5 Essential Software Packages Your Business Needs In 2020
Read this article to know the software that your business needs in the world where Work from home is the new common and businesses need to adapt accordingly. See which all tools help you adapt to this new normal and still keep your employees productive and your business secure.
There's no denying that the business world has changed for good in 2020. At the start of the year, most of us assumed we would go on as normal, and we had clear budgets, projected profits, and so on. We had no idea that by June, we would be looking at a whole new world, unsure of what might come next.
But it's not just profit margins that have been affected in 2020. It is the very way we do business. More people than ever are working from home. Underpaid employees are finding more work online. Millions of newly jobless individuals are joining the gig economy.
As a business owner, you cannot ignore this shift. Your business needs to take into account the new world we live in, even as we go back to normal.
Here are 5 essential software packages your business needs in 2020.1. VoIP Software
In reality, all businesses should have had some sort of VoIP setup by 2020. It is the cheaper, more convenient, and more effective way of managing your staff-base. But in 2020, virtual calls and meetings are the new normal. There have been many pieces of software used for meetings and group sessions, to great effect. However, your business communications needs don't begin and end at meetings.
Good VoIP software gives staff an easy way to communicate within and outside of the business. See this Verizon review at Top10.com for an idea of how some of the more established players in the game compare. Your VoIP packages will be part of your comprehensive internet package, meaning you can keep all of your expenses and admin in one place.2. Modern VPN Software
Companies have needed their own VPN software for many years. The need for privacy and exclusivity of access to confidential information is nothing new. Most businesses probably thought they had their VPN needs taken care of. Then 2020 came along.
The number of companies that have suddenly found themselves struggling to find a way for employees to connect to the VPN from home is remarkable. VPN software should set very strong boundaries, but those boundaries should be in regards to person and device, not a physical location.
Modern VPN software that is easy to access from anywhere is now a necessary upgrade. It is ridiculous that some companies still require staff to come into the office just to access the business server.3. Network Security Software
Of course, when employees are working from home, there is a much higher chance of security breaches. For some companies, these breaches can be catastrophic. Even if nothing is lost, you can lose the trust of your clients.
As part of your 2020 upgrade, you need to ensure that all your employees are protected from hackers, no matter where they are working from. This is going to be true even once COVID-19 is over and we have returned to a semblance of normalcy.
In truth, it is about time many companies upgrade their security protocols. For too long, business owners have been way too lax about online security. Because the threat is "invisible," people don't spend money protecting against it until something actually happens to them. This is why, for example, employee passwords are often ridiculously simple.
Firewalls, password managers, and other types of network security are crucial additions to almost every company.4. Virtual Teams Software
Software like Slack has long been used by startups and freelancers. However, many traditional businesses have never gone beyond in-person meetings, Google Docs, and emails. Collaboration in these companies is confined to the office.
Suddenly, everyone needs some sort of virtual teams software, whether Microsoft Teams, Slack, or another software package. This is a change for the better. Collaboration should be seamless if you are to take your company forward. It should not be confined to a place, nor to your full-time employees. Collaborating with other businesses and freelancers should be as simple.5. Staff Management Software
Something that many managers have noticed during COVID-19 is that staff do not know how to be managed from home. Most people are used to having supervisors in the workplace with them. It is clear that they are working (or at least that they are at work). When working from home, employees feel the need to prove that they are being productive.
This leads to an uptick in communications, whether via email or virtual meeting. It wastes time for all involved. Staff management software allows employees to check-in, share with their supervisors, and generally have an open channel of communication. It gives both managers and staff the peace of mind that the work is being done and not going unnoticed.
The business world has changed in 2020. Don't get left behind without the software necessary to compete. Upgrade your business, for the sake of you and your staff.
