As a busy manager iPhone apps can put essential information you can use to micromanage your business and life in the palm of your hand. Here are a few popular free apps:
Dropbox is a simple application allowing you to sync files, photos, documents and videos between your computer, iPhone and other devices. Storing important documents in Dropbox keeps them in the palm of your hand. Plus Dropbox has the facility to share files with individual people or the general public. For example if you wanted to ensure clients had the latest product catalogue you could share it with them via Dropbox, and updating the file at your end automatically updates their file. OK there is a cost associated with Dropbox, but the first 2GB of storage is free – so it’s worth mentioning here!
Onetime describes itself as a world clock that integrates all time zones into one easy to read dial. Xero’s UK Managing Director Gary Turner says of this app ‘I work with teams across 5 timezones, Onetime is a beautiful, simple app for working out multi-zone meeting times.’If you work with global teams, you should definitely try this app out.
Trello is a free simple super easy task list manager, assisting in organising and keeping an eye on the big picture. You can create a project, define tasks, assign them to staff and monitor progress. It’s quick to setup and adapts to what you require, and it will sync across your iPhone and computer.
The Podcasts and iTunesU apps enable you to listen to university lectures and podcasts on all manner of subjects, and are an economical resource to keep current and informed. If you want to enhance your knowledge in a particular area, go to the iTunes store, search the relevant topic, and a plethora of podcasts options will be returned. Populer podcasts include the Small Business Big Marketing show run by Australia’s Tim Reid, Stanford Technology Ventures Program Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders, and the Guardian Guide to Running podcast.
Xero Advisor Blake Oliver recently blogged about 7 excellent podcasts for accountants here: http://www.blakeoliver.com/blog/best-podcasts-for-accountants
Do you listen to podcasts? Let us know what your favourites are!
Guest post written by Heather Smith, author of ‘Xero for Dummies’; watch and subscribe to her free Xero videos on YouTube, listen to her Cloud Stories podcast, or join the Xero MasterMind FaceBook group: for advanced Xero heroes!