Technology evolves incredibly quickly, and this includes the technology used in the workplace. The question for many attending school or planning a return to education is which software and systems they need to understand in order to be efficient in the workplace. After all, it is more important to be an expert in what matters than somewhat familiar with a wide range of tools.
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Here Are 9 Essential Software Tools Future MBAs Need To Master
1. Slack
The average employee spends around a third of their time working on emails. Slack is the solution to this productivity problem, as it allows users to engage with either individuals or groups in real-time communications among other features.
One of the best things about Slack is how easy it is to use. It gives everyone a central place to connect with each other, whether they’re at their desk or a remote worksite. It dramatically speeds up response times and allows people to get back to work.
For example, you can share a presentation with the group through audio and video chat and make changes based on the feedback you receive. Yet it also provides security features to protect your data, allowing you to share confidential files through the app to limit the security risk that comes with third-party interference. All of this explains why Slack is one of the most commonly used tools at tech start-ups.
2. Trello
Trello is a project management tool, and that makes it essential to MBAs pursuing careers in project management. It is an easy-to-use cloud-based tool that lets anyone create projects, organize files, and assign tasks. You can use it for everything from social media marketing campaigns to product design.
The fact that Trello integrates with major customer relationship management tools, email software, and video conferencing systems has made it one of the most widely used project management applications among professionals seeking an MBA in project management online.
3. Basecamp
Basecamp is an online organization tool. It facilitates communication by sending task reminders and status reports to everyone in a group. Basecamp is great for small businesses that are trying to set up a centralized file repository and managers who want to better delegate to team members. You spend less time checking in with people and more time getting work done.
4. Wunderlist
Wunderlist can be compared to a to-do list, but it can do much more than that. It can be used to plan your schedule and the tasks you need to complete. For example, some institutions allow you to get your MBA online in as little as a year, but you’ll still want a tool to send you reminders that you need to study for your next test or follow up with the instructor so you can graduate on time.
If you’re enrolled in an MBA online 1 year program, a tool like Wunderlist could help you can keep track of class projects and school deadlines.
5. Acquire
Acquire is a multi-channel online help desk tool. If you’re working in customer service or tech support, you’ll be dealing with customers through this system or you’ll be setting up the bots that handle basic queries so that your customer service reps aren’t overloaded.
Learn how to handle customer tickets and analyze data at a higher level to determine what you can do to dramatically improve the customer experience. Everyone else should understand the tool so they can quickly leverage it to solve their own problems or stand out at work for setting up the AI-based sales bots that significantly increase customer conversions.
6. G-Suite
Google consists of far more than search engines, YouTube and its own email hosting service. It has its own suite of productivity tools, rivaling Microsoft on everything – including cost. G-Suite is integrated with Gmail, but it goes further thanks to its ability to store and share files and send out customer surveys.
All of this is stored in the cloud, so your data is available wherever you are. You’ll probably want to learn how to use G-Suite even if it isn’t your first choice since many tools like Basecamp are integrated with it.
7. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is an accounting solution for businesses. It is a cloud-based tool you can access anywhere that does more than track expenses. It can be used to invoice clients or track time and stands out for having been around for more than ten years, making it a stable, reliable tool.
It has more than ten million users, especially popular with nonprofits and small businesses. It integrates with Google Apps, PayPal and Basecamp. It should be one of your first choices for accounting software if you’re going to work for small businesses or start your own.
8. ZipBooks
Zipbooks is an alternative to FreshBooks, but it comes with a number of features that make it great for those selling to a large number of customers and seeking to build customer relationships. For example, ZipBooks has intelligence-driven software that can give you advice on how to better interact with customers.
ZipBooks is the better choice if you’re trying to clean up sales records input by clerks at a variety of retail outlets or double-checking sales data from commissioned salespeople.
The automation of recurring accounts and auditing of financial transactions makes it a good choice for those who don’t want to spend their days monitoring the money and focusing on growing their business instead.
9. InVision
If you’re planning on working in app development, there’s an app for that – InVision. InVision is a product design platform that allows you to prototype, manage and test various apps.
You can quickly revise and re-release apps for test before you publish it for general use. It can also be used to test various websites before you have your new site go live. Communication with stakeholders, clients and employees are streamlined, and the entire app and website development process are consolidated on a single platform.
Yet it can emulate a variety of environments, allowing you to verify that the app or site works on any device your customers or employees may use. It is so good that it is used at multiple Fortune 100 companies.
Conclusion
The software tools we’ve mentioned are invaluable whether you use them to improve your own productivity or end up using them in the workplace. Master these online tools, and you’ll be ready to advance to the next level.
A Backpacker with keen interest in Digital marketing. Responsible and passionate for building a digital culture at SoftwareSuggest. Grabber to implement new competitive ideas to analyze and boost online presence. Could be found in mountains and solo traveler by birth.
