5 Features Business Cell Phones Should Have

If you run a small business, or run IT for a small business, then handling communications for employees is constantly on your mind. With the ever-changing mobile landscape, it can be difficult to pinpoint what type of phones your company’s employees need. Instead of setting out to choose a particular handset model or manufacturer, come up with a list of criteria that you need on your fleet of phones, and then make a decision once you’ve narrowed down the field. The following five features are a great starting point in determining the right phones for your company:

• Exchange Support

Many small, medium, and large businesses depend on Microsoft Exchange for their email server needs. When choosing a smartphone to recommend for your business, you want to ensure that the smartphone in question has sufficient Exchange support. Apple iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry OS, and Android all support Exchange to varying degrees, so do a bit of research to determine which OS is the best for your company.

• Battery Life

The main reason of having cell phones in a work environment is to keep everyone connected as much as possible. If your company deploys cell phones with terrible battery life, then the purpose of keeping employees connected is somewhat defeated. Make sure the cell phone you choose for your company has an ample battery life.

• Keyboard Capabilities

A few years ago, everyone in business relied on the BlackBerry’s physical QWERTY keyboard in order to get business done. Sending emails was a chore on any other device that didn’t feature a full physical keyboard. While most smartphones these days still offer a full QWERTY keyboard, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a physical keyboard anymore. The latest version of iOS and Android both feature fantastic touch screen keyboards.

• Wireless Hotspots

As I mentioned before, the main priority of having cell phones in (and out) of the workplace is to keep employees connected. Another great way to keep them connected and productive is to deploy smartphones that have wireless hotspot capabilities, so that your employees can tether their laptops or tablets to their smartphones and access the Internet. The Apple iPhone, and most Android and Windows Phones all offer wireless hotspots, depending on the cell phone service plan. Compare cell phone plans in more detail in order to determine which plans offer the wireless tethering.

• Connectivity

Connectivity is paramount in business. By connectivity I am referring to the ability of the smartphone to connect to other devices. For example, if you have prepared a PowerPoint presentation on your smartphone, does that smartphone have the ability to connect to a projector via an HDMI-out port, or a similar type of adaptor? Research the connectivity capabilities of the cell phones on the market in order to determine if it’s what you need.

The cell phone industry is light-years beyond where it was even just a few years ago, so the phones on the market are generally pretty high quality. Regardless, do a bit of research before deciding which phones to deploy to your employees, and you’ll enable extra productivity and cost savings.