According to a recent MBIE report, 97 per cent of enterprises in Aotearoa (New Zealand) have fewer than 20 employees. Some 70 per cent have no employees at all! The other amazing statistic is how young and dynamic you are. One third, 33 per cent, of companies with 1-19 employees have existed for five years or fewer. Five years ago, Uber wasn’t even here yet. Being young and dynamic means that you are able to pivot and take advantage of the latest technology. We’ve trawled through the internet and have gathered a few that may make your day a bit easier.
It’s all about the Benjamins (or Lord Rutherfords?)
If you are doing business in NZ and Australia, you can’t really go past the home-grown Xero for all your accounting needs. Founded by Kiwi entrepreneur Rod Drury in 2006, Xero has grown to be a world-class player. In fact, they are world-leading with their latest foray into Artificial Intelligence, making day-to-day life more comfortable for the small business owner.
Taking the sale
If you are in retail, a solid point of sale system is vital to the success of your operation. Vend is another Kiwi success story, which makes this a seamless and secure process for you; whether you have one store, or over a hundred. The eclectic Vaughan Rowsell has taken Vend from an idea in 2010 to thousands of customers in over 140 countries in seven short years.
Don’t lose contact with your customers
It used to be vitally important to have a phone and a fax line. Today, you can’t survive without a mobile phone. How do you consolidate it all, and yet make yourself accessible to all your potential customers? For those of us that have to be on the go, and need a landline, getting a Skype Number is an easy way to keep mobile and yet #oldskool. If you couple it with a full Microsoft Office 365 suite, you’re really on the go, wherever you are.
Expenses from the future
Everyone hates doing paperwork. When you have amazing salespeople on the road, the last thing they want to do is save all their receipts and data-entry. Expensify automates it all so that they (and you) can get on with improving your bottom line.
Tracking what you’re up to
If your company works on several projects at the same time. It can be hard to keep track of who is doing what. Harvest makes this a breeze and at a reasonable price too.
Professional looking communications
It used only to be companies with giant marketing budgets that could afford to send slick looking e-marketing communications. With Mailchimp it is quick and simple. With inbuilt automation and a customisable pricing structure, it’s designed to grow with your company.
Your virtual home
You wouldn’t have broken windows and dirt outside your shop, but so many of us have ratty looking websites that haven’t been redesigned in years. There is a reason WordPress powers over a quarter of the web. From its famous five-minute install to millions of available plugins, WordPress is one of the most versatile CMS (content management systems) available today.
Head in the clouds
Travelling these days is stressful enough without the need to have a filing cabinet worth of paper to sort through. Both Air New Zealand and Jetstar have apps which keep you on top of the more mundane aspects of travel.
Meanwhile, on the ground
While everyone has heard of Uber, the more budget conscious amongst us also have Zoomy installed. A locally owned competitor with lower rates, Zoomy provides another alternative to the often much more expensive traditional taxis.
Working remote first
You don’t need a PMP qualification to use virtual project management software. Asana makes it easy to track the work of you and your team and keep on top of deadlines before they past you by.