Running a small business is a tall order. You usually have to wear multiple hats throughout the day and may be responsible for everything from accounting to marketing.
Fortunately, plenty of high-tech systems help you along the way. HR software like BambooHR and Gusto can help you onboard and pay new employees, while automated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software like Monday.com and Salesforce can help you follow up with highly qualified leads.
Utilizing the latest trends in software can increase your profitability, too. Mobile payment services like Stripe and SquareUp can streamline your point-of-sale and ensure that customers are able to place orders whenever they want.
Cashless Payment Systems
Some small businesses mistakenly favor cash payments over credit/debit cards or Automated-Clear House (ACH) purchases due to perceived ease and familiarity. However, the advantages of cashless payments far outweigh the drawbacks. The benefits of cashless payments for small businesses include:
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Increase Revenue: allowing consumers to spend with their preferred payment method will bring in more sales and improve your customer experience.
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Lower Costs: Cash is costly. You have to transfer the cash you take and may even have to hire an armored car service to make your deposits. Electronic purchases can cut these costs and reduce the time and money spent on training employees to handle cash.
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Data: most cashless payments come with useful consumer data. Payment services can gather demographic data and may help you spot trends amongst your consumers.
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Accounting Efficiency: cashless payment services automatically collect payment data and minimize the risk of human error.
Going cashless can support business growth and help improve the consumer experience. This is particularly important if you are expanding your operations, as many cashless payment services can be integrated into other systems like Customer Relationship Management software.
Content Management Systems
Effectively advertising your business is essential if you want to build your brand and expand your operations. A clear marketing strategy can help better understand your consumers and help you gather useful feedback, too. Fortunately, you can make the process easier by subscribing to a content management system (CMS) that suits your company.
Finding the right content management system (CMS) can be tricky. There are plenty of options to choose from, but, at minimum, you should research major players like:
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WordPress
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CMS Hub
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Drupal
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Wix
Each of these CMS platforms has unique benefits and is constantly updating its software to utilize the latest breakthroughs in automation and data management. Find the right CMS for you by considering the following:
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Your Needs: As a small business, you probably don’t need an enterprise-grade decoupled CMS. Instead, you should look for an easy-to-use CMS that does all the hard work for you.
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The Tools You Want: Make a short list of the tools you’d like to use. Choose a CMS that gives you access to the tools and tech you need to translate customer feedback, track analytics, and complete brand reputation management on your behalf.
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Test-Run: Before switching to a new CMS, test-run the platform for a few weeks. This will give you hands-on experience with the platform and help you avoid costly contracts.
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Check Out Customer Support: During the test, get in contact with customer support and ask for their help. You can’t afford to wait days to get a response and should go with the provider that best serves your needs.
A great CMS can make your marketing efforts that much easier. Consider touching base with your marketing department before signing up for any expensive contracts. As your business grows, hire folks who have experience with the CMS that you settle on. This will reduce onboarding time and increase your operational efficiency.
Task Management
Going remote gives your employees a better work-life balance and can help them save hundreds of dollars every year on commuting costs. However, moving to a remote work schedule can make task management difficult.
Maintaining your remote work productivity by utilizing a task management system that serves remote and hybrid employees alike. Platforms like Asana and Monday.com give you a chance to assign detailed, customized tasks to employees across the country. These task management systems can help you track productivity and performance, too.
When researching a new task management system, consider factors like:
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Budget
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Team size
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Integration options
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Previous experience
Finding a task management program that suits your team’s needs is essential to the overall efficiency of your business. Test-run the platform before you roll it out to the whole company and gather employee feedback to ensure that the app you settle on is intuitive and user-friendly.
Conclusion
High-tech, user-friendly systems can increase your profitability and improve your day-to-day profitability. Software like SquareUp, Wix, and Asana can automate many of your most time-consuming tasks, too. These programs are designed to support your company as it grows and can be fully customized to meet the needs of your small business.