As a small to medium sized business (SMB) owner, you likely wear a slew of different hats. From managing staff, ensuring daily operations are functioning at full force, drumming up new sales leads – all the details of running your small business may have you up to your eyeballs in endless minutia.
In fact, you probably have so much on your plate you might be looking for ways to streamline your daily SMB functions. If you are, then you’re smart because there are several vital applications and software solutions that can save you boat loads money and time. Here is a rundown of the three top must-have applications and software solutions every SMB should have, including yours.
Accounting Solutions to Save Your Sanity
According to a survey conducted by TD Bank, 96% of SMB owners thrive on the freedom and flexibility entrepreneurship provides them. Conversely, almost 50% of these same business owners say they absolutely hate doing finances for their businesses.
It’s no wonder, because let’s face it – doing taxes, processing payroll, running accounts payable, receivables and general ledgers is a snooze-fest. If you can relate, then do yourself (and your business) an enormous favor by securing an accounting software system that can take all the heavy lifting of finances off your shoulders.
Frankly, you’ll be glad to get this monkey off your back, because financial software will save you tons of hassle and stress. Not to mention, accounting software can track your expenses, execute payments more accurately, and help you pay business taxes without running the risk of reporting costly mistakes to tax authorities.
According to Investopedia, the number one ranking accounting software in the running for small business owners is still Quickbooks because SMBs rely on its diverse capabilities, advanced functions and ease of use. However, don’t take their word for it. Your business is unique, so do research on the best accounting software programs that play to you and your business needs.
Digital Asset Management Solutions to Keep You On-Track
Another big pain in the neck for many SMB owners is managing digital assets. Think about all the videos, images, and advertisements your business has to handle every quarter. Wouldn’t it be nice to have all that content in one central location? Furthermore, wouldn’t it be a dream come true to have all your team members have access to your company’s digital assets with little to no training?
From boosting brand consistency, keeping track of licensing, repurposing assets and even keeping tabs on how your digital assets are performing, this management solution is key for any SMB that wants to be fully in control of their marketing, promotional and website content. Your best option for this godsend business solution is to go with a cloud digital asset management service. This application can offer you and your team flexibility, functionality as well as keep your business at the forefront of your digital asset game.
Technical Support and Security Software Solutions for Peace of Mind
According to a reliable study published by Forbes Magazine, an average of 30,000 small business websites are cyber attacked every day. Yes, you read that right. To put it in more hard-core terms, up to 43% of all security breaches involve small businesses according to cyber security statistics.
These are staggering figures that should certainly sober you up to the point you might want to consider implementing security software to protect your precious small business from suffering the same fate. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to research the best security software for small businesses to ensure your business website doesn’t fall victim to total shut-down due to hacker attacks.
Furthermore, you might want to consider having a crackerjack IT team on contract. While this isn’t a software solution, it can certainly be a business saver. When computer glitches crop up (and they will) an IT service can come in, retrieve backups and get you back up and running. This can give you peace of mind as well as provide you with a much-needed failsafe if you are facing total data loss on your website or business network.
The Last Word About Your SMB Success
While it’s true that being a small business owner is a hair-raising position to be in, it doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your life or savoring your SMB as it grows. Hopefully, these application suggestions and software solutions will help you and your small business achieve your goals more easily while reducing anxiety as you prepare your business for success for many years to come in the future.
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