Collaboration can improve or completely destroy your business. Make sure that thanks to these effective tools you can fully harness the potential of teamwork.
Here are five collaboration tools that will improve the quality of your business in the best possible way.
1. Video conferencing tools
Not long ago, video conferencing was difficult to set up, which was the main reason it was used so rarely. However, rapid technological development has made it a routine way of collaborating today. Some small companies and departments use video conferencing tools every day, because the cost of applications has decreased significantly and network speeds have increased, thereby boosting connection reliability and improving ease of use.
Video conferencing without borders
The best part is that today's video conferencing tools are almost device-independent. You can now participate in a conference on a smartphone, tablet, computer, or TV. Popular tools include WebEx and Zoom, which are fully functional solutions for businesses of every size. GoToMeeting, Join.me, and Skype for Business are alternatives. And if you want to modify how it works even further, share a video meeting with a group on Facebook Live – apps such as Zoom let you instantly stream information to your Facebook page.
2. Voice tools
How many times a day do you need a quick answer from someone? But what if you are on a different floor or in a different city?
Fast voice communication
Of course, you can use a smartphone or send an email, but as you know, even such solutions are not always effective. Modern entrepreneurs use cloud-based voice communication apps. These apps can stay open and will not close on your desktop while you work. The possibilities this gives include showing whether the person you want to reach is available, and then offering both instant SMS and voice calls.
Nextiva has such an app for quick voice collaboration, but you can also take a look at Skype and Google Hangouts. Voice collaboration tools like these make your company more agile and faster – minimizing the countless small delays every day.
3. Project coordination tools
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about coordination and planning is, in fact, the widely known and loved calendars and spreadsheets, used mainly to track deadlines and responsibilities. Today's project management tools still help manage deadlines and responsibilities, but they do much more by integrating advanced collaboration features, including shared file storage, spaces for team members to leave comments and ask questions, as well as instant messaging and screen sharing – all in one virtual workspace.
Project coordination in one dashboard
These enhanced tools can connect team members no matter how widely they are spread across the real world, so everyone knows what others are doing when it comes to planning, communication, file management, and coordination features in one dashboard. Slack revolutionized this space with its collaboration features. Trello and Basecamp also place great emphasis on this area of activity.
4. Visual design tools
Are you still using the cumbersome method of transporting materials by carrying sketches and project drafts or even individual mockups? Whether you are a developer designing a website or app, or a photographer, architect, landscape architect, or interior designer, visual design tools can change the way you work with clients.
Modern visual design
One of the challenges professionals face is finding common ground with clients and other team members during the iterative design process. Close collaboration and the ability to easily obtain feedback on visual products are essential. GoVisually, InVision, Mural, Concept Board, and Prevue are examples of today's visual collaboration tools.
5. Mobile collaboration
Today's mobile collaboration solutions can use features on both smartphones and tablets, so you can operate from anywhere.
The tools let you transfer emails, contacts, calendars, and tasks with continuous synchronization across different devices, while also monitoring projects, assigning and sharing tasks on site. Avaya Mobile Collaboration and IBM Mobile Collaboration Services offer robust solutions, but you can also try 8X8, Asana, and Huddle for more accessible options.
Summary
Choosing the right collaboration tools can significantly affect a company's efficiency. The article lists five key categories: video conferencing (e.g., WebEx, Zoom), voice communication (Nextiva, Skype), project coordination (Slack, Trello, Basecamp), visual design (GoVisually, InVision), and mobile collaboration (Avaya, IBM).
Interestingly, modern tools not only improve communication, but also integrate functions such as screen sharing, shared file storage, and project monitoring in one place, which eliminates the need to switch between applications. As a result, geographically dispersed teams can work just as efficiently as those in a single office.
