Chieftains: What’s Your Favorite Mobile App, For Business or Personal Use, and Why?
QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOBILE APP, FOR BUSINESS OR PERSONAL USE, AND WHY?
DAVID GROSSMAN, PRESIDENT/FOUNDER, THE GROSSMAN GROUP
The apps I gravitate to tend to be the more practical ones that simplify my life. That’s why I like Around Me, an app that — as the name suggests — helps me find the places around me by GPS. So when I’m on the road and need a grocery store, a Starbucks or a Walgreens, I can figure out what’s closest in just a few clicks. My favorite that definitely doesn’t fall into the “practical” category is the Price is Right app. I grew up with the show and it’s mindless fun. Plus, you can win a number of showcase items, which is instant gratification and makes me feel a bit more productive in the end!
BEAU ROBERTS, GLOBAL MARKETING DIRECTOR, BITDEFENDER.COM
My current favorite mobile app for business is Marketing Forecast by AD-ology. This app for the IPhone consolidates marketing and advertising news and content from many different providers into one convenient app. My favorite personal app, Tripit, also happens to be useful for business as well. Tripit automatically consolidates all of your travel information into a single Web and mobile-based itinerary. When you get an e-mail confirmation for your flight, hotel, rental car, etc., you simply forward it to [email protected]. It then automatically parses out the information from the e-mails and populates your itinerary, adding weather and other useful information about your destination. It then monitors your flights and alerts you via e-mail or text about your flight times, delays, connection times and gates. It is really a great timesaver for those who travel a lot.
LOIS K. GELLER, PRESIDENT, LOIS GELLER MARKETING GROUP
The iPhone app I use most often is Tweetdeck. I keep in touch with about 10,000 people on Twitter, so I have to stay on top of things, especially since all kinds of opportunities show up there first. The Tweetdeck app lets me tweet from airports, the doctor’s office, the beach and, in a few weeks, from a boat cruising down the Dneiper River in Ukraine. I’m also a “ghost tweeter” for several clients, so when one of their prospects or customers tweets an inquiry about a vacation, or needs something — whatever — immediately, I’m there. On my way back from Vancouver recently, I caught up with hundreds of tweets when my flight was delayed. Most of the tweets I was responding to were prospects for business.
DOMINIC WHEATLEY, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, SOCIALGO.COM
Around Me is my favorite mobile app. It’s perfect for finding all sorts of things when I am traveling in a foreign city or even when I’m looking for something in my hometown. Restaurants, bars, gas stations, parking spaces, taxis, hotels, etc. are all easily searchable wherever I go. When I find something that I need (like a bar in a hurry!), I can just click and call the business or hit directions to see them on the map. Although it is a great idea and is well executed, I would like the app developer to add the Web site information of each place or service. Also, they should make the map a more interactive experience so a user can see movie listings, menus, discounted room rates, etc. within each business.
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