Business Tools and Technology is a complete software solution that allows you to run your business from start to finish. You will find three simple modules: Finance, Sales, and Marketing. With a few clicks of the mouse you can create invoices, manage your inventory, produce sales reports, manage email marketing campaigns, post to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, generate accounting reports and much more.
Business tools and technology refers to those technologies that support business processes. Information systems have typically been the primary focus of business process improvement efforts with the focus being individual applications which were developed in silos, often by different companies or vendors. Over the past 15 years a new approach, called Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) has emerged as a way to realize value from information technology investments by binding together multiple disparate systems into a cohesive whole, truly integrated with other technologies necessary for business processes such as telecommunications, storage management and security infrastructure into one logical unit.
Email and Social Marketing
Today, many daily “busy work” tasks can be automated so business owners can focus on more cerebral endeavors. Email marketing systems (EMS) such as Aweber and MailChimp allow you to easily keep your email subscribers informed of news about your business and important deals and promotions. Even better, many EMS platforms will also push out your email newsletter to your social networks, so you don’t have to post on your own.
Scheduling Meetings
Setting up meetings can mean lots of emailing back and forth to find a mutually agreed upon time. Scheduling tools like Calendly and Acuity can help automate the process of setting up meetings. You can just send the other person your link and they pick from the available times to meet.
Finding and Retaining Business Clients
For both gaining and retaining clients, as well as uncovering hidden revenue, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms such as Hubspot, SalesForce, and Insightly are invaluable resources. A CRM helps you keep track of potential, current, and previous customers from the first interaction through your marketing and sales funnels. It can also provide tools to nurture those relationships.
Using a CRM consistently will also help you make solid business decisions based on actual data instead of guessing. You can see how many new customers you’ve added in a certain period. You can view contacts by specific data points such as region or type of product they bought. That way, you’ll know who to target with follow-up messages for referrals or repeat business. That’s going to make your marketing dollars go a lot farther.
E-commerce
Conducting business over the Internet provides businesses another option to generate revenue. Web sites can be built to include online databases, interactive menus and shopping cart mechanisms. Customers can learn about, order, and pay for your offering with just a few “clicks.” The site then processes the order through a server, sends a shipping order to a fulfillment location, and returns an order confirmation to the buyer, either through a printable invoice screen or via e-mail to the buyer’s Net address. IT managers can link the company’s LAN or WAN to the Web site so the site’s activity is immediately reported to the network.
Accounting Information Systems
By recording financial data into an accounting information system (AIS), managers can instantly analyze expenses, purchases, payroll, revenues, investments, and other information critical to the enterprise. General ledger and journal entries are immediately “marked to the account” and can be reported in real time to senior management. Software modules make the ledger a hub that connects areas like accounts payable, accounts receivable, and fixed assets. Data is input in these accounts, then flows automatically to the general ledger. Reports can be created for each account or the entire ledger.Accounting platforms integrate inventory counts, time records, purchasing details, billing documents, return merchandise authorizations (RMAs), and other transactions with the ledger entry systems so that the impact of each transaction can be determined immediately. This allows a company to make financial decisions more quickly than before AIS was developed.
Vendor Management Systems
When a business needs additional temporary help to meet demands, the vendor management system (VMS) provides a platform to manage the process of contacting, ordering, and payment of a contingent workforce. Human resource personnel use the system to plan recruitment strategies, provide a screening mechanism, customize staff requirements and monitor temporary staffing effectiveness. The system is typically a Web-based application that allows a user to enter candidate criteria, job requirements, pay scale, duration, and other variables.
Project Management and Collaboration
Don’t let work about work overtake the work itself. Whether your business comprises a small team, multiple groups in multiple offices, or just one person (i.e. you), there are numerous solutions out there that will make project management and collaboration fast, easy, and—dare we say—fun. Here are our favorites:
Time Tracking and Travel
Your time is a precious resource. Don’t take it for granted or let it go to waste. The following tools can help you organize meetings, track working hours, plan trips, optimize your and your team’s schedules, and more—all without consuming valuable time from your day.
Funding
From banks to venture capitalists, there may be plenty of people and organizations out there who are interested in helping your business grow. Use these tools to explore your options and get in front of some decision-makers.
Staffing, Recruiting, and Contracting
Hiring for a new position and on the hunt for talent? Need a contractor for a one-off project or an ongoing need? You don’t need to rely on community job boards or settle for your neighbor’s out-of-work cousin. Use these tools to find candidates—and have them compete for the opportunity to work for you.
Design
Your business’s look and feel are more than aesthetic considerations. A well-designed logo, advertisement, piece of marketing content, or user experience delights your customers, ultimately boosting loyalty and generating more sales. Unleash your inner designer with these affordable (or free) tools.
Marketing and Social Media
Word-of-mouth marketing is the single most effective form of advertisement for a company, and providing a stellar customer service experience is key in creating loyal customers who recommend your business. However, other marketing and social media efforts can definitely be helpful in getting your name out there. Avoid agency costs and start spreading your own message with these marketing, advertising, and social media tools.
SEO
Whether they realize it or not, customers are searching for your business. It’s your job to help them find you. How? By harnessing the power of the algorithm. Ensure your website and landing pages reach the top of search results with these essential search engine optimization (SEO) tools.
Networking
Networking can bring you into contact with life-changing partnerships and opportunities. Grow your circle and discover what’s out there with these networking tools.
Legal and HR
While it is a good idea to hire a qualified attorney for your business, there are times when it’s smarter (and cheaper) to do things yourself. In other words, you don’t need to bother your legal representative with every single piece of paperwork. And the same is true for human resources-related matters as well. Take a look at these tools before calling your lawyer or HR manager.
Website builder
Having a website is no longer optional for any business—it’s as important as the front door of a brick-and-mortar store. A website says that you’re a legitimate company, and you can use your site to impart news, information and alternative communication channels to your customers.
If you’re not tech-savvy, however, you don’t have to settle. Use a website builder like SquareSpace to create a clean, mobile-optimized site that you can build out to include a store, or promote via integrated marketing tools.
Customer relationship management
There’s no reason to operate your customer relationships on the fly any longer. Too often this leads to lost or forgotten leads, or turns repeat customers into ghosts.
Your customer relationship management (or CRM) tool will allow you to log and track every aspect of every relationship you build, letting you know how long it’s been since you’ve followed up with loyal customers, or which users are visiting your website and filling out forms but not closing the deal on a purchase. CRM software like HubSpot helps you stay organized internally and top-of-mind with customers.
Conclusion
Business Tools and Technology is a website that provides information about new business tools and technology. Information includes new business software, hardware, applications, new business opportunities and case studies, and new internet based business models. Information is presented in an easy to read and understand format. Business Tools and Technology defines “tools and technology” as: Business applications and information (such as spreadsheets and search engines) used by businesses; hardware (computers, copiers, switches etc.) used by businesses; software (operating systems); business process re-engineering; virtual organizations; networking; technical advances in telecommunications (e