As a head of a company, you have some hard decisions to make. You have to be sure your business runs smoothly and can overcome any challenges it will face. Your technology and software programs should help support daily business butsometimes it can be hard to choose between what’s available and how much of a budget you have. The basic programs here are not only inexpensive, but offer excellent benefits. Read more to learn about three of the best software programs all business owners should have.
Skype
Skype is a prime example of how a company can drastically cut telecommunications costs. Skype is an IM and voice chat software program that allows users to telephone and video teleconference at a fraction of the normal cost. In fact, Skype is free for basic users, and very inexpensive for business users. Skype Premium provides a group video conference function, yet only costs about five dollars a month. In addition, Skype is available on most smart phones and tablets; making key personnel, such as sales people and executives, able to communicate with clients and co-workers around the world for less.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is one of the most popular web analytics services that allow business users to assess online performance through following conversions, such as sales or lead generation. Any business that has a website can use programs like Google Analytics to increase the effectiveness of their SEO campaign.
The free program allows business owners to discover how visitors locate their website through keyword combinations. It will also identify the links and pages that generate the most clicks, which is useful to know if the SEO marketing campaign is effectively directing online traffic to the right pages. Finally, it will provide valuable visitor demographics, such as geographic location, and how the visitor was referred to the website. Get your company’s online marketing up and running without hiring out for an expensive third party with this cost-effective solution.
CRM Software
Customer driven industries, such as sales and marketing, should considering using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. The goal of these systems is to improve relationships with existing customers, manage the process of finding new customers, and win back former customers. As a whole, CRM software organizes, collects, and manages all aspects of customer information. As customer data is collected, revenue can be increased through using data analytics to understand customer and market trends. CRM software is great at improving customer relations through offering a unified information platform that improves internal communication.
According to Forbes Magazine, the secret to choosing the best CRM system is to select one the entire organization is comfortable with using. For example, a construction company might choose something like Acculynx Construction Management Software which is specific to the industry and can provide personalized CRM for contractors. It is also important to designate CRM responsibilities. That is, office staff should focus on data entry and sales should focus on increasing revenue.
All businesses should take advantage of software programs worth their investment. Google Analytics will enable you to upgrade and fine tune your website to perfection, and skype is the ideal communication software for freelancers or small business owners. Use these ideas and others to get your company off the ground, and up to par with the competition.
"Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan."
