Starting to work for yourself or working with a team has become increasingly challenging with the need to be completely virtual yet still ensure that you are open for new enquiries and can work effectively to support customers.

Many of the systems and applications that you need are available with free or introductory offers that allow you to find the right applications for you, and many are available to be linked to enable you to have a smart business set up.

The benefits and efficiencies allow you to focus on the important areas of developing your time without having to be constantly fixing your administration and support services.

What to think about when choosing your online business apps

• Look for the applications that offer free or basic packages whilst you establish what you really need to help you run your business.
• Speak with the Help teams to establish that the applications’ features actually work for you.
• Find out what applications can be linked together to save time and efforts.
• Look at the options once you find a package that works and negotiate the best package. Most packages offer a 20% saving (or more) if you pay for the whole year.
• There are lots of new initiatives that allow you to trial new applications and provide your feedback to be able to influence the settings and benefits.
• Use the Analytical tools to check your performance to ensure that you are getting what you need.

If you would like any further advice on setting up and managing your Operational Business Systems and Support please contact Steve Hancock at EBM sh@effectivebm.co.uk, one of our Found Foundation mentors.

Written by Steve Hancock
EBM Ltd
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