How to Find Remote Collaboration Tools for Your Business
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to adapt to new ways of collaborating while working remotely over the course of the last year and beyond. As traditional methods of communicating, such as in-person meetings and standard conference calls, were rendered unavailable due to work from home mandates and safety regulations, companies were left scrambling to find collaboration solutions that were not only cost-effective but would actually work for their teams.
Once the dust settled and employees got used to working away from their colleagues, bosses, and friends, it became apparent that with the right tools it doesn’t matter where you work – businesses can thrive from any location as long as they have the right tools for the job.
It can be daunting trying to navigate through the hundreds of remote collaboration tools available to us, but following these tips can help narrow the search.
Focus on the Problem, Not the Tool
When evaluating new remote collaboration tools, start by clearly identifying the problem you are trying to resolve. Are employees yearning for a way to connect face-to-face? Are you trying to combine multiple functions like voice, video, chat, and document sharing in a single platform? Does the sales team need help managing their funnel? Starting with the “why” will make the “what” a lot clearer.
Do Your Due Diligence
When It Comes To Security Features
When evaluating new remote collaboration tools, start by clearly identifying the problem you are trying to resolve. Are employees yearning for a way to connect face-to-face? Are you trying to combine multiple functions like voice, video, chat, and document sharing in a single platform? Does the sales team need help managing their funnel? Starting with the “why” will make the “what” a lot clearer.
Listen to Your Users
The employees that will be using these remote collaboration tools day in and day out will provide invaluable feedback about the features and functions they think would benefit the organization most.
Polling a sampling of employees throughout the organization will allow you to gain an understanding of the needs of each department. For example, customer service may benefit from tools that let them easily join conference calls or initiate chats with other employees while trying to help a customer on the phone. Finance teams may feel as though document sharing tools would help them be the most productive. Once you have a list of all the features your team is looking for, you can make an accurate assessment of the tools you choose to implement.
Consider Interoperability and Compatibility
Whether you’re looking to revamp your entire remote collaboration suite or you’re just looking to enhance what you have with a new tool, be sure to investigate interoperability to avoid headaches in the future. Implementing new collaboration tools that don’t work with those you currently utilize can cause headaches for your staff and decrease user buy-in.
Do You Need Help Choosing The Right Tools For Your Business?
At BlackHawk Data, we have the knowledge and expertise to help you understand the types of collaboration tools that are out there and can help you identify those that will meet the needs of your business. Our team can provide a strategy to come alongside your current systems and take your team to peak performance, breaking down the barriers of communication.
Sources
Computer World: How to Pick the Right Collaboration Tools