5 Software Solutions Every Startup Needs for Healthy Growth

If you ask any startup business what primary action is on their mind, you can bet it’s growth. We’re talking all sorts of growth – financial growth, employee growth, market growth, product growth, etc. If not for constant and upwards growth, there’s no chance to move from startup to full-fledged company.

Depending on the industry and goals, a variety of techniques and solutions will be implemented in sustaining and promoting growth for startup companies. But one thing that most (if not all) startups have is the increased need and use of software solutions.

There are a lot of moving parts in a startup, with each department having its own unique needs and designated jobs. Sales teams need software to manage their efforts and growing client base, administrative staff needs the right tech tools to manage day-to-day tasks, finance departments need help managing the numbers, and so on.

When companies are in the process of choosing software and tech options, it can truly be overwhelming. Practically every business process has available software options that can be used to (hopefully) streamline and simplify things. But with so many options, how do you choose which software solutions are needed for your startup?

Below, we’ll take a look at five software solutions that can help startups tackle common tasks and that promote that one desired concept – growth.

What’s the fundamental backbone of any startup? Its customers! That’s why it’s absolutely crucial that any startup has the ideal way to manage current customers and focus their efforts on garnering more! This is where customer relationship management software comes in.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software encompasses tech solutions that are designed to manage interactions with current customers, help employees keep up with tasks and implement and track marketing efforts and growth. CRM solutions are increasingly being used by companies in practically every industry, but they can be especially impactful for businesses trying to get off the ground.

CRM software options can be pretty expansive in the varying options and designs and you’ll definitely find that no one solution has everything you’re looking for, but here are some essential features you’ll want to look for:

Popular Software Options: Salesforce, Hubspot, Netsuite

Cloud storage and file hosting are an absolute must these days for companies of any size. This is not just because it helps encourage easy document sharing with customers in different locations, but also because it allows employees of businesses and startups to streamline working from anywhere.

When you have employees and customers spread out in multiple locations, it doesn’t often make sense to have a physical filing system to store documents. With cloud storage and file hosting software, users have the option of collaborating, organizing, and sharing documents quickly, securely, and from anywhere.

Important features you’ll want to look for with cloud storage software are:

Popular Software Options: Dropbox, Google Docs

Electronic signature software goes hand-in-hand with a startup company’s file hosting and cloud storage software. When the capability of being able to sign and complete documents in seconds from anywhere is added, startups have the ability to streamline their processes, improve customer experiences, elevate document security, and really set themselves up for scaling.

When you choose the right digital signature software it acts as an important link between acquiring a new customer and closing a sale, or offering a service and then completing that service. Because electronic signatures are such an important tool, it’s essential that the right features are present in the e-signature software:

Keeping a strong grip on the financial comings and goings of a startup is absolutely crucial. For a startup to scale operations and ensure healthy financial growth, it’s imperative that a bookkeeping system is used to organize, track, and project financial changes.

When a startup has a good grip on its finances, it makes it easier for them to achieve goals and manage growth to ensure it’s going in the right direction. Because financial management and budgeting are so important, choosing the right bookkeeping software is important. Keep an eye out for these essential features when selecting financial software:

Popular Software Options: Quickbooks, Freshbooks, Netsuite, Xero

Last but not least, we arrive at communication software. Communication well and often is absolutely essential with startups. Processes are being developed, ideas are being shared, and collaboration is key.

Not only do startup employees need a reliable and helpful way to communicate with their colleagues, but remote communication tools are being used more and more for communication with clients and vendors.

There are a lot of communication options these days that allow for easy chatting, video conferencing, file sharing, and collaboration. When making a choice, it can be helpful to select the option that works best with the current workflow, i.e. if a startup uses a lot of Google products, it may make the most sense to use Google Hangouts for communication and collaboration.

Popular Software Options: Zoom, Slack, Google Hangout, Skype

With these five software solutions, startups have the opportunity to build a great tech foundation upon which they can promote and continue growth.