Why Collaboration is Key to Productivity & the Best Cloud Solutions to Enable Teamwork
One of the major trends in cloud-based business applications in recent years has been connecting staff and encouraging collaboration and teamwork.
Instead of being closed off when working at their computer, staff can now chat, edit documents together, and collaborate right inside an application. This not only encourages communication, it also increases efficiency and office mobility.
At CwCastle, we’ve seen firsthand how making a team more collaborative can make a positive impact on a company’s bottom line. We’ve helped our clients transform their office workflows with collaborate Cloud Services that enable flexibility, boost productivity, and that are cost effective.
Why does helping your team work together more efficiently improve productivity and have other positive benefits?
Studies on workplace collaboration have shown a clear connection between productivity and task completion and teamwork. Participants in one study who were primed to act collaboratively with others stayed on task 64% longer than those that worked alone. People that felt they were working on tasks as part of a team were more motivated because they felt someone “had their back” and that they weren’t going it alone. Studies also found that people needed incentives and the right office tools in order to successfully collaborate with others.
So, what are some of the best cloud-based tools that promote team collaboration and increase efficiency? Read on for some of our proven favorites.
What Are the Best Collaborate Cloud Solutions for Small Businesses?
One of the reasons that small businesses in the New York Tri-state area seek out CwCastle for their managed IT needs and cloud solutions is because of our team of experts who have been serving the area since 1999. We’ve seen technology evolve and helped our clients stay ahead of the curve and take full advantage of it. We work with all types of cloud solutions, including the Google Apps for business, G Suite, and Microsoft’s cloud-based Office 365 technologies, among many others. We offer cloud hosting solutions that are reliable, fast, and effective. Here are some of the best collaborative cloud solutions that are also very affordable for any size business.
G Suite
If you’re looking for something lean, browser-based, and from a company practically everyone uses for their searches, then G Suite is going to be a fluid way to transition your company to a cloud-based workflow. G Suite offers multiple tools that offices use daily, including:
Office 365
For offices that like to stick with the tools they’re familiar with and have been using forever – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook – but would like to make them more collaborative, Office 365 offers all that and much more. Besides being able to collaborate, edit, and publish documents together right inside the Office programs, they have Microsoft Teams, which is engineered for collaboration and includes channel specific chat with file sharing. Other tools for businesses include:
Xero
Xero is a cloud-based accounting solution that & rsquo;s designed specifically for small and medium sized businesses. It allows you to get to your books whenever you need to from any internet-connected computer or mobile device. No longer are you tied to a single computer if you need to access your accounting files. Another benefit is that it’s designed for business automation and integrates with multiple popular cloud-based applications such as:
Microsoft Dynamics 365
For a customer relationship management (CRM) program that integrates seamlessly with Office 365, you may want to check out Dynamics 365. This CRM program makes it easy to collaborate on leads and customers right in Outlook and keeps track of all communications in one place. Some of the features include:
Slack
If you’re looking to ease into team collaboration, a great little program to try out is the communication tool Slack. It’s more than just a way to significantly reduce your email load (a great time-saving feature). Slack allows you to message, share files, and collaborate with your own team and with customers and vendors in an easy-to-adopt platform. Features include:
Looking for Ways to Increase Team Collaboration?
Get help with a team collaboration plan that works for your company’s unique needs. CwCastle works with small businesses from every industry you can imagine and we can help you choose the cloud-based collaborative tools that make sense for your business and budget. Start boosting your productivity today, schedule your free cloud solutions consultation at 212-529-2927 or through our website form
