New business owners often have one key concern when they open their doors: What types of business software should you use for your small business? In an era when virtually all transactions take place online, and information is typically stored in a secure cloud, the choice between business software applications is a tough one that can impact every part of the operation. For those who are a bit perplexed about their choices, consider the most popular software types and brands used by small business owners and large corporations alike.
Start with the Microsoft Office Suite
Microsoft Office has long been industry standard for office productivity software, and its growing slate of applications can really help small businesses take control of their contacts, communications, and promotional gear. Available for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms, Microsoft Office includes word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and email tools. The Windows version goes further, with note taking tools and publishing software that can make it easy to promote the business and reach out to customers. This suite of tools should serve as the foundation of any successful small business.
Collaboration Tools for a Growing Company
One of the biggest problems that faces small business owners is a lack of communication between various members of their growing team. This issue arose in the past, because there were few tools to keep everyone on the same page. That’s no longer a problem, thanks in large part to cloud-based collaboration tools. The most popular of these tools is Basecamp. Known as an effective project management application, Basecamp can be used in web browsers or specialized mobile applications. The software enables group meetings, messaging, deadline enforcement, and shared development of strategic initiatives. It’s the best way for owners of any business to keep their entire organization, or smaller groups within the organization, productive and communicating effectively.
Don’t Start a Business Without Proper Accounting Software
Always remember that a business is designed first and foremost to make money by selling products and services to the public. Businesses that aren’t on top of their accounting will find themselves losing money very quickly, at a level that might threaten the business’ long-term future. QuickBooks Pro is the industry standard for accounting software. It’s used by startups and massive corporations alike, and offers a number of intuitive tools for tracking expenses, payroll, benefits and more. Many accounting professionals are already highly trained in QuickBooks Pro and related applications, making this a plug-and-play solution to a business’ pressing financial concerns and accountability requirements.
Contact and Relationship Management Software is Key
Businesses need to expand their reach to new customers in order to stay viable, but the real money is in developing a loyal customer base that will return time and time again to make new purchases and invest in the company’s latest products. The best way to encourage this kind of behavior is to use a customer relationship management application. Sage ACT! allows business owners to store customer contact details, record a log of each time a customer visited the store or was contacted about promotional events, and manage the relationship in a way that encourages repeat visits and recurring purchases. This can help the business grow its revenue significantly over time.
There Are Some Key Ways to Leverage Business Software
According to Susan Ward, business software can be used to track expenses, build a customer base, reach out to past shoppers, and perform virtually every routine task that keeps the organization operating, communicating, and expanding. Numerous software suites will provide long-term financial benefits to the organization and your small business software needs.