I’m back to serve up the second edition of Tech Tidbits, with a new sampling of SMB solutions that you might not know about, but could provide just what you’re looking for.
On the menu this time are PaySimple and BizSlate. If you use or try either of these solutions, please let me know what you think!
PaySimple. Our SMB Group studies consistently indicate that improving cash flow is a top SMB business challenge. But many small businesses still collect payments the old-fashioned way–handwriting invoices or using word processing or spreadsheet apps to create invoices. This can slow down receivables cycles, or worse, make it easy to forget to invoice or follow-up on overdue payments.
PaySimple’s solution automates and simplifies billing and collections with a cloud-based (aka software-as-a-service) solution so you can manage everything from one place. The all-in-one service integrates multiple payment types (credit card, ACH and eCheck), multiple payment channels (virtual terminal, recurring billing, email invoicing, web payments and mobile payments). PaySimple is great for service businesses that are built around repeat customers, offering capabilities for things such as subscription billing and automated communications.
If you don’t have a merchant account yet, PaySimple will get you up and running. PaySimple also provides an import/export function that can map custom fields for integration with most small business accounting solutions, and offers a mobile app so that you can use it when you’re on the go. With this type of solution, SMBs can cut the time they spend on billing and collection, save money and get paid faster. PaySimple is available direct and through private label partners such as American Express Open, Chase, Western Union, among others. Pricing direct from PaySimple is $34.95/month, plus transaction fees.
BizSlate. It’s not too often that customers guide product development from inception, but BizSlate, which provides cloud-based ERP for small businesses, took exactly this approach. In his prior role as CEO of eZCom Software Inc., a cloud-based EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) provider for SMBs, BizSlate founder Marc Kalman saw that many customers needed to move beyond entry-level accounting software to an ERP solution, but hadn’t found a solution to fit their needs and budgets. So Kalman left eZCom to start BizSlate–convincing over a dozen of his eZCom customers to kick an average of $18,000 each into the venture and join a steering committee to guide product development.
He conducted extensive interviews with each, asking them to throw out their old ideas about software and focus instead on helping him better understand what they really needed to solve their business problems. What he came up with is BizSlate, an ERP system that spans areas such as customer management, vendor management, order management, product management, multiple warehouse and inventory management, receiving from vendors and shipping to customers.
Interestingly, BizSlate doesn’t aim to create another accounting system, so you can, for instance, strap QuickBooks right onto it. BizSlate’s initial focus is on manufacturing, wholesale and distribution industries, but the company plans to extend into the services verticals also. The original 12 customers/investors are using BizSlate now, and the public beta starts this week–so check it out if you’ve been searching for this type of solution.