In today’s hurry-up-and-go world, it’s hard to get everything done. But with the prevalence of smartphones and tablets and hundreds of convenient apps, small business owners are able to get a lot more done.
Need to check up on your payments and invoices, bookmark an article to read later or check on a delivery? Chances are you can do it all with just a couple of taps while you’re standing in line waiting for coffee, sitting in the waiting room at the dentist’s office or waiting to pick the kids up from practice.
Here are some convenient mobile apps you might want to consider adding to your smartphone or tablet.
Banking Apps
Transfers, statements, balances…they’re all easy to access from your mobile phone if your bank offers online banking and provides a mobile app. The great thing about smartphone and tablet apps is that the majority of them are free, and those that aren’t usually just cost a few dollars. If you’re worried about account security (and you should be), read up on the supporting documents to make sure your device is secure and your account information is protected.
This app is particularly useful for making connections, and it gives you lots of functionality. You can send and accept invitations to connect, but you can also keep up with groups, send and reply to messages, and read the latest updates from your network. You don’t have to be a LinkedIn power user to benefit from the app, because just one timely reply to a group question can be enough to get you new client.
LogMeIn
The LogMeIn app gives you access to your office computer from your cell phone or tablet. So if you forget a file at the office, it’s no problem. You can use the app to view and edit your work files from a remote location. No doubling back after you’re halfway home or fretting over whether you’ll have enough time to deal with it the next morning.
Evernote
Whether you use Evernote or an alternative web clipping app, you’ll find that the ability to instantly save links, photos, notes and documents is a huge convenience. You can even add your notes by voice, which is great for people who feel that typing on a touch screen slows them down.
Google Drive
If you were already using Google Docs, Google Drive builds on that platform and gives you 5GB of free storage. You can share, view and edit documents from your personal computer, smartphone and tablet. While Google Docs provided a suite of office software, Google Drive adds the option to save files of any type in the cloud and access them from anywhere you have an internet connection.
There are many more apps out there that have made managing a small business much easier. Quite a few are designed for specific industries or niche businesses, so look around. The great thing about apps is that you can easily remove them if you discover they don’t provide the functionality you need.
Have you found a small business app you just can’t live without?