For companies that want to stay ahead of the competition, now is the time to streamline departments and open up the lines of communication between employees. Formerly, this would be dependent on computer and internet access, expensive programs, and other pieces of costly, unitasking technology. Now, there are Dell IT solutions in the pocket of nearly every employee, the smartphone. These devices are not just for texting and calls, they offer companies a chance to utilize custom apps to take profits, efficiency, brand awareness, and a company's identity to a whole new level.

App markets for the Droid and iPhone are astonishingly large, with hundreds of thousands of options for everything from streaming videos to planning business trips. Companies now have the option to utilize preexisting apps, alter current apps, or create custom apps specifically for their business. One of the key sectors that apps have revolutionized is the accounting department. Mail, taxes, faxing, payroll, and other
financial programs have all gone mobile. Apps such as Intacct and LessAccounting integrate with cloud memory systems to keep track of taxes, expense reports, inventory, and purchasing. Management can regulate employees with tiered access to data, ensuring that sensitive information reaches those that need it and no one else.

Whether companies are offering goods and services around the world or are focusing on a local demographic, real-time information is the key to success. When it comes to customer transactions, most businesses have been relegated to desktop programs, dedicated cashiers, or outsourcing the work to off-site partners. With a smartphone and a handful of apps, companies will be able to do away with these extra costs and boost productivity.

Nearly every financial institution offers ready-made or custom apps for smartphone
owners. Employees that are working off-site will be able to print out an > estimate, order required parts, and even scan the client's check or credit card. All of this information can then be sent to the transportation department, management, human resources, or any other party that needs the information.

Offering company smartphones to employees has taken on a whole new meaning. Management will find themselves with secure information any time they need it. Employees will have access to the programs they need anywhere they go. Best of all, these customized or preexisting apps cost just a fraction of their desktop counterparts and were built with the competitive company in mind.