Apps You Should Have When Working with Virtual Assistants -

As a business owner, I always find myself on-the-go. Thanks to technology, communication is way easier regardless of their location.

Several apps can be accessed through a lot of platforms, mobile or desktop, and sometimes with both! Convenience at its finest.

With billions of available apps out there, how will you know which ones to use?

If you have trouble choosing the right apps to use, I have compiled here my recommended apps and listed their awesome features.

Communication Apps

These are the most widely used apps with 450 million active users. With so much messaging apps today, it’s hard to choose which ones are best for business. Here are what has been working for me:

1. Skype

Skype is one of the most famous communication apps for businesses. It has tons of features suitable for business like Audio and HD video calling, call recording and live subtitles, smart messaging, call phones, screen sharing, and private conversations.

Skype can be accessed across all devices: phone, desktop, tablet, web, Alexa, Xbox, etc. It can be accessed almost anywhere!

Skype is free to use unless you want to buy credits to make calls to landlines and mobiles.

Skype for Business comes with a separate app than Skype, costs $2 per month, per user. This lets you add up to 250 people to online meetings, integrated into your Microsoft Office apps, and allows you to manage employee accounts.

Skype gives you the ability to leave a two-minute voice or video message to your VA straight after a meeting. Plus, you can stay in touch on the go thru mobile.

2. Zoom

Zoom is a very good tool for video conferencing. It combines online meetings, video conferencing, mobile, and chat collaboration. With this software, you can have multiple people in a video call without an actual connection in contacts.

Zoom Basic can actually do a lot of things for free. It hosts up to 100 participants with unlimited 1-on-1 meetings. There’s a 40-minute limit on group meetings but with an unlimited number of meetings, so you could always call again meeting, after the other.

They have Zoom Basic, which is free, Pro is at $14.99 per month per host, Business and Enterprise at $19.99 per month per host.

File Storage Apps

Given that all files can be stored in the cloud, the only thing you have to worry is which software or app you want to use.

It’s important to have a secure location to put all files in. Having software on your PC, plus an app to your phone, makes file storage go to the next level!

It gives you easy access to the files you may need with just a simple browse or click. Here are the apps that are working for me and my clients:

3. Google Drive

Google Drive has a handful of features that they offer and all types of files can be stored. You can edit and create files in the drive and security is never an issue! It’s kept private, and you decide who and where you can share it. The best thing is, you can also work offline!

4. Dropbox

Dropbox offers cloud storage, file synchronisation, personal cloud, and client software. All files stored here are private unless you share links to files or share the folder with others.

This app is free unless you want to upgrade your plan to Dropbox Business. The price depends on the additional features you may need. Dropbox Business Standard is at AU$17.50, Advanced is at AU$27.50, and Enterprise has customisable solutions so the price will vary.

Both Dropbox and Google Drive offer cloud storage and file synchronisation. With these two, you can share and access files through your computer or mobile.

Both apps have SSL encryption, which assures all files are kept private and secure.

Project Management Apps

Project Management apps help the business initiate, plan, execute, control, and close the work of a team for specific goals to be achieved within the given constraints. These tools are terrific for project and time management. I’ve listed apps that work well for my team. Trello, Asana, and Monday serve the same function – all for team management. These are web and mobile applications designed to help teams organise, manage and track their task.

5. Trello

Trello is an amazing tool, the visual boards are flexible, shareable, and lets you add tons of details to each card. You can also use it to organise anything, perhaps your entire life!

You can use Trello for free, but with additional features that are useful for your business, there’s Business Class at $9.99 and Enterprise with more amazing features that are priced depending on the number of users.

6. Asana

Asana is designed to help the business get organised, stay on track, and hit deadlines. The visual project plans show every step, pinpoint risks and eliminate roadblocks even with last-minute changes.

Asana Basic is free, but with more features, you can purchase Premium at $9.99 and Business at $19.99.

7. Monday

Monday is a great assistant to help plan, organise, and track projects. You can see everything in one visual, collaborative space.

However, Monday is a paid app with their rates per month. Monday Basic is at $39, Standard at $49, and Pro at $79.

8. Calendly

Calendly is a simple, yet amazing scheduling software that helps save time and improve service quality. Imagine a digital version of your planner plus, your team can book a meeting with you depending on your availability.

Calendly has three plans — Free, Premium, and Pro. The Premium plan costs $8 per user per month. The Pro plan is priced at $12 per user per month.

I feel like this is a very essential app in our business. Like, how do people operate without Calendly? It’s just like, the Best. Tool. Ever.

Bonus List

These apps are essential to the business since we are offshoring. They help us from recording video conference meetings to digitising hardcopy paperwork on the go.

9. Loom

Loom is a very useful tool that captures your screen, records your front-facing camera, and narrates it all at once. After recording, a link will be provided for easy sharing. This would be really helpful in giving instructions and tutorials to your VAs.

Loom Basic is free and Loom Pro is at $10 per month which includes additional features.

10. Jotnot Scanner

Jotnot Scanner is the easiest way to save a digital version of your paper documents. It enables your phone to scan files into PDF, email it to someone, or simply save them into a cloud storage facility like Dropbox or Google Drive.

With this app, there is no need to ever keep receipts, paper records, notes, etc. You can eliminate paper with JotNot. You can scan anything, easily share your scans, efficient scanning, and lots of additional features!

JotNot is free to use indefinitely. There is a one-time Upgrade to Pro in-app purchase available for unlimited scans and access to advanced features, including cloud storage.