Businesses are like children in a lot of ways – apart from the fact that businesses need to grow and mature until they become independent and can run by themselves, much like children, businesses also require certain nourishment like care, attention, dedication, and diligence. In our world today, where more businesses are conducted digitally, the rules for survival continue to evolve alongside new technologies and preferences of the audience.
No business section or industry is not represented on the internet, from healthcare to law, construction to hospitality, even the fitness industry has companies like suomiarvostelut and others along its value chains. Businesses that used to take days, weeks, and even months to execute can now be accelerated through the use of online channels, so much so that international e-commerce practices on small scale have become commonplace across different countries of the world. The challenge, hence, is how to operate an online business to be optimal in the discharge of its duties, to not only become and remain productive but also ensure that it remains competitive and provides services that its customers will find relevant per time. For convenient monetary transactions, there are international payment platforms and Money Services Businesses such as Azimo and many others that have enhanced international transfer of money, leading to better businesses across the world.
Several tools have been designed to help businesses of different sizes achieve seamless processes in the digital sphere, and some of them will be highlighted below:
A customer relationship management tool
Making this the first option is not by chance, as customer service is the soul of any business. It is however easy for the customer care unit of any business to become overworked, as they mostly serve as the contact and representative with the outside world. Customer relations can impact greatly on the downline of any business, determining if a prospect turns into a sale and if a sale becomes a loyal customer or vice versa. A couple of products that might be helpful for online customer care services include Acquire, Freshdesk, ProProfs Help Desk, Zendesk, Zohodesk, and so on.
Social Media Marketing and Management tools
Whether in the digital or physical world, any business that hopes to succeed cannot relegate the place of marketing to the background. The digital space is peculiar, in that it might be difficult to catch and sustain the attention of your target audience without quality social media marketing tools and products. Examples of such are Hootesuite, Later, Buffer, CoSchedule, Edgar, etc.
Integrated File Sharing/Project Management tools
This is important for smooth operations of any project that is being executed in a business. It not only helps teammates to be on the same page, it also ensures that responsibilities are assigned, evaluated, and monitored for the best results. Tools to look out for include Trello, Basecamp, Evernote, Asana, G Suite, Dropbox, and so on.
Communication tools
This is closely linked to project management tools. This category of tools is important for effectively communicating internally with members of your team and business, as well as externally with vendors, suppliers, delivery people, and even customers. Products to look out for include Skype, Google Hangout, Voxer, Help Scout, Slack, and many others.
Webinar Tools
Webinars can be perfect opportunities to host meetings, run new ideas by your team, build capacities through pieces of training, pitch ideas about new products, make presentations, host symposiums, and many other such activities. Popular webinar tools include Zoom, WebinarJam, Demio, and GoToWebinar.
Payment Processing tools
Earlier on, we touched on the importance of payment processing and finance tools for efficient business transactions to take place. If a business is not a not-for-profit organization, then a major driving force (no matter how concealed) is to make a profit, but inefficient payment processing procedures can cause leakages and create room for error. Some payment processing tools in the market include Freshbooks, PayPal, Stripe, Mint, etc.
Market Research and Analytics tools
This category of tools is essential for businesses to keep abreast of the trends, customer preferences, requirements, and demands, as well as a platform to survey your audience. Examples include Google Analytics, BuzzSumo, Typeform, and Google Trends, among others.
We have highlighted the seven different online tool categories that can function for a wide array of businesses and across several industries. However, there are other categories such as outsourcing, electronic invoicing, fleet management tools, website hosting, and management tools, and many more which might offer industry-specific software and solutions to the public. Remember, consistency is important to the success of any business, especially in the digital space. It is therefore important to ensure that your website or e-commerce platform is not only always available, it is a responsive platform that is user-friendly and hassle-free in its processes.