Regardless of the industry you’re engaged in, reliable software is a must. It will help you get your ducks in a row and even significantly cut costs on your daily business operations. In this post I’m going to make up a list of the best tools that perfectly meet the needs of the average small/medium business. The list will cover the most effective software solutions from different categories: productivity suites, antivirus programs, payroll software, and remote access tools typically found on the average business computer.
1. RemoteUtilities – Remote Access Software
This software suite is a great solution for small businesses that offer remote support, as its main target is to provide seamless remote access to your customers’/colleagues’ desktops from anywhere with just an ID and password. No network configuration is necessary. What’s more, you can even customize your remote Agent module to make it look professional. For instance, you can add your company logo and welcome text for attended support. You will find more details about this suite on http://www.remoteutilities.com.
2. OpenOffice.org – Productivity Suite
OpenOffice is probably the best substitute for Microsoft Office. Similarly to MO, it offers a range of useful desktop applications like text editors, spreadsheet apps, presentation makers and also a database app. I recommend OpenOffice for small businesses because it’s free, and by no means inferior to the similar paid programs. Perhaps, it can’t boast all of the bells and whistles you’ll get with a paid suite, yet it works seamlessly and effectively.
3. Microsoft Security Essentials – Antivirus Program
Although it’s better not to skimp on security, you should know that on a par with many overly expensive commercial antivirus packages there are absolutely free, top-notch alternatives that will not break the bank. One of the most used is Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) – it works quietly and efficiently, and doesn’t require much action on your part. It protects your PC from spyware, viruses, malware and even provides rootkit protection. But what I like most of all about MSE – it doesn’t continually prompt you to buy a full version of the suite :).
4. Gmail – Email Client
This category (Email client) offers a smorgasbord of exceptional solutions to choose from, and it can be a rather hard task to pin down the best option. The most widespread free email clients used for business are Gmail and Windows Live Mail. These offer far more than just emails management. I use Gmail, as it offers a plethora of great apps to keep all my affairs in order: Calendar, Chat, Google Drive, Maps etc.
5. Intuit – Payroll Software
When it comes to payroll programs, Intuit is the clear winner. This company has been serving more than a million businesses all over the world since the emerge of computerized services. It always keeps up with the continual changes in payroll and associated taxes, and thus it ensures you payroll is always accurate and updated. With Intuit you’ll get everything done quickly and easy for about $25 a month.
My name is Aleksey, I’m a webmaster. I mostly spend my time reviewing software novelties and sharing information about helpful tools and web resources to make our day-to-day operations easier. Feel free to ask me any questions related to this post (here’s my Twitter account https://twitter.com/AlexseyDonets) – I’ll be glad to help you 🙂