This has enabled businesses to continuously expand their markets, collaborating with international colleagues and clients. A great contributing factor to globalisation, and specifically remote working, is thanks to online collaboration tools.
Conventional technology can only take communication so far, and working remotely with clients and colleagues can be challenging. There is a need for companies to recognise the importance and value of tools allowing for practical means of communication across distances and time zones.
So, whether it be inter-departmental or between business and a client, how does a company optimise their resources to improve communication, and in turn, productivity?
In 2013, an Avanade survey found that 77% of business professionals were using technologies enabling remote collaboration.
A more recent 2017 survey conducted by PGi, a leading web conferencing solution, reveals a stunning 88% of professionals use online collaboration tools at least once a week.
This data reflects how an increasing number of businesses are turning to online collaboration tools to communicate and work more effectively.
When discussing innovative collaboration techniques used to improve the corporate industry across global teams, McKinsey Consultants found that the first barrier to communication was a lack of tools that engage in knowledge.
Once new tools and processes that allow online collaboration across multiple platforms are implemented, companies see a 20-30% improvement in productivity.
Technology has been previously integrated in the office to achieve a variety of objectives, an example is going paperless in to save costs, and utilising the space in the offices through smart furniture with modoola, a UK start up. However, this trend towards adoption of online collaboration tools reflects a big shift in integration of technology that has changed the way a company conducts its daily business for the better.
We’re now seeing more businesses opting to use online tools, rather than traditional face-to-face meetings. Companies are quick to realise that online collaboration technologies are easy to use, increase prioritisation, save time and money, boost employee productivity by improving work-life balance, and allow for all parties involved to work together, at the same time, from anywhere.
A service that allows for true remote collaboration can improve performance incredibly. Quick meetings, happy clients, no travelling time or costs, and increased budget for other projects. Online collaborations also allow for your client and you to be able to edit a document at the same time whilst on a call together. This reduces misunderstandings and contributes to overall efficiency.
Plenty of case studies prove how companies that take on the initiative and lead by example in integrating communication and collaborative software benefit the most.
Take for example B2B law firm Shipman & Goodwin LLP. In 2016, Shipman & Goodwin integrated a meeting platform where their lawyers could interact with and discuss legal topics with audiences large and small. This allowed for them to personally interact with clients, resulting in increased engagement with their audience and clientele.
Whether a small business or large, online technology is becoming an increasingly vital part of how of the way the industry is progressing, and represents a change in how companies conduct business. The benefits of collaborative tools are on the rise. To keep up, it is important to consider ways to utilise these and improve the way your business works.
