We’re not talking Angry Birds here. Mobile apps aren’t a fad and, contrary to initial perceptions, they aren’t just for gaming anymore. Mobile apps can help your small business run more efficiently and more profitably, and it’s time that we all start learning how to use them.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the mobile app market is expected to hit $6 billion by 2014. And a growing number of them are for business or professional purposes. I recently read that 62% of survey respondents said they used mobile apps to save time. (Eleven percent said they used them because they were “cool”, but I’m guessing even more just didn’t want to admit that!). Beyond speed, mobility, and the "cool factor", though, the fact is that the right mobile app is a business tool that can help you gain that critical edge in winning that next new contract.
As our readers in the staffing industry know, small business owners have to be on top of their game 24/7 to compete. Very often, large chunks of that time are spent on the road, visiting clients and prospects, or overseeing projects on site. Mobile apps help you keep your business in the palm of your hand. Let’s face it…our laptops are bulky, that legal pad we’ve been schlepping around for weeks is starting to fray, and if you’re anything like me, your internal memory drive (the one between your ears) just isn’t what it used to be. Smart phones and tablets are powerful, but you need a specific tool on your device in order to truly manage your business. The right mobile app can be that tool and will allow you to access and process information in real time.
In our world at Advance, we find that staffing entrepreneurs – whether owners, sales professionals, or recruiters – often need to calculate profitability of projects quickly and accurately. And the old “1.5 markup” kind of quick math just doesn’t always cut it. FUTA rates and SUTA rates, payroll deductions, insurances, VMS/MSP fees….all of these things seem to change all the time, but they are vital to determining a project’s true profit potential. So Advance just released an app to ease this challenge. If you have a few minutes, check it out at www.advancepayroll.com/mobileapps/.
What apps do you use that help your business? What apps would you like to see? If you’re just entering the fray, take a look at areas that cause ongoing frustration – for you, your clients, or your staff. Whether it’s filing work orders from the field, making marketing materials more easily available to recruiters and sales staff on the road, or managing travel plans, there’s just might be an app for that. And if there isn’t yet….there will be soon.
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