When you ask an entrepreneur why they started their business, their answer often involves working anywhere and anytime. Now mobile apps give business leaders the flexibility to work in Zimbabwe, Tokyo or sipping a “café” in Paris. If you are a business leader working toward this goal, knowing the best mobile applications to run your business can help your efficiency. The following mobile applications will connect you with staff and keep track of important information.
Key Mobile Applications to Running a Business
Google Apps
If becoming the #1 search engine was not enough, Google has dominated networking applications with a collection of mobile apps that connect business leaders with employees and clients through email, file sharing, chat and more. Each Google app is designed to support communication. To succeed, Google provides 24/7 customer service.
Google also supports business emails (such as blank@yourcompanyname.com) with 30 GB of storage and 24/7 support. With Google applications, you can work faster, smarter and more efficiently. You can get everything that you need to connect with your business back home. The powerful apps are worth looking into.
Google’s Powerful Apps
- Drive
- Hangouts
- Calendar
- Docs
Asana
Great companies run off teamwork! Asana improves the productivity of employees by managing tasks into one shared network that can be assigned to any team member. Tasks can be assigned into to-do lists, complex projects or workflows. Users can assign tasks to other users or add as followers. Asana helps keep work organized. After a task is completed, the user sets the item as complete. Asana keeps track of project’s status’ and prevents overlooking tasks. Each task can be assigned with a due date.
Asana’s Productivity Features
- Team project integration
- Shared to-do lists on projects
- Teamwork without email
- Plan and manage tasks online
- Due date to tasks
Evernote
The kryptonite of many business owners is organization. Poor organization can lead to lost data and miscommunication. Evernote helps keep business leaders organized with one workspace that allows you to collect information into notes and lists. After writing, collecting or snapping photos of your data, your notes can automatically be transformed into a screen-friendly presentation. Your presentation can then be emailed from your mobile device.
Sometimes your best ideas come when you are on-the-go. Evernote keeps track of ideas that can make a difference in the future.
Evernote’s Organization Features
- Write lists or notes
- Collect important articles and handwritten notes
- Snap photos for digital details
- Quickly find your important information or notes
- Transform notes into screen-friendly layout
DropBox
Dropbox is a premier file sharing app that takes away the need to send massive emails. Your documents can be downloaded into folders and shared with users that have permission to view. Files can often be lost or ignored in emails. Dropbox allows you to store files into folders that are easy to manage. Dropbox is not limited to PDF’s or Microsoft Word documents. You can add JPEG’s, movies and other compatible files. Documents can be added by any permitted user.
Dropbox’s File Sharing Features
- No need to send massive emails
- Store, sync and share files securely
- Folders can be viewed by multiple users
- Download large documents to be accessible to unlimited users
- Can share PDF’s, Word, JPEG, ZIP and more file types
Skype
The price of communicating while traveling can be absurd. Skype drops those expensive prices with a mobile app that works like a cell phone. The application allows users to voice, video, message and file share with users. The application only requires a webcam, microphone and internet connection. Users can pay a fee to make calls to mobile devices and landlines in any country of the world at the same price.
Skype strives on helping business owners “Grow Your Business”, “Build Relationships” and “Work Smarter”. The mobile app keeps you connected to your employees and clients when they are a world away.
Skype’s Communication Features
- Video or voice chat
- Safe file sharing
- Conference calls with multiple employees or clients
- Instant messaging
- Optional calling plan
Quickbooks Online
Quickbooks keeps small business owners in track with their expenses. At tax season, you will need to have your expenses recorded. Quickbooks records your expenses by saving receipts, creating invoices and reconciling your information with the bank. You can then email invoices to clients and accept them online. Understanding where you have made money and lost money is important for investments. Quickbooks Online keeps your finances in order to make future transactions and see your business succeed.
Quickbooks Online’s Features
- Tracks expenses
- Saves receipts with a photograph
- Accepts online payments
- Emails invoices and accepts online payments
LastPass
LastPass secures logins and passwords to keep a peace of mind. The private information can be from any account that requires login information. This includes WiFi, credit cards, memberships, emails and any other accounts that you need to keep secure. The quality of passwords is vital with the amount of hackers that have hit the internet. LastPass generates complex passwords that are designed to not be broken. The passwords are then saved and automatically generated when you need them. LastPass ensures that your information stays as secure as possible.
LastPass’ Security Features
- Automatically generated passwords
- Available to unlimited users
- Priority tech support
- Active directory integration
- Secure notes for digital recordkeeping