Five great apps to run your business on the move

August 2020

1. Stay social when you're out and about

It's easier to create social media content when you're on the move. Sharing pictures from team meetings, when you see interesting products or meet customers is easier than scheduling content at your desk.

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn have great mobile apps, but the Buffer app allows you to schedule posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn in one place. 

The key is to take advantage of spontaneous inspiration. Share content while you're on the move to keep the conversation going. 

2. Check train times and platforms with Trainline 

The Trainline app offers a quick way to check times and book tickets. It provides a useful travel hack too. The app displays train platforms before the screens in stations. This means you can be ahead of the crowd who are left straining their necks at the displays.

National Express has an app too for those of you trying to avoid the exorbitant costs of travelling by train. It's not as slick has Trainline but will allow you to book journeys on the move.

UK Bus Checker app provides real-time information on bus times. This is particularly useful if you're on a network that doesn't run exactly to time. Search for your bus stop and it will show you the estimated arrival times based on vehicle locations.

3. Keep on top of your finances

It's crucial to keep a close eye on cashflow. The main accounting packages all offer mobile apps and a simplified view of your desktop package. This allows you to check invoices received and paid, account balances etc.

There are several receipts apps that can save you time too, many of which plug-in to the accounting apps. You take a photo of the receipt and immediately enter it on to the system rather than building a stack in your desk drawer. For example, Xero has partnered with Receipt Bank.

4. Note taking tools 

Travel is often the best source of inspiration. It doesn't have to be a flight to the buildings hidden in the cliff face of Petra, Jordan. A short walk to get some fresh air, a train ride or a mad dash to a meeting can lead to great ideas.

You need to make sure you're equipped to capture those ideas. A note-taking tool like Evernote will allow you to jot down ideas and sync across different devices.

Try using audio typing to save time when you're on the move. New iPhone and Android mobiles offer the feature. Just click on the microphone button when you have the keyboard open. This is really useful for quickly 'writing' emails too.

5. Use Pocket to learn on the go 

It can be really difficult to keep up with the content you want to read. There's industry news, advice articles and stuff you're reading for fun. When you're working in the business it's difficult to keep up. 

The Pocket app allows you to save a web page to read later. That means you can get to them quickly when you're on the move. Plus it's designed to load really quickly on mobile and save articles for reading offline. 

Pocket’s Text-to-Speech function allows you to listen to articles. This is useful when you are on the move and can't stay glued to a screen. You'll have to get used to listening to an automated voice, rather than a human narrator. You could listen to the last three blog posts of a business contact you're on your way to visit or check out a competitor's reviews.

Audible allows you to listen to books if you're trying to learn while travelling, although it does have a subscription fee.

It's really useful to build a simple routine to stay productive while you're on the move. Mobile apps really help with that. Those wasted minutes standing on a train platform or sitting in the back of an Uber can be used to check cashflow or relax as you learn from a business book.