Today’s technology-driven corporate market requires a flexible approach to finding new software for your business.
If you don’t embrace technology, then your business could fall behind your competitors and struggle to deliver the solutions that your clients expect.
While tools that almost every business uses, such as Microsoft Office are useful, these are only the basics, and if you’re not using them correctly, then they won’t benefit you.
So, you need to explore the wider field and find additional software and extensions that will help you to streamline your organisation.
If your business is old-fashioned and isn’t embracing technology, then now is the perfect time to do so.
The rise of remote working and online shopping following the pandemic has meant that businesses have to embrace software solutions that will allow them to both manage staff and support customers.
Here are some of the software solutions that your company should research to see if they could save you time, effort and, by extension, money.
Accounting Software
When business leaders think of accounting software, they might think that they don’t need it as they already hire an actual accountant. While having an accountant is important for your business, you also need to make sure that you present them with clear, up to date information that they can use to file your taxes and ensure that your business is compliant with financial rules. Therefore, you need to consider using accounting software to keep a note of every payment made and received by your organisation. If used properly, accounting software could save your admin staff a lot of time and reduce the chances of human error, which can potentially be incredibly costly.
Payroll Software
Unless you’re a sole trader, you’re going to have staff to pay. Payroll software can help you to do this efficiently by automating some tasks and keeping all of your payroll information on one easy-to-use platform. Using payroll software tools can be particularly beneficial for small businesses that rely on freelance labour or have flexible working hours for freelance staff, as you can easily monitor what you need to pay each month and reduce the chances of your admin team making an error. As such, you can make the payroll process straightforward and more accurate, which will benefit both your business and staff.
Tachograph Analysis Software
If you manage a fleet of vehicles, then tachograph analysis is worth investing in to help you manage driver data and remain compliant with relevant regulations. These innovative solutions can help you to ensure that your drivers are always taking enough breaks, covering the correct routes and more. It will mean peace of mind for you should your regulators require evidence of compliance. It will also save you time and effort manually checking timesheets, driver logs and other paperwork.
Project Management Software
For companies that manage projects, particularly organisations in industries such as construction, where you need to work with multiple agencies, project management software is essential. These tools allow you to manage your project and get an overview of every aspect of it, including all communications, all completed tasks and allocations. If other agencies have the same tool, then you can collaborate with them easily and ensure that everyone is on the same page throughout the project.
Customer Relationship Management Software
Customer relationship management, or CRM, software is similar to project management platforms. The difference is that instead of one individual project, you use a CRM to manage every aspect of your interaction with a specific customer. Even when they’re just a potential lead, you can review and coordinate your marketing and sales strategies to suit their specific requirements. Using a CRM platform can significantly improve your company’s customer retention and help you to get high-value customers to spend more money with you.
Video Conferencing Tools
Thanks to the rise in remote working, video conferencing has become a key method of communication in the business world in 2021, and it looks set to remain popular over the coming years. Using video conferencing software can help you with everything from managing staff meetings to hosting a webinar to generate leads for your business. While Zoom is a popular name in the video conferencing market, it has been known to have security flaws, so consider checking out alternative video conferencing software to find an option that works for your organisation.
Some of these software tools on this list are industry or sector-specific, while others are more general. The most important factor to consider when choosing software tools is to select options that are scalable and cost-effective so that you can add to or remove services from your plan as and when you need them. Make sure that you monitor your use of software tools and end your subscription to solutions that you’re no longer using to ensure that you only pay for what you need to support your business.
