Tag Archive for: mobile apps for businesses

The 6 Best Apps for Businesses

The best apps for businesses make it easier to handle everyday office and work tasks, whether working from home, in the office, or on the go. Business owners must remain agile and scalable to respond to changing business needs and evolving consumer preferences.

The rising adoption of mobile phone by users combined with increased infiltration of internet connectivity has forced enterprises to adopt digital technologies, among them online shopping capabilities.

Digital solutions are proving to be quite innovative approaches to targeting new customers and retaining the existing ones. This is precisely why mobile app adoption by businesses is on an unprecedented rise. While mobile devices certainly play an everyday role in our businesses and activities, selecting the best app for businesses can be challenging.

That is because you may want to have business apps that do multiple things: collect, store, and transfer documents across different devices and through different communication channels like wireless, wired, and Bluetooth. In addition, you may want an app that handles your enterprise resource planning activities, and one that responds well with your social media followers, mostly online clients and prospects.

In this article, we discuss the most important apps for small and medium-sized businesses. The best mobile apps offer superior functionality while also driving value and growth.

So, what are the best apps for businesses?

1. Microsoft 365

Microsoft Office recently rebranded to Microsoft 365 and is the best suite for small businesses. Microsoft 365 suite entails different apps that are powered with diverse capabilities. The apps include intelligent capabilities like ideas for Microsoft, Excel, advanced security features, teamwork, and real-time collaboration. Microsoft 365 allows licensed users to deploy the software to five PCs and MACs, five mobile devices, and five tablets.

Microsoft 365 boasts superior connectivity and productivity across your enterprise. The software contributes to streamlined knowledge because information can be shared through cloud document management. There’s enhanced mobile access anywhere and anytime, leading to productivity due to round-the-clock work. Intelligent process automation, and social capabilities, are some of the features that make Microsoft 365 a must-have for businesses.

2. Wave

Financial management is a critical function of any venture. The ability to oversee and manage your finances from anywhere is critical, and Wave gives you billing, invoicing, and accounting software for doing business mobile. This mobile app is designed to help entrepreneurs sync bank accounts, balance books, and connect to their bank accounts anytime and anywhere. Accessing cash flows anytime and anywhere is quite indispensable for a successful venture. That is why small businesses are using Wave as a money management solution.

The main leading features of Wave include:

  • Wave allows businesses and individuals to create and send invoices to anyone and from anywhere. You receive notifications anytime an invoice is viewed, paid, or due.
  • Wave allows you to set up recurring billing for regular or returning clients. Payment information syncs with the account’s function.
  • Wave provides a receipt scanning feature which means that you don’t have to keep paperwork. Once you scan financial documents or information using the app, Wave automatically syncs it with the account.
  • Wave makes it possible to create accounting reports showing losses, profits, cash flow, and sales tax.

Wave provides customized money management and billing solutions, enabling businesses to stay at the top of their invoicing and accounting tasks.

3. RingCentral Office

RingCentral Office is the best selection for businesses looking for a perfect phone system. RingCentral Office not only comes with lots of features and capabilities; it is affordable too. This app offers a cloud-based phone system built around business services. So, it’s fine to use RingCentral Office on any endpoint with a browser: tablet, PC, smartphone, and Apple iPod.

RingCentral Office offers some basic plans that include: a phone system and call management and phone rental options for desks and conference calls. But, it’s the pricing tiers that give RingCentral Office an edge over other phone management apps out there. RingCentral Office app combines multiple features at a fair price.

RingCentral Office further provides a contact center as a service and unified communications as a service, which means that it offers the enterprise experience for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the app can deliver a communication platform as a service. It gives you access to a developer’s networks. That means that you can use any APIs to customize and integrate your phone systems and other software in your business.

4. Avast Business Antivirus

With the increased adoption of digitized solutions comes the risk and threat of cyber-attacks. That is because attackers exploit the systems and networks that support critical business operations. One way to protect critical business systems is by using a trusted antivirus from a renowned developer and supplier.

Avast business antivirus delivers on its promise. This antivirus is an excellent endpoint suite that gives you various suites such as email protection, firewall, antispam, and antivirus for end-to-end security. When compared to the standard version, Avast business version provides Exchange and SharePoint protection and a plethora of tools for your servers. This software ranks as the best business software security solution for businesses.

5. Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services AWS is the world’s most adopted and renowned cloud platform. AWS has over 100 fully-featured services from different data centers. AWS offers strong computing power, database storage, and content delivery to help enterprises scale exponentially. Amazon Web Services runs applications and web servers in the cloud and thus hosts dynamic websites.

The benefit of Amazon Web Services is that it’s easy to use. This cloud platform allows vendors and application providers to securely and quickly host their apps, whether using a new SaaS-based app or an existing app. In addition, the AWS is flexible that enables you to select the operating system, database, and web programming platform. Amazon Web Services further boasts of its cost-effectiveness, security, reliability, and scalability.

6. Square

Square is a point-of-sale POS app that enables businesses to streamline their sales activities. Square is designed with superior functionality allowing you to ring up customers and close sales in minutes. Indeed, the best point-of-sale apps like Square can be customized to fit your business needs and industry requirements. Restaurants, for example, can use Square for table management and kitchen coordination activities. Retail stores, on the other hand, can use Square for its diverse retail management functions.

What’s crucial is that Square is easy-to-use and provides superior functionality and a clear interface. The Square company offers transparent and fair pricing. The app is mobile-friendly and works collaboratively with Androids, iPhones, and iPad. For small and medium-sized enterprises that don’t need advanced functionality, Square has a free trial plan.

NS804 – Developers of Best Mobile Apps

NS804 is an app development company with years of experience in app design, development, and maintenance. NS804 talented developers can help you design your app from inception to completion while enabling you to enjoy smooth, advanced functionality and scalability. NS804 development team optimizes your app’s functionality and delivers best-in-class app functionality.

NS804 can surely help you ace your next mobile app development project with a diverse specialty in android app development, IOS app development, app store optimization, UX/UI design, and minimum viable product MVP development. And with our cost app calculator, you get to know exactly how much it will cost to develop a new app from scratch.

Contact NS804 for the best mobile app development solutions.

Mobile Apps: Does Your Business Really Need One?

In 1997, Nokia designed a built-in version of the arcade Snake Game that many consider the first app. Over the years, the app market has grown extensively to capture different apps – for gaming, shopping, banking, and many other purposes. Mobile apps are widely being adopted to provide the best use in business process development.

However, it’s worth mentioning that most people perceive mobile apps as a reserve for large enterprises. Most think that mobile apps apply only to established, reputable brands that have a reputation to protect.

Well, if you think mobile apps are for big-boy enterprises like Amazon and Walmart, you’re mistaken. More and more small businesses are adopting mobile apps after understanding that an effective digital strategy transcends beyond simply having a mobile-friendly website.

Undoubtedly, e-commerce has been phased out by mobile commerce, as evidenced by the accelerated adoption of mobile solutions by retail establishments. Today, more than ever, you’ll realize that most enterprises you interact with have a custom app – be it a spa downtown or a corner coffee shop. If you’re not sure whether your business needs a mobile app, here’s what to look out for.

Nine reasons your business needs a mobile app:

1. Customer Visibility

Customer relationship management is taking a new turn with exciting developments in custom mobile apps. The growth of mobile apps allows businesses to connect and reignite touches with their most loyal customers, reinforcing trust, loyalty, and retention.

Statistics show that the average American spends two to four hours a day on their mobile devices. While only a handful of apps make up a bulk of this usage, it doesn’t change the fact that every user has to unlock their phones and scan for apps. Being “available” with a custom business app can be an advantage because it requires a user to spot your brand and their mind subconsciously records your business.

2. Marketing Channel

A custom app can translate into an excellent sales channel, especially if used with diligence and tact. Apps serve diverse functions. They can provide information, store data, process trends, and report insights. One of the biggest advantages of having a custom mobile app is that all the information you’d like to convey to your customers is right at their fingertips.

You’re getting closer to reinforcing your interactions with your customers through features like push notifications. You can remind customers about your services and products. Thus, there’s no doubt that mobile apps are transforming outreach by reigniting touches with clients and maintaining relationships.

3. Customer Connectivity

Smartphones are one of the most personal things; they harbor our personal information – email addresses, credit card numbers, and addresses. Statista reports that 90% of the time spent on a smartphone is spent on downloaded applications.

With mobile apps, businesses can connect with clients on the go. Some offline apps don’t need an internet connection which means that users can constantly check new updates, access notifications, and interact with other users. So, if you find a pressing need to connect with clients on the go, a custom mobile app can be an ideal solution for your business growth.

Industries and companies that can connect with clients on the go include:

  • Transport and logistics. Railway, airline, and sea transport companies can use mobile apps to connect with passengers and allow them to book tickets and do in-app purchases.
  • Travel and tour. Travel and tour enterprises can reinforce their relationships with clients. These firms can use mobile apps to; advertise destinations, arrange bookings, and launch virtual tours.
  • Mining. FIFO jobs present opportunities for professionals and technicians who want to work away from home. Thus, mobile apps that enable FIFO workers to connect with their families directly while reporting and tracking progress remotely is a win.

With the above examples, it’s clear how mobile apps can bridge gaps in multiple sectors and industries.

4. Building Brand Recognition

A custom mobile app can immensely contribute to your business and brand awareness. Below we break down brand recognition into two separate parts to understand how mobile apps can help strengthen your brand.

  • Brand. A mobile app is like a blank paper, an empty signboard. You can make it fun, stylish, entertaining, functional, or informative. But what you want is to create an app that has features your customers will like; an app that’s well-designed and beautifully branded.
  • Recognition. The more often you engage users with your app, the higher their likelihood of interacting with your products or services. Higher app interaction translates to brand awareness and leads to purchases. In advertising, this aspect is called effective frequency. Essentially, seeing or hearing your brand about twenty times is what makes it recognizable or truly noticed.

So, mobile apps are classic channels for fuelling brand recognition.

5. Customer Engagement

Customer engagement is an essential aspect of positive customer relationships. Signs of poor customer engagement include slow welcome, unfriendly gestures, keeping customers waiting, and inflexible appointment times.

Whether you’re selling insurance or renting out gym floor spaces, your customers need a way of reaching you, anytime and anywhere. Having a helpdesk or a messaging feature in your app can make a difference in how you handle customer communications.

For instance, OpenTable designed its business model around customer engagement. Instead of calling restaurants or fast-food chains for a table, OpenTable’s management made it easy for customers to book online on their mobile app. Now, if you think about it, you’ll realize most customers prefer to speak to you via text instead of the phone.

6. Market Competition

Many businesses are gradually adopting mobile apps to streamline their processes: performance, customer engagement, procurement, and spend management. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to note that business apps are still at their nascent adoption stages these days. And this is where you can leap ahead of your competitors. It’s advisable to offer a custom app for your small business and exemplify your forward-thinking approach.

7. Customer Loyalty

Shifts in customer shopping behavior are clear indicators that your business is ready for a custom app. The most important reason you should consider investing in a custom mobile app is customer loyalty. With all the melee and noise out there – billboards, Facebook ads, road sign banners, flyers, flashing signs, coupons, and newspaper ads, we slowly lose our impact on clients because they’re overwhelmed by immense advertising.

Now, it’s time to go back and make a sincere connection with your customers by making them loyal lovers of your product. While a mobile app may not save your business, it’s a way of coming closer to your customers and being just a finger away from your prospects. Custom business apps provide a way of connecting customers with support providers and strengthening client bonds. So, if you’re looking forward to transforming positive customer relationships into lasting value, look no further: custom mobile apps provide lasting solutions.

8. Business Process Optimization

Having a mobile app gives you the option of developing an app for any purpose. For instance, you can have an app that facilitates interactions within the workspace. Alternatively, you can create an app that supports the exchange of files, aggregates statistics, monitors and manages processes.

The significance of mobile apps is that they can effectively be used for the organization and automation of business processes. The creation of products for internal use by the organization is a common practice. With a custom mobile app, you can ensure employee interaction regardless of location. Changing work cultures and emerging “work-at-home” patterns underscore the need for mobile apps.

9. Smart Analytics

Data is the backbone of most business processes because data-driven decisions inform business processes. With a business app, you can collect vast volumes of data for further analysis. For instance, you can collect data that enables you to understand shifting customer preferences, shopping habits, and app usage patterns. Mobile apps can help you know what areas and functions of your business are most important and which ones are least important.

NS804 – Powering Business Transformation with Custom App Solutions

Not all enterprises optimize the power of their websites, let alone custom mobile apps. If you happen to be among the first to adopt mobile app solutions, you can confidently reinforce your market position and edge out the competition. Mobile app solutions provide immense benefits and stand to transform your enterprise’s growth efforts.

You can contact NS804 for inquiries and solutions on mobile app development.