Your business' daily operations determine how profitable, scalable, and sustainable it is for the long term. Companies in all stages of business from start-ups to established brands all have similar recipes for success - have a great product, efficient operations, and a growing customer base.

The advances in technology make it much easier to hone business operations into a manageable and trackable system. There are software applications specifically engineered to help all types of businesses streamline operation, speed up transaction times, and provide ways for continued contact with the customers. With all the tools and technology available to help businesses grow, many small businesses or self employed business owners are still not adapting to the new technologies.

Steep upfront cost and learning curves are the main reasons we see small businesses fail to adapt new technologies - and too often it is based on assumptions. Business owners may not even look into technologies available because the think they can't afford new software to run their business. Fortunately, the mindset of software companies has evolved over the years to offer small or no up-front fees and a monthly fee for the software. With a monthly fee pricing structure (often referred to as SAS or software as a service), businesses can use the software to improve their business operations and increase their profitability by saving time, keeping track and taking payments, improving communication with customers, increasing data security, and increasing conversions by simplifying the transaction/registration process.

We found one great example of a software company giving its clients a useful web-based business management tool with no upfront fees, no contracts, ongoing support, and loads of features. The Jackrabbit technologies, Inc line of registration software is one of the best we have seen. Not only do they remove the barriers to entry with no upfront fees and low monthly subscription fees, but they also have added over 200 updates and enhancements since 2008 - enhancements and ideas submitted by their customers. Jackrabbit Technologies, Inc has taken a leading edge approach to business management software. The company has grown over 50% since 2009, and now has more than 1 million students registered through their system.

What we found unique about the Jackrabbit software suite was how in tune the company was with its customers. On every single page within the software, there is a feedback button, allowing users on the fly to submit feature requests, suggestions, and ideas about making the software better. These ideas are then compiled, tested, and implemented to keep the software getting better over time.

Tonya Ebner of Academy Arts says that the Jackrabbit Dance Studio Software "... has CHANGED my life! By being able to allow my customers to check their accounts at all times and enroll while I sleep, I have increased sales to new customers, increase the satisfaction of my current customers--they always know WHY I charged their account (or at least know they can look it up!), and have managed to keep accounts from getting out of control for non-payment. A perfect example of this is this past weekend when we had costume pickup. I was able to, in a few keystrokes, print a list of all my customers who had a balance due for whatever reason (expired cards, declined cards, etc.) and have that with me so that they took care of their balance before they picked up their costume! Last year, I ended up handing out costumes to people who owed me quite a bit of money. This alone has made the tiny amount I pay each month worth every penny!"

When looking for business software, there are a few things we realized that were important to finding the right provider. First, have a clear understanding of what you need. Most small businesses have similar needs, but each is different. What would make your business run smoother? It may be online recurring payments, customer management, e-commerce components, or online registration. Second, clearly define what you want your role to be. You got into business to make money doing something you enjoy and are good at - so spend more time doing that and less time on the administration of the business. The right business tools and software can allow you to do just that. Third, start investing time in things that are important. So many tasks that occupy our time and attention are things we consider to be urgent and pressing. Defining what is urgent and what is important will help you decide where to best spend your energy and resources. A small business owner has to wear a lot of different hats and take on a lot of different roles. As the business owner, you ultimately decide how those roles are handled. Don't neglect the important things such as attention to customers, marketing, or staying aligned with the companies vision and core values because of the minutia of the day to day operations. Our best advice to small business owners is this - every business function can be optimized if you use the right business tools, so find the tools that work for you, and get back to doing the things that you enjoy. You and your customers will notice.