8 of the Best Operations Tools for Your Agency
We’re often asked to recommend / implement tools to make business operations more efficient. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all app, it is helpful to hear from others you trust in the industry as you choose which ops tools to use.
First, a few thoughts on tools:
They are awesome and can make processes much more efficient, saving your entire team valuable time and money. However, be careful not to go tool crazy, especially when your agency is still small and scaling. If you implement a tool for absolutely everything, the prices can add up and before you know it, you’re spending thousands a month on apps alone.
Do your research first. Product companies offer demos for a reason and if you’re like me, you’re stacking 2-3 tools of a similar nature against each other to see what will work best for your organization.
Once implemented, try and give the tools a solid year before swapping it out for a replacement. This’ll give your team time to adjust and really utilize the tools to their maximum ability. Constantly chasing after the “best” tool can leave your team frustrated and can actually be a drain to your bottom line.
Here are some of my favorite business operations tools:
Most agencies are using one of these two accounting softwares. Our preference is QBO as more accountants/CPAs are familiar with the tool. That being said, Xero is a very strong competitor.
We could write up an entire post on this HRMS/HRIS (HR Management System / Information System), and probably will. However, just know that this tool can manage applicant tracking, onboarding/offboarding, payroll, benefits, HR information, performance management, and so much more! It can be used as a standalone app or integrated into tools that already handle one of those features listed. You get the gist, this software is a beast.
If you aren’t using an HRMS, you’ll want to use a software for payroll. This one is the easiest to use for small to medium sized companies.
Unless you’re using a PM tool that also covers time tracking, this is a great tool for teams to log their hours.
This is to get your accounts payable in order. We love that it streamlines the approval process of invoices and it syncs with QBO.
This is a great tool for expense reimbursements, has an approving process built and also syncs with your accounting software.
No one enjoys the process of gathering W9’s and sending out 1099’s to contractors. This makes it a breeze and is so affordable.
This makes gathering signatures on important documents a breeze. Pro tip, there are settings to make sure you have separate viewing access. This is important for HR/Finance sensitive docs!
Miscellaneous Ops Tools
There are dozens of excellent tools out there and it’s difficult to highlight them all. Here’s a few more worth a shoutout that you might already be using: G Suite, Slack, Zoom, Dropbox, Calendly, LastPass and more.
PM Tools
This topic has already been covered by our friend Karl Sakas. Checkout his recommendations for The Ultimate List of PM Tools.
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it can help you get on the right track to implementing the right tools. We’re all doing our best to make our companies more efficient for our clients and our employees.
Have a favorite tool that’s not listed here? We’d love to hear about it!
