Michael’s Picks
I am exited to share with you the biggest gems that I have discovered in the online app space
It must be noted that with ALL of these and any other cloud based solutions the old adage below applies more than ever
All the systems are only as effective as the information you feed them.
ACCOUNTING
Xero
Xero is the market leader in cloud accounting. With Xero you can not only integrate with a large amount of third party apps, it also allows you to automate many features right out of the box. Some of these are;
Bank Feeds
Transactions are posted from your bank on to Xero
Debt Controll
Automatically sends a variety of emails to your clients as ranging from invoices to past due accounts.
Third party integrations
Hundreds of partner allow for almost any scenario where you need linked accounts, such as stock control or e-commerce.
AUTOMATION
Phantombuster
Now this one is a game-changer.
It allows you to fully automate many tedious task’s.
Do you need to extract email addresses from web pages?
Do you need to search linked in profiles?
With Phantombuster you can do it automatically, It is an extremely powerful full and easy to use tool which will do wonders for your data mining and post automation.
Shiptheory
This is a must for anyone running e-commerce in any capacity. This portal will automate the below;
Label Creation
Shipment booking
Manifest Completion
Customs Documentation
Tiered Pricing starting with a free tier.
BANKING
Starling Bank
I know it is unusual to add financial institutions to these lists, however, hear me out. This is a real bank that is app-based. So, no actual branches, however everything you need to achieve can be done via the app, including setting up an account. And if yes, it is a real bank including the government £85,000.00 Guarantee.
Best of all you can open an account directly from the app.
Oh! and don’t forget real-time Xero integration!!!
DROPSHIPPING
Oberlo
Do you want to operate a store with 0 inventory?
With Oberlo you can. It is a bridge between your store and a small army of drop-shippers
All you need to do is select the items from their catalogue of dropshipping partners, and add them to your online store, in a seamless manner.
In a nutshell, you sell an item that is full-filled by a third party, however, this whole process is done in a seamless manner.
Have you ever wanted to offer branded items on your site but hesitate on carrying a large stock amount? This is where Printful shines.
With Printful you can offer hundreds of items branded with your logo, from cups to pillows and all without spending a penny. They are set up as a drop shipping company, this means that you sell and they full fill. Traditional this is managed through your online store.
The best part is you only have to pay for the goods once they have been sold. So, there is no cash outlay for any of them.
e-COMMERCE
Shopify
Sell —everywhere
Use one platform to sell products to anyone, anywhere—online with your e-commerce store, online marketplaces, and social media, and in-person with point of sale.
INTEGRATIONS
Loom
Have you ever had to explain something on your computer to someone who is not next to you? Do the words “Don’t click there!!! Click on the other icon!!” resonate. Then Loom is for you.
With loom making screen recordings with or without your face in the picture is as easy as adding an extension to your browser.
Calendly
This company makes a widget for your website which allows any visitor to book a meeting with yourself directly from your webpage. The great thing is that this app integrates directly with your outlook calendar, and is completely customisable, you can either be always available or only every Tuesday between 15:30 and 15:45.
It also prevents double bookings as if you have any appointment in that time slot it will not allow any bookings.
Pure Chat
Have you ever wanted to have your own chat interface on your website? With pure chat, it is as simple as 1-2-3 to install and get it running. If you pair, it with their app you can receive customer messages directly on your mobile device anytime you want.
If being available 24/7 is not your cup of tea, with the built-in features you can set your schedule, as well as being able to add canned responses for convenience. For example, if you have 1 question everyone asks this would be a good way to answer them.
FILE TRANSFERS
We Transfer
Do you need to send large files?
We Transfer does it with a couple of clicks.
STOCK MANAGEMENT
Unleashed Software
Simply put this is a game-changer. If you have ever desired to have 100% visibility on your margins and stocks, this is the system for you. Unleashed is the leader in inventory management, on one simple interface, it shows all the information you need to make the best business decisions you can.
Some of the game-changing features it provides amongst many others;
FULL traceability
Batch number
Best Before Date
Serial number
B2B Portal
Business intelligence
Unlike any business statistics, you have ever seen.
Unleashed gives your businesses full visibility and control over their inventory. Unleashed solves the problems caused by poorly managed stock — including stockouts, stagnating margins and more — by enabling users to easily track their goods across suppliers, warehouses, production and sales.
WEBSITE
Square Space
This platform is the easiest one I have encountered to create stunning functional websites.
Is a very intuitive graphical interface as well as great support, and for the sceptics, it offers a 2-week free trial, which requires no payment details.