Nowadays, you don’t need an office. In fact, you can pretty much run a business with nothing but a smartphone. For business owners that are constantly travelling or working from different locations, having everything you need in your pocket can be very useful. Here are just a few ways in which you can make a smartphone-based business possible.
Use a separate work phone
Having two phones can help you to keep your business and personal life separate. Running a business from your phone will require you to have all your business contacts and work tools on your phone – you don’t want business contacts trying to get hold of you in your free time or business apps giving you work progress reports when you’re trying to relax. When you’re not at work, you can simply turn off your work phone and disconnect from your business. Having separate phones could also make accounting easier.
Invest in an unlimited data plan
An unlimited data plan will allow you to constantly have access to wi-fi. Not all providers offer these plans and they are a little more expensive, but they’re worth the investment. You can find out more about unlimited data plans here. Another option could be to buy a portable router, which could give you added coverage as well as constant connection – however you may pay more in the long run.
Download app versions of your software
You’ll want to download apps of any business software you regularly use. This could include access to documents, accounting tools and project management software. If there aren’t app versions available, consider whether it’s possible to switch to a software provider that can be used in conjunction with an app. This will allow you to do all your business admin from your phone.
Set up a VoIP phone system
A VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system allows you to take landline calls via the internet. This means that you can pick up these calls from any device, including your smart phone. This could be useful if you’re constantly out of the office and missing calls to your landline. You can read more about setting up a VoIP phone system online. The cost of these systems varies depending on the range of features you want such as being able to take video calls and answer machine messages.
Start receiving business emails on your phone
You’ll also need to log in to your email account on your phone. This will allow you to receive and send emails on the go. By setting up voice activation, you can even have emails read out to your whilst driving and compose them via your voice.
Buy a portable charger
You’ll be using your phone a lot, so expect the battery to drain a little faster. Carrying around a portable charger could help you to keep your phone alive when there isn’t an electrical socket nearby. After all, when running a business from your phone, you can’t afford to have your phone die on you.