I wrote this up to share this with folks as it struck me as I’m interested how other people do this.
For the main aspect, I use MS Outlook 2003 tied into a TREO 700p. All of my contacts, calendar and notes are synch’d. I just use the email on the my TREO to check when I’m out of the office (which is pretty often).
I just love TREO and use it a lot nowadays, from taking notes in meetings, checking email, and getting maps from Google. I text msg with my employees for scheduling updates. I take photos of whiteboards, flipcharts with the phone and share them in email. It’s so easy to check my schedule now compared to pen and paper.
One thing I find is a lifesaver is Simulscribe.com. It answers both my cell and office phone, and transcribes the audio into text and emails me. I haven’t had to listen to voicemail in a year!
I also use Groove and Basecamp on my laptop. Both are file sharing programs. Groove, made by Microsoft, is an application from Office 2007. I use it for internal processes with staff, keeping files sync’d, graphics share, proposals, forms and documents. Groove also costs too much and was a pain for my clients without admin access to their computers. (Also, it’s not available to clients on Mac.) I use Basecamp, which is a web app, to communicate with my clients as it’s so easy they can figure it out without training. It is a nice way for me to also keep track of the documents I’ve shared with them and they know when I’ve completed things.
I use X1 as an desktop search engine, mostly for email and documents. I used to use Google Desktop, but I got nervous about the comprehensive way it indexes. X1 gave me more precise control, although it’s also that I am pretty used to the interface. I scan all the biz cards I get from clients, suppliers, etc into Outlook.
Other things I use to keep organized – I use Successfactors to manage HR and Salesforce to manage my sales funnel. Both are good, but take a lot of time to regularly maintain. My staff have not really embraced the use of Successfactors. Salesforce I used more before a recent change that made it awkward to upload new contacts. I use flickr for my photos, but that is mostly personal.
One new web app I’ve tried is Soonr, as I can look at files that are on my computer from my cell phone. But I am never that far away from my laptop and can usually wait. Plus I have a laptop which means that often it is with me, and sp unavailable to be accessed via a cell. So while neat, it hasn’t been much use yet.
I do wish there was a better way to have a single device. A better camera and MP3 player into my phone. iPhone might be the one, but I do use Palm apps for other things, like reading books while I travel.
Anyway, reading this, maybe now I think I’m not all that common! But I’m pretty happy with my level of organization, thanks to all of these online services and software!
