NOTE: The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence.
Regardless of the industry you work in, there are some pieces of software that every company should have on their devices. Obviously, there are always going to be some that are industry-specific (after all, a fashion brand is not going to need a circuit board tracer), but there are still some basics out there that need to be collected. Let’s take a closer look at some of the pieces of software that need to be used by every company, no matter what.
Anti-Virus
The cybersecurity of some small businesses can be appalling. We need to make sure that our companies are always properly protected in all areas, and yet the security of our computers and servers can often fall by the wayside.
Hackers and cybercriminals are more likely to attack smaller businesses than large corporations as they are more likely to have poorer defenses. However, it can also be a lot harder for these small companies to bounce back if they do have an issue. In this day and age, there are so many options out there for both free and paid anti-virus softwares that you could invest in for your company. You also need to make sure that nothing as simple as a shoddy password is not the cause of a leak.
Read:Customer service: how to do it efficiently
Marketing Tools
Every business needs to perform marketing in some way. It does not matter if you are an investment manager or a baker, you are going to need to use marketing techniques to reach out to customers both new and old. Even if you do not have a full marketing team working within your company, it can be incredibly useful to have a knowledge of some of the tools that they use.
For example, many companies make use of newsletters to inform their customers about what is happening in the business, and potentially to even offer them an exclusive offer or a sneak peek at an upcoming launch. Having a bulk email service on hand makes the whole process of sending out these messages that bit easier to handle.
There are also plenty of social media tools that you can use to make posting to your platforms into a quick and easy process. With one of these tools, you might even be able to make the same post across multiple platforms in a single click.
Project Management
Project management is key in ensuring that all tasks within the company are completed on time and to the best of your employees’ abilities. Of course, there is also no guarantee that two people on the same project could be close by to discuss the needs of the task properly. They could be on either sides of the building, in different branches, or even on opposite sides of the planet. Proper delegation and project management are key to ensure that all parts of a task are addressed.
Read:Best free project management software
You will find many apps and tools online that can help divide up projects as they need to be. The project leader can assign tasks to individual workers, who can then report back either when they are finished or in stages as needed. Throw in a live chat and other tools to boost communication, and you can be certain that project management will be well taken care of across your departments.
HR
The work of HR is very wide, and there are lots of little things that all need to be accounted for. You need to make sure that both your HR staff and your other workers have the right tools they need to keep these processes smooth. For example, your staff need to have an accurate way to track holidays and sick days, and it can also be useful to have a discrete portal that they can use if they wish to make a complaint. Meanwhile, your HR staff need one location where they can keep all their data and reports.
There are several HR portals available for a small subscription that could help you out here. This is an important part of being an employer, so you need to ensure that you give the staff in this department all the help they need to do their job efficiently and fairly.
Read: Most used software for startups
These are just some of the tools a business should invest in, regardless of their industry. When you take away all the framework and specialities that make a business unique, you are left with the same bare-bones. You as a business owner need to ensure that everything is properly supported and maintained so you can focus on some of the more important issues that might arise within your company. Take a look at your current software, and then consider investing in some of the options listed above. They could be just what you need to overhaul your business.
If you like the content, we would appreciate your support by buying us a coffee. Thank you so much for your visit and support.