We are all permanently glued to our mobile phones. Beyond the apps that most people will use routinely as part of their working day - the likes of Google Maps, Facebook and Twitter - there are many designed to make an entrepreneur’s life that little bit easier.
1. Slack
It’s the app everyone’s talking about. Slack is a platform that keeps all of the messages you and your team need in one place. There are ‘channels’ dedicated to various projects or themes, as well as direct messaging, and users are ‘invited’ to join a team. You can also send files and emojis, and there are 280 tools that can be integrated, including ordering an Uber via chat message.
For Thomas Villeneuve, CEO of online flatsharing marketplace Weroom.com, Slack allows multiple teams to talk to one another without having to get stuck in to lengthy email chains.
“It groups together all communications between my teams, meaning I can stay on top of individual and group conversations between our offices in Paris and London. Its smart notification system means that I am not overwhelmed with a high volume of messages but I also don’t miss any urgent alerts,” he says.
The app is free to download and use (including a history of up to 10,000 messages), and an estimated 2.3m people use it everyday.
2. Basecamp
For companies with employees working in various locations on multiple clients, keeping up to date with each other on progress can be difficult. Hence many entrepreneurs, such as Jaime Gee, managing director of Manchester communications company Jam, are coordinating teams with Basecamp.
“All team members can access it from the office, remotely, from their devices and you can invite clients to view selected projects too to keep them updated with progress,” she says.
“The whole team can see where an action is up to by checking the latest update on that ‘to do’ or individual task. It’s clearly laid out and helps us stay on track, reminds us of deadlines, and allows us to run all our client activity smoothly and efficiently.” The app is free to download.
3. Trello
Another popular project management tool is Trello. The app gives managers a picture of how a project is progressing, with ideas, to-do items and those tasks in-progress, all tracked in a visual way. Each task is assigned a card, which can be assigned to teams and workflows, and is signed off when completed.
All updates and notifications are in real time, users can include comments or upload extra documents to support the project. Due dates can also be assigned and the app synchronises across all devices. Plus, it’s free to download and use.
4. Google Drive or OneDrive
Google and Microsoft’s cloud storage apps are hugely popular with business people who want access to their documents from wherever they are and on whatever device they are using.
Chef and restauranteur Ken Hom, travels the world with his work for UKTI’s Exporting is Great campaign.
“I am always on the go, splitting my time between my homes in two homes in Paris and Bangkok and my Michelin Star restaurant MEE in Rio de Janeiro, as well as travelling globally for business,” he says.
“I often have media opportunities connected to my various ventures which requires me to send high resolution food shots. Without Google Drive I’d be lost! With everything online these days, customers eat with their eyes. A high quality photo is almost as important to my business as a well-spiced dish.”
5. SignEasy
Ever needed to sign a document on the go but can’t get near a printer or scanner? That’s where SignEasy comes in handy. Users can digitally sign documents at the press of a button, wherever they are.
It’s a favourite of Amer Hasan, CEO of cab price comparison business, minicabit.
“Paperwork is the last thing I want to do after a busy day, and I’m sure that’s the case for most small businesses. SignEasy has definitely come to the rescue here. It lets me sign a contract on the way home from a partner meeting, or sign a software invoice to go live asap – I can’t think of a day when I haven’t used it.”
SignEasy offers three annual price options: Pro £29.99; Business £59.99 and PAYG £3.99.
6. PayPal Here
If you are often out and about selling your products, chances are you might agree with Andrew Dark, MD of print wear retailer, Custom Planet, that PayPal Here is the most useful app around.
“We do a lot of trade shows and conferences where we sell our wares. With PayPal here you can either take payments direct on your phone or link it to a card reader to make taking payments really easy. It links up to your current PayPal account so no messing about,” he says.
The app is free to download and there is a one-off payment of £59.95 for the card reader, which talks to your mobile or tablet device via Bluetooth.
7. Swytch
Swytch allows up to five UK phone numbers to be accessed from one device using a data or a Wi-Fi connection. You could, for example, call your boss from the office number and your partner using your personal mobile. It’s also possible to set up a temporary number (to keep your personal line private).
Adam Rice, Marketing Manager of lighting business, Urbis Schréder, uses the app to save money on international calls when on business trips.
“I use the app when I travel as it lets me avoid expensive roaming charges,” Rice says. “I can use a Swytch number to call back to the UK at local rates.”
The app is free to download and your first number is free for six months. After that, it’s £4.99 per month, £14.99 for six months, or £24.99 per year.
8. Concur or Expensify
If you’re tired of collecting receipts, an app that handles business expenses can be a blessing. Users can scan in or photograph receipts, and link claims to a credit card.
Concur makes it easy to build detailed expense reports with minimal fuss, and to track and approve employees’ business and travel expenses. Charges can be imported from a linked credit card and it’s possible to book travel and hotels from within the app itself. A small business account with Concur costs $8 per month, per user.
As well as tracking expenses, Expensify can monitor billable time and mileage, making it particularly useful for consultancy businesses. Users can also create multiple reports or invoices to send to their numerous clients. It’s $5 per month, per user.
9. ScanBizCards
Rather than carry around a wallet full of business cards, ScanBizCards allows users to scan the details and add them to their address books (via the Cloud). It’s also possible to import those contacts into other business tools, such as SalesForce, or a spreadsheet.
The app can read 23 languages and it syncs with calendars, so you can set reminders to follow up with new acquaintances. The iOS version is £0.79 to download from the app store.
ScanBizCards is a useful addition for its parent company app CircleBack, which keeps address books up to date by pushing notifications when a contact’s job title or position changes.
10. NearDesk
Everyone has had times when they’ve got a few hours to kill before their next meeting but they want to be productive without having to sip six cappuccinos in Costa. Darren Fell, CEO of Crunch Accounting swears by NearDesk, which guides him to the nearest desk that can be hired by the hour.
“It’s like an Oyster card for co-working spaces,” he says.
“You can use the app to reserve desk space or a meeting room ahead of time, then you use your card to tap into any workspace in their network, and then you get billed for all the hours you use at the end of the month. It’s perfect for people with flexible schedules or who travel a lot.” The card costs £24 per annum (including VAT).
And if you are happy setting up shop in the nearest coffee bar? Try Beanhunter. It’s the TripAdvisor for caffeine fanatics.
Content on this page is paid for and produced to a brief agreed with Kia Fleet, sponsor of the Guardian Small Business Network Accessing Expertise hub.
