HOW TO SPEND IT — PART 5

Tools, Tools, Tools

How to set up a digital organization

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

Today, everything is so easy. You can set up a communication tool in minutes, a professional-looking website in hours, and organize an entire company in a few days. There’s a Software as a Service (SaaS) or an app for every task. Just a few clicks away, there’s the next fancy solution.

As easy as using the plethora of tools, it’s easy to lose track and control of spendings. Here are some evaluation criteria you can use before signing up for the next service.

The initial software landscape

Software makes possible what was unthinkable 50 years ago: building a fully functioning business without a lot of effort. Today, most software solutions are available as a service over the Internet. That’s remarkable, and it offers a wide variety of options that startups can take advantage of.

What does the basic equipment look like?

It varies, of course, depending on the business model and needs. While 3D graphics tools are basic equipment for a game design agency, a manufacturer of consumer goods is more likely to need an online shop. In addition to these specific tools, there are some that are universal.

• Communications Software. Any business that involves more than one person requires easy-to-use communications software. Email and WhatsApp won’t cut it in the long run. Slack is the leader here, but there are more solutions, sometimes integrated with other tools like office suites or project management. No matter what you choose, the important thing is that the solution is accessible to every employee.
• Office Suite. Creating emails, presentations, texts, calculations, all this is covered by office software. Although promising new applications come on the market sporadically, Microsoft Office and Google Workspace are predominant.
• Project Management Software. Things tend to become complex, and complexity tends to slip away from us. Therefore, project management software is something even solopreneurs can benefit from. For larger companies, it’s a must-have.
• Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM)…