Mobile phone apps can do just about everything: email, social media and video games, to name a few.
Apps can help drive your operations as a small business owner. Smart phones offer large screens, full keyboards, apps that mimic desktop software and access to the web - all making it easy to get things done.
Allowing you to handle operations away from the office or onsite, mobile apps can drive your business forward.
Accounting
All businesses need books, but who says those books have to be on paper? Many small business accounting and financial tools exist as apps, both as stand-alone tools and mobile versions of desktop software. Top brands vary based on needs, but the Android powerhouse FreshBooks and the app version of beloved software programs QuickBooks and Quicken make bookkeeping fast and simple.
Scheduling
Staying organized gets harder on the go, but with the right apps, you can stay connected to your appointments, essential reminders, your employees' shifts and to-dos. While Google Calendar is a starting point, there are many other options out there to consider. Jobber, for example, is a comprehensive organizational tool, managing functions such as employees and customer contact info. More single-purpose apps such as SetMore and Calendly put easy scheduling services at your fingertips
Inventory
Improper inventory tracking can cost you. With the right apps, you can stay on top of what your company has to offer. If you already use QuickBooks, the integrated SOS Inventory app works with your accounting tools. For those who don't use Intuit’s Quicken or Quickbooks, independent management tools like JumpStock and Cashier Live can keep you covered with on-demand inventory tracking.
Payment
Processing payments is a big part of any operation but your phone can be up to the task. Whether you prefer all electronic payment options through vendors such as PayPal or Visa Checkout, or would rather give clients the option to swipe their credit cards with Square, mobile apps have a little something for everyone. Bank account transfers are also available through apps like Dwolla.
Marketing & Promotion
From running social media campaigns to sending email blasts, it's possible to manage marketing without a desktop. How you market your small business depends on the tools you choose to use. Social media is simple to handle with options such as Facebook Page Manager and Buffer. SEM (search engine marketing) gets easier, too, with the streamlined Google AdWords app, and Perka can help you promote your business with loyalty benefits. Looking for email and CRM (customer relationship management) marketing? App versions of Salesforce and MailChimp have your back.
Security
You need to keep your business safe even if you’re mobile. Instead of risking the vital business data you keep on your phone, you can protect your operations and back up files with SplashID. You can also add an extra layer of protection to your device with 360 Security, or fend off viruses with trusted desktop staples like Avast.
Since the days of perilously slow mobile internet are long behind us, it's easier than ever to tackle business tasks from a mobile device. Sure, there are some situations in which the larger screen and computing power of desktop devices can be an advantage. But, there's little you can't do from your smartphone. Whether you occasionally leave the office or you're on your phone 24/7, running a business is easier than ever.
Apps can help drive your operations as a small business owner. Smart phones offer large screens, full keyboards, apps that mimic desktop software and access to the web - all making it easy to get things done.
Allowing you to handle operations away from the office or onsite, mobile apps can drive your business forward.
Accounting
All businesses need books, but who says those books have to be on paper? Many small business accounting and financial tools exist as apps, both as stand-alone tools and mobile versions of desktop software. Top brands vary based on needs, but the Android powerhouse FreshBooks and the app version of beloved software programs QuickBooks and Quicken make bookkeeping fast and simple.
Scheduling
Staying organized gets harder on the go, but with the right apps, you can stay connected to your appointments, essential reminders, your employees' shifts and to-dos. While Google Calendar is a starting point, there are many other options out there to consider. Jobber, for example, is a comprehensive organizational tool, managing functions such as employees and customer contact info. More single-purpose apps such as SetMore and Calendly put easy scheduling services at your fingertips
Inventory
Improper inventory tracking can cost you. With the right apps, you can stay on top of what your company has to offer. If you already use QuickBooks, the integrated SOS Inventory app works with your accounting tools. For those who don't use Intuit’s Quicken or Quickbooks, independent management tools like JumpStock and Cashier Live can keep you covered with on-demand inventory tracking.
Payment
Processing payments is a big part of any operation but your phone can be up to the task. Whether you prefer all electronic payment options through vendors such as PayPal or Visa Checkout, or would rather give clients the option to swipe their credit cards with Square, mobile apps have a little something for everyone. Bank account transfers are also available through apps like Dwolla.
Marketing & Promotion
From running social media campaigns to sending email blasts, it's possible to manage marketing without a desktop. How you market your small business depends on the tools you choose to use. Social media is simple to handle with options such as Facebook Page Manager and Buffer. SEM (search engine marketing) gets easier, too, with the streamlined Google AdWords app, and Perka can help you promote your business with loyalty benefits. Looking for email and CRM (customer relationship management) marketing? App versions of Salesforce and MailChimp have your back.
Security
You need to keep your business safe even if you’re mobile. Instead of risking the vital business data you keep on your phone, you can protect your operations and back up files with SplashID. You can also add an extra layer of protection to your device with 360 Security, or fend off viruses with trusted desktop staples like Avast.
Since the days of perilously slow mobile internet are long behind us, it's easier than ever to tackle business tasks from a mobile device. Sure, there are some situations in which the larger screen and computing power of desktop devices can be an advantage. But, there's little you can't do from your smartphone. Whether you occasionally leave the office or you're on your phone 24/7, running a business is easier than ever.
