As a small business with a remote staff, you may think that communicating and working efficiently as a team is much more challenging than it was when everyone worked out of a physical office, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As technology continues to advance, so do the techniques that companies can use to communicate and work together seamlessly, even when working from different corners of the world.
Today, we will talk about the many tools that a small business should have in its arsenal. In addition to discussing smart communication methods and essential project management software, we will also show you how you can make a great company website that is easy to use for employees and customers alike.
Communication is Key
When you are running a company with a remote team where every employee is isolated, it is imperative that you have a communication process in place, so everyone knows how to reach their managers and their peers at a moment’s notice. Before you even get to the tech, management needs to set up an open-door policy so employees know that they can reach out for help whenever they need it. One of the best tech tools that you can implement to create a path for quick communication is a video conferencing tool like Zoom, where employees can video chat, share screenshots, and send documents at the touch of a button.
When everyone on the team works on their own, management must make time to continue to incorporate the face-to-face interactions that are necessary to be productive. A program that is affordable and helpful in this regard is GoToMeeting, which allows you to set up in-person meetings for up to 150 participants. Most video platforms also allow you to share and view other people’s screens, which is essential for training from afar.
Another great all-in-one tool that allows you to communicate and keep your projects in order is Microsoft Teams. With this app, you can organize all team chats, files, apps, and meetings in one place so everyone knows where to go, and you can reduce the number of unnecessary emails that can quickly fill your inbox. Plus, you can customize the workspace to your specific layout and needs. The cherry on the cake is the ability to also access the essential Microsoft software that we depend on, including Word and Excel.
Project Management Tools
While the ability to talk to each other one-on-one is essential, if your company depends on the timely completion of complex projects, then you will also want to invest in at least one project management tool to streamline these efforts. There are many of these management programs in existence, with some of the more popular being Slack, ClickUp, Asana, and Trello.
These are great tools because they help your team to visualize your projects as if you were all in the same conference room. You can assign tasks and then allow team members to mark off their assignments in real-time so you can see what progress has been made and what lies ahead. Many of these programs also have a brainstorming component, where everyone can submit their ideas, so no one person is left out. Finally, you can track the time it took to complete any given task so you can solidify your timeline, see how long projects take, and learn how you can change your approach in the future.
If the project management tool you use does not include a cloud component, then you will want to find and incorporate an entity that can provide such services. By utilizing cloud storage like those offered by Google Drive, Dropbox, or Zoolz, you can ensure that your team can always find the documents that they need at the click of a button. Not only is this tech essential for order and organization, but when all of your data can be accessed electronically, your remote team can always get what they need from anywhere around the globe, so they can essentially work from anywhere.
Make Work Safe And Easy
The idea of effective communication is to give your employees a better chance to succeed, and you can also do that by streamlining your business website to make it as user-friendly as possible. Customers appreciate a website that is easy to navigate and simple to use, and when they can return time after time without hassle, they can easily become customers for life.
Smart web design is also helpful for your employees. For instance, it’s essential you allow customers to review your products and provide testimonials. When you do, other customers can read them and make an informed decision. Beyond that, your employees can also point customers towards those testimonials when they are trying to sell products on your behalf. The same goes for placing high-quality, optimized photos on your website. Not only will they help to raise your standing on search engines, but they will also showcase your products in the best light.
The safety and security of your remote employees will also go a long way to ensure their happiness and productivity. As time goes on, we see an increase in malware attacks and phishing scams, and if you do not educate your team on how to avoid scams, they can easily fall victim. As a business owner, make it a point to enforce the proper security precautions, including requiring the need for complex passwords, two-factor authentication, and encryption of all private business and customer data. By giving your employees less to worry about, they will be able to focus more on their work.
As you can see, smart tech is essential in our newly remote society. By using the tools and tactics described here, you can help your team communicate, share, and work together seamlessly from wherever they call home.
