Technology tools for small business: Running your back office

TECHNOLOGY TOOLSIncrease Time Management and Efficiency of Your Business

Presentation Outline

• Task & Project Management

• Diagram & Brainstorming Tools

• Communication Tools

• Data Analysis

• File Management

• And Beyond

Evaluating Technology Tools

• What is the required functionality?

• Who will be impacted by the new tool?

• What training will be needed?

• What systems does it need to integrate with?

• What are the costs and limitations?

– Monthly fees

– User limitations

– Data limitations

TASK & PROJECT MANAGEMENTSet deadlines, collaborate and manage time efficiently.

Managing Tasks

• Google Tasks

• Basecamp

• SmartSheet

• TeamworkPM

Google Tasks

Create a task from an email

List available in Gmail

Google Tasks

View in Google Calendar

Google Tasks

• Free

• Simple

• Save emails for later

• Integrates with Gmail and Google Calendar

• Mobile Apps

• https://mail.google.com/mail/help/tasks/

GoTasks (Google Tasks™ client) By Evgeniy Shurakov

Basecamp

Web-based Project Management Software

View all projects in Basecamp

Assigned Personnel

Basecamp

BasecampMinimize emails

and discuss online

Collaborate on content and add project

notes

Basecamp

• Easy to use• One page project reports• Notifications• Version tracking• File Sharing• Invite collaborators • 60 day trial• Plans start at $20/month

– 10 Projects– Unlimited users– 3GB of Storage

• http://basecamp.com/

SmartSheet

http://www.smartsheet.com/

SmartSheet

Cloud-based Project Management Spreadsheets

– Event Planning & Budgeting

– Sales Pipeline

– Daily Task Manager

– Client Project Time Tracker

– Monthly Budget Tracker

– Road mapping

& Prioritization

SmartSheet

• Integrated tools include:– File Sharing

– Alerts & Reminders

– Gantt Charts

– Calendars

– Google Apps integration

– Web Forms

– Resource Management

– Mobile Apps

– And many more….

SmartSheet

• Available on all desktop and mobile platforms

• Free 30 Day Trial, No Credit Card Required

• Starting at $14/mo. when paid annually

– 1 creator and unlimited collaborators

– 10 sheets

– 3GB of Storage

• https://www.smartsheet.com/

Teamwork Project Management

• http://www.teamworkpm.net• 30 day free trial• Free plan with 2 projects and 10 MB of storage• Paid Plans start at $12/month

– 5 projects– Unlimited users– 1GB Storage

• Birds eye view of all projects and work loads

• Set Milestones• Version tracking• Project schedule

reports• Links to Dropbox and

Google Drive

Teamwork Project ManagementSet project

timeline and participants

View information related to the

project Project deliverables

grouped by status and type

Teamwork Project Management

• Download project reports

• Gantt chart capabilities

• Review status by milestone

• Review staff workload

DIAGRAM & BRAINSTORMING TOOLS

Workflows, process mapping and brainstorming.

Diagram & Brainstorming Tools

• Gliffy

• Lucid Chart

• MindMeister

• Google Drawings

Gliffy• Free with up to 5 diagrams

• Paid version starting at $3.99/mo for 200 diagrams

• Integrates with Google Docs

• http://www.gliffy.com/

Lucid Chart

• https://www.lucidchart.com/• 14 day trial. Pricing starts at free to $8.33/month for 1 user.• Integrates with Google Drive and Apps• Multiple formats: business process, flow charts and org

charts

Mind Meister

• http://www.mindmeister.com• 30 day trial. Plans start at $5.99/month

Google Drawings

• http://support.google.com/drive/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=1360903

• Free• Included in Google Drive

COMMUNICATION TOOLSChat, collaborate and promote.

Communication Tools

• Skype

• Hip Chat

• Olark

• HootSuite

• MailChimp

Skype

• Free Internet calls

• Video calls

• Group chats

• Screen and file sharing

• Free

• $9.99/mo for premium

• http://www.skype.com/

Hip Chat

• Group chat and IM built for teams

• Share ideas and files in real time

• Notifications

• Secure communications with teams and guests

• Desktop, mobile and web app compatible

Hip Chat

• Integration with Google Apps, Zendesk, Wordpressand many more

• https://www.hipchat.com/

• Pricing:

– Free for teams of five

– $2.00 per user per month

– 30 day risk free trial

Olark

• Live chat

• Embed on your website

• Proactive chats

• Control times and limits for availability

• See what page your customers are looking at

Olark

• Integrates with top solutions including Bigcommerce, zendesk, Salesforce, WordPress, Magento…

• Free forever plan (1 operator and 20 chats per month)

• Paid plans start at $17/month with 14 day free trial

• http://www.olark.com/

HootSuite

• http://hootsuite.com/• Free version

– Up to 5 social profiles– Basic reports and scheduling

• Pro version, starting at $9.99/mo– 50 social profiles– Advance reporting and

scheduling– Team members

• Social network tool• Schedule posts• Monitor social media channels• Reports

HootSuite

• Monitor accounts, mentions and topics

MailChimp

• Email marketing• Automation• Segment subscribers• Website integration• Advanced analytics• Free plan

– Fewer than 2,000 subscribers– Up to 12,000 emails per month

• Paid plans start at $10/month• http://mailchimp.com/

MailChimp

MailChimp

DATA ANALYSISBrand monitoring, website and social media performance.

Data Analysis

• Google Alerts

• Mention

• Google Analytics

• SumAll

Google Alerts

• http://www.google.com/alerts

• Setup filters based on keywords

Mention

• Real time alerts

• Work as a team

• Respond to mentions

• Analyze mentions

• Available on web, desktop and mobile platforms

Mention

• Free version– 1 user

– 1 alert

– 100 mentions/mo

• Paid plans starting at $9.99/mo– 1 user

– 2 alerts

– 500 mentions/mo

• https://mention.com/

Google Analytics

• http://www.google.com/analytics/

• Website Analytics

• Generates detailed statistics about website traffic.

– When, where, why, and how visitors are accessing your site. Ex: “What keywords are my visitors using?”

– Used to measure conversion and sales activity for ecommerce businesses.

– Have a better understanding of your customers needs.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics

• Free

• Most widely used website statistics service

• Easy-to-understand graphs

• Detailed analysis

• Automated reports and customizable dashboards

• Ability to share

SumAll

• All your data in one place

• Free

• http://sumall.com

SumAll

FILE MANAGEMENTShare, backup and remote access to files.

File Management

• Dropbox

• Box

• SugarSync

• Google Drive

• Office 365

• iCloud

• Mozy

Dropbox

• https://www.dropbox.com/• 2GB of storage free• Automatic synchronization online and with other

devices• Ability to

share files

File Storage & Sharing

• Box

• SugarSync

• Google Drive

• Office 365

• iCloud

$7.49 / mo

Choosing the Right Program

Source: https://www.sugarsync.com/sync_comparison.html

Mozy

• Cloud based back up service

• Remote location storage

• Encryption

• 30 day free trial/starts under $10/mo.

• http://mozy.com/

AND BEYONDMore tools to manage your business effectively.

Google Apps

• Gmail• Calendar• Tasks• Docs• Drawings• Sheets• Forms• Slides• Voice• Sites• Drive• More…

$5/user/month or $50/user/yearhttp://www.google.com/enterprise/apps/business/index.html

Office 365

• Starts at $5/user/mobilled annually (up to 25 users)

– Email

– Online conferencing

– Public website

– File storage and sharing

– Office Online

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/business/

Prezi

• Develop captivating presentations

• Get started with templates

• Build presentations with co-workers

• Present from anywhere

• Try for free

• Paid versions start at $4.92/mo

• https://prezi.com/

EverNote

• Gather research

• Add notes, files and images

• Save favorite webpages

• Synchronize between devices

• Free

• Business Edition $10/user/mo

• https://evernote.com

EverNote – Web Clipper

bitly

• Link shortener

• Tracks traffic

• Free

• https://bitly.com/

LastPass

• Save as you go

• Autofill logins

• Generate passwords

• Manage access to corporate passwords

• Cutting Edge Encryption

• Free version

• $12/year for Premium

• https://lastpass.com/

WHICH TOOLS ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

• Task & Project Management• Diagram & Brainstorming Tools• Communication Tools• Data Analysis• File Management• And Beyond

THANK YOU!

Amanda BlondeauNorthern Initiatives

ablondeau@northerninitiatives.org