The digital tools that every small business needs

By Michel van Rijmenant, CEO of Chimera Creative

Digital tools are so important, especially in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The pandemic showed us that with the correct tools, for some businesses, you and your employees will be able to work from anywhere without any setbacks brought about by information stored on a centralised server, for example. These are the five tools my team and I use the most:

• Google Workspace is a great way to streamline internal processes. All your documents will be stored and backed up on the Cloud and for a small fee, your business emails can be customised and you’ll have access to the entire Google Workspace suite of products. 

• Web Engine simplified the process of setting up our website (or for SMEs that sell goods, you can easily set up an online store). It costs a lot less than hiring a developer, too.

• Simple Pay helps me keep track of our payroll system. It automatically generates deductions and only charges for active employees so there are no hidden costs. It’s also extremely easy to set up and manage.

• Social media has become such an integral part of our everyday lives and while Instagram and Facebook are great for generating sales, for a service-driven business such as ours, LinkedIn is essential. It offers every business a social media presence where you can not only market your business but also increase your network and leads opportunities. I also find it an amazing place to receive and provide insight into best practices in my industry.

• Working remotely can be a challenge in the best of times. Our team has found Monday.com to be extremely useful in this regard as it allows managers to assign tasks and everyone to keep track of workflows across different projects with a glance. A similar tool is Asana although, being in the creative field, Monday.com’s colourful design won us over right away.

Find out how to make your business more sustainable: