What Tech Tools Should Startups Actually Pay For?

Running a startup means being as lean as possible and finding areas to reduce costs without compromising the operational efficiency of the business. The outlay for a startup can be considerable, thanks to one-off costs like equipment, staffing, hiring, and the cost of premises.

There are areas where startups can save money, including in the acquisition or subscription to software tools, but some tools are worth the investment. Essential software will vary according to the business type, its setup, and what skills and roles stakeholders within the business have.

Startups And Software

Startups usually need all the help and assistance when starting out in every niche. Such enterprises need both software tools and other business professionals to begin their operations more successfully. In that light, affiliate marketing services like ghostpartners.com help players understand what casino websites provide better services, letting them make sounder choices. On the other hand, iGaming businesses can benefit from such affiliate providers through referrals.

Using an affiliate marketing service can help minimize the work required, but most startups still find themselves in need of software and tech tools to help grow their business. While it is possible to minimize software spending for new companies, there are some tools considered essential for the positive performance of new businesses.

Payroll Software

When you have one or two employees, payroll can be controlled by management. But once you have different levels of employees, earning different packages, and you have to start offering insurance, pensions, overtime, and other factors, it quickly becomes unmanageable. And then there’s taxes. Not only is it a legal requirement that you handle taxes properly, but errors in payroll can quickly lead to divisions between you and your team.

Payroll software like Gusto will handle much of the administrative work associated with hiring, firing, and paying staff. If a startup relies on a single person, or even a small team, to manage payroll for the entire company, this is an essential tech tool that should not be overlooked. And, in most cases, the alternative is outsourcing your HR needs. This will be feasible in the long run, but can be cost-prohibitive at the start of your business journey.

HR

A brand new company can survive with a skeleton staff, but it won’t take long before the sales team needs backup and the rest of the team needs expanding. This means finding qualified talent and the search itself can prove very challenging. BreezyHR is a specialist platform that can be used to manage job ads and make offers to prospective talent.

BreezyHR, like other similar platforms, has a free subscription level and this can be beneficial if you have minimal requirements. However, when you really start growing and you need to quickly find, hire, and onboard new talent, you will need a paid subscription to save hours of administrative tasks.

Malware Protection

Cybersecurity needs to be an integral facet of data protection and startup security. Unfortunately, nearly half of all successful cyberattacks are against companies with fewer than 1,000 employees, which covers startups. And data theft can prove financially costly while also causing a loss of reputation with customers. During the first stages of a startup’s life, it is unlikely to have cyber experts, which means the company is heavily reliant on the software it chooses. As such, cybersecurity software should be one of a company’s first investments.

Free antivirus and antimalware products do exist, but these do not offer enough security for businesses. Norton, Bitdefender, and Surfshark are some of the most popular and effective security tools on the market.

VPN

A virtual private network encrypts all data transferred over the Internet. This includes client data, invoice data, and more. Businesses that transmit a lot of sensitive data can help protect this by using a virtual private network. One can also prove beneficial for startups that use remote workers or who work with a lot of freelancers.

Some startups also have a bring-your-own-device policy, and these businesses should incorporate VPN software into their security setup. Popular business VPNs include NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

Project Management Software

If you have one or two members who work closely together in the same location, spreadsheets and even written task lists might be manageable, although even a free project management subscription can prove beneficial. For companies with multiple teams working on different stages of client projects and incorporating remote or outsourced talent, project management can prove a lot more challenging.

Project management software like Asana ensures project details are accessible to all stakeholders. The interface is intuitive, while tools are powerful and help eliminate errors, missed deadlines, and other project problems. Project management tools can also offer detailed reporting, which helps identify areas for improvement and where there might be personnel gaps.

Communication

Email, messaging, and phone calls form the basis for a lot of business communication, but there are many other communication lines available between businesses, their stakeholders, and their customers. Video chats, conference calls, and even screen-sharing can all prove beneficial, and if your company needs any of these communication tools, you will need to consider the efficiency, reliability, and security of the hardware and software you use.

Slack is a powerful business messaging tool that allows the sharing of files and messaging between members. Threaded conversations are easy to follow, and it is a secure platform with useful advanced search functions. Audio and video calls are available, although there can be a bit of a delay.

CRM

Most companies have multiple layers of sales teams, as well as customer-facing employees who communicate with contacts daily. Good Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software doesn’t just hold contact details and enable users to store data about calls and other communications, it can be used to establish processes and automate much of the workflow.

SalesFlare is a powerful CRM tool that can integrate with existing communication software like Gmail and Office 365. It is easy to use on desktop, as well as via its apps and through browsers, and its email tracking tools are especially beneficial.

Marketing

There are a lot of marketing and sales tools on the market, ranging from social media tracking and brand management tools to email marketing management software. Email lists can be very powerful marketing tools, enabling businesses to sell to customers multiple times while also improving the conversion rates of small businesses.

Mailchimp is a well-established company with a powerful email marketing package. As well as providing access to templates and email content, it can be used to build, clean, and manage lists, perform split testing on email campaigns, and produce performance reports.

Analytics

Analytics enable you to view data regarding your website, blog, and other online real estate. This information can be used to help drive marketing campaigns, develop social media profiles, and even make informed business strategy decisions.

The most commonly used analytics package is Google Analytics. A startup with a modest online presence may be able to get away with using the free package, but for e-commerce sites, expansive sites, or businesses with apps and dynamic features, the enterprise package is likely better suited. Google Analytics also integrates with a host of Google’s other tools and services, which has helped make it a popular choice.