Whether you’re out of the office frequently or have a remote team around the world, you’ll know how important it is to touch base with your team often. Emails are great, but what if you’re after something a little more personal and also a tool that will keep you up to date with your teams’ activities wherever you are? The necessity for this sort of communication is becoming ever present as more and more business owners are travelling as part of their career, and several apps have been created that allow you to stay in touch with your team no matter where you – or they – are. Check out some of our current favorites below.
Yammer
If you like the idea of a ‘private network’ for your team, Yammer may be one to try out. A social network, it assists business owners with staying on top of who is doing what, share information, organize projects and stay connected to the people that matter.
If you’re a frequent flyer and want a recap of what’s happened while you’ve been in the air rather than dive straight into your inbox, check Yammer instead; it’ll tell you what’s happened, what needs doing and allow you to make any quick decisions on anything that needs an immediate response.
Groups can be created with selective team members for particular projects, documents can be shared with ease, an ‘inbox’ lets you see anything urgent, and you can connect with other team members who might have a skill set that is beneficial for you. Available on your computer, phone or tablet, you’ll never be out of the loop with Yammer. With prices starting at $3 per user, the Yammer Enterprise is also sold with several Office 365 Plans.
Producteev
The Producteev interface is ideal for business owners who like to know what’s going on, when things are due and who is doing what. It allows you everything you need to create projects, assign tasks and track peoples progress wherever you are. With the ability to sync across all devices – including Mac, OS, iPhone and Android – you can check in on your team at any time for an update on what they’re up to.
The ‘network’ lets you add everyone on your workforce, and useful features such as color labelling, priorities, deadlines and filters allow you to set the pointers of a project without the need for an email or call. Multiple team members can be assigned to any project and receive notifications on task activities. Files can be attached at any time from your computer or Cloud Storage.
There are two different pricing options – the completely free option, or ‘Pro’ which costs $99 a month. The premium version includes integration with Outlook and a personalized support network within 24 hours.
You may have heard the name WhatsApp escaping between the tongues of teenagers, but it is also a valuable business tool and gradually being used by more and more corporations globally. Unless you’re on a super data plan, messaging via text between colleagues around the world can be expensive, and that’s where WhatsApp can help. It allows you to send messages without having to pay, and integrates between all smart phone devices.
Group chats can be created that allow you and several team members to discuss projects on the go, catch-up on any news and send across any important information. If you’re out of range, the app continues to work via Wifi, and you can also send photos and videos – ideal for sharing data when you’re checking out a new supplier, at a conference or business fayre.
There are no hidden costs with WhatsApp; you have an entire year to check it out, and then you only pay $0.99 a year after that. For a unique and clever way of communicating with your team, this is a deal no one would turn down.
