How to use smartphones effectively in business

There is no doubt that the modern world of business has been transformed by the smartphone. Over the past few years, they have become a powerful and necessary tool in commerce, but this does not mean that simply getting a few devices is going to be enough to ensure that you are using them in the most effective way possible. With this in mind, the following blog post is going to be all about the different ways that you can use smartphones to your advantage and really bring your company up to the next level as a result.

Instant Communication

The first way that you can use smartphones in your business is the way that they were intended to be used in the first place – instant communication. Many customers are using them to get in touch with companies – whether this is via the live chat function or a messaging app. Therefore, issuing them to your customer service team can end up being a great idea as a result. Also, you should think about your internal business comms, which can be helped out significantly if everybody is more contactable. At the same time, you still need to set out some clear rules and regulations with regard to who can be contacted and when.

Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

With more and more people using a smartphone to access the internet, it makes sense that your website is able to support people who want to visit it in this way. Otherwise, the overall user experience is going to be negatively impacted as a result. Once you have a mobile-friendly version of the site, you can then start to make adjustments and improvements directly from your phone. If you notice that there is something that does not seem right, it is better to make the improvement sooner rather than later.

Engage in Mobile Commerce

Closely linked to the mobile-friendly website section that we discussed just about this one, more and more people are using their smartphones to make purchases. Therefore, your business needs to be geared towards collecting their money. This guide on mobile commerce is a great starting point that can help to give you a lot more information in this area. Even if you do not run an e-commerce business, you should still think about the ways in which smartphones can be integrated into what you are offering. For example, if you run a bar or a café, you may want to integrate mobile ordering via a smartphone. If you run a physical shop, a smartphone app that tells people what you have to offer in more detail can be highly useful when it comes to increasing your sales to their highest possible level.

Archive Business Ideas

Not many people are carrying around pens and notebooks these days. Instead, smartphones are commonly used to store and archive various business ideas. Sometimes, these ideas will pop into the head of a member of your team at any point. If they have a system that allows them to not only write it down, but share it instantly with other team members, this is inevitably going to be something that is highly useful to everybody involved. As well as making use of the note function, some people prefer to use them in a voice-note capacity that they can listen back to at a later date.

Store and Transfer Important Documents, Presentations etc

With more and more people relying on cloud-based internet services, this inevitably means that smartphones are acting as a storage device for all sorts of different data. As a result of this, it is highly important that you have all the latest security software to stop hackers from taking advantage of this fact. As well as storing all sorts of important documents, smartphones can also be used to transfer files to the people who need them. They can also be used in important business situations such as pitches or presentations. If there is a bigger screen up, you can use your phone to pull up your PowerPoint slides and project them onto it, as well as controlling everything from the palm of your hand.

Camera Function

The camera function of smartphones can be used whenever you are on the go. These days, the quality of the picture and video that is taken is so high that you may even be able to snap some pics that are going to be useful on your business website and/or marketing materials in general. Alternatively, there is the capacity to live stream, which you can use when you are doing something important for your business – whether this is a product launch, or you are delivering an essential presentation that you would like more people to see other than those who are in the room.

Social Media Access

Social media was made for the smartphone – and the most important word here is ‘social’. This means that you need to be ready to use and update your accounts along the way. Of course, you should still have a social media plan that you stick to as closely as possible, but there may come a time when you want to post a quick update when you are on the move. At the same time, you do not necessarily want to give everybody access to your log-in details, but if a few key members of staff are able to update your accounts on the fly, this cannot really be a bad thing.

As you can see from the list of methods above, the smartphone is a highly useful tool in business that can be used in all sorts of different ways to further your company aims. When you have a tool that is so potentially powerful, it makes sense that you use it in the wisest way possible, and hopefully, this guide has given you a bit more direction on how to do this in the most effective was that you can.