Up In the Clouds…

We’re living in a time where literally every other day, a new start-up is created to solve a simple solution or improve a business process. There is a vast marketplace of 3rd party apps out there; all aimed at helping small business owners enhance or automate their everyday business functions.

Just do a search for “Project Management Tool” in Google and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Many of these software platforms are cloud-based and don’t require you to download anything onto your computer. A cloud-based platform or application simply means you can access all of your data or a platform from anywhere there is an internet connection, at anytime you want with the click of a mouse! Perform YAGS, Yet Another Google Search, and you’ll see for yourself – apps galore! The online marketplace is currently being fueled by creative innovation and literally thousands of startups are jumping at the opportunity to help small businesses grow by developing niche specific tools daily.

So I know you’re probably thinking…Why should this interest me? As an entrepreneur, the potential to increase productivity, communication, and efficiency by utilizing cloud-based apps is unreal. Not only are these tools incredibly valuable to your organization, they are usually very inexpensive, or even free. Just by implementing one of these tools into your business, you could free up 5-10 hours of work a week, if not more. Not to mention the positive environmental impacts you’ll be having by moving to cloud-based, paper-less software. Sounds good, right?

Here are just a few tools that are available to you. Once you start searching, you’ll see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

• TeamworkPM or Basecamp – Two awesome tools designed to help your team collaborate on projects from anywhere in the world. Our personal favorite is TeamworkPM.

• CapsuleCRM or Salesforce – Have trouble remembering what was said to your top customer last time you spoke? Log your conversations, track contact details and even set automated follow-up sequences so you never forget even the tiniest of details. CapsuleCRM is designed for smaller organizations while Salesforce is much more robust.

• ZenDesk – Manage customer support inquiries with ease. ZenDesk’s ticketing system combined with personalized online forums and tutorials, lets your customers get the answers they need fast.

• MailChimp – Want to start building a list of email subscribers for your company newsletter? MailChimp is incredibly intuitive, user-friendly and overall a lot of fun to use.

• Grasshopper - Hands down, our favorite app out there. Grasshopper automagically helps your small business look and feel like a Fortune 500 company. From voice extensions to customized greetings and hold music, Grasshopper will transform your businesses’ phone system into a professional support center.

These are just a few of the apps we use here at Wafflehaus – there are way too many for me to share them all in just one blog post! We hope this brief introduction to the wonderful world of cloud-based software was enough to pique your interest. There’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur; the potential of these tools on your businesses’ growth and productivity is limitless. Not to mention, the rate of innovation and new technology is exponentially increasing everyday… the future looks bright my friends.

Yours in business success,

Evan Shoemaker
Director of Marketing

P.S. Here’s an awesome new startup we recently came across that will help give you an idea of just how crazy the market is. Shoeboxed. You can literally outsource your life!