Poor cash flow is the reason the majority of small businesses fail. Therefore, it makes sense that protecting this aspect of business management is crucial. And software tools are one of the best ways to accomplish this.
Software tools are digital programs or extensions that enable you to streamline, optimize, and speed up the many different components of running your business. From basic project management to marketing and advertising, there are always ways to improve the way your small business operates.
If you need help finding the right tech tools to leverage your business success, keep reading. This list of popular tech tools is ideal for any small business that’s looking to improve its revenue, operate more efficiently, and develop a stronger risk immunity.
Project Management Tools
Project management tools are perhaps one of the most important and profitable types of small business software tools available today. By improving budgeting and cost control at the same time, these tools can bring organization, productivity, and increased revenue to your business.
Project management software provides you with a wide variety of tools, including:
- Project scope and planning
- Task delegation and tracking
- Managing project risks
- Budget tracking
- Progress reports
- Team communication and collaboration
Project management tools are essentially there to help you keep track of the projects you work on and provide a centralized space to communicate with co-workers or employees as you progress through various projects and tasks.
Customer Support Tools
Providing your customers with high-quality service and support is one of the hallmarks of a successful, sustainable business. When your customers reach out to you for help or support, you need to be able to deliver it in an efficient and accessible way.
This is exactly what customer support tools do. There are many different customer-aligned management tools available, each with a variety of features, such as:
- Visual chat builders
- Omnichannel support
- Live chat (video, messaging, and more)
- Smart-routing to agents
- Post-support surveys
Through using a customer support tool, your business can not only connect with customers in a faster and more productive way, but you can also learn more about how to improve those support services based on real feedback from your audience.
E-commerce Management Tools
E-commerce is one of the fastest-growing business sectors in the world. Since Covid pushed both big and small businesses to find alternative means of selling their wares, the demand for high-quality e-commerce management tools has all but exploded.
These tools are designed to make your online customer’s shopping experience smoother and more meaningful while still driving profits in a sustainable way. Here are some of the ways in which e-commerce management tools can help your business make more money:
- Increases your product line
- Makes your site easier to navigate
- Invest in better marketing strategies
- Attract a wider audience demographic
- Easier payment options for customers
All in all, an e-commerce management tool helps to solidify your presence as an online store and encourages consumers to make more purchases with your business. If you’re in the e-commerce industry, this kind of tool can be revolutionary.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools
Using a CRM comes with many benefits, both financial and otherwise. First, it boosts conversion rates. When people feel like they understand more about your products or services, they are simply more likely to want to invest in your business.
Second, it contributes to longer relationships with your audience. Through using a CRM tool, you can provide your customers with higher quality consumer experiences, which incentivizes them to remain loyal to your brand over others.
Here are some features you can expect from a high-functioning CRM tool:
- Track consumer behavior
- Customize consumer experiences
- Third-party integration
- Incident logging
- Leads management
- CRM analytics
By investing in tools that streamline and support the customer experience, your business can naturally build revenue. These tools are easy to access and can play a fundamental role in boosting conversions and cash flow over a short period.
Accounting And Bookkeeping Tools
Accounting software is another infinitely useful tool to have in your kit as a small business. From issuing and invoice processing to tracking financial data, these tools can be instrumental in keeping your business in the green zone as you work to expand profits over time.
Some of the main advantages of using accounting and bookkeeping tools include:
- Integrative data syncing
- Payroll and income statements management
- Expense tracking and management
- ROI management
- Reconciliation
- Creating, sending, and storing invoices
All in all, accounting and bookkeeping software helps you understand more about what you’re earning, where your cash flow risks are, and how to develop a better financial strategy for improved profits and ROI.
Marketing And Advertising Tools
Last but not least, marketing tools are perhaps one of the most important tools to invest in for generating a profit and making your business more financially stable.
Marketing, in general, is essential for reaching new customers, enhancing brand visibility, and aligning your products or services with consumers who want to invest in them. With these features, achieving those things becomes a lot more manageable:
- Site visitor tracking
- Social media scheduling
- Social media content performance
- Lead scoring
- Lead nurturing
- Progressive profiling
- Email marketing
- Contact management
- Multi-site tool integration
Together, these tools can equip you to implement better marketing systems and improve the way your content is perceived by your target audiences. This leads to a variety of profit-boosting benefits, such as increased conversions and leads.
The Bottom Line
We’ve been using tools to improve our lives since the dawn of mankind. But since moving on from sticks and stones and pen and paper, we now focus on tech tools to help optimize business efforts and further advance our position in society.
These software tools have been expertly designed so that small businesses can gain faster momentum in their industry, generate more profit, and provide higher quality products or services for their audience.
With these tools, your small business can meet consumer expectations, function more efficiently, and create a more sustainable financial flow that carries you towards your goals.
