8 tools for businesses that are essential for any organization

The optimal selection of tools in a business is extremely important for its operation and development. Improperly selected equipment or deficiencies can prevent any action. Too many tools, in turn, will become a cost generator, the potential of which we will not use anyway. Special attention should be paid to the applications and software we want to have in our business. Which programs will prove indispensable to get started? Below we have compiled a list of 8 tools that are essential for virtually every organization.

Why bet on digitization in business?

At the very beginning, it is worth asking ourselves – why are we actually talking about computer applications and programs? Do we really need these gains in information technology, or is it impossible to function without a computer? Of course, you can stay with the solutions of our parents’ era – the telephone, fax machine and handheld notebooks are still available in stores. Just why voluntarily limit yourself and weaken yourself relative to the competition, when digitization improves and facilitates work? What’s more – by optimizing your work, your team will work much more efficiently, which means maximizing profits with minimal financial outlays. By giving up such solutions as an online store or your own website, you exclude yourself from the very thriving e-commerce market. Without some programs, such as an invoice generator, you won’t be able to function at all. Below we have collected and described 8 solutions that will prove useful from day one in business. Check it out and consider which solutions you haven’t implemented yet!

Number 1: Invoicing software

Without an invoice, it would be impossible to confirm when, to whom and for how much a service was performed or goods sold. In turn, without such confirmation, you are not able to enforce the payment for your work. One of your first business purchases should therefore be invoicing software. You will be able to enter data about the company into your program: Tax ID, company name, business address, bank account number and persons authorized to issue an invoice. You can also add your goods and services to the memory of the invoice program, making the completion of the invoice even faster. The convenience of this solution is intuitive and easy to use – just enter the contractor’s TIN, type of service and net value, and the system will complete the rest for you. In the system you will issue not only a classic VAT invoice – you can also add a receipt, advance invoices, internal invoices or an accounting note.

Number 2: External and internal communication program

The absolute basis for effective communication between staff and for receiving incoming messages. On the one hand, an account on Gmail, WP Mail or Onet Mail will do just fine. On the other hand – how much more professional does an email [email protected] look than [email protected]? However, it’s not just the professionalism aspect that is at stake – having an external communications program means a much larger hosting package. As a result, many more messages will fit in your email inbox without having to delete old emails. Many of the external communication programs allow you to create internal employee accounts and communicate in the organization’s chat room. It’s also a place to transfer files, which will further facilitate communication within the company.

Number 3: CMS-based website

You won’t exist online if you don’t have your own website or social media account. While staying with a social media profile doesn’t sound like a good solution, having your own website is a great idea. Just pay attention that your website is prepared using a handy CMS system. What is a CMS? It is – in a nutshell – such a system that allows you to add and manage content within your website. Most CMS systems are intuitive, easy to use, so you can add more blog posts, merchandise updates or price list changes yourself. Ready-made templates will allow you to create a visually appealing layout. Remember to pay for hosting at the end – without it, your website is just a closed project.

Number 4: Online store

If you want to enter the e-commerce market, you won’t be able to function without an online store module. We immediately recommend – do not rush to launch the site if not everything in your store will be ready. You need to take care of a number of details, such as adding aesthetically pleasing photos and valuable descriptions, dividing products into categories and providing payment methods. To facilitate this task, many sites dedicated to the online trading sector have their own templates. Your task will be just to follow the instructions and add more products. However, if you have the time or financial resources, it is worthwhile to use the services of a software house or set up a CMS store yourself. This will allow you to fully personalize your site and make it stand out from the competition!

Number 5: Tools for online marketing efforts

John Wanamaker, an American marketing pioneer once said that half the money spent on advertising goes down the drain, and the problem is that you don’t know which half it is. Today, this notion is losing its raison d’être somewhat, as online advertising makes it possible to calculate exactly what the rate of return on marketing efforts is and which campaigns have been a dud. We assume that you want to be in control of your advertising budget and measurably determine how much revenue each dollar invested has brought you. So forget flyers, billboards, TV or radio spots, and instead rely on online marketing tools. Here you have very good advertising opportunities by managing your own site from the CMS panel and optimizing it for SEO. For this, Google’s analytical tools will prove invaluable support, which allow you to create and manage campaigns.

Number 6: Project management software

By this we mean a program that will be a combination of an Ishikawa diagram, an Eisenhower matrix and a kanban board. Very often they are part of a CRM system, about which we will say more a bit below. However, if your CRM does not have project management functionality, you will need to procure such a tool separately. Project management programs allow you to add new tasks, keep track of current projects, enter notes, annotations and take action. On this basis, you can plan your own work, as well as that of the entire department, allowing you to choose priorities and delegate people to carry out. It’s also a good method to measure employee performance and track progress, and at the end of the period to hold individuals accountable for their work. Many project management programs allow internal communication and adding files to disk.

Number 7: Electronic signature software

The signature is our most personal stamp – we “put it” under the most important documents, thus confirming the will declared. The problem is that a physical signature requires an in-person appearance at the office, and waiting in line before submitting it. In order not to waste time, and at the same time give power to documents through signature, electronic signature programs have been created. They use different types of encryption, some of which are accepted by the government. While an electronic signature program is not the biggest must have on this list, it is definitely worth investing in. This need will become stronger the more often something needs to be arranged or organized in the international market. After all, it won’t always be logistically feasible to fly to Spain, Croatia or Sweden just to hand in signatures.

Number 8: CRM system

Finally, we left the tool that most determines your growth and customer satisfaction. The CRM system is another “foundation of basics”, without which it is really difficult to imagine a smooth operation. In this case, we are talking about one of the most sensitive points of any business – the relationship with customers. A CRM system is your data file of customers – current, former and potential – who have made contact with your company. You can interact with each contact and then sit them on one of the pre-designed paths of proceedings. CRM systems record the history of interactions and provide a field for notes – you can save information after each call or email. This is a very valuable resource in profiling services and matching solutions to customer needs. All the data you enter is securely stored in cloud storage.

Software in business – SaaS or proprietary?

The vast majority of the above solutions are available in two variants – as an on-premises program or in the Software as a Service formula. Although just a few years ago, the on-premises application formula solution reigned supreme, more and more people are now appreciating the advantages of SaaS. First of all, it is a lower cost per startup, which is of great importance for startups. SaaS billing is a subscription model, which is a small percentage compared to the cost of buying the program outright. In addition, the SaaS service is constantly being worked on by a bunch of developers developing the program, while applications are rarely patched and updated (if they are). It is also worth noting the segmentation of SaaS solutions – access to further segments is paid extra, so you can select only those solutions you actually need. With a proprietary program, you pay for the entire solution, even if you were to use only 15% of the functionality.

Digital multitools – tools that bring together a range of functionality

Do you need to buy as many as 8 different licenses if you want to equip your enterprise with all the recommended tools? No! You can opt for what can be called a “digital multitool,” that is, a program that has at least some of the above-mentioned solutions. Such an example would be a CRM with kanban board functionality, from which tasks and projects can be managed. Another example would be the well-known and respected WordPress, which is a CMS that can be enhanced with an e-commerce function using a free plug-in. It will be a very good idea to analyze the total solutions available on the Internet and use several of them so that they complement each other. Many programs have their own demo versions, which are available at no charge for 7 or 14 days. It is worth taking advantage of this and comparing different functionalities, and then choosing the ones that best meet your needs.