Operations managers are the incredible people who keep the gears of our organizations running smoothly. They’re responsible for everything, including resource allocation, risk mitigation, and even team expansion.
However, just 48% of organizations worldwide consider optimizing and formalizing their processes.
Want to join these lucky ones? If so, it’s time to rethink your approach. In this article, we’ll explore the operations management software tools for each stage of your business journey.
Navigating Our Software Collection
Operations manager is a multifaceted position that requires a diverse skill set.
For easier navigation, we decided to split our software selection into five distinct groups. Each group serves a unique purpose and supports specific competencies that are crucial for success.
- Planning tools help evaluate initiatives and develop actionable plans, ensuring that every project move aligns with the organization’s overarching goals.
- Operational efficiency software empowers continuous improvement and resource optimization, ensuring that all processes run smoothly and effectively.
- Crisis management solutions enable you to work under pressure and maintain composure while addressing unexpected issues.
- Team management programs assist in guiding a team towards achieving project and business objectives.
- Strategic growth platforms equip you with insights into market dynamics and allow you to seize opportunities that propel the business forward.
15 Must-Have Operations Management Tools
AchieveIt
AchieveIt is a strategy execution platform that helps you track and manage all kinds of initiatives. You can create detailed action plans with assigned responsibilities, timelines, and resources for executing strategies from scratch or pick one of the ready templates and adjust it to your liking.
AchieveIt also offers customizable dashboards that visualize key performance indicators (KPIs) and progress towards goals and allows sharing these metrics across team members and stakeholders.
Pros:
- Real-time tracking of goals and KPIs.
- Integrates with other business tools.
Cons:
- May require training for optimal use.
- Can be expensive for smaller organizations.
Pricing: Available on demand
Anaplan
Anaplan is an hybryd planning and performance management platform that supports various business functions, including finance, sales, and operations.
It respects the familiarity of spreadsheets while providing advanced forecasting and scenario-planning functionality.
Anaplan’s unique “worksheets” feature three types of views: worksheets (data tables), board pages (dashboards), and reports (slides), which meand you can organize and analyze data sourced from various business functions, accounting, human resources, sales, marketing, and revenue and use it to literally calculate your future project success.
Pros:
- Highly flexible and scalable.
- Supports collaborative planning.
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve for new users.
- Implementation can be complex and time-consuming.
Workday Adaptive Planning
Workday Adaptive Planning is another Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) software tailored to smaller businesses.
One of the key strengths of the platform is its ability to dissect financial data by various dimensions such as customers, products, and regions and create dynamic financial models and forecasts, helping you align your plans with day-to-day operations.
Workday Adaptive Planning also uses AI to create realistic “what-if” scenarios that will allow your finance team to ensure the resources are allocated effectively.
Pros:
- Real-time data analysis and reporting.
- Strong integration with Workday’s HR and finance systems.
Cons:
- Limited features for non-financial planning.
- Higher cost compared to some alternatives.
Pricing: Available on demand.
actiTIME
actiTIME is a powerful tool for enhancing project and time management in our organization.
One of the standout features is its ability to coordinate team efforts:
- The task assignment functionality eliminates the need for micromanagement, allowing each team member to know their responsibilities clearly.
- The automation options reduce manual operations and administrative burdens.
- The real-time insights provided by the analytics tools allow to make informed decisions based on data at your fingertips.
Besides that, actiTIME offers a lot of flexibility in adjusting work structures to fit your specific needs. You can create multilevel time tracking structures tailored to your projects and allocate resources more effectively based on actual workloads.
The data-driven estimation feature comes in particularly handy when you need to utilize historical data for precise work planning and compare invested time against allocated budgets, to get the most accurate project timelines.
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Pros:
- Powerful reporting features.
- Affordable pricing plans.
Cons:
- May not fit for the industries that require physical employee tracking.
- Automated tracking requires installing the free Chrome Extension.
Pricing: From $5 per seat per month.
Automation Anywhere
Automation Anywhere is a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform that automates error-prone routine tasks across various business processes.
This web-based system allows you to create scripts for automating a broad spectrum of activities from basic Windows configurations to complex networking and remote database processes without extensive coding.
Automation Anywhere utilizes IQBots, cognitive bots that learn from human users and cater to different automation needs:
• Task Bots: Automate routine tasks across applications.
• Meta Bots: Utilize reusable automation components that can be involved in multiple processes.
• IQ Bots: Automate complex tasks that involve unstructured data using AI capabilities.
Pros:
- Scalable automation solutions.
- Strong analytics capabilities.
Cons:
- Complex implementation.
- Ongoing maintenance.
Pricing: Available on demand.
Zendesk
Zendesk is a customer service platform that offers tools for support ticketing, customer engagement, and analytics.
It stands out for ability to meet customers where they are: tickets can be generated through various channels, including the Zendesk platform itself, your website, email, chat, or even social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Support agents can manage social media interactions directly from Zendesk without needing to log into each network separately. For instance, the integration with Twitter allows for powerful searches to track conversations, which can be saved for later review.
Another interesting feature is the screencasting and remote diagnostic support provided through LogMeIn Rescue. This functionality enables customers to share their screens with support technicians, allowing for hands-on assistance and quick resolution of issues.
Adding Zendesk Voice lets customer support representatives handle inbound and outbound calls from various devices, including landlines, browsers, or mobile phones. Voicemail messages are recorded, transcribed, and converted into tickets, while queue activity metrics offer insights into call volumes and agent performance.
The platform compiles related tickets from different channels into conversations for easy oversight and offers you over 20 ready-to-use dashboards and customized reports.
Pros:
- Comprehensive customer support features.
- Integrates with many third-party applications.
Cons:
- Can become expensive as you add more features.
- Steep learning curve for advanced functionalities.
Pricing: From £15 per seat per month (billed annually).
D4H
D4H is an emergency and crisis management software that caters to a diverse array of sectors, including government, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, aviation, corporate, and healthcare. However, other businesses can also find its quick communiction functionalities useful.
Its standout component is the Operations Center, which acts as a real-time collaboration platform enabling you to pre-plan and manage responses to incidents and crises.
Additionally, D4H offers a bunch of add-ons like a Control Room for managing multiple emergency calls simultaneously and an insights and analytics feature for conducting thorough post-incident analysis.
Pros:
- Tailored specifically for emergency services.
- Mobile-friendly interface.
Cons:
- Niche focus may not suit all organizations.
- Limited customization options.
Pricing: From $5 300 per year.
Noggin
Noggin is an incident management software that deals with safety, risk, and compliance management. This tool will help you manage critical events of all kinds and related content via the Integrated Resilience Workspace.
You can monitor critical events and incidents as they unfold via the integrated dashboards, responding promptly to any change.
There are also pre-built workflows designed to optimize resilience processes and a library of built-in best practices based on ISO standards and industry benchmarks.
Pros:
- Customizable workflows and dashboards.
- Strong focus on compliance and risk management.
Cons:
- May have a steep learning curve.
- Some features may be overkill for smaller teams.
Pricing: Available on demand.
CisionOne
CisionOne is an AI-powered public relations management tool that lets mot only aggregate a vast array of traditional, digital, and premium sources all in one place, but also perform in-depth analytics that provide instant insights into brand, competitor, industry, and stakeholder coverage.
With CisionOne you can track social conversations and engage with your audience, and reach out to 500,000 influencers directly through the platform.
Whether you’re monitoring online content, streaming TV and radio, or accessing print and podcast materials, CisionOne’s live Mention Streams keep you connected to the conversation.
Pros:
- Comprehensive media monitoring functionalities.
- Strong analytics capabilities.
Cons:
- Can be pricey for small businesses.
- May require additional training for advanced features.
Pricing: Available on demand.
Sync
Sync is a project management tool for team collaboration, task management, file sharing, and communication features. It is great for connecting internal teams, external partners, clients, and customers.
By centralizing documents and files, it ensures everyone stays updated and on the same page.
- Create folders that are easily accessible to both internal team members and external collaborators.
- Access files on demand directly from Windows Explorer and Mac Finder.
- Enable email-based password recovery and receive product updates, all while agreeing to the Terms and Privacy Policy.
- Recover any file at any time.
Pros:
- Real-time updates on project status.
- Free 5 GB of storage without entering credit card data.
Cons:
- Lack of advanced project management features.
- Limited offline access capabilities.
Pricing: From $6 per seat per month (billed annually).
Worksuite
Worksuite is a platform designed to streamline the management of an organization’s external workforce, including freelancers and service providers.
It is equipped with a variety of features like performance tracking and project assignments, metric tracking for service procurement, and payments processing.
Pros:
- Centralizes contractor management processes.
- Strong invoicing and payment features.
Cons:
- Limited features for large enterprises.
- Lack of depth in project management functionalities.
Pricing: From $35 per active contractor a month
Pumble
Pumble is a team messaging app that offers chat rooms, direct messaging, and file sharing for teams.
You can make video calls, share your screen and send messages during calls, send texts, voice, and videos to individuals, departments, or the entire organization, use emoji reactions, @mentions, and threaded messages, and much more.
Beside that it’s possible to schedule messages which makes Pumble an excellent asynchronous communication tool for teams operating across different time zones.
Pros:
- Free version available with essential features.
- Good integration with other tools.
Cons:
- Limited features compared to competitors.
- Lack of robust project management capabilities.
Pricing: Available on demand
Align
Align is a goal-setting tool that helps you align your teams’ objectives with company-wide goals using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).
It meets the needs of businesses across various industries, including consumer services, marketing, advertising, and information technology.
One of Align’s key functionalities is its 4D summaries, which provide concise overviews of projects and initiatives, ensuring that all team members are on the same page.
The alignment checklist is another feature, helping your team to stay organized and focused on their objectives.
Pros:
- Clear visualization of goals across the organization.
- Team alignment through regular check-ins.
Cons:
- May require a cultural shift to fully utilize OKRs effectively.
- Limited reporting capabilities.
Pricing: From $19/seat per month.
Strategy
Strategy is and analytics platform leveraging artificial intelligence and business intelligence capabilities and making data exploration accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise.
The tool enables frontline workers—whether in retail stores, field operations, or manufacturing environments—to visualize data on the go and derive actionable intelligence without relying on IT teams.
Strategy also supports high-volume report distribution in multiple formats, ensuring pixel-perfect reporting that meets the demands of diverse stakeholders.
Pros:
- Comprehensive planning templates.
- Stakeholder collaboration features.
Cons:
- Significant setup time.
- Complex for smaller teams or projects.
Pricing: Available on demand.
Creately
Creately is a diagramming tool that allows you to create flowcharts, mind maps, wireframes, and other visual representations of ideas or processes collaboratively.
It centralizes work items from various applications, documents, and team members into a single location simplifying the process of brainstorming, planning, and managing projects, allowing you to ideate effectively and map out processes with ease.
All your files are accessible from anywhere and on any device.
Pros:
- Real-time collaboration among team members.
- Templates for various use cases.
Cons:
- Limited offline functionality.
- Lack of advanced diagramming features compared to dedicated tools like Visio.
Pricing: From $5 per month.
Final Words
Of course, the list above s no exhaustive, there are dozens more operations management tools out there to can help you automate routine processes and enhance your team’s productivity.
However, if you’re unsure where to begin your journey toward improved operational efficiency, consider trying actiTIME. This powerful platform not only offers features designed to boost operational efficiency but also boasts robust planning, analytics, and team management capabilities.
actiTIME is uniquely equipped to support you through at least three stages of your management journey, ensuring that you have the right solutions at your disposal every step of the way.
Embrace the opportunity to elevate your operations and watch your team thrive!
