Yes, there’s a mobile app for everything. Just the other day I installed a new app which prompted my dog to fetch me a beer. He hasn’t learned to pop the top yet, but he’s working on it. Ok, that is fake news, yet there is probably an app designer working on it. Mobile apps have changed the way in which we interact with the world, both personally and professionally, for better, for worse. Order groceries, count your carbs, deposit checks, track your time worked, see employees on the clock, catch a ride, apps open the windows of the world to us, unshackle us from the computer and give us immediate access and feedback to society at large. The PewResearch Internet Project tweeted,  “In 2020… There will be a widespread belief that the World Wide Web is less important and useful than in the past and apps are the dominant factor in people’s lives.”  In this post I’ll scour my own phone and share with you the best apps I use right now. We’ll dive a little deeper than Facebook, Instagram and the calculator app.

The Best Apps That Should Be On Your Phone, too

  • Nextdoor. My 13 year old son is addicted to it. This app keeps you up to date with the goings on in your neighborhood. Some of it is soap opera (the part my son enjoys), but many times it functions as the neighborhood crime watch. You can also post items/services for sale. If you live in a neighborhood, there’s no reason to not have it.
  • GroupMe. This messaging app was our salvation in my fantasy football league this year. In prior years we created a group text on our phone’s native text messaging app and if you’ve ever been stuck in a group text, you know what hell will be like. With GroupMe you create as many groups as you want. You can mute the conversation or opt out. Get notified of new messages or not. Jump in when you’re ready to engage, leave the party when you’re over it. I’ve talked to many people who also use this application in their businesses to communicate with team members.
  • Keeper. From their website, “The Leading Secure Password Management Solution for Businesses and Individuals.” Every app and every website subscription requires a password. Once I got past 4 logins, I couldn’t keep any more in my head and my techie brother-in-law told me to stop using the same password over and over. Keeper entered my life several years ago and I love it. It stores all of my passwords and you can set it to open with your thumbprint. Otherwise, if you fail 3 times to enter, it self-destructs.
  • Shipt. Someone shops for your groceries and delivers them to your door. What’s not to love? If you want to recapture the hours you spend each week in the grocery store, this app is for you.
  • Waze. Founded by an Israeli company and now owned by Google, this navigational app integrates crowd-sourcing from it’s community of users. This means that if you can’t drive 55, Waze users ahead of you on the highway will alert you of police sightings. It also tracks your driving speed and will flash red when you are speeding. Your network of driving buddies will also report accidents and Waze will offer alternate routes. It’s ideal for city and interstate driving.
  • Scanner For Me. Straight from their own Google ad copy, “Scanner for Me is a handy two-in-one app that turns your device into a multifunctional office tool: scan, edit, organize, print and share your docs in a tap!” Do you have hard copies that need to be signed and emailed and you aren’t near a scanner? Or you’re in your office file room and need a few pages from a file. No worries, you have a scanner in your pocket and copies are free.
  • iHandy Level. Every now and then you need to hang a picture and you have to prove to your spouse that yes, it is level. I’ve had this app for many years. I don’t use it often, but when I need it, I’m sure glad I have it in my tool box.

But the Best App for Business Owners and Employees Is…

That’s a short list of the best apps I use right now, but if you own a service-based business with remote employees, you’re next favorite mobile app will be our clock in, clock out time card app. The Chronotek mobile time clock app is the smart replacement for handwritten timesheets and easy for employees to use. You and your management team will love monitoring punches from the supervisor’s app. See where employees are when they clock in and out; see late check-ins and no-shows; catch overtime before it happens, do team clock-ins and more; the app is a powerful tool for employees and supervisors. It will be the dominant app on your phone and you’ll soon wonder how you ran your business without it.

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