Small businesses, though operating on a limited budget, could scale up operations and make more revenues from the automated processes if they invest in relevant productivity software. From Google Drive to Calendly, Slack, Trello, and Microsoft Teams, the range of software out there can make you spend less time and focus on the things that move the wheel in the business. Discover some of the best productivity software for small businesses and how they work towards improving the overall automation of your business.
What are Productivity Tools?
Also called productivity software, these are tech tools and platforms that help in scaling operations for a business. These tools, platforms, or applications help in performing a wide range of tasks like creating spreadsheets, scheduling meetings, storing files, creating and editing audio and video clips, and coming up with worksheets and presentations.
Examples of Productivity Software for Small Businesses
Find out which tech tools to introduce next and the value they offer to team members in terms of boosting their inputs towards improving productivity at the workplace.
1. Trello
This is a productivity software that comes in handy for project management tasks. With the drag-and-drop functionality, it allows you to monitor the current stage of the project and how far the team members have gone with it.
With Trello, you also:
- Assign tasks
- Integrate the project with other relevant productivity software, such as Google Workspace and Slack.
- Prioritize which of the projects should be completed first and the due dates.
2. Google Drive
This storage software from Google is effective not just for data and file storage, but also managing a team. With Google Drive, you get to share files and synchronize the same so that the team members can collaborate and see the latest updates or changes.
Besides, you can use Google Drive as the all-in-one platform to save anything from documents to spreadsheets, audio and video files, and presentations.
3. Asana
Just like Trello, Asana is a project management software that helps in managing team members with ease. Notable features are project creation and management, scheduling, setting goals and deadlines, and a visualizer for monitoring the project updates.
4. Todoist
At the risk of procrastination, your small business needs to use the Todoist mobile application to promote the need to plan the day. With this, your team members get to make a list of what’s to be done and you can make the same and help the team have an idea of what’s up for the day.
The Todoist, available on the Apple and Android device platforms, also helps in these ways:
- Offline access
- Detailed list and project assignment to team members.
- Visualization tools for tracking purposes.
5. Slack
Want the team members to communicate and or share ideas that will lead to a successful delivery of projects. Get Slack, the productivity software that allows team members to establish direct communication, in the form of chats.
The chat spaces, otherwise known as channels, are media for colleagues to chat, do a quick video call, and be in constant contact to help them finish up the current project(s) on time.
6. Microsoft Teams
Also a communication platform, Microsoft Teams helps your team members go beyond chats to have real-time, video conferencing. This feature is essential as it promotes collaboration beyond texting while helping colleagues, irrespective of where they’re located, to be in active collaboration.
Microsoft Teams also has some productive features, such as:
- File sharing
- Real-time chat functionality
- Integration with the Microsoft Office ecosystem.
7. Evernote
Whether during physical or online, video conferencing, you need your team or employees to put down important points. While journaling may help here, it may not be fast enough to note down all the points. There’s also the risk of losing the notebook. This is where technology, through Evernote, simplifies everything.
With Evernote, note-taking becomes simpler, thanks to the intuitive interface and a wide range of features. Team members can organize anything from website pages, clipped images, text notes, and Portable Document Files (PDFs).
8. Airtable
Airtable is one productivity software that goes beyond aiding project management to boost customer relations. You can use the platform and the dedicated mobile application to build anything from spreadsheets and databases to managing interactions between the small business and the customers and prospects.
9. Zoho Projects
One of the software by Zoho, Zoho Projects makes the list of productivity software for small businesses due to the integration of relevant features like project management and messaging. You can also leverage this to track the progress of the tasks.
10. Internxt
If you don’t wish to use Google Drive, an alternative to look for is Internxt. It offers a cloud storage solution that allows small businesses and teams to store and access files. The platform also supports document storage and project organization.
11. Google Keep
Team members have important documents and files they wish to keep safe. Rather than using a holistic platform like Google Drive, they may opt to use Google Keep, which supports saving these in one place.
You can also use Google Keep for other purposes like setting reminders on upcoming or yet-to-be-completed projects, creating checklists, and organizing all the files accordingly.
12. Chanty
Communication and constant updates are very important in the completion of projects. Get the Chanty software to help your small team in these ways:
- Communicate in a variety of ways, such as audio and video calls, instant messaging, and voice notes.
- Use the Kanban board to manage projects effectively.
13. HubSpot Marketing Hub
The goal of a small business is to provide value and generate revenue in the process. That is what the HubSpot Marketing Hub offers. Use this all-in-one productivity software to automate your business’s marketing efforts, including outbound marketing, creating content, and analyzing marketing data.
Conclusion
Software and tech tools/platforms are the lifeblood of small business growth. By using Google Keep and Google Drive, both from Google, you get to store files and manage them effectively. The likes of Asana and Trello do well for project management while Microsoft Teams and Slack promote real-time communication among the team members. Get at least one of the software from each of the categories to help you scale the small business faster.