Essential Mobile Apps for Anyone Running a Virtual Business

It's hard to imagine life without apps. Barely five years old, these tiny marvels have almost completely taken over our lives and influence our entertainment choices, our lifestyles and even the way we do business. This is excellent news for anyone facing the challenges of working in a virtual office. As the amount of people working in their pajamas has increased, so have apps designed to specifically to enhance your working day. Available through your laptops, smartphones or tablets, these applications are indispensable for those doing business from their home offices.

Avoid Missing File Panic

One of the most frustrating things for freelancers and their employers is the transference of important documents. There's always the option of Cloud technology, but for the work that really matters knowing that it's floating somewhere in the ether can be a little unsettling. This is where DropBox can become indispensable. Completely free, this app allows employees to share and access photos, videos and documents from any computer or mobile device. Unlike Cloud sharing, the files are stored permanently in your hard drive as well as on the DropBox website. Now you can share a link rather than clogging people's mailboxes with attachments. Additionally, you can enjoy the security of knowing your files are accessible with or without an Internet connection. Effectively banishing stress over vanishing documents, DropBox has received great praise by critics and users alike.

Conference By the Pool, Anyone?

Fuze Join transforms your smartphone or tablet into a portable HD video conferencing center in barely any time at all. Consistently applauded, this program gives users the ability to host and join webinars with the simple touch of the screen. Also allowing for content sharing and audio conferencing, the app includes many clever features to make an awkward video-conference experience considerably easier. Users can “flag” to get the attention of the host, privately chat with other members of the conference and simultaneously share content such as video, graphs or text documents. Ingenious and completely free, this app makes your mobile device a virtual office superhero, all without the use of a telephone booth or ridiculous uniform.

Grown Up Chat For the Business Minded

Looking for an instant messaging app that is reliable enough to conduct your business affairs? You need look no further than IM+. Known for its stable performance and multiple functions, IM+ is used by businesses and freelancers worldwide who are looking for an all inclusive chat experience. Allowing for both individual and group chats along with the capacity to simultaneously exchange documents, this app makes all other instant messaging systems obsolete. While chatting with co-workers and clients, IM+ also keeps users informed with constant email notifications from multiple accounts, as well as access to Twitter and Facebook for easy social media updates. Truly a modern essential, this app keeps you constantly connected to your clients giving you an edge in the already competitive virtual office arena. What did we do without our apps five years ago? For many of us, it's hard to remember life pre-Angry Birds and frankly, few of us want to. If entertainment-based applications have made such an impact, imagine what the right app can do for your business’ productivity. If you are establishing yourself in the virtual office world, the above apps are must-haves. Not only will you enjoy the way they transform your business, but the fact that they are all free makes them even more beneficial.