Software is changing the world and taking over more business backend ops than you’d ever think possible. Plus, it’s happening at a faster and faster rate. More tasks are being gobbled up by software to the point where many business owners are using software stacks instead of hiring staff.
But what’s actually happening at the micro level? What can software tools do?
Automate Inventory
First, a lot of companies are using inventory management software to deal with things like purchase orders and demand management. The accounting for this can be complicated when done by hand, but it becomes significantly easier when software handles it all.
The ability of these tools to slash upfront inventory management costs is significant. A lot of firms are finding that when they use software, it makes a significant difference to their bottom line and they can get through the work quicker.
Distributed Systems
Another innovation has been distributed systems. These work by sharing computational workloads across multiple servers, allowing businesses to scale tasks more easily.
This functionality is critical for companies that have spikes in workloads, or those that can’t afford the capital outlay to bring computational tasks in-house.
What’s nice about distributed systems is how they help in a crisis. Often, providers have so many free resources that they’re able to scale almost instantly, allowing brands to process additional traffic quickly while maintaining service quality.
Cloud-Based Backends
Related to this, there are now cloud-based backends for businesses looking to scale quickly. AWS App Service and Microsoft Azure both offer flexible functionality for quick implementation or new business models and approaches.
Even if local servers and computers become affected by some sort of virus or denial of service attack, the backend remains operational. Compromises are far less likely at the cloud level, and carriers build in additional redundancies.
ERP Software
ERP software is another tool that is making a big difference in businesses across the board. Enterprise resource planning emerged in the 1990s, but has since gone on to become much more sophisticated and incorporate numerous business functions.
What’s nice about this type of software is how it provides enterprises with a single source of truth for all their stakeholders. Anyone with access can log in, see the current state of affairs, and then make a decision on what to do next, based on their observations. As such, it’s possible to gain real-time financial insights while maintaining compliance across complex departments.
Custom Apps
Finally, many businesses are using custom apps to replace their legacy forecasting tools. Previously, a lot of companies required complex implementations to plan their futures. However, that’s no longer the case today. In 2025, companies are able to simply get apps on their mobile devices that provide real-time data visualizations for spotting new trends and reducing manual processes.
As such, custom apps are a great way to cut down on meetings. Instead of spending hours thrashing things out with colleagues, data-driven apps collate data and then present it in a way that facilitates better decision-making.
