Revealed: The Software Stacks Used by the World's Biggest Companies

If you want to break into the Fortune 1000, a good business idea isn't enough to get you there. In the modern business landscape, efficiency, automation, and integrated approaches are needed to thrive. The reason that heavy hitters such as Facebook, Ford, and McDonald's are able to compete in the global marketplace is that they have the right tools at their disposal to ensure maximum efficiency.

This is where software stacks come in. Put simply, a software stack is the cluster of digital tools and solutions used by a business to conduct its operations. The term is often used in relation to sales and marketing, with company spending on such software for these purposes reaching $32 billion last year. If you want to get ahead of the game, you need to be using the same tools as the top dogs. Here are some of the best software solutions used by the world's biggest companies in 2019.

Idea Management: QMarkets 

The emerging field of idea management is rapidly becoming a central strategy of the biggest companies in the world. Essentially, idea management means capturing the collective intelligence of your employees, ensuring you unlock maximum potential from everyone on your team. One of the most popular idea management tools in 2019 is Qmarkets, a solution that is used by Hyundai, McDonald's, UBS, Ford, and Total, to name just a few.

Project Planning: Confluence 

Confluence is a super-efficient project planning platform that allows a company to share meeting notes, set goals, and develop plans via the cloud. It is the project planning software of choice for Facebook, Zillow, and HubSpot, to name just a few, and is rapidly becoming the industry standard. If you need to ensure your whole team is on the same page, this is the software for you. 

Software Development: Jira 

Jira is a popular tool used by innovative companies to plan, create, track, and release flawless software. Companies that currently use this solution include Twitter, Skype, NASA, and the United States Department of Defense. Its smooth UI is ideal for ensuring an unimpeded flow of code between different silos, enabling everyone on the team to contribute to your product.

Email Automation: Customer.io 

If you're even vaguely involved in your business's marketing strategy, you'll know that email is back and better than ever. Reaching your customers with beautiful, engaging email newsletters is crucial, but can be a massively time-consuming process. If you want to automate this process, you'll need the right solution to enable you to do so. One of the most popular types of email automation service is Customer.io, which allows you to send customized emails, SMS messages, and push notifications to your current and prospective customers, ensuring that you reach them the right way. Trello, Arcadia, and Journy all use this platform, with stunning results.

For a business to thrive, you need the right tools in your arsenal. Follow the lead of some of the most successful businesses on Earth and adopt these essential tools today.