Essential Software Tools Every Business Needs for Growth and Success

Today most companies use many different tools or software platforms to run their operations. Running a company is different from growing a business and positioning it for success, but there are software tools available today that benefit both goals. The key for any company is making sure the right tools are employed to both keep operations running efficiently while also freeing up time and providing data to support well-informed actionable strategies to grow and succeed. Here are just a few of the business resource tools that will help in this endeavor.

Project Workforce Management

One of the best ways to position a business for growth is to implement systems that make processes run smoothly and render the organization more productive. A project workforce management system allows a company to eliminate the manual process of tracking tasks. Workforce management tools make it easy for all stakeholders to stay informed, communicate and streamline information to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks, prevent unexpected expenses or delays, and keep operations running smoothly. In addition to saving time and reducing errors, these efficiency tools also provide a wealth of metrics and data which can be used by management to improve resource allocation across the company and to forecast and plan for future decisions.

Finding a project workforce management solution that caters to your business, and can genuinely add value, is important. Every business is different, so make sure to select the solution that addresses needs specific to your operations. Systems incorporating tools like a construction time card app are highly effective for the industry that does most of their business on multiple projects centered in the field. Other industries are better served with solutions that focus on other tasks, such as bank customer onboarding or medical appointment scheduling.

Customer Relationship Management

A new business can easily recall interactions with each customer or prospect, but as the business grows Customer Relationship Management software can be instrumental in helping maintain good relationships with existing customers and develop strong connections with new prospects. CRM provides a centralized repository to log and track all information associated with existing customer dealings. It can tell you when to follow-up with loyal customers and how to personalize interactions or request feedback on your performance. Developing new customers is just as important for growth. CRM software helps with managing leads and knowing where to focus marketing efforts. The data gathered by CRM software allows analysis on a variety of factors to make solid business decisions.

Email Management and Marketing

The right email management and marketing tool can be enormously valuable for reaching out to customers and prospects with news about your business and promotional deals. With a solid email list, you can easily target the correct audience to maximize sales potential. Content can be distributed for a range of purposes, whether it is trying to lure a previous customer back, or reel in new prospects. Many systems let you test variations of the same email, know who opened them, examine what links they clicked on and determine who might be most interested in a follow-up message or offer. The ultimate success of a marketing campaign depends on the content and targeting the correct audience, but email management software makes the process easier and a robust system will deliver big benefits for your growth strategy.

Social Media Management

Most businesses know that social media plays a prominent role in our everyday lives and is now a vital link to customers and prospects. However, many companies are intimidated or overwhelmed by the time-consuming and tedious task of actively managing multiple social media accounts. Social media management software provides a single tool to integrate and schedule posts to the various platforms. Posts can be created in advance and sent out at just the right time. With just one view, the risk of missing updates on some platforms is minimized and brand consistency across all accounts is ensured. The optimization and time savings benefits of social media management allow companies to concentrate more effort on strategic planning for business growth.

Businesses now recognize they need technology to succeed. These are just a few of the software tools that will help owners optimize and grow the business.

Related: 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Retain Employees