Identifying the Right Software for Your Small Business
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The document provides a comprehensive guide on selecting software for small businesses, emphasizing the importance of identifying specific business needs, essential features, reliability, and customer support over pricing. It offers recommendations for various software categories such as VoIP systems, CRM software, website builders, and POS systems, detailing their pros and cons. Ultimately, it encourages business owners to prioritize functionality and ease of use when making purchasing decisions.
Identifying the Right Software for Your Small Business
- 1. Identifying the Right Software for Your Small Business With Marc Prosser, Fit Small Business
- 2. Meet the Speakers… #KabbageKam Andres Thomas Customer Success Kabbage, Inc. Moderator Marc Prosser Co-founder & Managing Partner Fit Small Business
- 3. Co-founder & Managing Partner Fit Small Business Marc Prosser
- 4. About Us • I founded Fit Small Business alongside David Waring in 2013. • We evaluate software and services aimed at small businesses, in areas ranging from CRM to accounting software. • We do the research, so you don’t have to. • You can read more about us here: http://fitsmallbusiness.com/about-us/ #KabbageKam
- 5. Which Software Is Right for My Small Business? • Tons of small business software on the market. • So how do you pick the best for your business? • We’ll go over the process and apply the process to a few specific buying decisions. • We’ll consider features, pricing, ease of use, reliability, and customer support. #KabbageKam
- 6. First Things First: What Do You Need in the Service? #KabbageKam • Before you dive into specific products, take a step back and pin down what you’re really looking for. Write it down! • Define the main problem you’re trying to fix. Are you trying to save money, do you need a specific feature to work better, are you looking for better customer support – or something else? • Don’t get seduced by features you won’t use or a product you don’t need. What is the core function you need from the software? What peripheral features are and aren’t important? Once you buy the software, which features will you actually use? Cost aside, what is the software worth to your business?
- 7. Features First • What features are crucial to you? • Why are you looking to buy? • Extras can be exciting, but not as important as what you need the product to handle. #KabbageKam
- 8. Ease-of-Use: Whenever Possible, Try It Out • Can you use it right away, or will it take time to get it working? • Whenever possible, try a demo or monthly trial. • Customer impressions can be very helpful. Easier to find for established products. • Too many features can make things difficult. Bells and whistles often come with a steep learning curve. #KabbageKam
- 9. Support: How Much Do You Need? • For something your business relies on, you’ll want to be able to talk to someone and quickly resolve issues. • Phone support is one of the most common areas that get skimped on. • Otherwise comes down to how much time & technical knowledge you can commit. #KabbageKam
- 10. Pricing: When to Prioritize • Don’t skimp on the features you need. Price should not be your top priority when it gets in the way of having a reliable, functional product you can use. • Look beyond the sticker price: it’s common to charge more for ‘bonus’ features or add ons, even when those features are essential to your business. #KabbageKam
- 11. Example 1: VoIP Phone Systems • First, what are you looking for? • How reliant on phones is your business? • What happens if the phones don’t work? • Desk phones or mobile? • Pricing is secondary. Consider what your business needs first. #KabbageKam
- 12. Why VoIP? • Traditional landlines are much more expensive than VoIP systems, and typically include fewer features. • Just make sure your internet can handle VoIP calls before you make the jump. • Our VoIP speed test #KabbageKam
- 13. Nextiva: Our Top Recommendation • Reliable service. • Strong customer support. • Easy to set up and use. • Reasonable pricing: $40-$53/month per user. • Includes features such as auto attendant, call routing, and a mobile app. #KabbageKam
- 14. RingCentral: A High-End VoIP System • Slightly more expensive for small businesses: $60-$72/month per user. • Excellent interface, features, and plenty of integrations. • Customer service is focused on larger businesses. No phone support if you have fewer than 20 users. #KabbageKam
- 15. Phone.com: Entry Level VoIP Software • Low price, starting at $43/month for 1 user, or lower via pay-per-minute. • Easy to scale with your business. • Great low cost option, especially if you’re more focused on the mobile app than desk phones. #KabbageKam
- 17. #KabbageKam Don’t get overwhelmed by features! Know what you’re looking for. The purpose of CRM is to manage your sales process. That doesn’t have to be complicated. Example 2: CRM Software
- 18. #KabbageKam Easy to use. Inexpensive: $12/month per user. Insightly: Our #1 Recommendation Great for managing the sales process. Not as customizable or as specialized as some of the alternatives.
- 19. #KabbageKam Customizable and feature-rich. More expensive than Insightly, but much cheaper than Salesforce. Zoho: A Salesforce Alternative Not as easy-to-use as Insightly.
- 20. Other CRM Options #KabbageKam Strong social media integrations Good for online storesGreat mobile app Expensive, but customizable
- 21. Website Builders • A lot of small business owners find running a website intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. • In 2016, it's easier than ever to set up a website using a website builder. • More tech-savvy business owners can also consider using a platform such as Wordpress. • Price estimates here don’t include domain costs, which usually range from $10-$15/year. #KabbageKam
- 22. Weebly: Our #1 Recommendation #KabbageKam Easy-to-use. Drag & Drop interface. Inexpensive. $10/month pro plan. Responsive customer support. Not quite as customizable as WordPress.
- 23. Wix: Another Easy Website Builder #KabbageKam Easy-to-use and flexible. Very similar to Weebly in price and functionality. Some issues with SEO and load times.
- 24. WordPress: Using a Web Platform #KabbageKam More customizable, but requires more tech- savvy person to manage. WordPress is free, but hosting runs $7-8/month. We recommend building a theme with Themify for $49.
- 25. For eCommerce Sites • Website builders can handle online sales, but if eCommerce is your main business, we recommend using Shopify, BigCommerce, or another eCommerce platform. • These platforms aren’t quite as easy to use as a basic site builder. • Plans range from $29/month to $179/month. • You can read more in our Best eCommerce Platform Buyer’s Guide. #KabbageKam
- 26. Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems • POS systems have come a long way in the past few years. • Modern systems offer a complete package to retailers, including tools for managing inventory, employees, and customers. Don't let these distract from the core POS feature: handling payments. • The big question: Do you want a basic POS or one with more robust features beyond just handling payments? #KabbageKam
- 27. #KabbageKam Feature-rich, but easy-to-use. Reasonably priced, starting at $89/month. Registers range from $1100-$1700. Lightspeed: Our #1 Recommendation Excellent inventory and purchase management tools.
- 28. #KabbageKam Inexpensive, easy-to- use, and reliable. No monthly charge, but 3% processing fee. Registers from $1000- $1400. Square Register: An Entry POS System A great basic POS system for small retailers.
- 30. Takeaways • Buying decisions are rarely straightforward. Software providers will woo you with fancy features and charge extra for essentials. • For key functions for your business, prioritize reliability and customer support. • Ease-of-use – if you don't have the technical skills and the time to commit to learning a software, you're not going to take full advantage of it. • Lower prices are always a plus, but not at the expense of key features or reliability. #KabbageKam
- 31. We Do the Research. So You Don’t Have To. #KabbageKam Best VoIP Provider Best CRM Software Best Website Builder • Vetting dozens of software options can be time- consuming. We know: our writers often spend 2- 3 weeks researching our buyer’s guides. • Our site offers small businesses research on everything from CRM software to which job boards to use. • You can read more about us on our About page, or take a look around FitSmallBusiness.com. Guides Referenced In This Webinar: Best eCommerce Platform Best POS System
- 32. Get Small Business Content #KabbageKam http://kabb.ag/40toolsguide
- 33. Thank you! From us @KabbageInc