Perhaps you’re hoping to either start a new home-based business or improve the efficiency of an existing business. In either case, technology offers you many possible opportunities to streamline your operations and increase productivity. The following are 6 different types of technology that can empower you to run your small business more efficiently:
1. Videoconferencing Platforms
If you ever have a need to conduct meetings with clients or suppliers, videoconferencing technologies can be beneficial. They allow you to hold your meetings without actually getting in the car or on a plane and without actually meeting face-to-face. This can save significant sums of money for your business, particularly if your contacts are scattered in different distant locations.
There are many different purveyors of this type of technology. Some platforms to consider include Zoom and GoToMeeting.
2. Accounting Apps
Accounting apps can be useful if you need to create invoices, archive receipts or access your data via your mobile devices. Many popular accounting software platforms such as Quickbooks and Freshbooks make accounting apps available in addition to their flagship product offerings.
3. Fuel Cards
Fuel cards offer their users multiple advantages and benefits. Some of them offer fuel discounts; but, for many business owners, that isn’t the most compelling reason to use a fuel card. One of the greatest conveniences fuel cards offer is the consolidated receipts feature. Once your team starts using a fuel card, your company’s fuel expenses can all be easily tracked and monitored, which frees you from going to the trouble of archiving physical receipts and expense reports.
Perhaps you lack clear insights on which fuel card might be the best one for your company’s unique situation, Fuelcard Report can help you find the ideal fuel card for your small business.
4. Time-Tracking Software
Time is precious. Tracking where it goes can help to keep your business on target. If you have a need to keep track of how much time is spent on any given activity in your work day, it is worth considering the purchase of time-tracking software.
Furthermore, it’s important to bill customers appropriately for the services your company provides them with. Time tracking software can help with this, too, in cases where you bill by the hour or by portions of hours.
5. Productivity Apps
If you’re like the typical home-based business owner, you have countless tasks, meetings and projects to manage. Productivity apps are helpful for tracking each day’s agenda items and organising your day-to-day affairs. They give you the option to set reminders, create to-do lists, concoct an employee schedule and even more.
6. Customer Relationship Management Software
It can be such a challenge to remember zillions of birthdays and other small details about your valued relationships. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can help your company keep on top of these little details. CRM software is indispensable for simultaneously tracking many different types of communications and actions that need to be performed. It’s a huge help for maintaining multiple relationships at once.
These aren’t the only technologies that can help to improve the efficiency of your home-based business. However, these are some of the most helpful and broadly available technologies that small business owners will want to take into consideration for maximum efficiency in the future.
