According to a recent study, lack of communication is the leading cause of breakups among couples. What does this have to do with your business?
Everything.
Without a functional communication system in place, your entire infrastructure can crumble. Employees don’t understand their job requirements and the company mission statement is unclear. These doubts transfer to the client, leading to lost sales and a less than stellar reputation.
When it comes to relationships, business or otherwise, communication is essential for success. Read on to discover the importance of effective communication tools for any size company and how to use them efficiently.
WorkZone
The WorkZone app is the perfect place to start if you’re a small business looking to expand. WorkZone is a project management tool that allows collaboration between employees, partners, and clients. Users are given access to calendars, tasks, templates, and folders.
The best part is, WorkZone is easy to use. It starts you off with basic programs and features with room to grow and expand when your company does.
Monday.com
Mondays are tough. But not when it comes to the Monday.com online collaboration tool. This tool doubles as a communication app, allowing teams to sync information and projects in a single location.
Miscommunication leads to mistakes, missed opportunities, and delays in production. None of which are good for business. When team members all come together in a single location, it makes for faster, seamless decision-making.
Team members can ask questions in real time and get the answers they need to continue working and never miss a beat.
BlueJeans
With a name like BlueJeans, users are instantly relaxed when using this helpful communication tool. BlueJeans is one of the most popular online meeting tools available and is perfect for businesses large and small.
If you’re constantly on the go, BlueJeans lets you join cloud-based video conferences using a web browser, mobile phone, or desktop app. What’s even better is that BlueJean’s many features are available across all platforms.
Whether you need to record a meeting, share your screens with multiple audiences, or host a webinar, this communication tool has it all.
Slack
When it comes to remote workers staying in constant contact with their in-house team, the Slack app is where it’s at. Not only can users create multiple channels, organize private groups, or message coworkers individually, but Slack also offers conference and video calls.
Employees from different time zones and departments can come together to discuss questions, projects, and engage in general conversation. This is ideal for work-from-home employees seeking some virtual interaction.
But beware. This communication tool isn’t called Slack on purpose. If you’re not careful, you may lose hours of time sharing random memes, hysterical gifs, and even knock-knock jokes.
Asana
If you’re a small team looking for an easy to use collaboration tool, Asana is the right fit. This program management tool won’t overwhelm you with countless features you don’t need or understand.
Asana offers simple features like creating calendars and assigning tasks. One unique feature is the ability to create projects within existing projects. Supervisors and team leaders can track progress and bring in other team members if needed.
The design is beautiful and simplistic with features like note sharing and the ability to upload multiple files. Pair this project management tool with a voice communication tool like VoIP and all your communication needs will be met. If you’re wondering, what is VoIP, it’s the perfect tool for chatting or hosting video calls.
Messages and intentions can get lost or misinterpreted when using text alone. Tools like VoIP take the guesswork out of collaborating and facilitate real conversations between team members and clients.
EverNote
For businesses where note taking and sharing is crucial, EverNote has you covered. EverNote offers unique features and room for growth.
Forget the days of typing notes into a blank document. With EverNote, you can scan files, search for specific images and words within files, and paste them directly in your current screen.
This means never having to close other apps or programs, which makes for quick, seamless work. EverNote is perfect for those who love making lists and keeping tasks and ideas organized in one, central location. Think of it as a collage of all your ideas, in both text and picture form.
Google Docs/Sheets
Move over Microsoft, the days of sharing Word and Excel attachments are gone. Google Docs and Sheets let team members share a simple link, giving teammates and clients instant access to the information.
For those comfortable with using Microsoft Word and Excel, don’t worry. Google Docs and Google Sheets are designed just like your favorite Microsoft products. But better.
Have you ever experienced that moment where you accidentally close out of your document before saving it? Thanks to Google Docs/Sheets auto-save feature, you never have to experience that stomach drop again. Your work is automatically saved every few seconds.
Once you work is done, simply copy and paste the link and send it off via email or chat. You can also adjust the privacy settings on your documents, giving users access to either view, edit, or comment on your work.
Google Slides
Another nifty and convenient tool created by the geniuses at Google. Google Slides makes presentations and webinars more engaging than ever.
This is an especially helpful tool if you’re already using Google for your documents and email. Google Slides integrates perfectly with any other Google tool.
Google Slides are perfect for training new employees. And just like other Google documents, multiple users can access and edit the same presentation. This makes collaborating on a project more efficient and eliminates confusion and misinformation.
Creativity 365
For those companies in the creative sector, like art studios or interior designers, there’s no better communication tool than Creativity 365.
This app allows users to edit multimedia images and files, manage data, share documents, and flex their creative muscles. Since most creative minds can’t plan their next big idea, Creativity 365 works on both desktops and mobile devices.
You can scan documents or images, create beautiful presentations, and use the app’s e-signature feature. Creativity 365 also offers cloud-based storage and file conversion.
Use These Communication Tools for Success!
When you open the lines of communication between employees, you’re investing in the success of your business. Regardless of your business size or need, there are communication tools available to fit every niche.
Collaboration tools are perfect for large-scale companies. When you have hundreds of employees working together on a single project, communication is key.
Small businesses are laying the foundation for the future, which means having clearly defined and communicated goals.
Are you looking to break into the business world? Check out this guide for start-up companies like you!