When you think of apps to help your business, your mind might star racing with how to design an app that you want consumers to download. That's certainly a good idea if your clients or customers are tech-friendly, but using your own savvy with technology can help you be more productive and increase the bottom line of your business as well. Some apps exist specifically for business purposes, but you'll find many work well despite their general purposes.
Save It To the Cloud
Just what is the cloud? It's a centralized storage location that doesn't require you to install servers in your office. It's a convenient way to share files, collaborate on spreadsheets or presentations and eliminate redundant files across multiple computers or devices. If file storage is your only issue, then apps like Dropbox, Box.net and SugarSync let you save your data to the cloud and access it from wherever you are. When security is an option, WorkShare protects sensitive files. Most offer automatic syncing, so you can forget about flash drives and emailing yourself files.
Google's Drive offers similar functions, but it goes on to let you create word files, spreadsheets and more, email those files to others and even invite team members to work on your projects. Dropbox for Teams includes additional team features.
Organize Your Time
Chances are, you're a pretty busy person. You have meetings at work, and you have to make time for your family, too. A digital calendar might help, and Android smartphones intuitively let you import your Google Calendar, which you can also share with your family or business associates to let people know when you're free or busy. If your schedule isn't too full, this might be the only tool you need for time management.
However, an app that exists specifically to manage your meetings is the aptly-named Meeting Mapper, which you can download from iTunes for your iPad. With Meeting Mapper you can efficiently get input from team members, manage employee roles and schedule followup actions to your meetings. If you're the type who telecommutes, Fuze Meeting or Skype might be just as important to your business.
An assistant goes a long way to keep you organized, but you might not have the funds to hire one. If you're got an iPhone or iOS device, then Siri can help out by adding items to your schedule or locating nearby associates. For Android and Windows users, there's another option, though. Speaktoit is voice-enabled, which means you can add meetings and get audio reminders for your upcoming engagements. The virtual assistant won't just remind you of your schedule each morning. It will suggest actions to make it go more smoothly. For example, if you're got an out of town meeting, Speaktoit will suggest booking a flight or hotel.
The Tip of the Iceberg
In reality, there are as many apps as there are needs. If you like to collect images, files and links for future reference on projects, then apps such as Evernote, which is available on every platform imaginable, will be helpful in your business life. Evernote for Business is ideal for working with others within the office, too. Microsoft's OneNote offers similar features, but these are just a few of the ways you can benefit from using apps in business.
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Bern is a well known blogger and a content contributor for Arverne community. Here Ben shared with us his tips about great business apps, based on his own experience.
