT department located in the office, then you should definitely have an IT support company on hand. They will fix any problems and get you back up and running again quickly, ensuring you lose as little revenue as possible from the technical difficulties.
Project Management Software
If you have a large number of clients and a large team of staff, then some kind of project management software is indispensable. It’s easy to forget who is working on which project, and if a staff member is off sick how can somebody do their job without any background information? You can choose from general online programmes to a range of software which will be tailored to your industry.
Video Conferencing
This is crucial for businesses who want to work with clients and business partners nationally and internationally. The ability to have group meetings, while members can be located anywhere in the world, is one of the most exciting things in business growth and development. You don’t even need to worry about the cost of video calls, as there are many free programmes available such as Skype and FaceTime.
Marketing Agency
There used to be a time when you could build your own website, print off some flyers and place an ad in a newspaper once a year – and that would be enough to keep the business coming. Now, times have changed and businesses find themselves having to keep up with between 1 and 10 websites, blogs and social media platforms which need constant updates. They also need strong and original ideas for marketing campaigns. If you want to be a key player in your sector, then you’ll need the help of experienced marketers.
Accounting Software
One of the most time consuming aspects of running a business is keeping the finances in order. Recording invoices going in and out, staff wages and business running costs, as well as business expenses, can be challenging. There’s a number of accounting programmes available which can make the process much easier. Find software that matches the size of your business, and when you grow enough you may have to hire an accountant or a bookkeeping company to stay compliant!
Without these tools, you could fail to keep up with your competitors and lose projects and clients altogether. Get organised and keep your business running and growing.
