Running a small business is no menial task. Unlike larger companies, small business owners usually don’t have separate customer service, finance, social media, and other departments to delegate to. You and a few colleagues are likely responsible for every aspect of your business, so you’re always in need of tools to help you work smarter.
Here are five of the top tools to help your company thrive.
ZenDesk
No matter what your business, you have customers, and those customers expect and deserve excellent service. ZenDesk is a simple and scalable customer service solution that allows you to give your customers the support they need. Build a knowledge base so customers can answer common questions on their own anytime. Use embeddable widgets to integrate ZenDesk into your existing website. And dig into analytics to see where you excel and how you can improve.
BillPro
Modern consumers demand easy, flexible payment options, from credit cards to electronic bank transfers and beyond. BillPro empowers you to give your customers what they’re looking for, even if you’re in a high-risk industry like gaming or debt services. BillPro delivers seamless integration, fraud protection, account management, customer support, and more. You can even offer flexible options like recurring payments and virtual terminal payment processing.
Buffer
Social media is a must to build brand awareness and loyalty, but the last thing you have time to do is scroll through Twitter and Facebook. Buffer is a social media scheduler that integrates multiple social media platforms into one interface, so you can plan your content, engage with customers, and monitor performance all in one place. Use Buffer from your desktop, or on the go from your laptop, tablet, or smart phone to reach new customers and build deeper relationships with your current audience.
GoToMeeting
What do you do when you and your team are cities apart and you’ve got a presentation tomorrow? GoToMeeting is a simple video, audio, and file sharing tool that lets you connect and collaborate from wherever you are. Launch a meeting and invite the people you need by phone, email, or text. You can participate via desktop or mobile device, record your meeting for later reference, or work something out via private chat. It’s free for up to three users, and can accommodate up to 100, so it’s ready to grow with you.
Google Analytics
Do you know which pages on your website convert the most customers? Do your traffic numbers include your own visits to your pages? What percentage of your customers are viewing your site on which web browser, and are they looking from a desktop or mobile device? The answers to these questions have a direct impact on your business decisions, and you can find them — for free — with Google Analytics. The free online classes from Analytics Academy will help even the most analytics-averse small business owner get up and running in no time.
No matter how small your business is, you don’t have to do it alone. These tools will help you save precious time, energy, and money, and help your business grow.
