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Mobile phone technology has become something most people can’t even imagine living without.
Nearly every teenager seems to have one constantly in their hands, and even people who shy away from computers tend to be adept at using their mobile. |
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| “Smart phone” type mobiles are becoming increasingly indispensible. Smart phones are mobile phones with extra capabilities such as email, calendars, keyboards or touch screens, cameras, media and office software.
Imagine you own a business that provides an on-site service and you have a team of service agents who are out on the road all day. |
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Once that service technician left the office, you had no idea where they were and when they would return, so taking urgent calls from clients meant you had to just say you would call them back or book them for some day in the future.
Some interesting case studies show how such a business can use smart phones to provide a combination of GPS (know where the service people are), calendars (organise the day’s work), email and messaging (progress reports), and invoicing and credit card payments. |
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Two big issues every business faces concerns cash flow and effective time management.
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| Smart phones can assist relieving pressure on both issues.
If an urgent call comes in from someone with a job right near where a technician is located by GPS, or a technician completes their calls earlier than anticipated, they can be directed straight to the new call, increasing efficiency. |
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The technician produces an invoice on the spot and receives payment. The invoicing data is then directly transferred to the base accounting system when the technician arrives at the office at the end of the day, without the need to sit and enter the data again.
How can technology increase your time efficiency and cash flow? |
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| Blackberry |   |
Apple’s iPhone |