Software takes a lot of the pain out of running a small business. It can streamline tasks and, in some cases, make them fully automated, allowing you and your staff to focus their attention elsewhere. The software world is vast, though, and identifying exactly what you need can sometimes be difficult.
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eCommerce software
The world is in the middle of an eCommerce boom. More and more online storefronts seem to spring up by the day, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re a small business looking to get started in this area, then it can seem nearly impossible to cut through the noise. Despite the number of stores in existence, eCommerce isn’t simple. Building a storefront from scratch, taking payments, reaching customers, and ensuring their security is hard work, no matter what the online guides tell you.
That’s where eCommerce software comes in. It streamlines the process to the point of simplicity. There are lots of popular eCommerce programs available, with Shopify being the most famous. They allow you to quickly build a store, add products and even cater to a worldwide audience via language support. Crucially, these platforms also cover the payment side of things, guaranteeing security and ease of use, both of which are essential for a growing business.
Payroll software
Payroll is notoriously one of the most arduous parts of running a business, but it is, unfortunately, important. Employees expect and deserve to be paid on time. Failure to do so (and repeated payroll problems) leads to widespread dissatisfaction and can even make employees abandon the company. Getting payroll right is essential, but it’s a time-consuming process that diverts your attention from other tasks.
Good payroll software will do nearly everything for you. It can track wages, benefits, and salary changes, record hours and help with requests for time off. Software will even take the pain out of onboarding, helping small businesses to bring in new staff without any additional stress. Since payroll is one of the more dreaded parts of running a business, software is a widely popular solution and is crucial as you seek to grow.
Time tracking software
Last but certainly not least, time tracking software comes in many forms. Most small businesses can make do with simple software like Toggle, which measures how long employees spend on individual tasks. More complex versions go even further, giving you the option to track expenses and even mileage, but this isn’t essential for most startups. Some software has invoicing features built in too, which can save time.
The beauty of time tracking software is that it takes all the mystery out of invoicing. It also allows you to assess the effectiveness of your workforce at completing certain tasks and ascertain which jobs take up more time than they’re worth. If you employ an hourly workforce or freelancers, then time tracking software is essential, but it can help any business understand how to better manage its workflow.