5 Business Tools Which Help During Lockdown
The current Coronavirus pandemic is causing havoc across the world. It is truly an emergency, with no clear end in sight. Everyone has had to adapt to a new reality, including entrepreneurs and business owners. Working from home has become the new norm, but the shift is not easy for most. For this reason, we have created a list of business tools that could help you during this period and beyond.
Website hosting
One of the very first actions you need to take if your business has always relied on walk-in customers is to launch a website with an online shopping portal. The exact type of portal would depend on what your business activity is. A retail business or grocer would probably need a shopping cart-type portal. On the other hand, a service provider might just need a website detailing different services and ways to get in touch.
The Internet is full of competing website hosting providers, and the top tier is made up of very good companies. Their services are pretty similar, offering everything from web hosting to emails and domains. At a time when counting pennies has become increasingly important, a discount cannot hurt. For this reason, we have teamed up with ScalaHosting to provide you with a Managed WordPress Hosting 20% OFF
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Cloud storage
From storing important corporate documents to treasured family photos, the use of cloud storage today has become as common as smartphones. Today you might need cloud storage to store files which can then be accessed by other team members. Once this emergency is over, you might continue to use cloud storage to access documents and other files remotely, whether on a business trip or still working from home.
Using cloud storage doesn’t need to be expensive. New SSD cloud server packages are available from $2.50/Month on Alibaba Cloud. Apart from being significantly more cost-effective than managing and securing your own servers, such business tools provide your business with an easily scalable solution, whether you are scaling up, or down. This is especially important in these volatile times.
Software solutions
Whether you’re a freelance writer or the head of a product development team, you need a suite of software applications to get your work done. A word processor and a spreadsheet find their way in virtually any business environment, so they are always essential. These business tools are available as open source solutions that many startups choose to use not to overstretch their cash flow. These solutions are good to get you started but are oftentimes limited in functionality or security.
There is a lot of innovation in the world of software, but we tend to prefer tried and tested options. Offering Word, Excel, Outlook, and a suite of other applications, you can create your best work with Office 365. User-friendly and intuitive, this solution will let you hit the ground running. Chances are, you’ve already some of the applications in this package, but Office 365 has come a long way since then.
Recruitment
Although at first glance it might look like every business is shedding staff, if you look a little closer you will notice that certain industries are actually recruiting. If you are one such business, then you might want to look for a partner to help you find the right candidates. Whilst ads on free services, such as Craigslist might look tempting, consider the type of candidate you might attract.
A number of potential candidates are currently at home, staring at their mobile phones. Partner up with a recruitment platform that already has thousands of job seekers in your area. There are several notable ones to mention, and we’ve teamed up with Monster US to give you $50 off a Standard Monthly Value Plan. The important factor to consider is whether the platform you choose is affordable and offers specialised sectors which include your own.
Training
You and your staff might be very experienced and knowledgeable about what you used to do, but the Coronavirus might have changed your business model completely. Just like with any evolution, the golden rule is to adapt, or risk dying. This also means offering new or different services and changing the way you run your business. There are many lessons to learn, and you could certainly learn from experience and making mistakes, but that is time-consuming and costly.
There is another solution. Online learning and video tutorials can provide you with the necessary skills and guidance to learn a new skill. There are many different business tools that offer hundreds of different courses. You can also attend virtual university classes offered by MIT, Harvard, and other top-tier universities for free. If you are looking for a specific course, however, you’re likely to find it at Udemy. There are literally thousands of different courses, ranging from business and finance to graphic design and marketing. What’s more, Udemy is currently running a special new user offer with Up to 75% off.
