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When you’re building an organization or business from scratch, you quickly learn that you have to take on many roles in the beginning. The streamlined operations you deal with on a daily basis require dedicated applications. Share with us how you manage small business operations, and we will provide our selection of the best apps for small businesses.
What applications do most businesses use?
1. Chat and Collaboration
Effective communication is crucial in all aspects of life, including business. While Skype or WhatsApp are great for one-on-one conversations, they may fall short when you have a team with more than 2-3 members. In such cases, considering something more advanced like Slack is highly recommended.
With Slack, you can easily have individual and group messaging. For example, you can have separate groups for your design team or web developers. Slack also offers video call capabilities (the free plan is limited to one-on-one calls, with the Pro plan accommodating up to 15 teammates).
However, what truly sets Slack apart is its extensive integration with over 2,400 other apps. You can directly use Google Calendar, Zapier, Zoom, or project management apps like Paymo, Asana, or Trello within Slack itself.
2. Digital Publishing
Small businesses often require promotional material such as catalogs or brochures to showcase their products or services. Flipsnack is a cloud-based tool that enables businesses to create a range of digital documents – from magazines and catalogs to flyers and reports – which can be downloaded in various formats including PDF, JPEG, PNG, GIF, and HTML5. With Flipsnack, you have the option to upload a PDF document and enhance it with their Design Studio, or you can build your own digital brochure from scratch using their wide selection of customizable design templates. Here are some valuable tips on designing a digital brochure that effectively represents your company and captivates potential clients.
3. Call Recording
Your organization can benefit from record calls. This is useful for all levels: from bosses to the call center. If the whole problem lies in the complexity of deploying the system, you can try Call Recorder for iPhone. With the Call Recorder app, you can record incoming and outgoing calls to your device at will. These notes can be used as evidence or simply as a reminder.
4. Social Media Management
The biggest problem for small businesses is the lack of awareness among potential buyers. Social networks are one of the most effective ways to express yourself. A good social media development strategy can give the right impetus to a company’s growth. To avoid confusion about publishing plans, try a social media management tool like Buffer. It supports scheduling and automatic publishing.
Buffer not only organizes your publications but also collects information about your audience. This is valuable data for business development. With Buffer, you can take your social media game to the next level!
5. Timesheet App
Time holds immense value in any business. If you fail to deliver your products to customers on time, you not only lose money but also their trust. Likewise, not meeting the deadline for a contract can result in losing a partnership, and consequently, money.
That’s why it is crucial to monitor your employees, who are responsible for your business operations. The key is to ensure that they work during their designated hours and at their assigned location. However, it’s impossible for you to be present in the office round the clock. But fret not, there’s a simple solution – a timesheet app.
With a timesheet app, you can effortlessly track whether your employees have clocked in at the right time, even if they are working remotely. Most timesheet apps utilize GPS technology. This not only enhances accountability but also saves valuable management time that can be utilized more productively.
6. File-sharing Tools
Running a successful business means ensuring your staff has the necessary resources. There may be instances where you need to share pertinent files with your employees. If you’re all in the office, it’s a simple task to go to your employee’s cubicle and hand them the document.
However, it’s a different story if both of you are already at home or if one of you is telecommuting from a cafe. Sure, you could try going to your employee’s house, but that would take up a lot of time and it wouldn’t be appropriate either.
So what’s the solution? Make use of file-sharing tools. You can rely on emails, but sometimes they take a while to reach the recipient’s inbox. Your files could also be too large or too confidential to send via email.
Conclusion
Implementing business management tools can help you work smarter, not harder. Technology makes it possible to shift repetitive and secondary tasks onto the shoulders of applications. Why waste time and energy on something that can be done many times faster and more efficiently? Simply identify the best solution for your needs and let it handle the low-value jobs
