App big time-saver for small businesses

A new mobile app which brings together banking, accounts and sales data is intended to allow greater oversight and save time for small businesses.

ASB has launched Plus - a platform that brings together Xero, Vend and Shopify into one place, allowing businesses to look at cashflow, sales or product information in one app.

Steve Jurkovich, ASB executive general manager business, said the free app was built on an open platform which meant anyone could use it regardless of which bank they belonged to.

"We know how busy small-business owners are and we're excited to offer this new tool which makes it easier to see what's going on and to make smart business decisions, on-the-go."

The tool was created and tested by ASB Business Ventures, an online community for digitally native owners of small and medium-sized businesses. The first release of the app is aimed at retailers and SMEs that use Xero alongside point-of-sale software Vend or the Shopify online store.

Chaos and Harmony shoes co-owner Rebecca Anderson, who had been using the app for about a month, said it streamlined the tools she was already using into one place, which saved time.

"The main thing is I have really limited time to make important decisions. A lot of that is through reporting."

Anderson said it allowed her to easily check whether a product was moving or not moving off the shelf and then respond quickly.

"Knowing our top sales product, especially at this time of year, heading into Christmas ... it can be hugely influenced by weather."

The app helped her figure out if stock needed to be changed or replaced, depending on whether it had been a wet weekend.

Looking at the data meant decisions were based on facts, not just a hunch. The time-saving meant she could spend her time on designing shoes rather than looking at reports.

"This gives me the highlights without getting bogged down with the detail."