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Must Have Software and Tools for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses

Work smarter, not harder, with the right software and tools for small businesses.
31 May

Must Have Software and Tools for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses

by SMB Suite
in Managed IT, SMB Blog
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From accounting to marketing, we walk you through the best business tools to help you succeed.

Wearing many hats in business can be overwhelming and is definitely not sustainable. Few people know this better than small to mid-sized business owners. Small businesses mean small teams, which are great until the work piles up and the tasks simply can’t get checked off.

That’s why inventive companies use tools and services that help small businesses get their everyday duties done efficiently.

“The right tools and software make business life easier,” said SMB Suite Chief Operations Officer Monty Milliner. “All businesses need to have front and back-end support and functionality. Being micro centric and working with SMB Suite allows businesses to work with one vendor and one product base to make things easy. Businesses should focus their time on what they do best – making their product or providing their service. They should let SMB Suite handle the front and back-end of running their business. One vendor with one integrated product helps small to medium-sized businesses succeed.”

We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite tools and services to help small businesses grow and succeed.

What are the Best Software and Tools for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses?

Accounting/Financial Reporting:

There are three levels of accounting software.

  1. The lowest level is starter software like QuickBooks and Sage 50cloud (formerly Peachtree). QuickBooks is great for starting companies because it’s easy and inexpensive. But it’s only scalable to a point. It doesn’t have the capacity to handle companies as they grow. Lower-level accounting software is also usually not GAAP accounting (General Accepted Accounting Practices).
  2. The mid-tier of accounting software is what small to mid-sized companies should focus on. This is the level where we move from “bookkeeping” to actual accounting, and these tools are GAAP accounting and require an accounting background to properly utilize. Tools include Microsoft GP, Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, NetSuite. Sage Intacct and Acumatica. These tools are structured and rigid and more expensive than starter software. SMB Suite is happy to help businesses select the right tool for their needs.
  3. The high-level enterprise accounting software, for mega companies, includes Microsoft Dynamics 365 Enterprise, Oracle, and SAP.

Customer Service:

Small to mid-sized businesses want to find a good CRM (customer relationship management) for sales and marketing to keep track of prospects, follow ups, leads and for overall organization. It all starts with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales. As businesses grow and need additional services, they can add on Field Service, Customer Service, or Marketing. Comparable products would include Salesforce, SugarCRM, and Infor SalesLogix.

Human Resources:

Microsoft Dynamics ERP is software that allows companies of all sizes to manage their entire business organizations, including supply chain, procurement, human resources, financials and projects.

Another great choice for small- to medium-sized businesses is Microsoft Dynamics GP Human Resources & Payroll. This Human Resources Management Solution is easily customizable with strong analytics and easy integration of payroll and time.

Marketing:

Every small to mid-sized business needs to feel like it has an army of skilled professionals on its marketing team. The most affordable way to employ a marketing team is by outsourcing the work to a qualified agency. SMB Suite is proud to offer customized digital marketing services tailored to a business’s goals. Services include social media, email marketing, blogging, website content writing and maintenance, search engine optimization, pay-per-click campaigns, branding consulting and more.

Productivity:

When it comes to office productivity, the Microsoft stack of tools has businesses covered. The stack includes  Microsoft 365, Office 365, Teams, SharePoint, OneNote and OneDrive, all designed to keep the team on schedule and organized.

Security/Data Protection:

No business should ignore the importance of protecting its data. Microsoft is a leader in backup/ recovery solutions, network monitoring, endpoint protection and device management. SMB Suite can assist with best practices to ensure your environment is protected.

Public Relations:

Check out Meltwater for its public relations solutions. Through this platform, businesses can track their share of voice, quantify their impact and connect with influencers.

Taxes:

Microsoft Dynamics ERP tightly couples with Avalara for tax solutions including sales, customer’s use tax and returns.

Team Communications:

Microsoft Teams is a robust communications platform that’s deep with features and integrates with Office 365. It includes chat, video meetings, file storage and application integration. It’s easy to use and keeps teams communicating effectively. Teams can be used internally only, or it can be extended to customers/vendors for cross enterprise collaboration. PSTN and PBX services can also be utilized.

Websites:

A business’s website is often its first impression on its potential customers. It needs to have high impact and functionality with measurable funnels and goals. SMB Suite assists businesses of all types with their website needs, providing beautiful and high-converting websites that are mobile responsive and specifically tailored to customer demographics and business goals. Learn more about SMB Suite website services.

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Steve’s been with SMB Suite since 1998 and has been involved with nearly every aspects of the Company’s business as a strategist, professional services executive, cloud solutions architect, and senior consultant. In his current role, Steve is responsible for SMB Suite’s revenue and oversees the execution of ERP, CRM and BI projects for customers across a broad range of industries. Steve combines his expertise in MS Dynamics GP, CRM and other Microsoft products with a strong foundation in accounting and business to identify gaps and streamline customers’ processes. Prior to co-founding SMB Suite, Steve was previously Corporate Controller for MEHLE Behr and, prior to that, Audit Senior for Ernst & Young. Steve holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Jeremy is responsible for SMB Suite’s technology vision, strategy and implementation and is the architect of the Company’s Dynamics Cloud Platform. Highly adept in every facet of managed services, ERP systems and e-commerce platforms, Jeremy’s expertise spans the implementation and support of business and financial software solutions, as well as the customization and integration of SMB Suite’s cloud ERP technology stack. He holds numerous Microsoft and industry-related certifications, and was primarily responsible for designing the Company’s progressive business services platform in the early days of the Cloud. Prior to SMB Suite, Jeremy served as the financial analyst, systems administrator, and information systems liaison for a $2 billion financial services corporation.

Monty is responsible for SMB Suite’s day-to-day operation and, most importantly, its customers. As a leader, motivator and mentor, Monty creates loyal high performance teams willing to “walk through walls” to accomplish their goals. Prior to SMB Suite, Monty served as President of The Bradshaw Group (TBG), a global distributor, manufacturer, and repair facility for digital printers. In this role, he was the Company’s ambassador to its most important domestic, European and Latin American customers and TBG achieved a best-in-class Net Promoter Score of 74 for its superb customer satisfaction. Prior to TBG, Monty served as the General Manager of Sam’s Clubs three highest grossing U.S. stores and was named Regional Operator of the Year in 1999. Monty holds a BBA in Marketing from Texas Tech University and is an active member of Business Navigators. He has been active in Vistage International, Executives in Action, the Dallas/Fort Worth Retail Executives Association, as well as, A.P.I.C.S., the leading professional association for supply chain and operations management. Monty also volunteers with Hunger Busters and ManeGait, a therapeutic horsemanship organization.

David is a proven financial and information technology professional with expertise in providing business accounting software and computing solutions. He began his career by starting and managing a successful independent consulting practice for several years. He then launched the local systems consulting unit of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurial Services Group, leading the office into the hi-tech consulting arena. After successfully developing the unit for Ernst & Young, David founded NextCorp (which became SMB Suite in 2013) to serve the business software needs of clients throughout the US. David has made SMB Suite one of the best cloud ERP providers in the industry. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur and leader, he is a software and technology specialist, holding certifications in various Microsoft and other technologies.