5 Ways Smartphones Boost Business Efficiency for Entrepreneurs

Watch, calendar, address book, camera, personal secretary. Oh yeah, you can make calls on them, too!

To say that phones have come a long way is an understatement. They are now smarter and more ingenious. Smartphones have become such a part of the 21st century lifestyle that it seems to be a natural extension of one’s limbs.

Life has never been the same since the dawn of the smartphone. From simply enabling you to make calls to now being a hub of personal communication, modern phones have become a key figure in the shifting sands of time. A daily companion for most, the smartphone has significantly changed the way we live. It has also brought in noteworthy benefits in the field of personal commerce and small-scale businesses.You can hear the audible sigh of relief from business owners who have discovered how smartphones have made their commercial transactions easier, faster, and more efficient.

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Ways smartphones help boost business efficiency for entrepreneurs

App and about

From the moment you wake up until you turn in at night (and even while you are sleeping), there are handy apps available that can make your life more comfortable. There seems to be an app just for every little thing nowadays.

Instead of people leafing through the Yellow Pages, they can now access you or your business using an app. With just a touch, products are searched, queries are sent, and purchases are made.

These productivity applications have considerably streamlined business operations. They serve as virtual assistants that help entrepreneurs go about their daily tasks. Something that would have taken an inordinate amount of time back then can now be accessed with just a tap or click. With telecommunication companies always at the ready to provide innovative business solutions, running a business through mobile apps certainly helps.

Mobile office

Small business owners and entrepreneurs value the time afforded them by smartphones. Through their mobile device, more and more business people are able to conduct business on the go. This allows them to allot more time going about their other responsibilities instead of being stuck in the office.

Mobile technology has made administrative tasks more convenient. What were normally considered desk jobs before – emails, writing letters, organizing calendars, etc. – can now easily be done on smartphones. Even basic office programs such as documents and spreadsheets can even be accessed through mobile devices. Making online payments, conducting online cash transfers, or even doing corporate payroll are all made easier through smartphone banking.

Office meetings, reminders, and even job interviews can now be done online thanks to instant messaging, video and wifi calls. Ideas, concepts, and other eureka moments that come to mind wherever you are can easily be jotted down on your mobile phone’s note app. Smartphones allow business managers or the whole team a level of flexibility that can translate to better productivity.

Keeping it together

Smartphones can also be useful tools to keep everything organized.

Events can be grouped together, reminders can be set, and receipts can be scanned and filed, all with the help of your trusty mobile device. The need to bring stacks of calling cards to meetings or conferences have dwindled as online groups for professionals make it easier to forge new business contacts.

Running a business usually entails a million and one things to do, so having a handy helper that makes mostly everything accessible by just a touch of a button is a huge relief.

Connectivity advantages

Smartphones provide businesses better connectivity with its consumers. For small to medium business owners, especially, customer relations can be done more quickly, and in a more interactive way.

Aside from offering excellent products, your prompt response to their queries through instant messaging can spell a difference in how clients see you. Fast turnarounds and a more personalized approach to connecting with your customers are key to delivering a unique customer service that sets you apart from your competitors.

Manage your costs better

Smartphones are not only terrific time-savers; they can also help businesses cut costs.

Before tap-and-go technology, providing top-notch customer service also entails spending more either for expensive software or manpower. With smartphones and mobile apps, complicated software that usually took time and money to install has been overtaken by simple, user-friendly applications that can address customer management tasks.

Smartphones can also act as your personal travel agent. It can save you time and resources with a myriad of mobile travel deals, allow you to track your flights, and keep your itinerary organized. With such a handy tool at your disposal, business travel can be a breeze.

Switch on, switch off

Smartphones bring in undeniable ease and efficiency to our lives. They have countless advantages and benefits that support our day-to-day activities. Business can be kept running even while you’re offsite and you can keep tabs on operations regardless of where you are.

We must remember, however, that phones were invented to make it easier and faster to send messages, swiftly respond to possible emergencies, and open the lines of communication. It is imperative not to forget, then, that smartphones should enhance human interaction.

There are times when people are mindlessly glued to the tiny screens on their hands. With the power that phones wield, we must also exhibit responsible use. Phones were originally meant to bridge a gap. We must also know when to disconnect and then truly connect to people.

More to follow in next article.