Unless you’ve been living off the grid for the last decade, you’ll surely have noticed how the mobile(phone) has become increasingly embedded in every aspect of our lives. Not only do we run our personal and social lives on our mobiles, but increasingly, more and more jobs and businesses are being run remotely from laptops and mobile devices.
Working 9-5 is becoming less ubiquitous, as workers and employers alike are starting to shun traditional working practices and opting for more flexible working hours and approaches. The increasing number of apps and software available to us that facilitate this has made managing a business on the go accessible to firms of all sizes.
Here are just a few of the available business applications that can help you manage your business remotely, from the comfort of your mobile phone!
G Suite
G Suite by Google is a collection of applications designed to help manage your business remotely from your computer, phone or tablet. It includes Gmail, Google Docs, Drive and Calendar, meaning all of your applications are integrated seamlessly.
Google Drive allows you to store all types of files, from photos, documents, videos and spreadsheets, on a cloud drive which is accessible and downloadable from anywhere, from any device with access. All of your business’ files, contacts and calendars are kept in one location and you can connect with colleagues to allow them access to various properties.
G Suite’s basic edition includes 30GB of online storage per user, but there are options to upgrade to the business or enterprise editions which allow unlimited storage.
Asana
Asana is a popular work management and productivity platform that allows you to set and assign tasks and stay on track of projects and goals. It is available for desktop, IOS and Android devices and even has a basic free option for individuals or small teams up to 15 people. Other more advanced packages are available starting from £7.99 per month.
The application offers different templates tailored to your specific area of business, such as marketing, design, HR, engineering and IT. This is a popular choice of application for businesses as the workflow displays are very visual with timelines, colour coding, charts and progress bars. It also has plenty of customisable features to help tailor information for your business. With over 100+ integrations with other applications, including Google, DropBox, Adobe CC, Outlook, Salesforce and Microsoft Office, Asana can bring all of your emails, files and contacts into one place.
Salesforce
Salesforce CRM has a complete mobile version of their popular desktop application, enabling businesses to keep on top of their sales and contacts on the go. This CRM tool is suitable for businesses of all industries and sizes and allows you to manage all of your contacts and prospects in one place, assign and automate tasks, monitor sales and manage your marketing.
You can even use their commerce cloud shopping platform. Plans start £20 per user per month, but it can be trialled for free.
DocuSign
DocuSign is an electronic signature application, allowing you to sign contracts and agreements from your mobile phone. It integrates with the most popular CRM systems and office applications, including Salesforce, Microsoft and Google. DocuSign will also manage and automate the workflow of your documents, including sending files for signature requests and sending reminders. Not only does it make processes more joined up and efficient, but it will reduce your business’ consumption of paper. DocuSign has solutions for all industries and sizes of businesses, with various payment structures starting from £8 per user per month. There is also a 30 day free trial for anyone who wishes to try the software before committing to a plan.
Quickbooks
This application allows you to manage and monitor your business’ finances, including revenue and expenses, financial statements, invoices, payroll to staff and payments to business partners. Not only can you upload images of invoices straight from your mobile device, but you can create and send invoices within the application. Quickbooks is suitable for both self-employed and small businesses and also has a version for your accountant or bookkeeper, giving them secure access of your accounts and data. Pricing plans vary, starting from £8 per month based on certain account features, but there are often deals running for money off your first 6 months.
Hootsuite
This social media management platform allows you to schedule and share your posts across multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. The commonly-used platform has a mobile application version for IOS or Android and it is completely free to download, with both free and paid plans available, depending on the number of accounts you have and the number of posts you wish to schedule.
Hootsuite also has in-app analytics so that you can measure the impact of your campaigns and monitor their effectiveness.
Deputy
Deputy is a time-management and absence software platform, allowing you to manage your staff rotas, timesheets and employee leave from any device. A drag-and-drop rota builder makes it easy for you to plan your work day and can filter employees based on their age, experience and wage cost. You can even use the auto-scheduling function to let the app schedule your staff rotas for you. Employees can also have the app to clock in and out on their phone and input leave requests.
As a manager, you will be able to track staff attendance records and also approve leave requests or shift swaps among employees. Pricing starts from as little as £1 per user per month and is dependent on the software features you choose.
These are just a few business mobile applications to help manage your business remotely, but more are always being developed as industries are becoming increasingly more mobile! Keep checking back for the latest news and updates for all things business mobile.
If you would like more information about how Elite Telecom Solutions can assist you with your business’ telecom needs, feel free to call our support team on 01962 864332 or email info@elite-telecom.co.uk.