Running a business used to involve renting an office and employing countless other services in addition to your workforce to cover accounts and HR, to name just a few. This all added up to a lot of expense and not only discouraged many budding entrepreneurs but ensured that many more who did take the plunge didn’t last long.

As you’ll no doubt have noticed, phones have replaced laptops and desktops in many people's lives. So, you might have also realised that apps can replace many of these expensive services, and you don’t need an office, just a phone, to run your business.

1. Microsoft Apps

Regardless of what type of business you run, you’ll see the value of having Microsoft Apps involved to make everything run more smoothly. This might just be Microsoft 365, which contains Microsoft Office and Teams for communication, or depending on what your business does, you may require Azure as well. If you’re not sure about what you need or what the right licensing plan is for you, you should consult with a business who are Microsoft Gold Partners and has the expertise to guide you through this vital part of the process.

2. Bookkeeping Apps

Alongside your Microsoft apps, you’ll also need some sort of bookkeeping app so you know where you are financially, and just as importantly, you can send your invoices and keep track of who has paid you and who hasn’t. The exact app you need will vary according to the size and complexity of your business, and this can make the choice difficult.

If you want to try out a few to see which is the best fit for you, you should look for those that come with a free trial or a massively discounted opening offer so you can fully explore what’s on offer without a long commitment.

3. A CRM App

The same principle applies to getting hold of a CRM app, which helps you maintain a relationship with your existing customers and leads. This is especially important if the product or service you provide is more expensive and potential customers need more information before they buy.

By using a CRM, you can schedule and send them messages, giving them more information so they can be more inclined to buy. Selling to existing customers is easier than finding new ones, so you need to stay in contact with them by maybe sending them a newsletter or useful information every week or so. This way, when you have a new product or service to offer, you can test the waters with minimum risk by sending them a message promoting it.

Final thoughts

Once you have your business up and running, you don’t have to be there all day, every day, overseeing everything. By using Microsoft apps, you can stay in touch with everyone and even have virtual meetings if you want. You can also oversee your financial position using a bookkeeping app and keep topping up your coffers by using your CRM to contact your customers with new offers. As these are on your phone, you can do this from pretty much anywhere you want, so you’re not tied to an office and can manage everything from your phone.