5 Cloud Tools to Set Your Productivity on Fire

Cloud-based technologies have been around for many years, but most Australian small businesses are only beginning to adopt these platforms.

Everyone understands that small business owners work incredibly hard. Every minute needs to be spent productively to keep their business running smoothly. Cloud tools significantly increase personal productivity in a variety of ways. In this post, we look at some of the ways you can achieve more in your small business by harnessing cloud solutions.

Increased Mobility

There is no need to go to the office to be able to work anymore. With your programs in the cloud, you can work anywhere you can get online. This allows for a much more flexible workplace that does not sacrifice efficiency or the ability to collaborate. Most programs even have mobile apps for added convenience.

Integration

Many cloud-based small business tools now integrate with each other, reducing the time you spend on menial tasks like data entry. For example, when a new project has been created in your online project management program, your online calendar and scheduler is automatically updated. This also streamlines all your processes, making it easier for you and your employees to start and complete tasks and stay on top of what others are doing.

Safe Information Storage

It can be devastating if your computer crashes with all your documents stored, leading to a loss of all your information. Some people back up their documents onto external hard drives but this takes time and is not done very often.

But the cloud can automatically back up all of your information for safe storage. It can also sort your documents logically, making it much easier to locate them when you need them.

So while it may seem counter-intuitive, having your head in the Cloud is the productivity solution that your small business needs.

We have put together a list of 5 of the most useful cloud-based small business tools for increasing your personal productivity.

Cashflow Manager Cloud

Cashflow Manager provides online cloud accounting software designed for small businesses and their bookkeeping needs. It is a simple solution that allows you to track cash flow, plus manage invoicing and electronic bank reconciliation. You never need to worry about managing your accounts again with their simple interface that does a lot of the work for you.

With our cloud accounting solution, you can be sure that your accounts are all up to date, with no need to back-up your files. Achieve higher accuracy with your accounts by updating them any time. It is very cost-effective at $22 per month, which includes Cashflow Manager Care Support giving you access to a local accounting expert on the phone, via email or fax.

Zoolz

Zoolz is a document storage and sharing cloud-based platform that allows you to securely keep all of your important documents online. You no longer have to worry about losing all your files in the event of a system crash. It also gives you instant access to any file on the system wherever you are, saving you time and making it much more convenient.

Zoolz uses artificial intelligence that is built for businesses to sort and organise your documents more efficiently. It is perfect for small businesses as it has a free introductory offer for up to 75GB and competitive pricing for anyone who wants to expand beyond that.

Zendesk

Zendesk is a comprehensive customer service platform that helps businesses create and develop relationships with their customers. With Zendesk, small businesses can access all their relevant data and activity from one interface. With everything in the one place, you are better positioned to track customer conversations, manage insights and connect with their customers on multiple channels.

For businesses who want to improve their customer service, Zendesk offers detailed analytic tools to help you understand the path your customers are taking on your website, whether they are satisfied with their experience and why they gave that answer.

Asana

Asana is a leading company that designs project management software to make it easier for businesses like yours to work in teams and complete large, complex projects.

Their software lets you track progress, communicate easily with anyone, set private tasks and customise the projects to fit with your business’ workflows and preferences. It is a web-based program that connects to a range of apps and integrations that makes it easy to incorporate into your existing work practices, whatever your industry.

Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a social media management tool that makes it easier for you to create captivating content, schedule posting, analyse your effectiveness, and open communication between you and your customers.

This platform increases your social media productivity and effectiveness by centralising your activity and creating a seamless process of planning, drafting, scheduling and posting messages to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and LinkedIn.