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Biggest Myths: Software for Small Business

October 7, 2019
Team Wherk
WHERK Blog: Biggest Myths About Software for Small Businesses

There are many incorrect assumptions about how software might negatively impact a business. These include misconceptions around the price, lack of obvious business benefits, or worries about how hard it is to use the software. These myths are particularly prevalent among small businesses. That’s a shame because in many ways small businesses stand to benefit the most from these platforms’ features. Here are a few of the biggest and most enduring myths about business software.

Business Software Is Too Expensive

For the past decade or longer, entrepreneurs and small business owners have been wary of the hefty price tags that come with software solutions for their business. This is because, in the past, the software was not available in a simple, less expensive subscription format. Traditional technology solutions required large hardware and the space to store it, costing thousands extra per year.

Today, though, the cloud computing revolution is changing that. New business software companies provide Sales-as-a-service (SaaS) SaaS is a subscription model where companies pay a monthly fee to use the software. The monthly fees among the thousands of business software platforms vary dramatically. Smaller firms interested in exploring a platform for their team, shouldn’t have any trouble finding reasonable options. The sheer abundance of platforms available and the customizability each provider offers can also contribute to this increased affordability.

Smaller Companies with Fewer Employees Don’t Benefit from Business Software

Close to 90 percent of the 5.6 million businesses in America employ fewer than 20 workers. That means there are over five million of those companies in the country. In many cases, the owners of these small firms don’t feel that they need the same technology as bigger companies that employ far more workers. In some sense, they’re right. If you’re a business owner with only 12 employees, you don’t have the same urgent need to digitize your operation. Managing and paying your employees, for example, will not bowl you over if you have to do it yourself. But just because small businesses can handle their workloads without the assistance of business software doesn’t mean they should. Nor does it mean that they can’t reap serious benefits from selecting the right platform for their operations.

Business software today does more than just automate the various recurring tasks that come with managing a workforce. These platforms can show small business owners how to better market their business. Storing valuable information on all their customers and prospects, giving them a vivid and detailed picture of their entire operation. In short, business software opens up countless new avenues for growth.

Still not sure about switching to software? Learn why your current paper-based systems are costing more in the long run.

Business Software Isn’t Secure

Responsible business owners take their data very seriously. They want to be absolutely certain that sensitive information related to personnel, clients, and their company is completely secure. Many businesses have years of experience working with basic spreadsheets, email, and hand-written notes at their offices. Owners often have more confidence in these simple, older methods than they do in software.

The reality, though, is that SaaS software is typically much safer than these dated methods. Software providers have strict safety protocols in place. They help to lock down their clients’ data and keep out those without proper authorization. After all, these are companies whose reputation is on the line every time they suffer a data breach. Have no fear. Data hosted online doesn’t mean that it’s not as safe as the information stored in computers.

Company Data Might Be Lost

Many small business owners fear that if and when a crash or breach does occur, they’ll be at a major disadvantage if their data isn’t on-site. Some entrepreneurs fear they’ll have to wait days or longer before the situation is fixed. Statistics alone disprove this. According to SpiceWorks’s State of IT Report for 2019, 38 percent of companies polled said that the main reason they chose to use business software was the ability to recover their information. The most knowledgeable CEOs and IT experts understand this. Contrary to longstanding but unsubstantiated beliefs, cloud-hosted platforms have the manpower, expertise, and infrastructure in place to respond to calamity better than most companies do on their own.

If you’re a small business interested in greater efficiency, less stress, and more time for growth, check out WHERK. This new home service software was created specifically for small service businesses. It features a range of easily implemented functionalities built to increase visibility, automate processes, and yield actionable insights about how to grow your enterprise. Visit the WHERK website to learn more.