Part II on How smartphones inject efficiency into work

Tools are designed to be useful in completing certain tasks or activities as we explored in the last blog.  Social media tools and devices are no different. When people utilize various devices, applications and software, they are employing tools for accomplishing something. Let’s take another look at one of the most popular to see how it can help you serve your clients efficiently and effectively.

According to a recent survey by Gartner, a technology research firm in Westerville, Ohio, 67 million smartphones was sold in 2010; that number is expected to increase to 95 million in 2011.

Known by various names, such as the robotic-sounding Droid or the wildly popular iPhone, for example, smartphones are equipped with a seemingly endless array of apps and tools designed to help users accomplish more tasks quickly and efficiently, negating the need to carry laptops. Moreover, many feature camera, video and even GPS so users can accomplish more with one, small device.

The question, then, is how can you best utilize a smartphone to conduct your business?

Web-enabled phones eliminate the need to boot up on a laptop and offer convenient access to your calendar system, too. Built-in cameras and recording devices allow you to take photos and videos and instantly share them with a recipient, whether that’s a client, potential customer or your staff.

More than 10 billion applications have been downloaded from the Apple iTunes store alone. The volume of apps that have been downloaded from countless outlets is mind-blogging. Those apps can even be bumped to other smartphones, meaning it’s impossible to know how many people are even using a certain application. So, whether it’s a mileage tracker, navigation program or foreign language dictionary, apps can help you accomplish many tasks that formerly required pencil and paper, a compass, a library, or, at a minimum, access to the World Wide Web.