Top 10 Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
These days, having the correct IT solutions in-place is vital to all organisations and the IT solutions you choose can be make or break for business management. IT solutions for small businesses are especially important as tasks need to be managed professionally and cost effectively. Whether you’re handling marketing campaigns, managing projects, or tracking your finances, and having the best IT solutions play a crucial role in every part of your business.
Of course, there is an endless supply of IT solutions for small businesses available and it can be almost impossible to choose which ones will suite your business. For this reason, we have simplified this process for you, by providing our list of the top 10 best IT solutions for a small business. We have compiled this list based on years of experience providing IT solutions for small businesses. It’s based on the most cost effective, easy to setup and popular IT solutions on the market.
If you still feel the IT solutions you require are not included in the list below. Please feel free to contact us and we will provide a free consultation to help you get started.
Our List of the best IT Solutions for a Small Business
1. Microsoft 365 (All Rounder)
If your looking for an all-round IT solution for you small business that can handle 90% of your IT needs within one package, then you should look no further that Microsoft 365. Most businesses will require the standard tools that come with M365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Exchange/Outlook). However, most do not realise there is a wealth of tools that come included, that can manage most of your IT needs.
Some of these solutions include SharePoint, that can be used to store and manage documents and collaborate within your teams. Also, the Power Platform to automate business processes, create apps and visualise your data with reporting dashboards. With M365 packages starting at £4.90 per user per month, we feel that this is a must have IT solution for a small business.
Best IT Solutions Included in Microsoft 365:
- Word/Excel/PowerPoint – Desktop and web applications to create files, organise data and presentation creation.
- Exchange/Outlook – Sending and receiving emails.
- Teams – Call, chat and collaborate with colleagues and associates.
- SharePoint – Document management, collaboration platform, sharing news and events.
- OneDrive – Personal file storage for staff.
- Power Apps – Creating desktop, tablet and mobile applications.
- Power Automate – Create workflows to automate and manage business processes.
- Power BI – Create reporting dashboard to visualise data.
- Planner – Plan, organise and manage work tasks.
- Stream – Upload and manage video files.
- + more
If you need more information on how to get started with Microsoft 365. Feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
2. Sage Accounting – Accounting Software
Accountancy software is crucial for small businesses because it helps streamline financial management. Offering significant advantages in efficiency, accuracy, and cost-saving. Small businesses often have limited resources, and using accountancy software eliminates the need for a full-time accountant by automating tasks like bookkeeping, invoicing, payroll, and tax preparation. By reducing manual errors, accountancy software ensures financial records are accurate and compliant with legal requirements.
Moreover, IT solutions for small business play a vital role in supporting these operations by integrating accounting tools with other business management systems. Such as customer relationship management (CRM) and inventory management.
Sage Accounting is one of the go-to accountancy software tools and is regularly used as an IT solution for small businesses, as it is easy to setup and offers cheap packages, specifically created for small businesses.
Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
3 – 4. Project Management Tools (Trello / Monday.com)
Digital project management tools are essential for small businesses, offering numerous advantages that streamline operations and enhance efficiency. For companies looking for IT Solutions for business, these tools provide comprehensive platforms to plan, track, and manage various aspects of projects. They simplify collaboration, helping teams stay organized, meet deadlines, and control budgets, all while offering real-time updates.
There are two popular project management tools that are used by small businesses:
Trello – Offers a free plan specifically for start-ups and small businesses.
Monday.com – Offers free plan for up to two staff and £8 per month for larger teams.
Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
5 – 6. Customer Relationship Management (Salesforce / Dynamics)
When considering the best IT solutions for small business, CRM tools stand out as a key investment because they automate routine tasks like follow-ups, customer inquiries, and sales tracking. This automation reduces human error and ensures that nothing falls through the cracks. Additionally, CRM systems often integrate with other IT solutions for small business, such as email marketing platforms, e-commerce systems, and social media channels, making them highly versatile.
Moreover, adopting CRM as part of comprehensive IT solutions for small business allows small enterprises to scale operations efficiently. These tools offer insights through analytics, helping businesses understand customer behaviour and improve decision-making. As part of a broader suite of IT solutions for small business, CRM systems also enhance collaboration between sales, marketing, and customer service teams, ensuring a seamless customer experience.
The two main CRM tools on the market are:
Salesforce – Offers starter suite package for small businesses at £20 per user per month
Microsoft Dynamics – Multiple packages available
Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
7- 8 Social Media Management (Hootsuite / Buffer)
In the modern work of marketing, social media plays a key role and social media management tools help you to streamline your digital marketing, by providing a single tool to publish content through. This offers numerous benefits for small businesses, making it an essential IT solution for small businesses. With features like content scheduling and automation they allow small business owners to plan and automate posts across multiple platforms, saving valuable time and effort. With built-in analytics, businesses can easily track engagement and measure the success of their social media strategies, leading to better decision-making. Moreover, this IT solution for small businesses helps in maintaining a consistent brand presence, improving customer engagement and fostering growth. By providing a centralized dashboard, it also simplifies collaboration, making it an indispensable IT solution for small businesses looking to scale efficiently.
Two popular tools used for social media management are:
Hootsuite – Offer professional plan for 1 user and up to 10 social media accounts for £89 per month
Buffer – Offer a ‘Free Forever’ plan for for small businesses for up to 3 channels
Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
9. Email Marketing (Mailchimp)
Still an important part of marketing, especially for small businesses as it’s free! Email marketing should play an important role as an IT solution for small businesses. Email marketing offers significant benefits and serves as a powerful IT solution for a small business. It allows small businesses to reach their target audience directly, delivering personalized content that drives engagement and boosts customer retention. This IT solution for a small business is cost-effective, enabling businesses to promote their products and services without the high costs associated with traditional advertising.
The main IT solution small businesses use for email marketing is Mailchimp, due to the free plan they offer for up to 500 contacts.
Best IT Solutions for a Small Business
10. Web Hosting and Domain (IONOS)
Lastly, but by no means least is web hosting. Having a professional website is a must for a business of any size these days and to create a website requires you to buy web hosting (where the website is held) and domain name (site address). Once these are purchased a website can be created within the web hosting and accessible through the domain name.
IONOS is a popular choice for web hosting as they provide affordable prices and great customer support.
Bonus: WordPress
Once you have purchased web hosting, most people (without technical knowledge to create a website themselves) use a website builder to easily setup their website. During the web hosting setup, you will have the option to do a WordPress install. WordPress is the leading website CMS that will allow you to easily select a template to use for your website.
If you need more support on choosing the best IT solutions for small businesses available, feel free to contact us to setup a free consultation.