Most people have used smartphones for business tasks out of convenience, but phones have evolved into a primary business tool, suitable for running an entire operation. Smartphones enable business owners to oversee their operations from anywhere in the world – an essential advantage for those with ambitious goals.
Although they’re compact, smartphones offer several big advantages over laptops, like portability and access to specialized apps.
Let’s explore how smartphones are transforming the way businesses achieve success.
Enhanced mobility and flexibility
For business owners who don’t have time to sit in an office all day, smartphones provide the ability to handle everything on the move, from customer service emails and support tickets to connecting with team members on Slack.
In addition to handling daily operations, business owners can use smartphones to manage their finances and inventory, track leads, and schedule appointments. They can take calls from clients and field texts from employees, regardless of location. Smartphones make all of this possible without having to lug around a laptop.
Best of all, with cloud-based apps, activities can be seamlessly resumed upon returning to the office, if needed. This level of flexibility allows business owners to provide the instant communication most customers and employees expect – all while tending to other responsibilities.
Easy security updates
Most smartphones install updates automatically, so there’s little chance a security update will remain in limbo for long. If an update is postponed too many times, the phone will typically install it anyway and forcibly reboot. This is great news for business owners who provide phones to their employees. The last thing they need is someone using a device with a known security flaw. As long as the phone has an updated operating system, it will take updates for many years.
Employees who are given phones like the Samsung Galaxy can expect OS and security updates for around seven years from the phone’s launch date. An S25 with a solid case and an updated operating system makes an excellent work tool.
Smartphones make communication easy
Smartphones make communication between a business owner and their team members easy and more affordable. For instance, a company can use VoIP services to forward calls to employee phones and avoid the expense of traditional phone systems. When that employee leaves the company, the forwarding can be turned off with software and reassigned.
Another benefit is the ability to conduct virtual staff meetings. When people rely on laptops for video conferencing, there are so many technical issues that can prevent them from attending. For instance, their laptop battery could be dead, they might be driving or out shopping, and some people forget about meetings completely. When a meeting app is available on a phone, there’s no excuse for missing out.
Smartphones support remote work in tough situations
Remote workers are pros at finding a local coffee shop to work from, but some days, those plans fall apart. Shops get extra busy, outlets and seating are unavailable, and Wi-Fi networks are overloaded and slow. Employees who use smartphones can work remotely, even on days they can’t find a place to work for the day. They might need to make some adjustments to the work they do, but they can at least do something.
Mobile apps increase productivity
For business owners, mobile apps can be a lifesaver by handling tasks like accounting, project management, team communication, email marketing, and customer relationship management. By installing these apps on their phone, business owners can get constant updates throughout the day, whether they’re in the office or running errands. Regardless of what they’re doing, they won’t miss a beat.
Where productivity is concerned, certain mobile apps can automate routine tasks, like scheduling appointments automatically, freeing up business owners to focus on their core strategies.
Phones are easy to control
When business owners implement a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, they usually need to install software on the employee’s phone to manage the device. For example, they need the ability to block unauthorized apps from being installed, wipe the device remotely, and maintain up-to-date antivirus software. This software is easy to install on a smartphone, and it won’t be as intrusive as on an employee’s personal laptop.
Smartphones are the ultimate business tool
Although laptops and offices have been the norm for decades, many of today’s business owners are running their entire operations with smartphones. Thanks to their practicality, smartphones have become an indispensable asset for business owners who need a little more flexibility than a traditional office can offer.