5 Tools, Services to Make Small Business More Professional

Date
March 15, 2021
Reading Time
3 minute read

It takes more than great products to make a good impression on your customers, especially if you’re the owner of a small business in the Philippines. You need to put a lot of work into your enterprise in order to deliver the kind of service and experience that will allow you to attract new customers and maintain the loyalty of returning ones. At the same time, to win the business of your target market, your enterprise needs to give the impression that it’s being run by individuals who know exactly what they’re doing and know the direction that they want to take. Building such an image is a big challenge, especially if you’re just starting out or if you’re working with a small team.

How can your small business convey and live up to the image of a professional company? To start with, you need to have the right tools at your disposal. Even as a micro- or small enterprise owner, you can make use of the following tools and services to improve your internal processes and give your customers a more polished and professional shopping experience.

Online Store

Regardless of its size, a company that’s determined to make it in this digital age should have its own business website. This site will serve as your online store, a place where your customers can see, order, and pay for your products and services and where you can engage with your target market. With an online shop, your customers will not be limited to the people who live near your location, and you’ll be able to make your business more visible to the customers that you really want to reach.

Some of the most popular business website hosts in the country include Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce. A little technical knowledge can help you go far in setting up your own website and social media platforms. If you’re not too techie, however, you can delegate this task to a consultant that can set up your online store just the way you like it. Make use of the digital channels at your disposal to promote your latest products and services and to interact with your customers and other members of the online community.

Digital Payment Solutions

An online shop should be able to accommodate all sorts of payment methods. If your customers are not able to complete their purchases immediately, then there’s a chance that they’ll abandon their cart and look for another shop that offers the same products and a wider range of payment modes. The good news is that you can easily add various payment options to your online store by installing a Maya Checkout Plug-in to your website. The plug-in can be set up in just a few steps, and then you’ll be able to accommodate payments made using VISA, MasterCard, JCB, WeChat Pay, and Maya. This multi-platform support and integration is just one of the reasons why Maya is the leading payment gateway in the Philippines today.

Even if you don’t have a website, you can still accept digital payments made through Maya and issue proper documentation for the purchases your customers make. For example, you can use the Maya Digital Invoice function to instantly send branded invoices to your clients via email, chat, or SMS. , Likewise, it’s just as easy for your customers to complete their payments simply by scanning a QR code that Maya has generated for you. The Maya QR code works either in store or online. You just have to make sure it’s easily visible to your customers, so either print it as a static display or post it on your official website and social media pages.

Logistics Services

You need to partner with a quick, reliable, and affordable delivery services provider so that your products can reach your customers in a timely manner. These days, it’s no longer a big logistical issue if you want your products to reach the remotest barrios in the country, as long as the customer is willing to shoulder the price of the delivery. You can also arrange for express and premium delivery services with a click of a button. Logistics providers have different service areas, but some of the larger companies, like LBC and Ninja Van, can deliver anywhere in the country.

Productivity Tools

Investing in productivity tools can do wonders when it comes to making your company’s internal processes more efficient. You can use productivity tools to plan and track the progress of your different projects, keep track of your sales and inventory, do your accounting, or even schedule meetings with suppliers, clients, or customers. Some of the more popular productivity tools that you can use include G Suite, Notion, and Monday.com.

Digital Marketing

Reach more people by engaging in digital marketing as well. You can run advertising campaigns on different social media platforms, for example, to widen your reach and build your community of online followers. If you have the budget for it, you can get in touch with agencies and freelancers that specialize in providing search engine optimization services. This service, if done correctly, can give your website a better chance of appearing in the search results in case someone looks for the particular products or services that you offer.

With these tools supporting your business, you’ll have a much easier time delivering the kind of service that will leave a positive impression on your clients and customers. Discover these tools today and eventually, you’ll be able to fully use them to improve your processes and kick-start the continued growth of your small enterprise.