Small businesses are often short-handed yet never short of work. Use one of the 21 must-have free business tools we’ve reviewed below to take control of your workload and push your business forward.
Any small business owner is intimately familiar with the feeling that there aren’t enough hours in the day. From meeting with clients and managing your growing team to keeping on top of communication and administrative tasks, work never ends. With so much on your plate, it’s easy to become overworked and exhausted.
Having the right tool for the job can make a huge difference in pushing the productivity and performance of your team forward. But choosing the right software for your needs is easier said than done. You need to find the kind of software that will help your team realize its potential and lighten your load as their leader.
We’ve done all the hard work for you and collected the 21 best free tools for small businesses that will propel your company forward.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Connecteam is a cost-effective, easy-to-use, and customizable management tool for small businesses.
Start for Free -
Best for collaborating on documents.
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Best for digital meetings.
What to Look For in a Small Business Tool
When looking for good tools to run your business, keep an eye out for the following aspects and features:
- Ease of use: It’s easy to set up and offers an intuitive user experience.
- Customizability: It’s customizable to suit your team structures.
- Addresses your needs: It provides you specifically with the tools you need to simplify your processes.
- Price: It is cost-friendly and suits your budget.
- Support: It comes with good customer support to help you with any issues.
The 21 Best Small Business Tools of 2023
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one business & employee management tool.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Without a doubt, Connecteam is the best free small business tool for you. Designed especially for deskless and remote teams, Connecteam is a leading business tool that makes your business and employee management absolutely seamless. With a free plan for up to 30 users, you’ll get all of the below (and hours of your time back!):
You can easily –
- Create and share an efficient job schedule when you easily assign a schedule (use drag & drop, templates, etc.) that’s based on different requirements. For each shift, offer additional key information so your team has everything available in a tap like address, tasks to complete, time, and more. Employees can accept or reject shifts, check-in when they show up to the site, and more – while on the go!
- Track your employees’ work hours via a self-serve, GPS-tracked time clock that syncs automatically with QuickBooks Online, so when employees clock in and out from their phones, a real-time timestamp and GPS location is automatically tagged. This creates more efficient and easy to manage timesheets, not to mention, an 100% accurate payroll.
- Create interactive communication with group or one-on-one chat and share GIFs, videos, and pictures. Let your team engage with your update with likes and comments or if it’s a one-way announcement to keep everyone on the same page.
- Manage reports on the go and in real-time like an incident report, expense reimbursement, operational checklists, and more so you can ensure compliance from top-to-bottom.
- Offer a better training and onboarding experience so your team has direct access to training resources, such as the employee handbook, safety protocols, benefits, etc.
- Boost engagement through announcements, newsletters, and updates that you can segment per group and channel to avoid information overload. Share goals met, new sales landed, key protocols, and more.
- Use the searchable employee directory to keep all work contacts on the app instead of your personal phone, easily find the contact needed with a quick search (name, job title, location, etc.) and quickly engage with the contact through action buttons like a phone call, email, or chat.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Try Connecteam here!
Key Features
Pros
Intuitive and easy to use
All-in-one solution
Great customer support
Budget-friendly
100% free plan for up to 10 users
Cons
Integrations in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
Streamline your small business operations with Connecteam!
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Google Docs — Best for: Collaborating on documents.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
When it comes to free tools for small business owners, you can’t avoid mentioning Google, so we’re going to start with the internet giant everyone knows. This is a great tool when you need to collaborate on files.
When it comes to sharing files and collaborating on documents, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are the way to go. The files are stored in your Google Drive and are a wonderful way to avoid those endless back-and-forth emails when collaborating on various documents.
Learn more about Google DocsKey Features
- Document creation
- Collaboration tools
- Comments
- Project management
Pros
- Secure platform
- Easy to share information
Cons
- Difficult to use with poor internet connection
- Insufficient organizing tools
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes
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Join.me with GoTo — Best for: Digital meetings.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Gone are the days of conference calls. Well, maybe not gone but definitely changed. Solutions like the join.me conferencing tool let you present to multiple employees or clients from the comfort of your home or office chair, saving you long trips and even confusing team chats.
Learn more about Join.me with GoToKey Features
- Direct messaging
- Screen sharing
- Recording
- File Sharing
Pros
- User-friendly
- Easy to navigate
Cons
- Prone to bugs
- Less adopted compared to similar tools
Pricing
Starts at $12/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Hubspot — Best for: Customer relationship management (CRM).
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
One of our favorite small business tools of all time, Hubspot is a free CRM solution that promises to stay free forever and offers automation features that help track customer interactions. You can also create and follow sales-related tasks and get a good overview of your sales funnel at any given time. It’s a nice little productivity business tool.
Learn more about HubspotKey Features
- Contract & license management
- Lead distribution
- Customer database
- Performance metrics
Pros
- Easy to navigate
- Clean user interface
Cons
- Geared toward enterprises
- Expensive add ons
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Proofhub — Best for: Managing projects.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
This easy-to-use project management and team collaboration software is a great small business tools option. By replacing the multiple tools required for task management, collaboration, time tracking, communication, file sharing, and reporting with a single all-in-one software, it gives teams a central source to find whatever they need.
Learn more about ProofhubKey Features
- Project scheduling
- Productivity analysis
- Issue management
- Client Portal
Pros
- Feature-rich
- Good collaboration tools
Cons
- Unintuitive user experience
- Difficult to manage notifications
Pricing
Starts at $45/month, for up to 40 projects Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: No
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Sellsy — Best for: Managing sales processes.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
One of the challenges with managing sales processes can be combining sales process data from various channels (online, PoS and inside sales). Sellsy is a free small business tool that combines client relations and contact marketing, as well as inventory management and even time tracking.
Learn more about SellsyKey Features
- Activity dashboard
- Billing & invoicing
- Collaboration tools
- Campaign management
Pros
- Good analytical tools
- Easy to use
Cons
- Unintuitive user experience
- Lacking capabilities
Pricing
Starts at $25/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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xTuple — Best for: Distribution management.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
The path from product manufacturing to sitting in the hands-on of your customers can be complex. xTuple is a free small business tool that’s an open-source ERP solution with an integrated CRM system, intended mostly for companies producing products rather than services.
Learn more about xTupleKey Features
- Fixed asset management
- Purchase order management
- Quality management
- Quotes & estimates
Pros
- Feature-rich
- Customizability
Cons
- Insufficient capabilities
- Complex to learn
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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IFTTT — Best for: Managing integrations.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
“If This, Then That” is a much-loved free small business tool: it’s a simple but flexible automation system that integrates hundreds of apps and services to create automated processes for things, getting them ‘talking’ to one another. For example, you can create an IFTTT so that leads from your website turn into contacts in HubSpot, or even improve your internal communication via automated channels.
Learn more about IFTTTKey Features
- Integration management
- Data security
- Cloud data integration
- Pre-built connectors
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Frequent updates
Cons
- Prone to bugs
- Limited capabilities
Pricing
Starts at $2.50/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Zapier — Good for: Automating workflows.
Available on
- Web
Similar to IFTTT, Zapier is a more business-oriented automation tool that integrates with significantly more apps and services than IFTTT. So before selecting one or the other, you should ensure it communicates flawlessly with the small business tools and services you currently use.
Key Features
- Compliance management
- Business process automation
- Workflow configuration
- Access controls & permissions
Pros
- Easy to set up
- User-friendly
Cons
- Limited capabilities
- Lacks error handling functionality
Pricing
Starts at $19.99/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Thunderbird
Thunderbird — Best for: Managing business emails.
Available on
- Windows
- Mac
If you’re not a fan of Google’s free small business tools and prefer your email client and messages stored locally on your device? Thunderbird is your solution. It’s a free all-in-one email, tasks, calendar, and team chat, somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s Outlook experience of old.
Learn more about ThunderbirdKey Features
- Email account
- Address book
- Attachment reminder
- Message archive
Pros
- Good customizability
- Lacks mobile access
Cons
- Insufficient spam detection
- Unintuitive user experience
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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MixMax — Best for: Scheduling email sequences.
Available on
- Web
Keeping track of emails is time-consuming and often annoying. MixMax is a browser plugin that helps you track correspondence, schedule emails, and use sequences and reminders. Unfortunately, the free version is limited to 100 tracked emails and 10 scheduled emails per month, so if you’re looking for one of the best small business tools for your email communication, the paid version will likely work better for you.
Learn more about MixMaxKey Features
- Activity tracking
- Email monitoring
- Event-triggered actions
- Response management
Pros
- Feature-rich
- Template options
Cons
- Insufficient reporting capabilities
- Unintuitive user experience
Pricing
Starts at $49/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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MailChimp — Best for: Email marketing.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Email communication with clients and partners is often based on regular newsletters, and few solutions do it better than MailChimp. With a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) template editor and tracking of open and click rates, this tool is the top free business tool for any business managing a newsletter. The service is free for up to 2,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails.
Another cool feature worth mentioning is integration with the automation platforms we mentioned earlier which lets you get creative with how you maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts.
Learn more about MailChimpKey Features
- Automated scheduling
- Email tracking
- Click tracking
- Collaboration tools
Pros
- Good automation options
- Great email marketing capabilities
Cons
- Complicated to use
- Limited capabilities
Pricing
Starts at $11/month, for up to 3 users Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Asana — Best for: Managing team projects.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
This simple and free task management solution (up to 15 users) is easy to use and rather flexible. Much like asanas in yoga. This free small business tool lets you create repeating tasks, assign them to team members, and keep track of the task progress from a single customizable dashboard.
Learn more about AsanaKey Features
- Goal management
- Due date tracking
- Requirements management
- Resource scheduling
Pros
- Engaging user experience
- Intuitive interface
Cons
- Lacks recurring tasks functions
- Limited notification options
Pricing
Starts at $14.99/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes — Up to 15 users
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Wrike — Best for: Running multiple projects.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
In real-time, Wrike is a top free small business tool that allows you to analyze performance insights with clunky spreadsheets. Customize everything to your needs, from the dashboard to automation, add comments, live edit, share information with stakeholders, look at individual tasks or team projects, and more. Wrike can also integrate with various tools like GitHub, Slack, Box, SalesForce, and more.
If you like the sound of Wrike, then check out and get started with Connecteam’s free task management tool! It’s that much easier to allocate tasks, even on the go, to build transparency and hold your team accountable.
Learn more about WrikeKey Features
- Backlog management
- Budgeting & forecasting
- Business process control
- Change management
Pros
- Feature-rich
- Good functionalities
Cons
- Unintuitive user experience
- Poor customer support
Pricing
Starts at $9.80/user/month, for 2-25 users Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes
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Loyverse — Best for: tracking customers' purchase history.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
This free POS tool, as the name implies, is a free small business tool that’s a POS and loyalty program solution for deskless businesses like beauty salons, florists, and small retail stores. It includes analytics as well as inventory management and is available for free on Google Play and the iTunes App Store.
Learn more about LoyverseKey Features
- Loyalty program
- Point of sale (POS)
- Sales reports
- Delivery management
Pros
- Good reporting options
- Easy to use
Cons
- Capabilities lack refinement
- Some features can be confusing
Pricing
Starts at $5/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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KeyHut
KeyHut — Best for: Processing timed sales.
Available on
- Windows
If you’re more into old-style DOS desktop registers, Cash Register by KeyHut is your free small business tool solution. And if you’re not, it’s still worth checking out the grumpy humor and 90s-style website of the developer for the laughs, at the very least.
Learn more about KeyHutKey Features
- Discount management
- Barcode scanning
- Point of sale (POS)
- Customer accounts
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Good customer support
Cons
- Prone to bugs
- Limited features
Pricing
Free Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Google Analytics — Best for: Analyzing customer website behavior.
Available on
- Web
- Android
Google shows up on our list once again because its capabilities are wide in scope, not to mention, free. Google Analytics shows you how and from where your customers are coming from on your website. This allows you to enhance your marketing strategy to generate more leads, while also not spending any money (but also knowing where you’re likely to make the most money, by reading the analytics!).
Learn more about Google AnalyticsKey Features
- Data aggregation
- Website analytics
- Customer journey mapping
- Time-on-site tracking
Pros
- Easy to install
- Good reporting options
Cons
- Unintuitive user experience
- Difficult to learn
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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SBA — Best for: Discovering business insights.
Available on
- Web
Taking a look at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website can really make a difference: it’s one of the best free tools for small business owners so you can learn more about writing up business plans, how to finance your business, insights and tips for entrepreneurs, and so much more. Whether you’re just starting out or have been running a business for years, SBA is a valuable source of information.
Learn more about SBAKey Features
- Business guide
- Funding program
- Learning platform
- Federal contracting
Pros
- Good learning tools
- Provides government-level insights
Cons
- Insufficient customer support
- Prone to bugs
Pricing
Free Trial: No Free Plan: No
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SCORE — Best for: Receiving business consultation.
Available on
- Web
SCORE, a non-profit, has been around for 50+ years and is an amazing resource for helping small businesses get off the ground. It offers free learning opportunities online, in-person mentoring, and more.
Learn more about SCOREKey Features
- Live webinars
- Business training library
- Mentor program
- Startup roadmap
Pros
- Good customer relations
- Consistent support
Cons
- Narrow service
- Available on limited platforms
Pricing
Free Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Canva — Best for: Designing logos.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Hiring a professional graphic designer is a costly expense and one you might not be able to afford straight away. With Canva, you have pre-formatted templates for EVERYTHING. Including social media banners, marketing flyers, events, documents (presentations, letters, reports, etc.), and so much more. Canva is super easy to use and the results are stunning – it’s one of the most popular free small business tools online, and for good reason!
Learn more about CanvaKey Features
- Business card maker
- Logo maker
- Menu designer
- PDF editor
Pros
- Easy to use
- Engaging user interface
Cons
- Features could use refinement
- Poor customer support
Pricing
Starts at $10/month/user Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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BoomTax — Employers looking for a simple tax filing solution.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
This simple to use tax filing software enables employers to file their 1099, W-2 and
Learn more about BoomTax
Affordable Care Act forms in just a few steps. BoomTax has a step-by-step approach
that allows users to easily complete their IRS reporting for a variety of form types
without having to get specialized training or IRS testing and approval.Key Features
- Completely Hands Off E-filing
- Support for Popular Payroll/HCM Provider Data Imports
- Free Unlimited Corrections for Filings
- E-Delivery and Print and Mail Recipient Copy Options
Pros
- Intuitive and easy to use
- Good customer support
Cons
- No multi-user access
- Doesn’t have wide variety of form support
Pricing
Starts at $39 for 1099/W-2 filing and $349 for 1095-C Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
Compare the Best Small Business Tools
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Thunderbird |
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KeyHut |
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Reviews |
4.8
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4.2
|
4.3
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4.5
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4.5
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4.4
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4.2
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4.5
|
4.7
|
4.4
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
4.5
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4.3
|
4.7
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N/A
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4.7
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N/A
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N/A
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4.7
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N/A
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Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
|
Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $12/user/month
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $45/month, for up to 40 projects
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Starts at $25/user/month
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $2.50/month
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Starts at $19.99/month
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $49/user/month
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Starts at $11/month, for up to 3 users
|
Starts at $14.99/user/month
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Starts at $9.80/user/month, for 2-25 users
|
Starts at $5/user/month
|
Free
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Free
|
Free
|
Starts at $10/month/user
|
Starts at $39 for 1099/W-2 filing and $349 for 1095-C
|
Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
|
Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
Up to 15 users
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
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Why do you Need Small Business Tools?
Manual business management is a thing of the past. Today software solutions have provided small businesses (and large ones as well) with more efficient workflows.
Software business tools are automated so that your company information is held:
- Accurate
- Up to date; kept in real-time
- Completely secure
The beauty of software is that you can run your business anywhere, at any time. The information follows you so that you can have eyes on your business at your own convenience. As an added note, if you’re looking to grow as a business, this is where business tools really come into play:
- Speeds up processes
- Cuts down on unnecessary costs
- Track productivity
- Streamline communication
- Manage money with more data to back it up
The opportunities are limitless, and that is why anyone can get value out of small business tools.
What are the Benefits of Small Business Tools Software?
When you’re running a small business, it doesn’t matter what your title is because eventually, everyone on your team will be doing more than their job description.
Having more responsibility than you signed up for is part of the charm of a small business, but it can also be part of the chaos that starts creeping in. When there is so much going on, it’s easy to forget to communicate and then waste time on overlapped work. It is crucial to make sure everyone on the team knows exactly what is on the agenda.
Software business tools will help you hit your goals with:
Time Management– automate time spent on activities to know where your business stands on productivity.
Communications– make calls or chats accessible so that employees can directly collaborate even when they’re working remotely.
Workplace Happiness– employee burnout is a major contributor to unhappiness in the workplace. With more efficient workflows in place, time & energy are more carefully spent.
Financial Management– helps keep an eye on how much money is going into overtime and can provide insight on which employees or tasks are costing the most.
Scheduling– let employees know exactly where they are meant to be and the details of their day’s, week’s, or month’s tasks. Have your workload laid out in front of you.
Common Resistance To Using Small Business Tools
No Time
You’re not the only one either. Over 80% of small business managers still use a pen, paper, and spreadsheets to run their workforce. And like most SMBs, it’s very likely that your outlook is strongly influenced by your current focus on day-to-day operations. When you’re buried up to your ears in work, it’s hard to find the time and energy to find solutions that help you shift your focus from day-to-day operations to strategic growth.
You don’t need to wait for your team and operation to grow to introduce technological solutions and tools. Often, it’s their implementation that affects business growth.
It’s too expensive
That’s just part of the equation. The second part is the cost. Until recently, business operations software, such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), was considered to be too costly to implement for small businesses. But that’s all changing now. Business software has become easier to implement and much more affordable. For a fraction of the cost, SMBs can get their hands on the latest software. Sometimes, even for free.
So, now that we have successfully removed all fear and cost considerations are no longer an obstacle, it’s time to choose the easiest, and more importantly free, business operations management tools out there.
FAQs
What is a business tool (meaning)?
A business management tool is a system, application, or methodology that businesses use to help them operate more effectively, maintain a competitive position in the market, and improve their performance.
Are business tools important?
Digital business tools play a significant role in boosting productivity, which is one of the main factors in running a successful company. Having the right business tools enables you to run your operations more smoothly, which in turn also increases employee motivation and job satisfaction.
What are the different tools in business?
There are different types of digital business tools that can help you improve your processes and save valuable time and money.
In this article we discuss:
- CRM and ERP Business Tools
- Automation Business Tools
- Email Business Tools
- Task Management Business Tools
- On-the-Spot – Point of Sale Business Tools
- Analytics Business Tools
- Business Development Tools
- Design Business Tools
The Bottom Line On Tools For Small Business Owners
You don’t need to become a mobile phone expert or software developer to use technology to grow your business with free business tools, be it a local grocery shop, a plumbing service, or a toy manufacturer you can quickly and easily set up any of these tools to start managing your business operations.
That being said, just implementing a bunch of tools doesn’t guarantee success. You need to be strategic about how you operate your business. But fear not more tips, strategies, tactics, and more are available in our comprehensive blog posts.