If you are running a business from home, or a local office site, you may find that the pool of potential clients that you are able to connect to is rather limited, depending on the accessibility of the location. However, one way that you can broaden your customer base is to think about making your business mobile. By being able to travel to clients, not only will you be able to provide services to a broader region of potential customers, but you would also be able to access a wider demographic; for example, being available to clients who have accessibility restrictions.
So, if you are thinking of going mobile, here are four things which you might want to consider investing in.
A card reader
If you operate a business where you travel to different clients’ houses, and are paid individually by the client upon each visit, then a card reader will be a good investment for you. While it is true that most of your clients would be happy enough to pay you in cash, you will find that there might be times when people forget to draw out money in advance. In these situations, this may cause a delay in your getting your payments, or even end up in a dispute if a particular client fails to pay at a later date. Therefore, by investing in a card machine and carrying it on you at all times, you will dramatically reduce the risk of running into any payment issues.
A reliable smartphone
Smartphones are essential but effective tools that will allow you to take your business everywhere with you. Being able to do simple tasks like take business calls, update appointments on your calendar, connect with potential clients on social media, and access documents on the go, are all things which you will need to be able to do if you want to go mobile.
A lightweight laptop
If you work in an industry that requires you to access documents at various points throughout the day, such as a consultant or freelance writer, then if you want to be able to work on the go you will definitely need a lightweight laptop. If you walk a lot or often take public transport, then you will find it difficult to carry heavier laptops, so it is important that you try to a find streamlined and durable laptop which will still offer you good functionality.
A dependable method of transportation
While you may find that public transport works for you for getting from place to place, it could be worth investing in your own personal method of transportation if you intend on taking your business mobile. You need to be able to ensure that you will get to appointment locations on time, every time, and that may be difficult to do in the face of cancellations or delays within the public transport system. Therefore, you may want to consider looking into buying a reliable car, especially if you have a lot of equipment that you will need to take with you.