Best Small Business Management Software of 2024
Many business owners find managing and streamlining operations overwhelming—luckily, small business management software is designed to help carry the load. The best software typically includes modules and features to assist with onerous tasks such as billing and invoicing, inventory management, customer relationship management, project management, and scheduling.
Small business management software saves businesses time and resources by automating repetitive tasks like these and centralizing essential data. Not to mention, analytics and reporting capabilities can offer valuable insights that allow businesses to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
Discover the power of small business management software and see how DaySmart can empower your business to succeed.
Key Features of Small Business Management Software
Crucial for enhancing productivity, our business management software optimizes day-to-day operations and fosters growth. Say goodbye to manual tasks like inventory and customer relationship management—your new business software offers a comprehensive suite of tools tailored to the unique needs of small businesses. Popular features include:
Payment Processing & Inventory Management
DaySmart offers integrated payment processing capabilities combined with inventory management. This means you can speed up the checkout process all while keeping track of current stock and inventory. You can even track past purchases right within client profiles, which helps inform future decisions that can boost your sales.
Payroll Support
Some small business management solutions, including the Salon management solution from DaySmart, offer payroll functions to ease everyday operations. Consider your payroll needs when looking for a platform. Software might include payroll calculation tools like DaySmart – helping generate the key information you need to share with your payroll service provider – while others might offer payroll processing directly.
Client Management
Managing your business well means managing clients well. That’s why we’ve developed our software around treating each client like they’re your only client. Client management solutions are vital to delivering an exceptional experience every step of the way. Store client information, preferences, notes, purchase history, and more. You’re always just a click away from the details, so you can prepare and make every client interaction personal.
Loyalty and Rewards Programs
On top of personalizing the client experience, your small business could benefit from offering a rewards program or loyalty program to encourage repeat customers. And, a great business management solution will bake in a loyalty program option for your business, offering discounts and reward points for any repeat business. Keep your customers coming back with this unique feature!
Client Communication
Additionally, client interaction is an important component to business management (and customer retention). Make it easy to manage interactions with your customer base by finding software that offers communication features like:
Two-Way Texting:
- Send and receive text messages directly within the platform, making it convenient for both you and your clients.
- Be there for your clients for everything from appointment requests, to late arrivals, or cancellations. Clients can even send photos in advance, which can enhance the customer experience, especially at businesses like salons, spas, veterinary clinics, or body art shops.
- Free up your time and reduce phone-tag for less frustration and more efficiency.
Appointment Reminders:
- Set up automated text or email reminders and confirmations to take the hassle out of managing confirmations and follow-ups.
- Get confirmations or cancellations from clients directly through their text responses, reducing no-shows and keeping your day on track.
- Rebook appointments easily and keep your clients and staff in the know about upcoming bookings.
Make daily and repetitive tasks more manageable while enjoying solutions that solidify client relationships and grow your business—simultaneously! Whether on a laptop, tablet, or phone, our system lets you instantly access client details. This flexibility is essential when on the go, and immediate access to information is crucial to client satisfaction.
Data Collection and Reporting
Data and reporting are only empowering to business owners if they’re looking at the right information. And even the best data is worthless if the reporting is too complex to understand. Make more informed, confident business decisions—harness the power of data and reporting to grow your business.
Customizable reporting solutions can help you tackle everything from inventory management to tax preparation and tracking sales. And you can say goodbye to manual data entry and tracking. Because it’s all designed to perform quickly and easily, so you don’t get bogged down in numbers while you’re trying to run your business.
Scheduling Capabilities
Customers can easily view available times and schedule one-time and recurring appointments independently. So whether you manage service appointments, interviews, or patient visits, automating a few scheduling and appointment management tasks can massively affect how well your business runs. Designed to simplify your scheduling, free you from the time-consuming manual work, and deliver a more engaging experience to your clients, our small business scheduling software is versatile, serving a wide array of industries, including small and midsize companies as well as large enterprises.
Plus, user-friendly, easy-to-use online booking features make it easy for clients to schedule appointments at their convenience.
It’s time to say goodbye to manual scheduling hassles and hello to efficiency and accessibility. From simplifying appointment booking to enhancing client engagement, our versatile solution is designed to elevate your business operations to new heights.
Secure and Remote Access
If you’re a small business owner who is constantly on the go, you will want to find small business management software with mobile or remote access. Whether the platform offers a mobile app for you to manage appointments and communications, or cloud access to your client and patient data from any device, this level of flexibility is a key feature to keep business operations running smoothly and clients happy, even in the off hours.
Benefits of Small Business Management Software
Every business is as unique as its owner, so you deserve a partner who can tailor solutions precisely to your needs. To grow. To manage. And do it all easily so you can focus on your passion for your business. Some key benefits of small business management software include, but are not limited to:
- Streamlined Workflow: Effortlessly manage your schedule with streamlined appointment bookings so your valuable time is worth more than ever.
- Automation Features: Features like automatic reminders and confirmations enhance customer engagement and help ensure every day runs smoothly.
- User-Friendly Interface: Take advantage of our software’s user-friendly interface. From seamless payment processing to customized client profiles, allowing you to centralize your client management solutions.
- Reporting: Use data to guide your decisions with real-time reporting tools that take the mystery out of data so you can harness the power of insights and analytics.
- Time Savings: Text and email marketing can effectively and efficiently target new customers and reward loyal clients while you’re busy spending your valuable time doing other things.
How to Choose the Best Small Business Management Software
When looking for the right small business management software, you’ll balance the importance of factors like a user-friendly interface, pricing, scalability, integration capabilities, and customization options. Doing so will enable you to select software that handles daily operations, boosts productivity, and helps you make informed decisions for your business.
User-friendly Interface
Search for software that’s easy to use and navigate, reducing the learning curve for your team and boosting productivity. User-friendly online booking makes it easy for your clients to schedule appointments without any fuss. In turn, it saves you time and resources, so you can focus more on what’s important and less on administrative tasks.
Pricing
Consider software that fits your budget and offers value for money, whether a one-time fee or subscription-based. DaySmart, like many software models, offers subscription-based pricing for various industries, including salon and spa management, pet grooming, and tattoo studios, depending on user count, features, and additional services.
Scalability
When assessing your software needs, make sure you consider scalability. You want to choose software that can grow with your business without costly upgrades, accommodating increased data volumes and users. DaySmart’s software solutions are specifically designed so companies can adapt and grow without limitations in their software system. Our team of experts can handle anything thrown our way, whether increased data, user requirements, or transaction volumes. Management software should remain an asset rather than a hindrance as your business grows in clientele, staff, or services.
Integration Capabilities
Our system’s flexibility means you’re never bound to a single device—laptop, phone, tablet—wherever, whenever. Your reports are just a tap away, so you can connect to your business in seconds. Ensure the software integrates smoothly with other tools you use, like accounting or payment processing, to organize your workflow. Along with DaySmart’s two-way texting and scheduled appointment reminders to increase engagement and efficiency, you can focus on delivering exceptional service to your clients.
Customization Options
It’s no secret that effective data reporting and analytics can make a business run more smoothly and grow more quickly. But where do you start? And how can you know you’re looking at the correct numbers to make the best decisions? Choose a software that allows you to customize reports, workflows, and permissions to match your business needs. Make informed decisions for your business’s long-term growth and view key performance stats and information to strategize and stay organized. With over 80 types of reports, DaySmart organizes data so you can instantly access the information you need to decide on staffing, services, and more. You can rest assured that your business is secure from staff to customer data with multiple layers of protection and encryption.
Depending on your business needs, you may need several software solutions working together to create the perfect business harmony. Or, you may benefit from an all-encompassing solution that offers a diversity of features in one, single platform.
Best Inventory Software for Small Business
If your primary needs are inventory management-based, you’ll probably need software specializing in inventory management. Here are the best, single-platform inventory software options for small businesses:
- QuickBooks
Although the learning curve is steep, and it can take a while to get the hang of things, QuickBooks offers inventory management capabilities that include tracking, reordering, and reporting across multiple warehouse locations and channels. This allows brands to automate and integrate their commerce platforms and gain on-demand sales insights.
Pricing starts at $39 per month based on several factors, with a 50% discount for your first three months of enrollment to see if the software is a good solution for your needs.
- TradeGecko
Specializing in inventory optimization and order fulfillment, TradeGecko is a growth-focused solution for small businesses. Features include inventory tracking, multi-channel sales management, and automated order processing.
TradeGecko offers subscription-based pricing plans starting at $39, with varying rates depending on business needs. There’s also a 14-day free trial for those who want to try it before they buy.
- Fishbowl Inventory
Fishbowl Inventory is an inventory control solution for small businesses that provides operational connectivity and problem-solving bundles so business owners can choose what best suits their inventory, warehousing, or manufacturing needs.
Pricing typically involves one-time setup fees and ongoing subscription fees. Keep in mind that the total cost varies based on factors such as the number of users, additional modules required, and the scale of the business’s inventory operations, but Fishbowl is one of the pricier options out there, starting at a whopping $329/month.
Once you’ve selected the perfect inventory software for your small business, considering features, pricing, scalability, and suitability, it’s time to shift gears into POS software options, essential for efficient transaction management and customer satisfaction.
Best POS Software for Small Business
Your POS (that’s point-of-sale) software has to be effective and efficient. Nothing worse than stalling when you’re trying to run a card!
The software options below are the best on the market for businesses looking solely for a point-of-sale system, without other business management features:
- Stripe
Stripe is a global payment processing platform that offers their standard pricing at 2.9% + 30¢ per successful charge for domestic cards, which is a competitive rate for small businesses. However, if you have additional or unique needs regarding features such as finance and revenue automation or additional banking services, custom pricing options are available—simply reach out to Stripe, and they’ll craft a custom package.
Small businesses and their customers report that integrating Stripe’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive tools has been a solid choice for simplifying day-to-day tasks and streamlining payment operations.
- Shopify
Shopify is a unified online and in-store sales platform that offers customizable checkout and order management features. Its user-friendly interface and extensive app store facilitate customization.
Despite its steep learning and higher pricing—starting from $89 per month—Shopify’s comprehensive features and reliable support make it a popular choice for businesses.
- Clover
Clover is a reliable POS system that accepts contactless payments and offers an intuitive interface and customizable workflows. Plus, the range of hardware options caters to different business needs.
Its pricing structure, however, isn’t posted publicly, so you’ll have to reach out for a direct quote. Despite this, Clover remains a valuable asset for modern businesses.
- PayPal
PayPal offers businesses mobile payments and invoicing, flexibility, and easy integration. Plus, widespread acceptance and familiarity make PayPal a trusted option. However, transaction fees can be high, especially for international transactions.
And while PayPal can do it all—accept phone payments, process payments instantly, manage inventory, and track sales metrics all in one place—there are a few additional charges you may come up against. While your first PayPal Card Reader is just $29, if you need additional readers, the price jumps to $79 a piece.
Selecting the right point-of-sale software is crucial for small businesses’ efficiency and growth. Factors like ease of use, features, integrations, customer support, and pricing should be considered. Top project management software options are essential for organization, collaboration, and client satisfaction.
Best Scheduling Solutions for Small Business
Evaluating scheduling needs among appointment-based businesses, here are a few of the best online scheduling software options, designed to help make booking simpler for customers and employees alike. Let’s dive in.
- Calendly
Calendly primarily serves folks in sales, marketing, recruiting, IT, revenue operations, C-suite, or any other professional service team, where meetings and appointments can add up fast.
At no cost, you can use Calendly to set availability preferences, poll teams for availability, and sync your Calendly schedule with existing calendars. Calendly also offers integration with platforms like Zoom, Salesforce, Google, Microsoft, Slack, and more.
While Calendly’s free version is enough for most people, it does offer paid plans starting at $12/month if you want to explore more.
- Goldie
As a scheduling app, Goldie’s features are designed for easy mobile use, especially for independent beauty and fitness professionals on the go. You can schedule appointments, send automated reminders and promotions, process payments, and view client information, all from your phone.
And if you already use Google or Apple Calendar, good news! Goldie syncs with both, so you can manage availability without rebuilding your schedule from scratch.
Among other online appointment scheduling software options, Goldie stands out with a fairly comprehensive free version. But if you want to get more out of it, pricing plans start at $19.99/month.
- SimplePractice
If you’re a medical or healthcare professional, counselor, therapist, or social worker in need of an online appointment scheduling system, SimplePractice is a great tool.
For scheduling, SimplePractice offers online appointment requests, automated reminders, calendar sync, paperless billing, client record organization, and a 24/7 client portal. It also has plenty of healthcare-specific features that are all HIPPA-compliant, like telehealth, customizable document templates, and insurance claim filing.
For a solo practice, pricing starts at $29/month.
Best Payroll Software for Small Business
Though it can be tricky to set up, payroll software can significantly improve business efficiency by streamlining tasks and reducing administrative burdens, errors, and compliance complexities when implemented correctly. Below, we’ve got the cream of the crop software for handling payroll management and processing:
- Remote Pass
RemotePass is a global onboarding and payroll platform that simplifies the process for remote teams and companies, no matter the location. It allows for easy onboarding, payment, and management of teams in 150 countries, ensuring timely payments and access to financial services across the globe. RemotePass also enables HR and finance teams to focus on attracting and retaining top talent, which is a massive benefit for those looking to scale their business. Pricing starts at $35 per month.
- Rippling
On the other end of the pricing spectrum, starting at $8 per month, Rippling Payroll automates onboarding and payroll processes, allowing admins to onboard global and domestic hires in about 90 seconds. It automatically distributes checks, syncs deductions, and updates payroll while ensuring tax compliance. It doesn’t offer as robust features as RemotePass, though, so you’ll need to dig deeper to see what best fits your unique business needs.
- Justworks
Justworks offers direct deposit, tax filing, and additional HR services and benefits options. Its user-friendly interface simplifies payroll processing, offers comprehensive features and compliance support, and helps businesses stay updated with regulations.
For $8 per month per employee plus a $50 monthly base fee, business owners can access automated payments, tax calculations, and flexible tools to ensure accurate and timely payments for the entire team.
Small businesses need payroll software to ensure compliance if nothing else. These solutions prioritize user-friendly interfaces, comprehensive features, and dedicated support, reducing administrative burdens and minimizing errors, ultimately driving efficiency and success.
Best All-in-One Software for Small Businesses
Now, what if there was software to do it all? If you are in need of client management features, payment processing and inventory management solutions, appointment scheduling tools, and more, consider an all-in-one small business management software like DaySmart.
For over 20 years, DaySmart has been developing and delivering solutions tailored to the unique needs of a wide range of businesses. When it comes to the software and platforms that power small business growth, we’ve never had a one-size-fits-all approach. We’re all about your business and your unique needs. That’s why we’re here: to simplify operations, improve every client experience, increase engagement and growth, and support you every day—and through every step—of your business. We offer:
Industry-Specific Solutions: From salon professionals to veterinary practices and tattoo parlors to fitness centers, our software isn’t just tailor-made for specific sectors. It’s customized to your specific business pain points and opportunities.
Innovative Features: We offer online scheduling, integrated payment processing, efficient payroll systems, client communication, and marketing tools to power your growth—and streamline your operations.
We’re not just a software provider; we’re a partner invested in your success. Because we know the key to our success is your success, we’ve been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in America for over 11 years. This is because we deliver reliable solutions that scale as our customers’ businesses grow.
Take a few minutes to learn more about our customizable business solutions. Then, consider how we could help you get out of the business of managing your business and into the business of growing it.
Small Business Management Software FAQ
Empower your business with the right tools by making informed decisions from the very start. Below are answers to a few frequently asked questions to help you choose the best small business software for your needs.
Ready to learn more? Explore features, pricing, and demo options.
Take the first step toward streamlined operations, amplified efficiency, and empowered decision-making with DaySmart’s small business management software today!