Ten mobile apps for savvy channel partners

Mobility is all the rage -- but how can apps help you? Chris Gonsalves rounds up his top 10

Let's face it, with 800,000-plus mobile apps available for both iOS and Android, the chances of stumbling upon the perfect business enabler by happenstance are pretty slim. With an eye towards the way we work, sell and collaborate in the channel, here's a list of go-to applications I believe can help make your technology business more efficient and profitable.

Contactually
This lightweight CRM solution for email users can help you gain referrals and repeat business, and strengthen relationships with people in your network by automatically and intelligently prompting you to follow up your most important contacts at key times. Works with Gmail, Google Apps, Yahoo, Exchange and IMAP email platforms and integrates with Salesforce, Highrise and SugarCRM.

Asana
A shared task management tool, Asana excels at things like connecting tech and marketing teams on joint projects without endless email threads and multiple meetings. Simply set a goal and track project progress while keeping everything prioritised and organised. The Asana digital office organiser is free for up to 15 users.

Evernote
You never know where or when creative genius will strike. Be prepared for your muse with this app that collects and organises your ideas in almost any form, from photos and web screen shots to scribbles and voice recordings. Take advantage of Evernote's cloud storage to access your notes with the PC version to turn your ideas into action.

MobileDay
This simple productivity app sounds almost too good to be true. MobileDay pulls meeting details from your calendar, organises your conference calls and automatically dials you in and enters your access code at the appropriate time, including all of the cursed #s, *s, and 1s. Works with GoToMeeting, Google+ Hangouts, WebEx, FaceTime and Skype.

SignNow
This digital signature app is simple, elegant and a real time saver, and it can help you close deals faster, reduce errors and lost files and cut costs. Tired of waiting two weeks for a contract signature? Now clients can endorse documents securely in minutes, and SignNow does double duty automating workflows by tracking, monitoring, resending and cancelling documents in progress.

WorldCard Mobile
As any trip to a technology talkfest will tell you, those quaint cardboard anachronisms known as business cards simply refuse to go away. The WorldCard Mobile app takes the hassle out of sorting through that stack of cards in your purse or pocket after the event by capturing an image, recognising name, company, position, address, phone number, email address, then firing that info over to your contact list. Works in multiple languages and is available for iOS, Android and Windows Phone, but not BlackBerry.

TripIt
This popular app from Concur might need no introduction, but for those who haven't used it, TripIt sets the standard for managing travel on the go. The app handles every aspect of your business travel and delivers a concise and unified itinerary to keep you on track when you're on the road.

Shoeboxed
If TripIt takes some of the hassle out of organising your travel, Shoeboxed addresses another big headache on the road: managing your receipts for taxi fares, breakfast, bar tabs, and so on. Just take a photo of the receipt, add a note and your expenses claim is in order. You might appreciate this app come tax time as well.

Hello Vino
Rare is the business trip that doesn't mix a little pleasure with work. For the channel pro trying to impress colleagues and clients, ordering the perfect wine can be difficult. Enter Hello Vino, a lightweight app that can make you look like an armchair sommelier when the pressure's on and the waiter is looking down his nose at you. Using a simple, step-by-step Q&A, Hello Vino makes wine recommendations based on food pairing, occasion, taste and region. Bottoms up.

Endomondo
We say this because we care. We've seen you around the breakfast buffets and the evening cocktail mixers. All this conferencing and collaborating may have you a little out of fighting shape. When picking mobile apps, make sure to include one for yourself, like Endomondo. This social fitness tracking app is available on every mobile platform and uses GPS to keep tabs on how far you walk, run or bike during your workouts. As a bonus, it connects with social platforms like Facebook to help you brag about your progress and solicit digital encouragement.

Chris Gonsalves is at vice president of editorial at Channelnomics

As part of our special editorial partnership, CRN is republishing this article from Channelnomics