With the launch of the first smartphone now over ten years ago, this almost ubiquitous piece of technology has well and truly become a cornerstone of modern society. They can be used for a multitude of purposes and keep people in touch with one another around the world and around the clock.
Obviously this makes the modern smartphone an ideal device for running a small business. A single iPhone or Android phone can keep overheads down while doing everything from processing credit card payments to running small business client management software and much more.
However, there are some extra tips and tricks small business managers should be aware of to get the most out of their smartphones while avoiding the pitfalls of over-reliance on a single device. Here's a few to keep in mind:
1. Keep separate phones for work and personal use
Buying and paying bills for two phones may seem like an unnecessary overhead, but there are some solid advantages to having a separate device for home use. These include reducing distractions from friends and family trying to contact you, ensuring work-related information is secure, and generally keeping contacts and calendar details tidier.
2. Remember your voice assistant
Voice assistants have been built into smartphones for years now and get better all the time at recognising instructions and organising tasks. Used in the right way, a lot can be accomplished with a hands-free smartphone including replying to emails via dictation, creating calendar events and of course making calls. Look out for newer smartphones which can carry out an entire workflow from a single voice command.
3. Declutter your home screen
With the abundance of free or low-cost apps available it's easy to download and try a piece of software for a few hours before deciding whether it's useful or not. However, all those apps can quickly build up so you end up scrabbling for the right one at the right time. Make sure you delete those you don't need and organise those you do on the first home screen or in properly titled folders. Many new phones can even automatically offload those apps which go unused for an extended period.
To streamline your smartphone usage you can of course download an app such as PencilIn for your iPhone or Android. Take care of bookings, payments and more all from one simple to use, free to try smartphone app.
