SMB Project Management Software Improves Productivity
Tuesday, May 26, 2009Posted by Brawlin Melgar
SMBs innovate to increase productivity and cut costs
by Alice McLane
The turbulent economy makes many business owners to search for ways to do more with less. "Less" may stand for less time, less money or less manpower. That's why many SMB owners turn to Web-based technologies that promise to boost team collaboration and dramatically increase time-savings. Among these SMB owners is Scott Whigham, the founder of LearnItFirst.com, who streamlined the work of his small company by adopting a project management solution, called Wrike.
Like many SMB founders, Scott tries to wear many hats and work on many projects at the same time. Lots of his projects were managed with e-mail. Now all of LearnItFirst's projects are tracked collaboratively online with Wrike's help. "Wrike is an excellent way to track our multiple short-term projects and manage all aspects of our business in one place," says Whigham.
Let's have a closer look at this solution. Wrike is said to be the most practical project management software on the market today. This statement is backed up by several industry awards, including eWeek's Excellence award and Red Herring's 100 Global award. This tool has features that let people get much better control and visibility into what's going on within the organization. One of Wrike's most important features is the Intelligent E-mail Engine. It automatically converts e-mails into plans organized on the Web. It also helps managers easily integrate the daily to-dos of each team member into a project plan and then into a strategic plan for the whole business. The Engine sends automatic task reminders to your team members, so you'll have more time for more important things, like negotiations with prospective customers, marketing and business development. "Really, as a multitasking founder of a supersonic growth startup, I need a project management tool that doesn't make my life harder -- and what Wrike does best. It makes things easy," says LearnItFirst.com's founder.
Better productivity is a great benefit, yet most SMB owners just pay attention to price when choosing a software solution. Wrike's pricing is another thing that many companies can find beneficial. Unlike other project management solutions that charge per project, Wrike lets users work on dozens of different projects simultaneously at a very affordable price. "Every other application charged per project. It seems to be a standard approach, and it's so backward! Wrike's pricing is based on a per user model, so it really was a lifesaver," says Nick Doherty, Managing Editor of Television for SBS Online.
On May 27, Wrike will release major enhancements to its award-winning software. The enhancements include Windows Mobile and Outlook plug-ins, intraday tasks, task discussions and a new cost-effective pricing model. The new features and pricing promise a significant increase in productivity and a dramatic drop in project management costs for SMBs all over the world. "We can't wait to introduce the great new productivity and collaboration features to the public. We think that, together with the updated pricing structure, they present a tremendous value for businesses," says the founder and CEO of Wrike Inc., Andrew Filev. Wrike's new pricing lets managers run an unlimited number of projects, mix various user types within one account and choose what features to pay for.
Because of the lightweight nature of the tool, Wrike can be instantly adopted and rolled out company-wide. If you're thinking of how to improve your business practices, save time and reduce costs, consider Wrike. It might be the right solution for your small company. It's risk-free, as they offer a free, 30-day trial. Website: Wrike.com