For an increasing number of small-business owners, working from a mobile device while away from the office has become an essential part of running a business. Eighty percent of small-business owners use smartphones for business purposes at least once a day, according to Manta’s SMB Wellness Index.
A quarter of small-business owners said they use their mobile device for business at least once an hour. To use your mobile device effectively to run your business, selecting the right tools is essential. Here is some of the best mobile technology to help you stay productive while you’re out of the office.
Mobile Devices
Maximizing your mobile productivity starts with choosing the right mobile device. Business News Daily reviews the best business smartphones of 2016 and rates the Samsung Galaxy S7 as the top choice. The Galaxy S7 offers several features that work well for business applications, including a split-screen multitasking capability, a file finder to quickly locate files and folders stored on your phone, a fingerprint scanner to prevent unauthorized use and a security suite that separates business and personal apps to protect your business data.
Mobile Productivity Suites
Another key to mobile productivity is selecting a good mobile productivity suite. Today’s top options are Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps for Work. SherWeb provides a head-to-head comparison of these two leading options.
Both services offer essential productivity tools such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, online storage, syncing, instant messaging, video conferencing, email and calendars. One of the biggest differences is that Office 365 is designed to be compatible with both mobile devices and desktops, whereas Google Apps is geared mainly towards mobile devices, so your needs in this area may impact your decision.
Office 365 offers more storage for entry-level users, but premium storage for both services is comparable. Office 365 offers a wider range of bundling and payment options, while Google Apps is less expensive for entry-level users. Compatibility and integration with your device’s operating system and other apps you may be using are other important factors to take into account.
Project Management Tools
While suites such as Office 365 and Google Apps contain some built-in project management capability, including the recently released Microsoft Planner, specialized project management apps may be a better fit. Project management apps let you create projects, delegate tasks to team members, set deadlines, monitor progress, communicate and share files with team members. PCMag ranks LiquidPlanner, Zoho Projects, and Wrike among today’s top project management tools.
Accounting Tools
To manage the financial side of your business from the road, one of the most important tools to have is a remote accounting app. Ideally, a remote accounting app should sync with your point of sale system and bank account while helping you automate tasks such as transaction entry, expense reporting, bill payments, financial reporting and payroll. Business Daily News rates QuickBooks Online as today’s best overall business accounting option. Other leading options include FreshBooks for a mobile design that maximizes time management, Zoho Books for small businesses and Wave Accounting for freeware.
