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Go Mobile: increase productivity on-the-road

BCBusiness + Shaw Business Canadian consumers are more connected than ever. In between accepting meeting invitations and sending emails, they are also browsing products, buying services, ordering meals, and shopping online. As a result of this increased online presence, many small and medium-sized business owners are finding that they need to...

 

BCBusiness + Shaw Business

Canadian consumers are more connected than ever. In between accepting meeting invitations and sending emails, they are also browsing products, buying services, ordering meals, and shopping online. As a result of this increased online presence, many small and medium-sized business owners are finding that they need to be constantly connected to succeed.

“For many businesses, owners and their employees are no longer tied to an office chair. They’re meeting with clients, visiting with vendors, checking out the status of projects, and doing other essential tasks on the go,” says Ron McKenzie, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Shaw Communications. “Given these new workplace realities, many small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly turning to mobile services to enhance their productivity and help them meet their business goals.”

Recent research from Intuit shows 64 per cent of small business owners in Canada regularly use mobile applications, and a full 19 per cent depend on a mobile device to keep operations flowing.

There are a number of applications available to businesses to help improve their productivity, including cloud-based storage solutions that simplify file sharing, mobile apps that make it easy to process credit and debit payments remotely, and programs that allow businesses to electronically capture document signatures.

“Our own SmartVoice mobile application allows customers to collaborate with colleagues through conference features and instant messaging – all while operating from a single business number,” says McKenzie.

While the most obvious benefit mobile services provide is the ability to foster consistent communication with customers and employees, they can also help organizations become more efficient and productive. A small and medium-sized business owner who is able to issue invoices, process payments and gather signatures for important documents on the spot can spend less focusing on behind-the-scenes administrative work, and more time on growing their business.

New and emerging mobile apps can also provide small and medium-sized business owners with several tangible benefits, however for some adapting to new technology can be overwhelming.

“Business owners looking to implement new mobile apps should first understand what mobile apps are out there, and how this technology can be adapted to support their business,” says McKenzie. “As a trusted advisor for small and medium-sized businesses in Canada, we understand how important it is for our customers to have access to a knowledgeable source who can help can them find a connectivity solution that best suits their needs.”

The Information Communications Technology Council’s research shows that businesses who use mobile technology improve productivity and get – and maintain – a competitive advantage. To put a contemporary spin on an old saying, if you want to beat them…go mobile!

Created by BCBusiness in partnership with Shaw Business