Business management software guide

Being able to manage digital systems and data across a broad range of organisations is a vital skill to have to succeed as a business manager in today’s digitised world. 

Business management software can help to streamline and automate complex business processes, as well as accelerate productivity and efficiency.

It can also help to safeguard customer data – which is of utmost importance in today’s world where cybercrime has become increasingly prevalent. 

What is business management software? 

Business management software is broadly defined as digital systems and applications that can provide business solutions to help organisations manage, support and automate operations. 

When utilised appropriately and effectively, business management software can ultimately contribute to the continued success of a business by boosting productivity and efficiency and reducing operational costs. 

What are the benefits of business management software for business managers? 

The right business management software can provide many benefits to business managers and the organisations they lead. 

Just some of these benefits include: 

• Increased productivity and efficiency 

• Reduced operational costs 

• Faster launches to market 

• Facilitated workforce collaboration 

• Streamlined solutions to complex business processes 

• Safeguarded and secure customer data 

• Greater transparency and accuracy in record-keeping 

• Ability to develop digital solutions to business problems 

What do you need to consider when choosing business management software? 

It’s not enough to simply purchase and utilise any type of business management software for your business – you need to do your research and choose the right business management software for your organisation’s individual needs. 

Just some of the considerations you’ll need to make when choosing the right business management software for your organisation include: 

• Identifying your business needs – Consider whether your business needs software that helps with invoicing, email marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), team collaboration, etc. It may require help with a combination of any or all of these – just be clear on your business needs and goals. 
   

• Software features – Once you’ve identified your business needs and what type(s) of business management software you need to address those needs, you need to do your research to compare features between the different software solutions available and find which is the right fit for your organisation. 
   

• Scalability – Does your preferred business management software solution provide for scalability, in line with your business goals? It’s important to consider whether it aligns with and can facilitate your organisation’s plans for future growth.  
   

• Price – It’s inevitable that price will be a key consideration you’ll have to make when choosing the right business management software. You’ll need to make sure the software you choose fits within your organisation’s budget and is good value for money. Be sure to consider not only upfront costs, but also any other ongoing costs such as licensing and subscription fees. 

What are some of the most popular business management software options? 

These are some of the most popular business management software options available on the market right now: 

• QuickBooks – An accounting software package that’s mainly targeted towards small to medium-sized businesses

• Salesforce Sales Cloud – An automation tool that helps sales teams sell faster and more efficiently by automating many of their tasks and centralising customer information

• HubSpot – An integrated CRM platform that helps organisations to generate leads and market to their customers

• Jira – A collaboration tool that facilitates Agile project management and tracking

• Oracle NetSuite – An integrated cloud solution that automates core business processes and provides real-time visibility into an organisation’s operational and financial performance

• monday.com – A work and project management platform that helps organisations plan, prioritise and manage work more effectively

  
  

How can a BA in Business Management help you choose the right software? 

A BA in Business Management covers in detail how to effectively manage digital systems and software solutions across a broad range of organisations. 

A module that specifically focusses on digital business management will not only teach you how to effectively manage these tools, but also importantly to understand them from business management, technical and ethical perspectives.  

A BA in Business Management will give you an advanced understanding of business management software, how it can be integrated within organisations to bring about success, and how to effectively manage data.  

Cambridge Education Group’s online BA (Hons) Business Management (validated by London South Bank University) can empower you with the expert knowledge and skills you need to harness business management software and lead organisations to success: