Anyone who owns or runs a business anticipates that there will be a certain amount of administration 'stuff' to take care of. However, sometimes the basic mechanics of business management can become overwhelming. Here at Strictly Savvy we have made it our business to help you run your business more efficiently, so if you are drowning in admin or you've forgotten what your actual job is, this five-part blog series might be just the life raft you've been looking for!
We are three parts into this five-part blog series to set up your business to run efficiently. Check out Part 1 The Dreaded Inbox and Email Nightmare and Part 2 – Surfing the net like a pro if you missed them. Almost everyone (even my Nana!) owns a mobile phone of some description. We have put some useful suggestions together to help you make the most of your smartphone and/or tablet.
1. Get a smartphone. They are called 'smart' phones for a reason, so if you don't yet own one, then just what kind of phone DO you have? (Android or iPhone – either is great, but the jury is out on which is better. Depends on who you ask as there are some very passionate users of both). I'm almost certain there isn't a single business left out there that wouldn't benefit from their staff using a smartphone. Here at Strictly Savvy, I use my phone to pay for parking, transfer funds, check my calendar, book appointments, respond to emails, reconcile my Xero, and even approve my team's leave on the go.
We are three parts into this five-part blog series to set up your business to run efficiently. Check out Part 1 The Dreaded Inbox and Email Nightmare and Part 2 – Surfing the net like a pro if you missed them. Almost everyone (even my Nana!) owns a mobile phone of some description. We have put some useful suggestions together to help you make the most of your smartphone and/or tablet.
1. Get a smartphone. They are called 'smart' phones for a reason, so if you don't yet own one, then just what kind of phone DO you have? (Android or iPhone – either is great, but the jury is out on which is better. Depends on who you ask as there are some very passionate users of both). I'm almost certain there isn't a single business left out there that wouldn't benefit from their staff using a smartphone. Here at Strictly Savvy, I use my phone to pay for parking, transfer funds, check my calendar, book appointments, respond to emails, reconcile my Xero, and even approve my team's leave on the go.
2. Download WhatsApp. This clever app has many uses: as a walkie talkie, sending text messages and sharing photos. As a 'Driver' personality type, WhatsApp is gold for me! It's the best way to get a message to someone quickly and without the fluff and unnecessary chat. It also tells me when they have seen/heard the message. No more wasting time finding their number, calling, waiting for them to answer, leaving a message (or not), and then waiting for them to call you back. It's perfect! I use this app with all of my team and they use it to communicate with our clients (just another way we keep our communication efficient and ensure clients get good value from our time)
Image Credit: AndroidPit
3. Download your bank's mobile app – you can do almost everything from the banking apps now. Kiwibank's recent update now allows you to pay your tax directly from the app! And having the ability to transfer funds is a life saver when you're at the checkout and your card declines – whoops!
3. Download your bank's mobile app – you can do almost everything from the banking apps now. Kiwibank's recent update now allows you to pay your tax directly from the app! And having the ability to transfer funds is a life saver when you're at the checkout and your card declines – whoops!
Image Credit: Dave Clark Design
4. Set up your smartphone so that all your contacts go into a cloud account (and not your SIM Card or phone memory). Have you lost your phone along with all of your contacts? This just doesn't need to happen in this day and age. If you're not already on Gmail, just get a free account and use it for the contacts function. Set up your phone so your contacts are only saved to your Google Account. It only takes a few minutes and could save you hours of time and a whole lot of stress in the long run. Check out my blog post here that explains this.
4. Set up your smartphone so that all your contacts go into a cloud account (and not your SIM Card or phone memory). Have you lost your phone along with all of your contacts? This just doesn't need to happen in this day and age. If you're not already on Gmail, just get a free account and use it for the contacts function. Set up your phone so your contacts are only saved to your Google Account. It only takes a few minutes and could save you hours of time and a whole lot of stress in the long run. Check out my blog post here that explains this.
5. Move the apps around so your most frequently used are on the home page. Spend some time laying out your phone screens; it'll save you loads of time in the long run.
Image Credit: Time
6. Buy a second charger and keep it in your office, or your car (or both). Argh, how frustrating is it when your phone is on 15% battery. It seems like that last 15% goes a heck of a lot faster than the first 15%… Side note: Talk to someone at a proper electronics store, rather than buying one from the $2 shop – the cheap ones tend to not last/ burst into flames…
6. Buy a second charger and keep it in your office, or your car (or both). Argh, how frustrating is it when your phone is on 15% battery. It seems like that last 15% goes a heck of a lot faster than the first 15%… Side note: Talk to someone at a proper electronics store, rather than buying one from the $2 shop – the cheap ones tend to not last/ burst into flames…
Image Credit: Android Crush
There are so many more fantastic tips and shortcuts that we could list off for maximising the benefits of your smartphone and mobile technology. Once you get these basics covered and are ready to step up your mobile efficiency, give us a call and we can talk you through implementing some of the more advanced tips and tricks. Alternatively, if you are reading this and have a great tip you'd like to share with us, email me at jo@strictlysavvy.co.nz. I'd love to hear from you.
In our next post, we are going to present some ways you can free up even more time by reducing the amount of work involved with your financial administration! Stay tuned.
Never miss a post by subscribing to our newsletter here.
There are so many more fantastic tips and shortcuts that we could list off for maximising the benefits of your smartphone and mobile technology. Once you get these basics covered and are ready to step up your mobile efficiency, give us a call and we can talk you through implementing some of the more advanced tips and tricks. Alternatively, if you are reading this and have a great tip you'd like to share with us, email me at jo@strictlysavvy.co.nz. I'd love to hear from you.
In our next post, we are going to present some ways you can free up even more time by reducing the amount of work involved with your financial administration! Stay tuned.
Never miss a post by subscribing to our newsletter here.
