At Finsol we’re fans of the adage “work smarter, not harder”, and in the age of technology, we have more tools than ever before to help us work efficiently and boost productivity.
We swear by apps and programs to make our lives – and our clients’ lives – easier. Here are seven of the best, as tested by us.
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (A$22.99 per month)
This fantastic piece of Adobe software allows us to collate, organise, and edit all kinds of documents; we use it frequently for completing proposals. It also allows you to get a legal signature from anyone in the world in minutes – and the signer doesn’t need any software at their end. Signatures can be done on a computer with a mouse or a phone screen with a finger. We have found this to be a huge time saver when it comes to getting documents signed.
Pipedrive (starting at $12.50 per month)
We always used spreadsheets to organise and track client opportunities, but after discovering and implementing PipeDrive, we have become far more efficient. As well as giving a visual overview to the clients we are currently working with, we link our email trails to PipeDrive, allowing us to keep track of client communication effortlessly.
Google Hangouts (free)
Many of our clients find it difficult to lock in a time for a face to face meeting, so we conduct a lot of our consultations over the phone or online. Google Hangouts is similar to Skype, but the best part is that the recipient doesn’t need to download any software – we just email a link which opens up to the chat window. A game changer for servicing existing clients and working with busy new clients.
Microsoft Office 365 (from $13.50 per month)
As well as the obvious Office programs like Outlook, we are huge fans of OneDrive and SharePoint for organising, storing, and sharing files. Everything is cloud-based which creates a safe platform for us to store essential documents.
Todoist (free with a premium upgrade for USD$3 per month)
Who doesn’t love checking tasks off their to-do list? Todist integrates beautifully with Outlook and allows you to share tasks with other users, add notes and reminders, and create different projects and filters. You can also download the app on your phone to sync with your computer. We use Todist every day and can’t imagine working without it.
Voice memos on iMessage, Viber, or WhatsApp
While it takes a few minutes to check a voicemail, voice memos via iMessage etc. are accessible instantly and allow us to communicate succinctly with our clients if we can’t get them on the phone. We also utilise text message reminders for meetings.
What can’t Google do? Their alternative to Excel allows us to create collaborative spreadsheets that are easily accessed via a link.
