Whether you’re looking for an overall project management software to help you run your business and wrangle your employees into tracking their daily progress or you’re just looking for a way to better manage your time and allow employees to coordinate their efforts on a smaller, project-by-project basis, there are tools and applications to be found both online and for your handheld devices. But there are so many options out there. How do you find the solution that best fits the needs of your business? Here are a few programs that can give you a sample of what’s out there and what you can expect from project and to-do list management software.
Basecamp. Touted as the top choice for entrepreneurs, designers, and developers, this program certainly offers a lot of management possibilities with a user-friendly setup. It allows you to create project profiles and share them with employees on- or off-site, add in deadlines and milestones to check off as completed, store project files, and carry on discussions with clients and employees. Additionally, the program boasts translation into more than a dozen languages and has apps for the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry. It also has a free trial version and could cost you as little as $24 per month (not to mention, it’s pay-as-you-go).
SugarCRM. This customer relationship management software will cost you slightly more than Basecamp at $360 per year (although it also offers a free trial). And while you will get basically the same operating system as any other project management software, SugarCRM sweetens the deal by offering training, a jumpstart for your program, customization, and round-the-clock assistance for any questions or issues.
Salesforce. While other programs focus on the internal operations of your business, Salesforce focuses on (you guessed it) sales, as well as tracking the customer experience. It allows your employees to collaborate on business deals by offering real-time communication and updates through an app called Chatter, as well as coordinating information on marketing, accounts, contacts, leads, workflow, and approvals. And customer service applications are sure to provide satisfaction with such diverse communication options as a call center, a web portal, and social media contacts (as well as providing data and analysis to you so that you can track your clients and ensure their satisfaction).
Microsoft Outlook. This program is practically a business requirement. As a way to manage projects and to-do lists, it may not be the shiniest tool in the shed, but it certainly pulls its weight as an all-around useful program. In addition to using it for email, you can utilize the calendar function to set your schedule, fill in meetings, deadlines, and reminders, and basically keep everyone on the same page. If you want one basic program to keep everyone in your small business on track (without having to learn the ins and outs of a complex piece of software), Outlook is your man.
Remember the Milk (RTM). According to their website, you’ll never forget the milk (or anything else) again. Indeed, this to-do list manager allows you to set task lists and manage them from anywhere. You can run the program on your computer or through your phone (aka, anywhere), choose your method of organization, and receive reminders via AIM, Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, Skype, and Yahoo!. And you can do it for free! Or upgrade to their pro software.
Zenbe. This is a fairly simple tool for both your computer and your phone that allows you to sync between the two, post files and create to-do lists under the umbrella of project management, and offers a mail server maximized for team usage. Unlike other apps, it not only lets you share between your personal devices, it also provides for team sharing at every turn.
Lisa Derry is a writer for Pickup Artist where you can find great tips and advice on dating.
We switched from basecamp to wrike a few months ago, much happier now. I don't complain about basecamp, it's a good app, but too simple. We needed something more functional for our bigger projects, and wrike turned out to be a perfect match.
Microsoft CRM Online is another option for a full customer relationship/project management tool. It integrates with Outlook, so it’s really easy to learn and keep using. You’ll get sales, marketing and service right out of the box. The free online training and unlimited access to the Resource Center is great to use with starting out and if you run into any questions along the way. CRM will work the way you need it to and will save you time. Here’s a link with more details: http://smb.ms/b2XXar
The CRM Online Video Gallery has a collection of demos to reference for getting started: http://smb.ms/blSlPl
Regards,
Jodi E.
Microsoft SMB Outreach Team
msftoft@microsoft.com
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