Previously, cellphones were just used by businesses to communicate by sending text messages or making a call whenever necessary. However, the continual developments in technology has led to the creation of bigger, better, and powerful mobile devices that can help even those budding entrepreneurs in running and managing their small businesses.

While there are still limitations on the amount of work that can be done on smartphones and tablets, there are many mobile solutions offering businesses more options to manage their offices remotely through a touchscreen. Even those working for big corporations said they run most of their tasks from a smartphone.

“Today I run most of my business from the phone,” said Ulrik Nehammer, general manager of Coca-Cola. He believes that most work these days takes place out of office, as many people find the office setting too stressful. “The most dangerous place to make a decision is within the office,” Nehammer added.

A variety of professional mobile applications have also offered startups an easier way of managing their businesses through their mobile devices. Tech resource page O2 also mentioned that new smartphones are now built with powerful features, such as the fastest 4G LTE chipset that is ideal for worldwide roaming for easier collaboration with workers.

In this post, we want to highlight how startup companies can further maximize their smartphone in running their businesses effectively. Read on to find out how.

Invoice
Most clients, especially in B2B, usually have to wait 30 to 90 days before they pay invoices. Thus, it’s always a good idea to send invoices to them as quickly as possible to avoid cash flow problems in your business. However, being away from the office and on your computer may make this almost impossible as some use particular PC-based accounting software to create their invoices. Thankfully, there are web-based accounting solutions that offer mobile invoicing services. These mobile solutions offer an efficient and easier way of managing your invoices remotely so that you can keep on top of your bookkeeping.

File management
Many businesses nowadays have shifted to paperless management, lessening the clutter in the office brought about by paper-based files. Paperless management has made all data and files centralized in a single virtual space for an easier collaboration with peers. There are cloud-based services that your startup can use for data storage where multiple devices can login to work simultaneously. Adopting cloud computing can be effective for startups as it has been found to save them money, promote growth, and enhance productivity within the business.

Employee management
Small businesses tend to be pretty close with their employees, so it’s important to keep them happy. Did you know that happy employees are 12% more productive? Successful enterprises know the importance of taking care of their employees and the best way to do that is by giving them the right work schedule and paying them on time. Through mobile devices, you can use mobile scheduling apps to help you manage your employees flexible work schedules efficiently while reminding your employees to report in diligently. This is highly effective for retail positions or those with employees assigned out in the field. These mobile solutions even manage payroll on the go, so you can be sure you are always paying them on time.

Team collaboration
Aside from collaborating through cloud-based file management systems, there are also mobile tools that you can use to stay connected with your staff, especially if you have hired home-based employees. There are web-based project management and video conferencing apps that you can use to easily communicate with your employees regardless of their location. Most smartphones and tablets are now pre-built with video conferencing software, which you can use to manage your team remotely, assign tasks, collaborate in real-time and get updates about projects.

While mobile devices still have limitations compared to laptops and PCs, it’s undeniable how these portable gadgets are able to offer businesses a tool to keep their operations running smoothly even when they are always on the go.

Exclusively written for Startup Success Stories by JenReports