Businesses have to constantly be on the lookout for more efficient and effective ways to remain competitive or else they risk being left behind. As technology advances, so should your business. Now businesses can reduce downtime, improve productivity, save costs, manage resources efficiently and serve customers better if they invest in technology.

Below are some essential softwares every business needs regardless of their size.

1. Project Management Software

Project management is an essential part of any business. It involves scheduling, resource management, stakeholders, project planning, cost control and many others. A good project management software will integrate all the enterprise resources for better planning and allow project managers to achieve maximum efficiency and deliver projects on time.

2. Accounting Software

For a business to remain profitable, you need to understand your numbers. Accounting can be boring and tedious. Crunching numbers all day and coming up with results is a daunting task. Manual computation is likely to result in inaccurate figures. Even a basic accounting software can go a long way to simplifying your business financials to produce reliable analysis and reports to help you make better decisions.

3. Payment Support Software

If your business accepts payments online or at a point-of-sale, then you definitely need a payment support software. It will help in tracking and reporting your sales in real-time and can be easily integrated with your accounting software to provide a robust report.

4. Human Resource Management Software

At the very core of every business lies its human resource – the employees. At the early stages of your business, your employees are easy to manage since they are a handful. But as your business grows and you hire more employees, the need for a HR management software becomes more important. Your software will free up time that would be otherwise spent on tracking employee vacation and resumption dates, background checks, skills and performance management, punishment and benefit managements, and many more.

5. Dedicated Payroll Software

Payroll management is a combination of HR management and accounting that requires accuracy and efficiency. Businesses that have different type of employees with different compensation packages have the options to choose a payroll service or a software.

6. Customer Relationship Management Software

The need to maintain outstanding customer relationships has never been higher. Thousands of small businesses spring up annually online trying to get as many customers as possible. In an effort to keep your customers happy and up-to-date, you will need an efficient system. There are softwares to handle online inquiries, provide support, send newsletters, and handle any other thing the customer might need.

7. Marketing & Public Relations Software

Much like the CRM software, social media and other marketing platforms have made it possible to reach a wider group of potential customers at fees next to nothing. Take advantage of this to save costs on advertising and PR.

8. Information Security Software

The more digital your business becomes, the more vulnerable you are to information systems threats both from outside and within. Protect your business with strong multiple layers of security using a network security software. Perform audits and vulnerability tests regularly as well.

The good thing about the internet is that it offers a number of options for each of the above software. All of them could be found for free on a trial basis at least. Shop around for the software that best fits your budget and needs.