While there are hundreds of different software solutions out there that can help in every area of your business, this blog describes the three most critical in any business, in my opinion.

Clockify

How often have you asked ‘where did the day go’?

If you’re not aware of how much time you spend in each area of your business, how do you expect to increase productivity and as a result, your profits?

Time tracking software, even if you don’t bill by the hour, is essential for working effectively. Every business owner, at some point or other, will be working on their business rather than in it, and the time spent here is just as important to track as client work.

By knowing how much time you’re spending on different business tasks (as opposed to client work), you can see what jobs are taking up your time and what shouldn’t be.

This allows you to delegate the time-consuming or low-value tasks that need to get done but not necessarily by you. You can then focus your time on the efforts that make more of a difference to your business.

Clockify is a great tool for tracking your time and is the one I use in my business. I also like the ability to track time for my team and get the report I need to bill clients correctly.

Another free alternative I recommend is Toggl. Whichever you use, tracking your time will give you insights into how you operate as a business.

Xero and Hubdoc

There are a few good accounting software options out there, but the combination of Xero and Hubdoc has to be my favourite.

It is vital to keep up to date with your business finances for any sort of projections, funding and analysis of how your business is doing. But it doesn’t have to be hard work.

Using Xero helps you track everything for your business finances, from out-going payments and client invoices to tax liabilities and financial reporting. It’s easy to set up (we can help you with that too if you need it), and once you understand the basics, you can keep on top of your finances instead of dreading the day your accountant contacts you for your records.

The integration with Hubdoc makes it even easier as it captures your receipts with a simple click and imports the data into Xero for you. Before you even leave the shop, your bookkeeping is half done!

If you don’t have a bookkeeping system set up, then I highly recommend Xero and Hubdoc as accounting software that will make your finances easier to manage.

And if you do have it set up and are struggling, give me a call. I can solve most niggles in 15 minutes, for free, and get you back on your feet again.

Adobe Sign

One of the most important processes to get right is the on-boarding of new clients.

By making this process slick and easy, you transform the way people value the relationship. They instantly feel in safer hands and have more confidence in the choice they have made in working with you. To read more about onboarding clients, click here.

Adobe sign is an electronic signature app that you can integrate with Mircosoft, Google, Salesforce and other programmes that allows you to collect signatures for your contracts easily.

It takes only a few minutes to generate a contract and all the client has to do is sign it digitally. They can do this at their desk or on their phones on the move.

It’s a simple solution, but it creates a great first impression.

Summary

Choosing the right software for your business can make all the difference to your day-to-day running and enjoyment of your business.

The three recommendations above are vital to my business and if you don’t have software in place that covers these areas, these would be my go-to solutions.

If you want help in setting up processes and software that help your business and save you time, contact us to see how we can help set you up for success.

For more tips on systems and processes that help grow your business, subscribe to our newsletter here.

Get a little superstar treatment by contacting us on:

Email: info@jaxstarsolutions.co.uk

Telephone: 020 3362 4436

Mobile: 07811 393520

Website: https://www.jaxstarsolutions.co.uk/

So many financial software packages. How do I choose and what’s your go-to recommendation?

My go-to recommendation is, stick with what you know but learn to use it fully. 

Get someone to train you, or set it up for you so you’re using it to its full potential.

I’ve worked with many businesses that are using software that aren’t using it properly, and it causes all sorts of problems for their business.   

But don’t just stick to one way of doing things because it’s the way you’ve always done it. 

Often Xero works better. It’s always going to be my go-to for financial software because I’m a certified partner. 

However, Xero isn’t going to work for every type of business. 

For some businesses, spreadsheets do work better than software. 

There are many businesses that Xero can’t work for. 

And in those circumstances, we’ve made their existing systems work even better for them. 

It’s all about the process. 

For example, we’re working with a locksmith who invoices one address and carries out work at a site address. He was using an existing invoicing system software to invoice from the site he carried the work out at. But his accountant wanted to move him to Xero to be tax digital. We’ve done that by getting his invoicing system to talk to Xero. It was crucial that he maintained the ability to invoice on-site when he was there before he gets on to his next job. Otherwise, he’d be spending all his evenings and weekend invoicing.

So we made it work for him. There was no change to him, but a lot of paddling below the surface by us –  like the swan analogy – to make it work for him. 

Don’t be fooled into believing that anyone method or software is better for your business. 

Consult with someone who has experience with different types of systems, software, and processes, and especially someone who takes the time to understand your business thoroughly.

If you want some free advice on how to choose the right software for your business, with a little superstar treatment thrown in, contact us on:

Email: info@jaxstarsolutions.co.uk

Telephone: 020 3362 4436

Mobile: 07811 393520

Website: https://www.jaxstarsolutions.co.uk/

Just like a personal Direct Debit for monthly bills, a small business Direct Debit set up works in much the same way, ensuring that payment will be made on a set date. Direct Debit removes the need for customers to view, approve, and action any invoices you send, so you don’t need to wait around for clients to authorise payment upon receipt of a new bill – the payment is made automatically. 

Direct Debit doesn’t just benefit your business, it brings a whole host of benefits to your customers too – benefits that add to the value and quality of service you’re already delivering. 

Here are a few things you can tell your customers about the benefits of paying by Direct Debit through GoCardless. 

• You only need to set up payment once – Complete an online form and, unlike with a bank transfer, cash, cheque or card payment, you won’t have to remember to pay next time. Which means no accidental disruptions to your service, subscription or membership. 
• You won’t ever need to update payment details – Unless you change bank accounts, you won’t have to worry about updating your payment details either (unlike, if your debit card expires, or is lost or stolen). 
• Paying through GoCardless gives you certainty – You’ll know exactly how much you’re paying and when it will come out, which can help with budgeting. 

The best news about setting up direct debit, if you use platforms like GoCardless, they can be synced with Xero so all the invoices are handled online and don’t need a lot of attention from you. If you don’t know how to sync GoCardless and Xero, please send me a message and I’d be more than happy to set you up and explain the process.  

Jackie Forster

Jaxstar Solutions is a valuable resource used by Small Businesses and Corporate organisations to help in the day to day running and operational side of their business, enabling them to get back out there and do what they do best…sell their products and services to make money.

Keep An Eye on Your Competitors 

A smart business owner will always keep a close eye on competitors. This is because what moves your competition make will have a direct impact on the success of your brand. Researching your competitors can help you to identify areas where you can improve your own business and utilise any gaps in the market. 

Seek Customer Feedback 

For businesses in all industries, it is important that you provide a quality product or service to your target customer. It can be hard to know what you are doing well and where you could make improvements without interacting with your target audience. It is for this reason why you should always seek customer feedback and then look for trends and changes that you could make to give you an edge over the competition. 

Meet With Your Team 

Similarly, you need to work closely with all members of your team at all times. When everyone can communicate effectively it can create a positive working environment and enable you to work together to bring about positive change to the business operation. You can do this through regular meetings, staff surveys and informal meetings. Make communication a priority in the workplace and it will help the entire operation to be more proactive in all areas of business. 

Jackie Forster

Jaxstar Solutions is a valuable resource used by Small Businesses and Corporate organisations to help in the day to day running and operational side of their business, enabling them to get back out there and do what they do best…sell their products and services to make money.

As much as you find it hard to understand accounts, Xero will make it easy for you. One of the greatest strengths of Xero accounting is the simplicity and user-friendliness of the software. Many of the web-based bundles offered by Xero are made for non-accountants, making all the difficult tasks easy for the average person, such as creating sales invoices and logging purchase invoices. The bundles are focused around the key tasks that users need to perform.    

Xero is essentially a relatively easy software to use, and no one has to spend days to understand it. However, if you still have some issues or want to start perfect, Xero has a training portal as well where you can take courses or choose learning programs to understand the software to ensure it runs smoothly for you and your business.  

I honestly can’t recommend Xero enough to all business owners, no matter how big or small you are, it is a complete game changer! 

Jackie Forster

Jaxstar Solutions is a valuable resource used by Small Businesses and Corporate organisations to help in the day to day running and operational side of their business, enabling them to get back out there and do what they do best…sell their products and services to make money.