The pandemic-spurred widespread use of remote work has spawned a flood of new cloud-based applications across businesses. Companies are scrambling to find new tools for business management, communication and collaboration with remote workers in the current climate. A lot of companies have turned to SaaS options.

This has become a no-brainer. A SaaS model involves third-party vendors hosting and maintaining applications delivered to employees over the internet, allowing them to be deployed remotely.

According to recent research, the SaaS market is growing at a rate of 18% per year. It is expected that 90% of organizations will be using a SaaS solution by the end of 2021. Furthermore, almost 78 percent of small businesses have already invested in SaaS solutions.

We have compiled and categorized a list of the top business management tools to help you navigate the vast sea of software solutions.

A Rundown of Top Business Management Tools

1. Zoho One

Number one on the list, Zoho One is an integrated business management suite that allows organizations of all sizes to manage sales, marketing, finance, human resources (HR), and more. Some features include quoting, digital signatures, project tracking, accounting, a Kanban board, contact management, and group calendars.

The application allows sales teams to generate leads, manage client records, and communicate with clients via phone calls, live chats, or online meetings. Marketers can use visual analytics to track visitor engagement and user interaction with custom websites.

HR managers can also use the program for applicant tracking, resume parsing, interview scheduling, time tracking, and onboarding. The Zoho One system allows support teams to manage tickets, provide remote assistance through screen sharing, and track the resolution of each ticket.

The system enables businesses to manage orders across multiple channels and track stock levels at different warehouses.

• Integration Options:

Zoho’s software suite consists of over 45 integrated applications and mobile apps and extensions.

• Industry Size:

Platforms like Zoho One are fully scalable and can be customized to fit the needs of any organization across a wide range of industries.

2. Basecamp

Basecamp is a real-time communication tool that keeps teams on the same page; it is less commonly used for conventional project management tasks (e.g., resource planning and long-term scheduling). As a task management application, Basecamp provides to-do lists, calendars, due dates, and file sharing features that enable teams to prioritize projects and keep track of actionable items. A simple interface lets users create projects, track progress, and manage tasks.

• Integration Options:

The Basecamp solution can be integrated with several popular industry apps.

Among the apps you can integrate with Basecamp are Slack, Mailchimp and Salesforce.

Other popular tools you might consider using with Basecamp include HubSpot, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Outlook.

• Industry Size:

Basecamp is not specific to any industry; it can be used by any organization that manages a group, including nonprofits, startups, and clients service agencies- or even freelancers. Subscriptions are scale-able, allowing for varying storage capacity and number of users.

3. NetSuite

With NetSuite, managing your business is simple and affordable. Having a business process management software means more than tracking the numbers. It means empowering employees to work faster, better, and smarter. The NetSuite Platform helps you make informed decisions about your business by providing real-time insights.

No matter your company size, NetSuite has the industry expertise and scalable cloud technology to meet your needs.

By automating core processes and providing real-time insights into operational and financial performance, NetSuite helps fast-growing businesses work more effectively by integrating ERP, financials, commerce, inventory management, human resources, payroll, and field service automation, supply chain management, and more.

• Integration Options:

Through an active internet connection, NetSuite can be accessed as a cloud-based system. The software needs no installation or download.

• Industry Size:

NetSuite is suitable for companies in any industry that require financial management software.

4. Calido

Calido is a customer-driven product management platform that allows enterprises to track their product roadmap by connecting it to their strategies, feedback, clients, tasks, escalations, or various other factors in one centralized workspace.

Using Calido, product teams can create a single source of truth for understanding customer needs, prioritizing what to build next, aligning everyone on the roadmap, and engaging their stakeholders.

• Integration Options:

Integrating Calido with JIRA and other tools allows you to manage delivery and team performance seamlessly.

• Industry Size:

Suitable for all small, mid-size and large enterprises.

5. Scoro

Worried how to manage a business from a central system? Scoro helps business professionals manage all of their clients and projects centrally from one place. Scoro keeps track of employees’ tasks, documents, and expenses. It shows the information from management to employees’ perspectives, including all the projects they are involved in.

Scorer simplifies and automates everyday work processes and timelines in an accurate, time-efficient manner. It has a simple, clean design; there is no unnecessary design element or clutter to distract or confuse its users.

• Integration Options:

Scoro connects with hundreds of trusted tools, from Zapier to Google Calendar to Xero, with powerful API integrations.

• Industry Size:

Suitable for all industry sizes.

Features to Look for in Business Management Tools

When evaluating a top business management tool, there are several things to watch out for. Listed below are some of the features worth knowing to choose the right product for your company.

• Scheduling & Task Management 

Your team’s workflow can be handled in many ways. Visual tools such as charts and timelines make it easy to see what tasks and projects your team members have completed, what they are focusing on, and what remains to be done.

The scheduling and task organization tools you use must be simple and intuitive since they are at the core of your project management strategy. With them, you can assign tasks to different team members and visualize what everyone must do to meet the team’s goals.

• Team Collaboration

When you have a lot of freelancers or remote workers, team collaboration is particularly helpful because it creates a digital space where everyone can share ideas and files and discuss tasks. A collaborative tool may include a discussion board, file-sharing system, and/or messaging capability.

• Integrations

Integration with other programs can simplify your workflow, so you don’t have to switch between multiple programs. You can stay organized and connected when everything is in one place. Instead of adding every possible integration, choose apps that sync well with your company’s needs and aren’t already part of your project management system.

• Real-Time Reporting

Stay up to date on your assignments with your team. Real-time reporting provides instant information about a project’s progress, missed deadlines, or any changes to an ongoing job, allowing you to address problems before they escalate. Many systems can customize reports or use different templates, such as financial key performance indicator (KPI) reports.

• Invoicing Features

Creating a project plan often involves budgeting, which is much easier when your program has built-in invoicing features. These tools can communicate pricing to clients and calculate billable hours and additional costs. You can also access your team’s finances and budget reports with invoicing features.

• Time Tracking

Time is of the essence when you are on a deadline. To make your planning more effective, knowing how much time your team spends on each task and project is helpful. Time tracking can assist you in identifying which members of your team need additional time management guidance.

Tools of this sort usually appear in the form of milestone features that highlight certain project stages and help calculate billable hours accordingly.

• Data Analytics System

An analytics system lets you examine your team’s work ethic and flow so you can find out where to make changes. You can gather information and make improvements with an effective program that shows your team’s progress and shortcomings.

Conclusion

Being in business automatically places you in the midst of competition. Even in a blue ocean market, staying ahead of the curve by adopting newer, faster, better techniques are important.

Business operations are chaotic, and balancing multiple plates all at once can be difficult, but top business management tools can make it easier. Markets offer dedicated business management tools geared toward meeting distinct business needs. However, you must know first what you wish to accomplish with the tool.

This involves getting hands-on knowledge of deploying effective products and solutions. The reliability and efficiency of business management software not only benefit your team but your customers as well.