These 8 Apps Can Help you Run your Business More Efficiently

In this day and age having access to all the right digital tools is an important part of running a successful business. Thankfully there are loads of systems and platforms that can help you run your business more efficiently and you don't always have to opt for the most expensive, high-end options. 

Mobile apps have revolutionized the entire food and beverage market. Currently in Australia, apps are making it easier for consumers to search for cafes and restaurants, make reservations, order takeaway and get their groceries delivered straight to their front door.

But did you know that there are a number of Mobile Apps on the market that can help you run your business more effectively? And they don't cost the earth.

To help you get started we've compiled a list of our favourites: 

RescueTime

If you find you're regularly losing yourself down the rabbit warren of the internet when you should be working then this App is for you. What do we love about it? It lets you block distracting websites, track the time you spend on sites, applications, and in meetings, and it allows you to set alerts so you’ll know if you've already spent too much time on a specific activity. For example, it can notify you if you’ve already reached 2 hours browsing Facebook!

Other cool features:

• It enables you to log what you have accomplished that day
• It runs securely in your smartphone’s background
• It sends you weekly email reports, summarizing all your activities and your productivity score

Xero

If you find you’re too busy to dedicate blocks of time to doing your accounts, download Xero. This award-winning mobile application available for both Android and iOS lets you finish any accounting-related tasks on the fly. You can approve your staff’s expenses, settle bank transactions, and even send accurate invoices to your customers wherever you are. With Xero, you don’t need to be in front of your computer to get things done - you can still be efficient and run your business well from anywhere. We love Xero, and not just because it's one of our partner services we integrate with!

Other cool features:

• It can store your customers’ contact details so you can easily access them
• It lets you input receipts in no time
• You can give your staff controlled access to the Xero app, so just like you, they can also send invoices and claim expenses

Intuit Online Payroll

As long as you're using QuickBooks Payroll, you can pay your employees and your taxes anytime and anywhere you want with the Intuit Online Payroll mobile app. Designed for both iOS and Android, the application enables you to create accurate paychecks for your staff and file tax forms electronically. It can even notify you when it’s time to pay your employees so you won’t need to worry about missing that regular deadline. Now even if you’re making a customer delivery or you’re out looking for new products to add to your inventory, you can still guarantee that all your payroll tasks are completed on time.

Other cool features:

• You can quickly view your employees’ details
• You can see past paychecks
• The app has a simple interface, letting you enter the hours worked and review paychecks with ease

Ordermentum

If there’s one app that will make you as productive as possible, it’s Ordermentum.There are three things you’ll love about this app.

1. It makes it easier for your customers to place their orders and make payments, so you won't need to chase them
2. It can pull together all your retail orders, reports, and other data so everything you need can be managed in one simple dashboard - no more spreadsheets!
3. It can automatically sync with your existing accounting/inventory tools, generate order confirmations, and send accurate invoices, cutting down on your admin work 

Other cool features:

• All retail orders will appear in your system in real time - no manual data entry required
• It lets your customers set recurring or standing orders
• It can act as a digital catalogue where you can showcase and highlight your current product line

Agorapulse

If you’re too busy to manage your social media channels, let Agorapulse do it for you. This app lets you view all your social media activity, schedule your posts and photos and track the effectiveness of your content from a single dashboard. The best part? It supports the most popular social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google+ and it’s also the only social media management app that works with Instagram.

Other cool features:

• You can reply to all your social media conversations in one place
• The app provides accurate reports, helping you monitor the power of your posts
• You can collaborate and share your social media management responsibilities

 Canvas

Managing your inventory can be a headache. Fortunately, there’s a mobile app that can help you get things done. Enter Canvas. This excellent app gives you the power to track your inventory so you can have better control over your supplies. It also enables you to sort Quickbooks invoices and record weekly staff timesheets using your smartphone or tablet.

Other cool features:

• The app provides tools to create data collection forms
• Data forms can be downloaded to any database or exported as PDF documents
• It’s available for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry devices

Unleashed

If there’s one thing that sets Unleashed’s Mobile Sales App apart from the rest, it’s the fact that it lets you check inventory levels across all of your warehouses in REAL-TIME. Yes, you read that right. With Unleashed, you'll know how much you have of each of your product SKUs without having to access your computer. It can even give you all the inventory data you need so you can easily make a sale anytime, anywhere. It features a clean and intuitive interface that not only lets you view order histories but also allows you to upload product images - like a digital showroom.

Other cool features:

• You can view all your customer, product, and sales information directly from your iPhone
• All sales orders you’ve created or edited will automatically sync to your Unleashed desktop account
• You can call a customer straight from the Sales app.

Deputy

Payroll, tasking, and staff scheduling can now be a cinch, thanks to Deputy. The app is so great that it allows you to oversee your workplace even when you’re away. It lets you create and edit staff schedules, assign tasks, add and approve timesheets, and track employee hours for a more accurate payroll. Deputy also lets you broadcast announcements and other important posts to the Newsfeed so you can always keep connected with your team no matter where you are.

Other cool features:

• You can approve staff shift swaps and shift drops in a matter of seconds
• You can leave “journal entries” for your employees to recognise their great work
• Deputy can be integrated with other business tools, including Xero, Quickbooks, and Vend

You don’t have to spend much on expensive and high-end tools to help you run your food and beverage business more efficiently. With a little help from the cost-effective mobile apps we’ve listed above you are bound to become more in control, more productive and more successful.

Do you have other productivity apps you swear by? Feel free to share them in the comments section below.

In the meantime, if you’d like to read more business advice from us, you may visit our blog.