by Creating the best possible user experience is the goal of most successful smartphone apps. And if you’re running a small business, chances are you do a lot of your business while mobile. Your phone is practically your office as you manage files, payments and expenses. Free or inexpensive apps help get the work done and keep your organized and focused. Entrepreneurs, make use of these often free tools that help businesses grow and run smoother.
Travel Organization – TripIt
Touted as one of the best by Forbes, USA Today and LinkedIn, TripIt keeps track of your travel itineraries. Simply forward all of your flight, hotel and rental car confirmations to plans@tripit.com and the app will organize them, showing confirmation codes and allowing access to any other information you might need—links, phone numbers, weather and maps—from that itinerary. It’s a one stop management shop that eliminates separate pieces of paper. With the upgraded version, gain access to travel dashboards for your employees as the app keeps a functional team travel calendar. Gain VIP privileges and mobile alerts. TripIt – Travel Organizer (No Ads) – TripIt
Accept Transactions – Square
Does anyone even carry cash anymore? Not when all you need is a debit/credit card and a go-to app for mobile transactions. Purchases are quick and easy as thousands of small business owners turn to Square for their card processing needs. Download the Square app, and they will send you a free reader that attaches to the headphone jack in your phone. When accepting and processing transactions, fees run at 2.75 percent. Square accepts all credit cards and is easy to integrate into your small business no matter if a coffee shop, hair salon, restaurant or lighting store. Square Register – Accept Credit Card Payments with Square’s Mobile Point of Sale – Square, Inc.
Manage Finances – Expensify
Scan, upload and file receipts to help manage business expenses, including mileage, through Expensify. Users can compile the information for certain time period and submit expense reports to accounting. Expensify for iPad makes things a touch easier as well.
Clean and Maintain – Clean Master
Using your smartphone for business and personal activities hogs space. If you’re running low on storage, the Clean Master app can help by cleaning cache and residual files, clearing browse, search, call, text history and managing apps. If using this app, be cautious of the Tasks Tool though, because it functions as a task killer and may be overkill, explains internetproviders.com. This app can dramatically improve your phone’s performance.
Organize – Evernote
Having brilliant ideas can strike at anytime. Evernote is an app that organizes and stores those ideas so entrepreneurs can access them no matter where they are. The application allows user to share text, photos and voice notes, as well.
File Sharing and Storage – Google Drive
This fully-featured office suite acts as a full cloud drive which allows users to import and edit files from one device to another — PC to tablet to smartphone. Google is a top choice for small businesses when it comes to webmail and the Drive app gives 5GB of storage for free. Sharing documents between Google users just take one click and users have the ability to revise and create documents on the go.
Web Conferencing – GoToMeeting
Set up and execute meetings with high def video conferencing. Up to 25 people can join and share screens so everyone is involved. GoToMeeting – Citrix also supports HD calling if you use an iPad or iPhone with a decent net connection.
Eco-Friendly – Bump
Business cards are so 2008. The networking app, Bump, allows users to trade contact information, photos and files by bumping two smartphones together. You are in charge of exactly what information you transfer and to whom you share with. Bump supports iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android and allows them to work cross-platform. Eight million monthly users can’t be wrong.
Photo by Valentyna Sagan via Wikimedia Commons
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