Top 10 Free Technologies for Effectively Managing Home Office Businesses

The popularization of the slogan “work from home” has tremendously transformed into a comfortable routine ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a coping mechanism for most individuals is now the go-to choice for many small business owners.

The “work from home” objectives have evolved from being safe to being super productive. However, the success of such small business enterprises cannot ignore the contributive footprints of CRM systems. These businesses need to effectively and securely manage transaction summaries and customer data like transaction history and contact information.

  1. Free Technologies that Favor Small Businesses

Every small business has the aspiration of transforming into a prominent and reputable company. The direct path to such big dreams is to break the bank but not when you have access to free technologies such as your knight and shining armor. 

  1. Wix Website Builder

Every business needs an online presence to capture an audience interested in the services they offer. What better way to achieve this milestone than through a website-building technology like Wix? With Wix, you don’t need a technical website-building background or experience to create a professional business site. There are numerous ways to attract traffic to your Wix site in no time. This website building tool offers numerous business website templates, widgets, remarkable web-store features for database sites, commercial options, and customer service support.     

  1. Slack Networking

The success of any business requires the commitment and dedication of unwavering team members. What better way to connect, and share briefs, or ideas with your business teammates/partners than through a networking platform like Slack? Its free plan guarantees a message grouping feature that is effective in communicating the progress of specific business projects. This message management feature enables the team members involved in such projects to be more transparent and effective in their project contributions. Other prime Slack features include individual video calls and external apps integration e.g. Microsoft 365 and Google Drive.  

  1. Trello Project Management Software 

You cannot escape the need for a project management software like Trello especially if your business projects’ expectations keep rising to newer heights. Through virtual boards, business owners can visualize key projects’ progress. Such visualization gives you a clearer picture of the needed/demanded course of action. Trello also supports app integration and can therefore be used with Evernote, Slack, Dropbox, and Confluence. Other supported features/functionalities include viewing metrics, establishing timelines, assigning tasks, and creating calendars.     

  1. Wave Invoicing

The primary goal of any business after attaining optimal customer/audience outreach is making a profit. An invoicing software like Wave ensures that you spend little time chasing payments and more time building your business. This financial software keeps a clean record of all your customers’ transaction history, tracks sales tax, and sets up the needed customer invoices. 

  1. Zoom Video Conferencing    

If your small business accommodates a maximum of 100 members, then you need the services of Zoom video conferencing software to manage your business meetings through a web browser or a mobile app platform. It also allows you to make traditional phone calls and 720p quality video calls.  Customizable Zoom backgrounds give you a thematic touch as you benefit from its 40 minutes max meetings.    

  1. Dropbox File Hosting

As your small business continues to grow, you will find yourself generating hundreds to thousands of documents in a single day. A platform like Dropbox acts as an ideal backup plan for such documents. You can store and sync files, share them with business partners, and effortlessly collaborate with associated teams and clients. 

  1. LibreOffice Document Creation and Processing Software 

LibreOffice gives you the flawless feel of Microsoft Office Packages like Excel, Powerpoint, and Word without the price tag. You can work with its vector diagrams, database, spreadsheets, and presentation features as it supports a range of prominent document formats. 

  1. Thunderbird Email Client

Sending and Receiving Emails are at the heart of every small business operation. It keeps the interaction going between your business, your clients, and other involved third parties like shareholders and partners. Thunderbird is packaged with all the email communication features you might need to keep your business going. Some prominent ones include an add-on manager, tabbed email, account setup wizard, and smart folders.  

  1. Deputy Human Resources management

Running a small business from the comfort of your home does not imply that you handle all the tasks yourself. You might need the professionalism and input of a remote freelancer for a limited period. Deputy lets you keep track of the work progress of such temporary hires. Some of its known features include managing employee tasks, making company announcements, and scheduling employee shifts.  

  1. Avast Security

Since your business will have an online presence, you need to be vigilant of potential hackers and viruses that might try to compromise your business image. Avast’s features like security scanning, solid malware blocking, and rescue disc functionality will keep you safe from unnecessary data losses and security breaches. 

  1. Final Note

Running a small business to successive heights has its challenges but these challenges don’t have to be related to accessibility to free, viable, and affordable technologies. With such kinds of technologies, even the sky is disqualified as a limit. 

Heron Nelson
 

Heron is a business blogger with a focus on personal finance and wealth management. With over 7 years of experience writing about financial topics, Heron has established herself as a trusted voice in the personal finance space. She has a deep understanding of financial concepts and strategies, and is able to explain them in a relatable and actionable way for her readers.