Businesses are relying more and more on remote teams to do their work. These teams primarily handle items such as marketing, content creation, web page design, editing, and technical support. There are numerous benefits to using remote teams. They tend to cost less and may often work more. For those on the teams themselves they offer the ability to be at home with their families, and get rid of the need to commute. The use of remote teams generally helps to also boost employment rates for those who would otherwise be unable to employ. Although this is a fantastic idea with numerous benefits, there are also some pitfalls. Productivity for these teams can falter due to lack of communication or confusing ‘reply all’ emails. Assigning tasks can become confusing and the teams tend to work more as individuals than teams. The good news it that there are five online tools you can use to boost the productivity of your remote teams. Make your life simpler, increase productivity, and allow your teams to work more as… well… teams.
1. Skype
Skype is an online text, voice, and video messenger. It is one of the most widely used messenger services in business today because of the numerous possibilities it offers. You can make phone calls to anywhere in the world or you can use the text messenger to speak to one or more team members. There is also a video messenger option where numerous people can video chat at the same time. This face to face option can help to span the gap in remote teams, allowing for a collaboration level closer to that of in-person teams.
Key Features:
- Video and voice calls to anyone else with a Skype account
- Instant messaging
- File sharing
- Calls to mobile and landlines (fee)
- Text messaging (fee)
- Group video calls of up to ten people (fee)
- Call forwarding
- Voice mail
2. Dropbox
Dropbox is a file sharing service which can make collaboration many times easier. You can share large sized files with a single person or with an entire team of people. A simple interface enables even those who are not tech savvy to reap the full benefits of the service.
Key Features:
- Works with numerous devices
- Up to 2GB of space for free
- Secure website
- Offline capabilities
- Grant access to files
3. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is a platform which hosts online conference calls, meetings, and training seminars. It is an affordable service which can make remote teams seem not so remote. It’s simple to use and is incredibly efficient. You can choose a service based upon the size of your company and what you actually need. Depending on which service you end up getting you can host meetings with between five and 1,000 attendees. Prices do vary.
Key Features:
- High definition video conferencing
- Desktop or application sharing
- Enable shared keyboard and mouse control
- Drawing tools
- One click meetings
- Schedule meetings in advance or meet now
- Attendees can “raise hands”
- Interactive Training
4. Trello
Trello is an online tool which helps you to better organize all of your projects. You can create organizations involving multiple boards and contributors. Boards are projects which can be worked on by multiple people at once. Everyone can collaborate together for maximum effort. Trello makes it easy to assign jobs, track progress, and throw ideas around.
Key Features:
- Create neatly organized cards, boards, and organizations
- Attach files to relevant cards
- Customized labels allow you to find cards easily
- Set deadlines
- Collaborate in real time
- Assign tasks
- Data is always private and secure
5. Google Drive
Google Drive is an online platform that keeps all of your stuff in a single place. Since this information is saved online you can access it anywhere you go. Away from the house and need to check on the status of a project or recheck something you recently did? No worries because Google Drive has your back. You can create, share, and access at any time of the day from anywhere. It’s also entirely secure so you can be certain your information is safe.
Key Features:
- Helps you to get to your files faster by recognizing objects and text
- View over 30 types of files directly in your browser
- Create, edit, and comment on documents online
- Chat directly inside of documents, sheets, or slides
- Track every change you’ve ever made
