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How to Manage Your Small Business Using Software

In the 21st Century, any business of any size can be made or broken by one simple factor: how well they use technology and the internet. A mom & pop convenience store, or even a café, will most likely not be able to compete for long unless it can wield technology to its advantage and establish an internet presence. So put down your pencil, reach for your keyboard, and let’s talk about how you can better manage your business using software.

Most anything can be done on computers, and perhaps should be done there. Have you ever had a server forget your order? If he or she had been using a computer instead of a notepad to enter it in, he or she probably wouldn’t have forgotten it. With the help of a computer, he or she would have been more efficient and perhaps ended up with happier customers. Computers are tools that allow humans to work far more efficiently and accurately, and if you’re trying to make your business more efficient or cost effective, there is a software program to help you do so.

First you need to examine what your costs are and ask yourself how you can manage them or make them smaller. Here are some common costs of small businesses:

• Labor or payroll
• Government fees and permits
• Loan payments
• Utilities and real estate expenses

Time Management

Now let’s talk about how software will help you manage these costs, and save you time and money. You can manage your labor and payroll by using timesheet software, such as Harvest, or Studiometry (a desktop application). These will help you keep tabs on the time that you are paying your employees to work, and keep you and your employees free of conflict (you always want to avoid conflict or deal with it quickly because it will cost you time and/or money). These programs often have PDFs which explain how to use them, or video tutorials that can be found with a simple search on YouTube or Google.

Project Management

Nowadays, “collaboration” is more than just a buzzword. The days of email-only replies, messy file folders spread across multiple servers, and trying to figure out just which version of the spreadsheet Mike–or was it Sally?–was working on. Fortunately, with the right project management software, you’ll never have to worry about collaboration again. Many of these platforms include chat software with tagging features so that you don’t have to sift through email-reply chains looking for info relevant to you, as well as file sharing features so that nothing gets “lost in space” so to speak.

Social Media

These days, growing a successful small business no longer depends only on how well you keep track of money, time, and resources, but rather on your outreach and internet presence. Blogging tools, such as WordPress, will allow you to keep a blog for your business that readers can comment and get involved in. You want to have as many fans as possible for your business so that you will be more visible on the web, which means that you have to interact with them on a regular basis.

Accounting

Finally, accounting software programs, such as Moneyworks, can also help you find and keep track of the money that you have to pay for the permits and government fees to run your business, as well as the money that you owe for labor, and utilities, the interest you’ve accrued on loans, and other fixed expenses. Some programs, such as Free Agent, combine several different tools, such as a timesheet and an accounting program, and may be something you’d like to consider. Assess your particular needs and resources, and then decide which software program will best suit your business. Good luck!