Or maybe I should say “When is a phone not just a phone?”. Your phone can play a mission-critical role in your business with the right apps. At center stage is a good contact manager.
If you’re a mobile professional with many clients, customers or business contacts, there’s a chance you have asked yourself “Is there a better way to manage contacts on my iPhone?” In our increasingly fast-paced and distracted world, effectively managing customer information will help you build long-lasting business relationships. The iPhone address book that comes preloaded on your phone, however, lacks the functionality to help you build these relationships.
If names and addresses are all you need to track, then the native iPhone apps may suit you just fine. However, just knowing someone’s phone number never won a deal, sold a house or garnered a new, high-profile account. Yes, you need the phone number or email address to make the initial contact, but that is NOT what separates you from the pack. It’s the rapport you build with your client that sustains and elevates the business relationship. A contact manager allows you to effortlessly track and instantly access all the details about your relationships. A contact manager also has a calendar that is linked to contacts, so scheduling calls, meetings and to-dos is quick and easy. Lastly, a contact manager lets you record unlimited notes for each contact, and automatically creates a chronological log of all of your interactions. With a contact manager, you can build a dossier for each of your relationships, so you’re on top of all the details.
Make sure you choose a contact management app that is right for you and the way you do business. Choose an app with the flexibility to customize it so you can track the information you need for your business.
Data accessibility may seem like a no-brainer. Your phone is with you all the time right? But many of the mobile contact manager apps rely on internet connectivity to access your contact data and calendar. Make sure you have anytime, anywhere access without relying on the availability of an internet connection to recall important details.
Most of us take our phones for granted and view them as nothing more than a utilitarian way to communicate. Well, it’s time for you to start realizing some ROI with your phone. After all, it’s with you all the time. Why not make it work for you?
