If you are setting up a small business, chances are that there are many aspects you have yet to master. Each successful business is made up of a stream of processes that keep things running quickly and efficiently. It can be quite challenging to juggle these processes by yourself, especially if you are setting up your business on your own. However, there are a number of productivity tools that you can use to speed up your transactional and administrative procedures, helping your business to run smoothly.
To-do lists
Once your business starts to grow, one of the most challenging things can be simply keeping track of your daily tasks and objectives. Certain online tools can help you structure your day and keep track of what you’re doing.
- Toodledo – This service allows you to organize and sort your tasks on a tiered model, enabling you to categorize things by priority. It is also fully optimized for mobile devices, helping you keep organized on the move.
- Gmail Tasks – Google’s to-do list service links directly to your Gmail account, providing easy access for any company that already uses Google’s services. The system is maintained on cloud servers, ensuring that it works quickly while data is stored in a safe environment.
Digital note taking
If you often have conference calls or meetings with clients or personnel in remote areas, you need to use some sort of cloud computing note service that allows each member of the team to access data from their location. There are a number of digital services that provide this requirement for you.
- Evernote – This is one service that can take care of all your note needs and can be accessed in a variety of ways, from desktop to mobile app, and even Twitter. You can even use the service to scan images such as business cards so that you can share pictorial information with your team.
- Springnote – Based on wiki technology, this program allows users to link concepts and pages in a quick and easy manner. You can also share individual notebooks with others on the service.
Information and news
Concrete data and accurate, reliable news is key to any business that is looking to grow. Many companies provide a range of services based around these two key points, and can help your business grow exponentially.
- Echosign – This firm provides a wide range of digital business solutions. Most notable is its online signature program, which allows users to sign any number of documents electronically. This service can often speed up the time it takes for important contracts and business deals to be completed and as you know, speed is important for any thriving business.
- Read It Later – One of the problems of having news at your fingertips is that it can be difficult to sift through and find the relevant articles that you need. This service allows you to scan news documents and save them for later.
Ability to Work Anywhere
Having access to your computer and programs necessary to work, from anywhere, can really push the productivity in your small business.
- VMware This will allow telecommuters or those working at home to work through virtualization and secure remote desktop.
- Dropbox – Dropbox is a cloud service that allows you to upload files to access anywhere (smart phone, web, desktop).
These seven productivity suites can help your business grow in no time. Which one will you use first?
