Technology has transformed the way we work. AI, big data, and other cutting-edge technologies are reshaping industries and job roles.
In such a rapidly evolving landscape, it’s more important than ever for professionals to be adaptable to tools and solutions.
As rightly said in this Forbes article, “In a wavering economy, the one thing global leaders can certainly count on is the range of innovations at their disposal to navigate smoother business operations and exceed the expectations of their current clients.”
Moreover, according to Zippia,
- “$1.5 trillion was spent on digital transformation globally in 2021.
- Global spending on digital transformation is expected to reach $6.8 trillion by 2023.
- 56% of companies are prioritizing digital transformation worldwide as of 2021.
- 87% of business leaders think that digital transformation will disrupt their industry.”
In this article, we discuss 11 flexible tech solutions for business professionals to make work-life easy, boost productivity and enhance efficiency.
1. Online booking platforms for corporate travel.
There are 445 million business trips every year, and business travelers make up 12% of an airline’s passengers.
If you are a business professional who travels frequently, then you definitely need a travel management company.
Online booking platforms can help you manage your corporate travel easily — from booking flights, hotels, and comprehensive trip support, to travel spend reporting. If you are looking for a corporate travel online website, then TravelPerk is a popular option.
With a corporate travel management company, you can save time, get the best deals, stay compliant with your company’s travel policy, earn rewards, and get powerful expense management tools.
Since these platforms come with inbuilt expense management tools, you can track travel expenses in real-time and get insights into travel spending for your company.
2. OCR tools for paperless workflows.
With optical character recognition (OCR) tools, you can digitize paper documents and convert them into editable text, PDFs, or other formats.
This can be a game-changer for business professionals who still rely heavily on paper documents. Best OCR tools are packed with benefits.
For example, speed up workflow by automating tasks like – scanning and converting paper documents into digital files; improving accuracy by providing a more precise way to scan and discern text than manual methods; reducing the risk of human error, which can result in lost or incorrect data.
3. AI-powered project management tools.
There’s a slew of AI-powered project management tools accessible in the market that can help you manage your projects more effectively.
Some of the best AI project management tools are Asana, Basecamp, Trello, Wrike, and Smartsheet. Tools like these use AI to automate repetitive tasks, provide recommendations, and predict risks.
Moreover, with AI-powered project management tools, you can get real-time, and data-driven insights to help you make better decisions and improve project outcomes.
4. Cloud-based collaboration tools.
Work has become remote. For that reason, there has been a spike in the need for cloud-based collaboration tools.
For many companies today they have become an indispensable part of the workflow for business professionals.
With these tools, you can stay connected with your team, share files, and work on projects from anywhere.
Popular cloud-based collaboration tools include Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and Microsoft OneDrive. These tools come with a range of features like file sharing, real-time editing, version control, as well as collaborative commenting.
In nutshell, with cloud-based collaboration tools, you can work on projects from anywhere, at any time. This means you can get more work done in less time, as you’re not restricted by location.
5. Business intelligence tools.
Data is a goldmine for businesses and that’s where business intelligence tools help make critical decisions by turning data into insights. Some of the best BI tools are Tableau, Looker, Microsoft Power BI, and Sisense.
These tools come with features like data visualization, dashboards, report generation, and more. With the right tech solutions in place, you can make your work-life easy, boost productivity, and enhance efficiency.
Enhanced decision-making. With BI tools, you can have all the information you need at your fingertips. This gives you the power to make better decisions based on accurate and timely data.
Accelerate business growth. BI tools give you the insights you need to identify opportunities for business growth and make decisions that will drive the growth of your organization.
Better Customer Service. By giving you a 360-degree view of your customers, BI tools help you deliver better customer service and improve customer retention rates.
6. Customer relationship management (CRM) tools.
CRM tools let you manage customer relationships and build a sales pipeline.
Salesforce, HubSpot Sales, Zoho CRM, and Pipedrive are good examples of CRM tools.
They come with features like contact management, sales automation, and lead management, and help you keep a check on your sales pipeline from start to end. In addition, there are reporting and analytics features that provide valuable insights into sales and performance.
The benefits of using CRM tools are — to increase sales, improve customer satisfaction, and streamlined sales processes.
7. Video conferencing tools.
Video conferencing tools let you stay connected with your team and clients — even if you are located in opposite parts of the world.
Popular online meeting and video conferencing tools include Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts. Online meetings and video conferencing tools make it easy for team members to communicate, collaborate, discuss and brainstorm ideas, all in one place.
Today async tools like loom have come to the forefront too.
8. Password managers.
Put simply, a password manager is a solution, application or program that stores passwords and sensitive login information of a user safely.
These apps work by encrypting your data and then storing it in a secure, central location so that nobody can access it illegally. Password managers are valuable tools to add to your arsenal of tools if you have trouble keeping track of your different passwords. Some benefits of using a password manager include:
- Heightened security: By storing your passwords in a secure location, you can help protect them from being hacked or stolen.
- Convenience: Password managers can help save you time by auto-filling your login information for you.
- Flexibility: Some password managers can work across multiple devices and platforms, making it easy to access your passwords no matter where you are.
- Peace of mind: password managers can give you peace of mind knowing that your sensitive login information is stored securely and encrypted.
9. Accounting software.
Managing finances and invoices can be a time-consuming process.
As a professional, it’s best to use solutions like QuickBooks and Xero to organize, and track finances in one place and send automated invoices on time.
If you are a solopreneur, then Freshbooks is a great choice.
10. Cybersecurity solutions.
Cybersecurity solutions help you protect your data and devices from cyberattacks.
Some reputed cybersecurity solutions are Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky.
Cybersecurity solutions let professionals take active measures to safeguard their online information. By means of these solutions, professionals can avert becoming victims of online attacks, breaches, viruses, ransomware attacks and malware.
In addition, cybersecurity solutions let professionals recover lost or stolen data, and prevent future attacks.
11. Business process management (BPM) tools.
BPM tools help you automate and manage your business processes.
Some of the best BPM tools are Kissflow, ProcessMaker, Zoho Creator, Nintex, and Bizagi. Benefits of BPM tools are;
- Boost efficiency and productivity. Professionals can refine their workflows and business processes with BPM tools thereby boosting efficiency and productivity. By automating routine tasks and processes, businesses can strengthen their operational efficiency and bottom line.
- Deliver better customer service. Professionals can deliver better, faster and more efficient customer service by automating tasks and processes related to resolving customer queries and complaints.
- Augment sales and revenues. BPM tools can help businesses to increase their sales and revenues by automating tasks and processes like lead generation, customer relationship management, and sales management. This can help businesses to tap into new markets and generate more leads, and convert more prospects into customers.
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