important tools and apps you’ll need in your business

Being a small business owner means you’re constantly looking at ways to maximise productivity and increase growth, while working to keep overheads low. Whether you’re working from home, at the office, or on the go, here are 8 useful apps and tools business owners can consider to help make their business better and more efficient.

improving your business

1. Payment solution: PayPal

Being extremely simple to use, PayPal has easily become the go-to payment portal for a majority of businesses and start-ups. Its Commerce Platform offers diverse tools to build and grow businesses of all sizes.

2. Human resources solution: Odesk

If your business lacks manpower (especially when you’re just starting out and don’t have the means to hire full-time staff), Odesk provides a database of freelancers with the right skills to get the job done. Its large pool of contractors means you will easily find a candidate that will be able to tackle any task, any time, with any budget.

3. Cashflow solution: thornmoney

If your business involves labour-hire, manufacturing, wholesaling, or transport distribution among others, you can benefit from the flexible line of credit (backed by invoices) provided by thornmoney. It’ll help with the smooth running of your business by improving cash flow and minimising business and financial stress. All you are required to do is connect with accounting packages such as Quickbooks, MYOB, or Xero to get started.

4. Accounting solution: Xero

Made for small businesses, Xero is a cloud-based and easy-to-use accounting software that assists with bookkeeping functions. In a nutshell, it connects you to your accountant, bank, bookkeeper, and other business apps.

5. Website solution: Wix

Tech newbies and whizzes can both benefit from this site as it aims to help you create better websites and blogs. It provides unlimited customisation and uses a drag and drop template (goodbye coding) which makes website building a cinch!

6. Online marketing solution: MailChimp

Social media awareness and email promotion are two great ways you can spread the word about your service, product, idea, or business. While Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are used to reach potential clients, you’ll need an email marketing tool like MailChimp to retain them. Use MailChimp to create captivating email newsletters which will be sent to your growing database regularly. These newsletters will update them on your ongoing activities and help keep your business top of mind.

7. Professional communication solution: Zoom

A household name since the start of the pandemic and the increase of remote work, Zoom is the video conferencing app to have on your devices to host meetings with clients and keep in close contact with friends and family.

8. Office productivity: Microsoft 365

Out of all the office tools you will need, Microsoft 365 is the one to get first for the smooth running of any business. It includes the major software apps such as Word (for drafting documents), Excel (for organising data and spreadsheets), PowerPoint (for creating intricate pitch decks and slideshow presentations), Outlook (for receiving and sending emails), and OneDrive (cloud storage for backing up and syncing files).

thornmoney solution

Thornmoney’s invoice finance solution allows you to turn unpaid invoices from your customers into fast funds within 24 hours since approval. With no lock-in contract, it is as simple as connecting your accounting software with our platform.