Once upon a time mobile phones were a way of making phone calls. These days smartphones are a vital business tool boosting business productivity if used well.
The first hurdle in making the best purchasing decision is choosing the operating system: Apple's iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7 or BlackBerry.
Greg Angell, Telecom Business Hub owner in Dunedin is wedded to his iPhone. None-the-less he can see many reasons for small businesses to choose other operating systems.
One of them is cost. "Android phones are much cheaper to buy and have lower cost plans," says Angell. "Free" iPhone and other handsets are tempting, but mean a higher monthly plan charge.
Another issue is the robustness of the phone. The iPhone is a little on the delicate side for tradespeople and others who may be hard on their phones. A plumber, for example, might be better off with a water resistant phone such as the Motorola Defy, says Angell.