---
title: 10 online business tools for busy start-ups
description: Streamlining business processes has a profound effect on efficiency. Find out how to improve both with these online business tools.
image: https://www.turbinehq.com/hubfs/Turbine-8%20online%20business%20tools%20to%20save%20time%20for%20busy%20start-ups%20.svg
---
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# 10 online business tools for busy start-ups
[By Caragh Logan](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/author/caragh-logan)
Published 20-Sep-2019 09:00:00 Updated September 24 2024
Anyone who runs their own business knows that time is one of their most valuable assets, alongside employee engagement. Online business tools that streamline and automate processes are a worthwhile investment, as are those that help you build a strong, positive company culture.
This slightly tongue-in-cheek chart from [XKCD](https://xkcd.com/1205/) shows how much time you can save - and spend - when working on efficiency.
Technology is continually evolving to pick up our slack. As your competitors are becoming ever more efficient, it's important not to get left behind, and to differentiate yourself to potential hires with a strong, unique company culture.
[](https://www.turbinehq.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKHeuPczsTKn1e1q%2BsWjNWGbFMebI72RshPnMhUy%2FcurgOM5VveB%2BU0Z0SnBfs5zBmPVg8JdcZ%2Fgej97MevctCkX7QQN0s8PIhG7ASII5nWu0bm72Fx7ablPUYBnTilCHfYKccesbLdzOJL3WmHLw5IfbG5eT8rli27gc18FO3n788rwCwFXDJ8bqODH4OfbIwM7NI%3D&webInteractiveContentId=179198303298&portalId=2183131)
‘Digital tech innovation is transforming the UK economy, creating high-quality employment opportunities and driving productivity nationwide’, [states Ed Vaizey](https://technation.io/news/tech-nation-2016/), former Minister for the Digital Economy.
To help drive the productivity of your company, here are some of our favourite time-saving and culture-building tools:
## 1. Xero – Reduce unnecessary losses
According to a study by [The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)](https://www.aat.org.uk/news/article/small-and-medium-businesses-leaking-29-billion-due-unqualified-finance-staff), mismanagement of company accounts results in the average annual losses per firm of:
- **£508** due to tax miscalculations.
- **£399** due to an invoice not being issued.
- **£257** for a payment bouncing.
To avoid silent losses in your own business, automate your accounting.
[Xero](https://www.xero.com/uk/) provides business owners with a clear picture of their financial situation by connecting directly to their bank account. The Xero dashboard provides concise and easily digestible information, highlighting any cash flow concerns and identifying overdue payments.
## 2. Canva – Graphic design made simple
‘An estimated 84 percent of communications will be visual by 2018’, reports [Inc.com](https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/visual-content-marketing-16-eye-popping-statistics-you-need-to-know.html). Previously, this would have meant that unless your company employed a graphic designer, any marketing activity would be lost amongst your competitors’ visual content.
For companies with no design resource, [Canva](https://www.canva.com/unsupported) provides an effective solution. Even someone with little to no design experience can easily create engaging campaign imagery.
Loaded with easy-to-use features, Canva allows you to create brand pre-sets, including font and colours, enabling design newbies to use the platform confidently.
## 3. Basecamp – Project management made easy
‘An efficient project management process is key to the successful development of an organisation’. So says the [Association for Project Management (APM),](https://www.apm.org.uk/about-us/)
[Basecamp](https://basecamp.com/) is a leading web-based project management and collaboration tool. It offers centralised communications, full visibility and transparency into projects.
Not only does this allow for better decision making, it also encourages trust from clients who can access project information and receive automated progress reports.
## 4. Turbine – The alternative to tedious paperwork
Ellipse, the digital group risk insurer, [has revealed](https://www.healthinsuranceandprotection.com/healthcare/cash-plans-dental/a-third-of-smes-%E2%80%98don%E2%80%99t-record-absence-sufficiently%E2%80%99) that:
- 22% of UK businesses record staff absence in a handwritten document.
- 8% make a mental note.
- 4% don’t record staff absence at all.
[Turbine](https://www.turbinehq.com/) provides a range of tools to improve HR efficiency and accuracy - without the frustration of chasing paperwork. Additionally, it empowers employees to take responsibility for their own holiday and absences, as well as expense claims and purchase orders. This creates a level of autonomy, thus developing trust.
## 5. Slack – Centralised communication
With over [3 million daily active users](https://www.theverge.com/2014/8/12/5991005/slack-is-killing-email-yes-really), Slack - a communication app for teams - has enjoyed great success since its launch in 2013.
[The online app](https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/?eu_nc=1) allows groups to join via a specific URL sent by a team admin. Once invited, group members can chat via instant messaging on public boards. Slack also offers the ability to send private messages to other team members.
Emails can get congested with communication from family, colleagues, sales and spam all reaching the same address. Slack increases efficiency by storing all work-specific communications in one tidy platform.
Whether you have remote team members or you just want to keep in-house communications in a convenient, central place, Slack has long been the go-to for everyone from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
## 6. RingCentral – Video conferencing via the cloud
‘A whopping 96% of survey participants agreed that Video Conferencing improves productivity’, states [Polycom’s guide to video conferencing](https://www.polycom.com/voice-conferencing-solutions.html).
[RingCentral](https://www.ringcentral.com/) allows businesses to conduct video and telephone conferencing through one simple system. The intuitive platform doesn’t require any technical expertise to get started.
Cloud conferencing can help companies make savings on monthly phone expenses and hardware, and eliminates travel costs.
## 7. MailChimp – Email marketing made simple
‘73% of marketers agree that email marketing is core to their business, and 60% of marketers claim that email is a critical enabler of products and services’. Email is still a heavy hitter, as revealed by [Marketing Cloud’s State of Marketing Report](https://www.salesforce.com/contents/pdf/2016-state-of-marketing/).
[MailChimp](https://mailchimp.com/) allows businesses to create and send attractive emails using pre-designed templates. It connects quickly to online stores, enabling businesses to drive traffic to specific products, recapturing lost sales.
It also offers informative analytics regarding the success of an email campaign, recording who has opened and engaged with e-marketing activity.
## 8. Survey Monkey – Data-driven decisions
[Survey Monkey](https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/) allows you to make better data-driven decisions. Whether your business requires the answer to a simple poll or in-depth market research, the platform accommodates with a customisable survey builder.
Using integrated analytics, Survey Monkey garners real-time results, text analysis and an easy-to-share presentation of results. It also allows businesses to define and reach their target audience using the 'Survey Monkey Audience tool'.
## 9. Work.bot - Prioritising employee happiness
Culture is important at startups. It's the foundation on which you define yourself as a business, and informs the way that you treat clients, employees and your work. When it comes to building a strong [company culture](https://www.articulatemarketing.com/blog/company-culture), it's crucial that your staff feel that their opinions are heard.
[Work.bot](https://get.work.bot/) gives you a direct line to your employees. It's a Slack plugin that surveys your team to find out how they're doing and what they think could be improved.
Your team is an important resource when it comes to process improvement - after all, they're the ones on the ground. By understanding your company's NPS score, you'll can make informed changes that improve both morale and efficiency.
## 10. Pikt - Build a healthy company culture
A healthy employee is a happy employee is a productive employee. There's data to back it up, with [study](https://www.wsj.com/articles/healthy-workers-are-more-productive-study-finds-1502219651) after [study](https://www.phi.org/uploads/application/files/yi4u9gr0fvksit0marohcsfzneu5htlxc4c4sino16egsfi755.pdf) confirming that staff in good nick are significantly more productive.
[Pikt](https://www.piktfresh.com/) helps you make an investment in that productivity by delivering healthy snacks directly to your office. It's a small price to pay to ensure that your team has enough energy and aren't at risk of burning out on the job.
## Use online business tools to fuel growth
Time is the most important commodity for a business, and a strong culture isn't far behind. As there’s usually more to be done than time or resources allow, the use of these online business tools can make marketing, project management, finance and team communication more efficient and friendly. By automating many of these processes, you'll be free to work on the company, rather than in it.
[](https://www.turbinehq.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKHeuPczsTKn1e1q%2BsWjNWGbFMebI72RshPnMhUy%2FcurgOM5VveB%2BU0Z0SnBfs5zBmPVg8JdcZ%2Fgej97MevctCkX7QQN0s8PIhG7ASII5nWu0bm72Fx7ablPUYBnTilCHfYKccesbLdzOJL3WmHLw5IfbG5eT8rli27gc18FO3n788rwCwFXDJ8bqODH4OfbIwM7NI%3D&webInteractiveContentId=179198303298&portalId=2183131)
*(Updated 20th September 2019.)*
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### [Business tools: How technology can help with team collaboration](https://www.turbinehq.com/blog/tech-team-collaboration)
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