Because many businesses have transitioned to a work-from-home model due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever to use the best productivity tools. According to Sensor Tower’s 2020-2024 market forecast, remote work and education app downloads have surged while ridesharing and fast food app downloads have plummeted. In-app spending is predicted to double over the next four years, up to $171 billion in 2024 versus $85 billion in 2019.
Productivity apps such as Slack, Trello and Zoom are essential for CEOs, business owners and executives to increase workflow efficiency with a dispersed team and take advantage of new business opportunities.
These 10 apps should be on your smartphone:
1. Slack
Used and adored by small businesses and large corporations, Slack is indispensable for team communication and collaboration. The instant-chat feature, organization of channels and threads, and ease of file sharing make Slack the top choice for internal business communications, especially in a work-from-home or remote environment. It also integrates with many other apps and platforms.
2. Trello
Trello is a versatile tool for project and task management because it is easy to use, it simplifies collaboration and is remarkably flexible. Boards can be organized by client or project, and short- and long-term tasks can be organized, scheduled and assigned to team members. Checklist items with deadlines keep everyone on track. There’s an extensive menu of Power-Ups for integration with Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive and much more.
3. Zoom
There are several alternatives for video conference calls, but Zoom has become the preferred choice thanks to excellent video and audio clarity as well as the ability to record meetings, share screens and much more. Ideal for hosting meetings with team members or clients, conducting remote interviews and recording podcasts.
4. CamScanner, Office Lens and Genius Scan
With more than 60% of users accessing the internet with a mobile device, scanning apps are essential tools for sharing documents on the fly. Each of these scanning apps is an excellent choice for digitizing documents remotely.
5. Adobe Fill and Sign, DocuSign and HelloSign
As with the need to scan documents, being able to sign important documents in a pinch is fundamental to effective just-in-time communication. Any of these three are worth having on your phone.
6. Google Tasks and Keep
Google Tasks allows users to create detailed to-do lists and reminders that sync with Google Calendar, and Google Keep is good for note-taking. If you write lists or tasks on your iPhone, thanks to iCloud they will be accessible on your other Apple devices (iPad, MacBook, etc.). Other note-taking apps include Evernote and Microsoft OneNote.
7. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for connecting with other business leaders, identifying new opportunities and staying abreast of emerging trends. And LinkedIn Learning has a rich library of training videos and other resources.
8. Dropbox and Google Drive
You simply cannot work remotely or while traveling without robust file-sharing and cloud-storage apps like Dropbox and Google Drive. Important files can be uploaded, stored and shared, they can be organized by client or project, and they can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Dropbox’s syncing feature stores copies of essential files on your local machine so they’re accessible even without internet access.
9. Audm
Audm provides on-the-go access to long-form journalism from top-tier magazines and newspapers. Stories are read aloud word-for-word by distinguished audiobook narrators.
10. Podcast Apps
Listening to podcasts is a great way to stay current with industry trends, trailblazers and innovative tech. There are several options for podcast listening, but some of the most popular include Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.
