Smartphone apps to get your small business off the ground

So, you’ve managed to gather sufficient funds for your startup, and done all the relevant research and read all the books humanly possible. And so, in theory you are fully equipped to take on the world with your lucrative and innovative new business.

But that’s not the way it usually works, it is? Any businessman or woman worth their salt knows it’s not how much money you have, but how you use this money, and how you manage your assets. This is where smartphone apps come into play.

Smartphone apps help you in little ways you hadn’t thought possible. The world of apps can be over-saturated with what they claim ‘you could not live without’, but there are actually some real gems and key tools for business startups out there.

The key area of smartphone apps that you should snap up for little or no cost are bookkeeping and time management apps. Although most people have some sort of knowledge in bookkeeping, it is not an area that a lot of energy is focused on, even though it is a key element for startup success.

For many, the process of earning money is less complicated than managing the money itself. For those fortunate enough to have personal financial advisors and brokers just a phone call away, these challenges have been managed and delegated with a whole host of wealth management providers such as Ramsey Crookall. Many of who are rolling out branded investment tracker apps. However, you are unlikely to have this luxury at your disposal if you are a start-up business, in your early days of entering the business sphere and making contacts. These apps can be a lifesaver until you can afford a professional wealth manager, or a video marketing company, or a similar extravagance.

Expensify

This clever app is one for the mind-numbing tasks of transcribing crumpled up receipts and the illegible tips scribbled on the back of them. Installing the app means you can simply snap a photo of said receipt and Expensify will convert it into a neatly formatted report.

Once you get your business off the ground, this smart app can save you up to an hour a week, so you can focus on the core essence of your business rather than mundane admin tasks.

The great news is, the app costs nothing at all for individuals, and only a couple of quid for businesses. Additionally, this cost will only incur if you submit a report- dormant accounts are free of charge.

Nutcache

This app is completely free but feature-rich and reliable. It is aimed at small-businesses and freelancers who need to log all the work completed, in order to bill a client, or just track all hours completed for various tasks.

This helps you keep track of time, and helps you manage your precious startup hours-and identify flaws in your daily schedule early on. You can iron out these flaws early on so you can operate productively in the future.

Zoho Books

There is very little this app does not do. The application can be used for both marketing and sales, as well as recruiting and invoicing, and the list does not end there. It is great for small businesses as it has an email collaboration feature for team members, and has a version for all platforms including Android, iOS and even an Apple Watch app!

The app integrates seamlessly with Google Apps, and is a rather affordable with plans starting at £6 per month.

Hipchat

Hipchat is a time efficient instant messaging interface for businesses. It allows you to communicate effortlessly and in real-time with colleagues and clients in safe and secure chatrooms. No more file transfer failures, or ads. This one is free, and available for iPhone, iPad, macs, Windows and Android.

These apps will cost you barely anything so you can trial and error a few until you find a couple which work for you and your business. So, what’s stopping you?