Growing your startup: Internal tools you need and tips for success

If you are the owner of a startup, you are probably keen to see it become as successful as possible in a very short time. It may be that you have a strategy in place that is dependent on growth and you are looking for the best possible ways to ensure that the company grows as fast as possible. This is in spite of the fact that growth is not the be-all and end-all of success. 

But while growth can be a very important part of moving your business in the right direction – not all of the business growth comes from attracting more customers. Indeed, a huge part of growth in a startup is having the right infrastructure in place to allow you to cope with the fast growth of the company as effectively as possible. 

A key part of this is putting the right tools, processes and procedures into action. In this article, we will take a look at the key internal tools that all startups need if they want to achieve growth and long-term success. 

Project management

One of the most important tools that small companies need to invest in is a good project management tool. There are many different options available and choosing the right one can significantly affect productivity. The one that is going to be most effective for you will generally depend on the industry you are in as well as the specifics of your business.

In tech and software development, Jira has become a go-to option because of its ability to manage all elements of workflow. But Jira won’t be the right call for all organizations, and indeed, there are hundreds of different project management options available, with many designed for specific industries. 

HR software

Keeping on track with all elements of human resources might feel like something that is easy when you only have a couple of employees. But as a startup grows, it won’t be long before the task of managing all elements of HR becomes unwieldy. It might feel like HR software is something only for large companies, but it can have significant benefits for smaller ones too.

Indeed, when looking at issues like employee retention, benefits administration, and attendance monitoring, this is all far easier to track using software than it could ever be trying to keep track of what everyone is doing in your own head.

Document management

It can be said simply: modern businesses need effective document management. There is almost no company in existence that would not benefit from having tight control and easy access to their documentation at all times. Hugely beneficial from a business efficiency perspective, document management software saves time and money. 

It is also vital to tackle issues such as collaboration and remote working. Being able to access documents from anywhere in the world is massively beneficial in the age of working from home, indeed, it might be essential. 

Accountancy

It might only feel like a small issue early in the life of a business, but having your accounting work in place early can save you a huge amount of hassle in the long-term. Many startups simply muddle through when it comes to their accounts, as the owner perhaps attempts to keep on top of the day-to-day work and then works with an accountant for the big annual work.

But it can actually be far more effective to invest in high-quality accounting software that allows you to more easily manage all aspects of your business finances. It also means you have a system that an in-house accounts person can handle rather than a system that you have devised that will take them a long time to learn.

Communications

Communications software is a hugely important part of running a successful startup. More than ever, employees need to be able to communicate effectively when they are at work and this can be made far easier with powerful communications software in place.

Options such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom have been invaluable, but there are a huge range of different options available. With more staff working remotely than ever before, having this kind of communication software is not only valuable from productivity, data security and efficiency perspectives, but it can also be crucial to team building, and staff morale. 

eCommerce

Finally, it is very wise to have useful tools available for the ecommerce work that you carry out on a day-to-day basis. For example, if your business conducts a lot of social media marketing, having software such as Hootsuite, which allows you to quickly and easily manage social channels, can be very important. 

When your startup is able to grow it is not only because you are producing high quality services and products, it is through having a strong infrastructure of internal tools, processes, and procedures in place.

Join our LinkedIn group, ALM’s Small Business Adviser, a space where small business owners can gather to network, have discussions and keep up with the trends and issues affecting their industries.

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